Book Review - Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances by Sue Watson - Blog Tour

Amazon UK

Title: Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances

Author: Sue Watson

Format reviewed:  Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 12th October 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Escape to Devon for blustery walks along the beach, hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and proof that miracles really do happen, especially at Christmas. 

A year after she separated from her husband, Gianni, on Christmas Day, Chloe’s heart is still in pieces as she unpacks the decorations for her first ever festive holiday alone. That is, until the phone rings…

It seems Gianni’s new seaside restaurant is in trouble and Chloe must go to Appledore to save the business – and him. Equally famous for his experimental culinary extravaganzas and his explosive temper, Gianni has been really stirring up a sensation with the locals – and not in a good way! 

As pans fly and the temperature in the kitchen rises, Chloe’s calming influence and magic touch might just get critics back on side in time to save the restaurant from sinking like a sad soufflé. But will it be enough to save their marriage? 

Chloe came to Appledore in search of her Christmas sparkle, but when the snow clears, will she finally find the way back to her husband’s heart?

I'm impressed this has all the fun of  Sue Watson book, but it also has a lot of heart to it, and its a lovely story of second chances, and the book predominately focuses on two characters, from one point of view, which means you get to know Chloe and Gianni incredibly well. 

It is the story of Christmases' past and present, for Chloe and her soon to be ex-husband, with a moveable timeline taking in how they got together, the early years they had as a couple, all manner of highs and lows in their lives bringing us up to date with the previous Christmas where they separated, and now onto this year. 

Gianni is fantastic, he is an explosive Italian Chef with a god complex, who is magnificently good at alienating staff, customers, critics and anyone else that gets in his way. He it trying to set up a new restaurant in Appledore, Devon and is going about it the wrong way. Cue Chloe being brought in to try and help out her husband's ailing business. 

When I say Gianni has a god complex I mean his previous restaurant had no name, as he expected people to just know they wanted to come because he was the chef, and this new one he is wanting there to be no menu and he reckons people will eat what he tells them to!  Add in some rather creative language especially when swearing (no real swear words as such), and most of what he says could be reminiscent of Gordon Ramsey with an Italian accent! 

I felt incredibly sorry for Chloe throughout the book, she has not had the easiest of times being married to Gianni, but yet she doesn't want to see him fail either.  It is Chloe that tries to get the locals on side starting in a rather familiar ice-cream shop. 

For this is the third book set in Appledore and like the others can be read completely as a standalone, especially as the main focus of this book is Italian food and not Ice-cream!  

Speaking of food, yet another book by Sue Watson that has had my stomach rumbling throughout, apart from when offal is mentioned!  I love the various descriptions of both Gianni's Italian cooking roots, and also his rather more modern pretentious cooking style! 

I am really hoping this isn't the last book in Appledore, as I love the setting, and this particular book was superb. It was a fabulous mix of food, Christmas, Italian temperament, second chances, heartache, an obsessive "Trekkie" and some hilarious conversational exchanges.  I found I really got to know our main characters, and was rooting for them continually. 

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

Author Bio:

Sue Watson was a journalist then a TV Producer at the BBC until she realised that instead of working, she could stay at home, make stuff up and sell it! 

So far Sue's written ten books, and some have been translated into Italian and Portuguese (she's big in Brazil!) Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where her days are spent baking (and eating) lots of cake, while making big life decisions about whether to have Caramel Chew Chew or Salted Caramel ice cream while watching 'The Biggest Loser USA,' on TV. 

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suewatsonbooks

Twitter: @suewatsonwriter

Instagram: suewatsonbooks

Website: http://www.suewatsonbooks.com/

Book Review - Summer at the Little French Guesthouse by Helen Pollard - Blog Tour

Amazon UK

Title: Summer at the Little French Guesthouse

Author: Helen Pollard

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 12th July 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Summer sun, chilled, white wine, and a gorgeous fiancé. Nothing could upset pure bliss ... Right?

Emmy Jamieson loves her new life in the gentle hills and sunflowers of the lush French countryside, managing La Cour des Roses, a beautiful, white stone guesthouse. With marriage to caramel-eyed Alain just round the corner, things couldn’t be more perfect.

The odd glass (gallon) of wine dulls the sound of Emmy’s mum in full motherzilla-of-the-bride mode, and the faint tinkling of alarm bells coming from Alain’s ex are definitely nothing to worry about. Guesthouse owner Rupert and a whole host of old and new friends are there to make sure nothing gets in the way of Emmy’s happiness.

But as Emmy gets close to the big day, a secret from the past throws everything decidedly off track. Will her idyllic French wedding go ahead as planned, or will Emmy run back home to England with a broken heart?

I'm utterly bereft that this fantastic book has come to an end, and that I have no idea if there will be another book in this series, have I have been hooked on from the start. 

There is just such a charm to La Cour des Roses that suckers me in, grips my heart and won't let go, I absolutely adored being able to catch up with Emmy, Alain and their friends and family.  One of my favourite things about reading series is that you find out so much more about the characters than in just one book, and  I couldn't think of a better group of characters to keep returning to. 

The entire book centres around the run up to the big wedding between our main characters, and as you may expect from a book dedicated to just that topic, plus some subplots, things don't necessarily go as smoothly as you may want! 

From Emmy's overbearing mother who is driving the bride mad with daily calls and emails, to a disaster involving the wedding favours, to all manner of last minute problems, plus the run up is affecting the happy couple's relationship. 

I really enjoyed getting to know Emmy's niece and nephew-in-law a lot better, they are adorable children that do play a fairly important part in some of the storylines in this book.  I loved seeing more of ife at the guesthouse, especially a year on from that fateful holiday of Emmy's that was the catalyst for well...books 2 and 3! There was a good variety of guests for Emmy and Rupert to entertain. 

I was enjoying the story so much I didn't even think if it could be read as a standalone.. I suspect it can be but please don't quote me on that! I was just so happy to be back amongst my French friends at the guesthouse that I can safely say its a brilliant book for fans of the series!

I could potentially wax lyrical for far longer about various aspects of the book, but really I may start spoiling it for you, as it really is an enjoyable story that I could talk about for the rest of the evening!  There was just so much to enjoy about this book from the writing, to the characters, the setting, the funny bits plus a very fitting finale! 

Summer at the Little French Guesthouse is a wonderful way to escape your own life, while devouring a great story that should have you grinning for the majority! 

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

About Helen Pollard

As a child, Helen had a vivid imagination fuelled by her love of reading, so she started to create her own stories in a notebook.

She still prefers fictional worlds to real life, believes characterisation is the key to a successful book, and enjoys infusing her writing with humour and heart.

When she's not writing, Helen enjoys reading, scrapbooking and watching old seventies and eighties TV shows.

Helen is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and The Society of Authors.

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Book Review - Summer at Buttercup Beach by Holly Martin

Amazon UK

Title: Summer at Buttercup Beach

Author: Holly Martin

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture 

Publication Date: 30th June 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Pull up a deck chair and bask in the beautiful sunshine on Buttercup Beach. The sand is warm, the sea is sparkling blue and romance is sizzling in the air…

For two years Freya Greene has hidden the fact that she’s totally and utterly in love with her best friend Rome Lancaster. It’s not been easy – they work together in his glasswork business, she lives above his workshop and, he’s completely gorgeous. But Rome has never shown any sign of returning those feelings. Until now…

Lately they’ve shared affectionate touches and words heavy with meaning. Yet Freya knows Rome has a damaged heart. After losing his fiancé in a tragic accident, he’s not allowed himself to fall in love. 

Freya has already had her heart broken by a man who couldn’t let go of a past love. Can she risk it happening again? Rome and Freya have a friendship that could blossom into something more. Are they both brave enough to take that chance?

Everything you could want from a Holly Martin book, and more. It features an incredibly romantic man and a woman who knows what she wants, but isn't sure whether she will get it. There is plenty of advice from friends of the main characters, and just about everyone, other people on Hope Island, and the reader can see what Freya and Rome are meant to be together...however whether they will realise it before you run out of pages is another thing! 

It really didn't take too long for my to start falling for Rome myself, he is gorgeous, unsure of what his feelings really mean but just seems to want to make Freya happy. He has had issues in the past, but is finally ready for something more meaningful than a one night stand. 

What I really loved about Rome was his creativity, especially with Stained Glass, which he has taught Freya how to do too. I enjoyed reading about the various projects they were woking on, as well as Rome's inner geek! 

I really enjoyed reading about Freya and Rome's friendship too, as well as catching up with Eden and Bella who we first meet in Spring at Blueberry Bay. This book can be read as a standalone as the main focal characters are different. I'm already looking forward to the third book in this series, as I am eager to find out what happens to Eden. 

The writing style is like coming home to a good friend, warm and comforting..you know you are going to enjoy it, and it doesn't let you down. This is such a pleasurable story to read with plenty of will they-won't they moments, in addition to some lovely romantic gestures. 

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Don't Stop Me Now by Colleen Coleman - Fab Firsts - Blog Tour

Fab Firsts is my new regular Sunday feature, that is going to be highlighting books that are firsts. When interviewing authors, it will be about their first book, as well as other firsts in their lives. When reviewing books for this feature, there will be a mix of debuts, first books in a series, the first time I read an author, and possibly other firsts depending on what I can think of!

If you are an author wanting to take part in Fab Firsts then please do email on gilbster at gmail dot com and I'll whizz the questions over to you.

I hope you enjoy this look at a variety of hopefully fabulous firsts, while making some sort of dent in my review and paperback TBRs which are my current main focus!

This is a debut novel from Colleen Coleman that was published on Wednesday. 

Amazon UK

Title: Don't Stop Me Now

Author: Colleen Coleman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 22nd March 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

A hilarious feel good read about finding your feet when life pulls the rug out from under you.

Poppy Bloom planned to finish her PhD and walk straight into a job at her university. But here she is, unemployed, unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend, and living back at her mum’s in her vampire-themed childhood bedroom.

Not exactly what she was hoping for.

But when Poppy sets her mind to something, nothing can stand in her way. She scores herself an internship at the hottest radio station in town, joins a netball team, and renews her friendship with her oldest friend Leanne. Spending time with Leanne’s gorgeous twin Tom is just a bonus…

But life has a way of tripping you up when you least expect it, and Poppy soon has to decide where her priorities lie… With new friends, a new career and a new romance, can Poppy keep everyone happy, or is everything about to tumble down around her? 

Inspiring and entertaining, Don't Stop Me Now shows that even if you life isn't really going according to your plan that has been set in stone for you, that fate really knows what its doing, in giving you a push in another direction. 

Take Poppy Bloom for example, she has been working towards a fellowship at Banbridge for the last 10 years of the life. She now has her PHD when the university decides it will take a different tact this year. Not only throwing Poppy's life into turmoil, but also destroying her relationship with her boyfriend and best friend too. 

In the weeks that follow, Poppy makes some big changes in her life and finds what is arguably her true calling, and I loved watching every step of the journey. She also embraces a childhood friend, plays Netball for the first time in years, and generally her life is slotting into place...but she is still convinced she wants her old dreams. 

There is a scene involving a job centre that has to be mentioned, the careers facilitator seemed to far less qualified for any job than Poppy, and some of the suggestions and questions the computer came up with were hilarious. As was the discussion about her being a doctor! 

There are very many other comic moments in this story, and others that generally just brought a smile to my face. I absolutely loved her old friend Leanne, and the Netball team, what a fab group of girls, and is it wrong to be jealous that they get to play at an Olympic venue, despite being fictional characters, when the best I ever did with Netball was the club for people that couldn't get into the main squad! 

Don't Stop Me Now kept me enthralled while I was on a long train journey, and I found it to be a fairly quick and easy read. I am very eager to see what else this talented author will write. 

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy of the book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

About the author

Colleen Coleman is an Irish-Canadian novelist. She is the winner of the much-coveted Novelicious Undiscovered People’s Choice Award launched to find the next ‘chick-lit star’. She spent over ten years working as a teacher of English and Philosophy before finally taking a deep breath, scrunching her eyes shut, putting her pen to paper and vowing not to lift it again until she wrote the words The End. As a result, her first novel was born. Colleen lives between London, Ireland and Cyprus with her very patient husband and very, very chatty twin daughters. Don’t Stop Me Now is her first book and will be released in March. 


https://www.facebook.com/CollColemanAuth 

https://twitter.com/CollColemanAuth

Book Review - Blood Lines by Angela Marsons

Amazon UK

Title: Blood Lines
Series: Detective Kim Stone Book 5

Author: Angela Marsons

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 4th November

Rating: 5 Stars

How do you catch a killer who leaves no trace?

A victim killed with a single, precise stab to the heart appears at first glance to be a robbery gone wrong. A caring, upstanding social worker lost to a senseless act of violence. But for Detective Kim Stone, something doesn’t add up. 

When a local drug addict is found murdered with an identical wound, Kim knows instinctively that she is dealing with the same killer. But with nothing to link the two victims except the cold, calculated nature of their death, this could be her most difficult case yet.

Desperate to catch the twisted individual, Kim’s focus on the case is threatened when she receives a chilling letter from Dr Alex Thorne, the sociopath who Kim put behind bars. And this time, Alex is determined to hit where it hurts most, bringing Kim face-to-face with the woman responsible for the death of Kim’s little brother – her own mother.

As the body count increases, Kim and her team unravel a web of dark secrets, bringing them closer to the killer. But one of their own could be in mortal danger. Only this time, Kim might not be strong enough to save them…

Within just a couple of pages my blood was pumping, and I knew I was hooked on this new Kim Stone installment. There are so many perspectives being shown to us, that in theory it should be easy to get confused, but all the voices were so distinctive,  you soon got used to them. Of course it does take a while for some of them to become apparent just where they fit into the plot. 

I honestly think that even if you haven't read all the books in the series so far, that it would be a very good idea to read Evil Games (Book 2) first, as there is a very key recurring character from it, that sets the tone for this book, and knowing the full backstory is probably preferable. 

Kim Stone's character and past gets looked at in even more detail than before, and if you are a fan of the series, like I am, its a very welcome development. As the series progresses we learn more and more about just what makes Kim tick, and there are times I really do feel sorry for our hard hearted heroine. 

Of the. what in theory is the main storyline of this book, although I'm not convinced it was the one I was most interested in, although there was a fascination as to just who did it, I was amazed at just how cold hearted and evil the killer must be, and I was struggling to work out motivation, or who it was. 

Blood Lines will keep you hooked from start to finish, as you try to work out just what is going on, and how all the elements are linked. I always enjoy seeing a team of police try to solve crimes, and the more of I see of this team, the more I love them. They all have their strengths and weaknesses and together I really am starting to enjoy anything I see of all of them!

Blood Lines is a very welcome fifth installment into this series, and I'd argue is the best one yet. There is a level of complexity in it, and the way Angela Marsons has got under the skin of a couple of the characters is highly impressive and adds even more depth to an already brilliant series. 

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy of the book. This was my honest opinion.