Book Review - Schoolgirl Missing by Sue Fortin - #HolidayReading Thailand

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Amazon UK

Title: Schoolgirl Missing

Author: Sue Fortin

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 10th January 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL?

When fourteen-year-old Poppy vanishes on a family boating trip, suspicion soon turns close to home – to the two people who should do everything to keep her safe, her parents, Kit and Neve.

Neve has a secret. Kit is lying.
Everyone is watching.
Who do you believe?

Another cracking and suspenseful book from Sue Fortin, who kept me guessing throughout. 

Initially I thought I could predict everything, but then realised the set up would be too predictable if I was correct and I'm delighted to say that it became really hard to guess the truth the whole way through. 

The more I got to know Neve and Kit the less I liked them, I felt fro them that Phoebe had gone missing, but I much preferred Phoebe to her parents. 

She is a rather vulnerable young adult, with learning difficulties, so  the fact she disappeared was rather worrying.  

Oddly I was more eager to work out how / why than actual concern for her. 

This was a story with many layers to it, all sorts of unsavoury seemingly normal people, and it became rather addictive towards the end. 

Another incredibly gripping story from one of my favourite suspense authors, 

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

Book Review - The House of Birds and Butterflies by Cressida McLaughlin - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Amazon UK

Title: The House of Birds and Butterflies

Author: Cressida McLaughlin

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 26th July 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Abby Field loves every inch of Meadowsweet Nature Reserve on the idyllic Suffolk coast where she lives and works. Especially Swallowtail House, the rambling but empty country house that seems to look out at her each time she passes it’s shut-up windows.

When a TV wildlife programme choses a rival location for their new series, Meadowsweet is under threat – unless Abby can whip up a plan to keep the visitors flocking. But she finds herself distracted by the arrival of a brooding – and annoyingly handsome new neighbour… bad-boy novelist, Jack Westcoat.

With the pressure on, Abby and her cute rescue huskie, Raffle, must pull something special out of the bag. But with Jack in need of a good friend – and Abby feeling the pull of attraction, she can sense her resolve fluttering away…

Until reading this book I don't think I had given nature reserves a thought ever. I think I knew they must exist but past that I had no clue. 

I am astounded by the amount of research that must have gone into the writing of this book.  

I felt as thought I was on the Meadowsweet Reserve along side Abby, as we spotted assorted wildlife, and the details were easily able to paint a vivid picture. 

I loved the assorted events that Abby put on over the course of the book at the reserve, as well as her slow building friendship with the lodge at Peacock Cottage. 

In fact its the lodger, Jack who had the most interesting story-line, just why was he there, and what was he running from. 

An entertaining story that will appeal to both fans of the author and nature lovers.

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

Book Review - The Rise and Fall of Becky Sharp by Sarra Manning

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Amazon UK

Title: The Rise and Fall of Becky Sharp

Author: Sarra Manning

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 6th September 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Becky Sharp has big dreams and no connections. Determined to swap the gutters of Soho for the glamorous, exclusive world behind the velvet rope, Becky will do anything to achieve fame, riches and status.

Whether it’s seducing society’s most eligible bachelors, or befriending silly debutantes and rich old ladies, Becky Sharp is destined for great things. Because it might be tough at the top but it’s worse at the bottom.

From London to Paris and beyond, Becky Sharp is going places – so get the hell out of her way…

It had been a while since I last read a book by Sarra Manning but this book has certainly reminded my why I enjoy her books - even when  I wasn't reading it my mind was on the characters and wondering just what they would get up to next. 

I'm not sure how much I can say I particularly liked the characters or Becky herself but I was intrigued by them and with the authors clever writing, I certainly wanted to continue seeing how the story would play out.  I love books where there is scandal, rich people behaving badly, at least one person out for revenge, and a large cast of storylines and character.   I was never sure exactly how this story would end and i'm grateful as it made it so much more enjoyable. 

I am under the impression this is a modern re-telling of Vanity Fair, having never read it I have no idea how it matches up and was judging this as a book on its own merits. 

Despite my feelings towards some of the characters what they are though is memorable, and right from the first few pages I was enthralled by what was happening and the so called friendship between Becky and Emmy in the Big Brother house.  

Becky Sharp is a master of disguising her true self, depending who she is with depends just how she will treat a situation, and what level of sincerity she exhibits.  What you do get the impression of is the only person she cares about is herself and is using all of her wiles to improve her situation in all walks of life. 

To me this is a perfect poolside read, and worked just as well as an entertainingly gripping story to be read in my garden over two hot sunny afternoons.   A delightful way to spend some time and I'm really glad I read this. 

Thanks to Harper and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - One In A Million by Lindsey Kelk - Blog Tour

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Amazon UK

Title: One In A Million

Author: Lindsey Kelk

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Publisher supplied copy

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 5th July 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Everyone wants that special someone….

Annie Higgins has given up on love: she’s too busy trying to get her own business off the ground. Infuriated by the advertising agency across the hall making fun of her job, Annie accepts their crazy challenge – to make a random stranger Instagram-famous in just 30 days.

And even when they choose Dr Samuel Page PhD, historian and hater of social media, as her target, Annie’s determined to win the bet – whether Sam likes it or not.

But getting to know Sam means getting to know more about herself. And before the 30 days are out, Annie has to make a decision about what’s really important…

Funny, real and heart-meltingly romantic, Annie and Sam’s story is My Fair Lady for the social media age – and the perfect summer read.

I can see why this is being described as a modern day My Fair Lady, it really is turning someone from nothing on social media into a proper instagram influencer at least in terms of follower count.  Of course the person being transformed is rather reluctant and its all come about as a result of a bet thanks to the overly competitive Annie Higgins. 

I was laughing early on when Annie was referred to as Professor Higgins by the person she made the bet with regarding her social media prowess.  And that isn't the only nod to My Fair Lady in the book, I probably missed some references but there was one quite late on that made me smile 

Setting aside my clear love of a musical, we have a fabulous contemporary story that really resonated with me, especially since like Annie I seem to keep an eye on my phone and emails at all times of day, night, weekends regardless of if I was meant to be having downtime.  Ironically as I know how much I tend to enjoy Lindsey Kelk books I read most of it while being deliberately separated from technology for a few hours and I was loving the book until I had to go back and check my emails!! 

This is full of Kelk's trademark humour, so much to laugh at, and there is a message about social media in the book too.  I loved Dr Samuel Page, and seeing him come alive in Annie's boyfriend bootcamp is rather enjoyable, and surprising.  

So many scenes that I thoroughly enjoyed and I loved the banter between Annie and her co-workers and the advertising agency across the hall from them too. It is all just a lot of fun. 

The entire book takes place in just over a month, with most chapters starting with the date, some with an update on the bet with latest follower counts.  The question is will Annie succeed in turning a relatively unknown historian, with too much facial hair and bad dress sense, into an instantly recognisable instagram that everyone wants to follow?   Well you need to read to find out, and see just how much this bet affects the lives of both people. 

This is a very witty, well thought out story from a fabulous author, who knows exactly what she is doing and does it so brilliantly.  To me its not as great as the I Heart series the author is most known for, but its still an excellent book. 

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

Please do follow along with all these over lovely bloggers for more One In A Million !

Book Review - The Wish by Alex Brown

Amazon UK

Title: The Wish

Author: Alex Brown

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 17th May 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Sam Morgan knows he messed up with his wife Chrissie and daughter Holly – he wasn’t there when they needed him most, but now he’ll do anything to put his family back together again. Until then, he's back living in the picture-postcard village of Tindledale.

Jude Darling is coming home for good this time. She's taking over the antique shop in Tindledale, the place where she grew up and she's going to make sure she's there for her friend, Chrissie, and Goddaughter, Holly. They certainly need her right now.

As for Holly, there's only one thing she wants and it's not the sort of thing you can buy in a shop. She might be thirteen years old, but Holly still believes in wishes, and perhaps if she wishes hard enough, this one might come true…

It is always a moment of pure pleasure as you sit down to open a brand new Alex Brown book, and The Wish was no exception. If anything my anticipation had been heightened waiting two years for a new release from one of my favourite authors. 

Thankfully it soon became apparent that this was a book that was worth the wait, with its heart warming story taking in multiple generations of two families, and a brave 13 year old who just wants her parents back together by her next birthday. 

Holly was easily one my favourite characters, she is young but is coming to terms with her medical condition, which for a teenager must be tough.  Her parents Chrissie and Sam seem to argue whenever they get together, which is more frequent now that Sam has returned from working abroad.  

Sam also wants nothing more than to put his family back together again, and is determined to be a better husband and father if he is given a chance. 

Jude has also returned to Tindledale, and she is Chrissie's best friend, Holly's godmother, and  also wants her friends marriage fixed.  However Jude also ends up working for a larger than life ex-rock star who turned out to me another of my favourite characters. 

Although this is a new book set in Tindledale it can easily be read as a standalone, as all the others can too, there are some familiar faces but the heart of this book is a focus on all new characters, so there is nothing you need to catch up on. 

With moments of hilarity, some of high drama, and others tugging at your heartstrings, The Wish has everything and a is w wonderfully written book that I would have liked to keep reading for even longer. 

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

Book Review - The Postcard by Fern Britton - #HolidayReading Book 30

Book 30 of 30 that I read on my holiday to Fuerteventura in December 2017

Amazon UK

Title: The Postcard

Author: Fern Britton

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 29th June 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Secrets. Sisters. The summer that changed everything . . .

Life in the Cornish village of Pendruggan isn’t always picture perfect. Penny Leighton has never told anyone why she’s estranged from her mother and sister. For years she’s kept her family secrets locked away in her heart, but they’ve been quietly eating away at her. When an unwelcome visitor blows in, Penny is brought face to face with the past. And a postcard, tucked away in a long-hidden case, holds the truth that could change everything.

Young Ella has come back to the place where she spent a happy childhood with her grandmother. Now she’s here to search for everything missing in her life. Taken under Penny’s broken wing for the summer, the safe haven of Pendruggan feels like the place for a fresh start. Soon, however, Ella starts to wonder if perhaps her real legacy doesn’t lie in the past at all.

Pendruggan: A Cornish village with secrets at its heart

Wonderful return to Trevay and great to see Penny Leighton again, in this new novel from Fern Britton. 

Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Penny even more, having already met her in A Seaside Affair, although this is a completely new story and could easily be read as a standalone.  Penny is struggling a bit to juggle work and being a mother, and its starting to get to her a bit. She really isn't herself and the last thing she needs is her estranged sister trying to get in touch with her. 

I loved getting to know Penny and all the other people in Pendruggan, including her new neighbours Adam and Kit. I also really enjoyed Ella's storyline and can't help but think this isn't the last that we have seen of her, at least I hope it isn't. 

Given how much I love books set in Cornwall, this was a really lovely story, that had a great community feel to it, and was just a joy to read.  It was also a relatively quick read for me as I read the whole of it on a plane journey home from the Canary Islands, and it kept me awake, and entertained for the duration of the flight.  

Always love reading Fern Britton's books and can't wait for more by this lovely author. 

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

Book Review - The Woman at 72 Derry Lane by Carmel Harrington - #HolidayReading Book 15

Book 15 of 30 that I read on my holiday to Fuerteventura in December 2017

Amazon UK

Title: The Woman at 72 Derry Lane

Author: Carmel Harrington

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper 

Publication Date: 16th November 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

On a leafy suburban street in Dublin, beautiful, poised Stella Greene lives with her successful husband, Matt. The perfect couple in every way, Stella appears to have it all. Next door, at number 72 however, lives Rea Brady. Gruff, bad-tempered and rarely seen besides the twitching of her net curtains, rumour has it she’s lost it all…including her marbles if you believe the neighbourhood gossip.

But appearances can be deceiving and when Stella and Rea’s worlds collide they realise they have much in common. Both are trapped in a prison of their own making.

Has help been next door without them realising it?

Proving once again that Carmel Harrington is the queen of the thought provoking emotional read, this book is unputdownable, but equally quite tough reading in places. 

It follows three different stories, although it take a while for the one involving Skye to become apparent how it links up with neighbours Rea and Stella. 

All three of these amazing leading ladies, are dealing with something big. It is only fair to warn that themes included in this book include abuse, agoraphobia and the Boxing Day Tsunami, which may affect your responses to the various characters. 

I thought they were all rather brave, learning to face fears, and it becomes apparent how imporant just small acts of kindness can be to a person. 

I read this in an afternoon, barely pausing for breath, and was hooked on the superb emotional writing, impressive descriptions, and general connections I felt with all three ladies. 

This really is another example of Carmel Harrington at her best, and I am just wondering how long it will be before this book becomes a film, as I think it certainly would make a compelling hard hitting drama to watch too, as well as read. 

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

Book Review - Last Seen by Lucy Clarke

Amazon UK

Title: Last Seen

Author: Lucy Clarke

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 29th June 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Seven years ago, two boys went missing at sea – and only one was brought to shore. The Sandbank, a remote stretch of coast dotted with beach huts, was scarred forever.

Sarah’s son survived, but on the anniversary of the accident, he disappears without trace. As new secrets begin to surface, The Sandbank hums with tension and unanswered questions. Sarah’s search grows more desperate and she starts to mistrust everyone she knows – and she’s right to.

Someone saw everything on that fateful day seven years ago. And they’ll do anything to keep the truth buried.

Unputdownable and enthralling, I can't really ask for more than that from a book, and Last Seen offers that and even more. 

On the surface its a reasonably easy story to understand. Jacob and Marley were inseparable best friends. 7 years ago unfortunately Marley drowned on Jacob's birthday when they were 10 years old. Now on the night of his 17th birthday Jacob is last seen in The Sandbank area and no one knows what happened to him or where he is. 

The story is told from the points of view of Isla and Sarah. Sarah is Jacob's mother and Isla was Marleys. Between them we discover just what happened this summer, and also the hidden details of what happened 7 years before, as well as developments in between. 

I found it really hard to like Sarah as a character and I wasn't overly keen on Isla either, but as the book progressed the writing had be so absorbed, and I was very interested to see just what happened to Jacob that I was able to see past my dislike of them and just not stop thinking about the book. 

The timeline of the book is easy to follow, and the pacing was great. Although I didn't think too much happened in the first bit of the book, it was really laying the foundation for the rest of the story. 

There are so many secrets and half truths in the book, that every time you thought you knew what would happen, or had just about grasped the current theory, then something else occurred that had you thinking in a different direction. 

Originally I was slightly upset that Lucy Clarke hadn't featured another exotic location for this book's setting, like some of her previous ones, but that was forgotten just a few pages into the book, when the writing grasped me regardless and wouldn't let me go. Regardless The Sandbank was in fact an excellent setting for a book, being a sandbank that is only generally accessed by boat when the tides are right, and that it contains a row of beach huts, and not too much else. Which gave the book a really atmospheric setting, while still coming across as summery but in a slightly sinister way! 

Unfortunately I had no choice but to put Last Seen down a few times, but given half a choice I would have read this in one sitting. Even when I wasn't reading it my mind was on the book, as it really is compelling storytelling. 

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

Book Review - The A-Z of Everything by Debbie Johnson - Blog Tour

Amazon UK

Title: The A-Z of Everything

Author: Debbie Johnson

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Publisher supplied copy

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 20th April 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

P is for Paris where it all began. J is for Jealousy where it all came undone. But the most important letter is F. F is for Forgiveness, the hardest of all.

Sisters Poppy and Rose used to be as close as two sisters could be, but it’s been over a decade since they last spoke. Until they both receive a call that tells them their mother has gone – without ever having the chance to see her daughters reunited.

Andrea, though, wasn’t the kind of woman to let a little thing like death stand in the way of her plans. Knowing her daughters better than they know themselves, she has left behind one very special last gift – the A-Z of Everything.

A is for Andrea, who in her last few weeks on earth has created a A-Z of everything that she hopes will bring her two estranged daughters closer together, so that they can move on together as a family, and support each other in their grief. 

L is for Lewis, who is Andrea's best friend and has helped put together the A to Z of everything for the girls. He doesn't appear much but from the small appearances he makes, it is clear he was a very kind man but also quite opinionated. 

P is for Poppy the younger of the two sisters and whose actions ultimately caused the initial rift between the sisters.  

R is for Rose is the older of the two sisters who has a 16 year old son, and just seems generally unhappy with her life from first appearances. 

J is for Joe, Rose's son, and he appears in quite a few chapters, seems to have a good head on his shoulders and has never met his long lost aunt Poppy. 

E is for Emotion - there is plenty of emotion in this book, as Andrea has set up this whole quest as such for her daughters and in doing so has left them videos and tapes to be read/listened to after she has died, and some of them almost had me reaching for the tissues. 

G is for grief as the Poppy and Rose are grieving for the majority of the story, while undergoing all the various tasks. Grief is also touched on as Andrea recalls how she felt when her own mother died.  At times you can just feel their distress radiating off the page.

F is for flashbacks, during part 1 of the book, we are treated to some flashbacks of how the sisters we towards each other, as children, and I loved seeing their loving and protective relationship until things went wrong. 

S is for the storyline, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading about. It is the sort of story that will get under your skin and keep you thinking, possibly long after you finish reading. 

B is for brilliance, which is just one of many adjective that I would love to use to describe this amazing book. The pacing of the story is just right and I loved learning what all of the various letters would be, and their significance. 

D is for Debbie Johnson who has managed to craft such a superb story. It clearly took a lot of thought to put this together simply wonderful story. It made me laugh and will make those with hearts less frozen than mine cry too, and is a book that will keep having you turn the pages to see how the sisters are now getting on, and also to see what Andrea was going to reveal with her next task. 

Well that is my own partial A to Z for the A to Z of Everything! I am so happy that I had a chance to read this book, and think it could easily be the authors best work by far (which is something I'm sure I've said about her past couple of books too!). 

Thank you so much to Charlotte Ledger at Harper for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Please follow along with the rest of the blog tour. 

Extract from A Night In With Grace Kelly by Lucy Holliday - Blog Tour

Amazon UK

Hangover or no hangover, I’ve tidied the entire flat this morning, ready for Bogdan’s arrival at ten a.m.

Bogdan (Son of Bogdan) is – as the name might suggest – the son of my former landlord, Bogdan Senior, and now one of my greatest friends. He’s a part-time handyman and a part-time hairdresser (secretly, because his Moldovan crime-lord father would have a thing or two to say about the hairdressing if he knew about it), and both those skills have come in very handy to me since I got to know him. This morning, he’s popping over to help me put up a little flat-pack IKEA desk in the studio, so that I can work properly out of there until I decide exactly what to do with the space.

And, although he doesn’t know it yet, to discuss last night’s mystical arrival on the sofa. Because Bogdan is the only person in my life who’s undergone the full magical Chesterfield experience. My memory is forever imprinted, in fact, with the image of him sitting on the sofa, chattering away nineteen to the dozen with Marilyn Monroe, and – always the hairdresser – attempting to persuade her to ditch her trademark blonde (‘too much cliché, Miss Marilyn’) and become a brunette. Bogdan’s sang-froid in the face of the mind-boggling was nothing less than astounding and, though we’ve rarely spoken about it since, it’s been a huge relief to know that he’s in on the whole bizarre situation too.

I’ve just put the kettle on for one of Bogdan’s strong cups of black tea when there’s a knock all the way downstairs and I head down to let him in.

When I open the front door, he’s standing on the pavement outside wearing his usual air of mild-to-moderate tragedy, along with a pair of (extremely brave) rainbow-striped cargo trousers, and a T-shirt that informs me that Harry Styles Is Cute ... But His Boyfriend Is Cuter.

I still can’t quite believe that his father hasn’t noticed anything about Bogdan yet. Though I suppose it’s possible that Bogdan leaves the family house in the morning wearing traditional Moldovan dress, or whatever else his scary dad would approve of, and then puts on his rainbow-themed, Harry-Styles-appreciating garb when he’s at a safe distance.

‘Good morning,’ Bogdan informs me now, in his usual lugubrious manner. ‘This is most exciting occasion.’

‘It is?’

‘New flat,’ he reminds me. He uses a huge hand to wave at the street. ‘In tiptop surroundings. Are you meeting celebrity neighbours?’

‘I don’t think I have celebrity neighbours.’

Bogdan makes a tsk noise before heading through the door and closing it behind him. ‘Of course you are having the celebrity neighbours. Is Notting Hill, Libby. Am thinking you will be bumping into Claudia Schiffer when you are popping to Whole Foods for guarana smoothies and cashew nuts. Am thinking you will be exchanging the nod with Elle Macpherson when you are going for early morning run. Am thinking …’

‘Hang on,’ I say, leading the way up the stairs. ‘What makes you think that now that I live in Notting Hill I’m automatically going to become some sort of healthy-living obsessive?’

‘But this is exactly what you must be doing!’ He sounds appalled that I’ve not considered this. ‘You are very pretty girl, Libby, but I cannot be making words into mincemeat.’

‘You’re not going to mince your words, you mean?’

‘Yes. Am saying that if you are successful jewellery designer living in Notting Hill, you are needing to be looking part.’ He gives my outfit – jeans and a grey hoodie, which to be fair to me I only slung on because I was tidying up this morning – a disapproving once-over. ‘Come to be thinking of it, guarana smoothie and early morning jog may be too advanced for now. Perhaps we are needing to be focusing on grooming basics before we are worrying about this.’

‘Thanks, Bogdan, but I don’t actually need your help with grooming basics …’

‘Am begging to be different. You are being in very urgent need of help with hair, for starters, Libby.’ He stares, in a woebegone fashion, at my straggly mouse-brown ponytail. ‘Am not able to be punching the pulls …’

‘Pulling punches,’ I correct him, and then, because I can’t deal with too many more incidents of 
Bogdan mangling his English idioms this morning, I go on, ‘Look, we can discuss my hair later. Right now, I need to talk to you about something more important.’

‘More important than hair?’

‘More important than hair, Bogdan, yes.’ I go over to the sofa and put a hand on the over-stuffed back. ‘It’s happened again.’

‘What is happening again?’

‘The sofa. You know. The … thing it does.’

His impassive face barely registers this, but then to Bogdan a magical sofa isn’t anything earth-shattering. He takes these things in his rainbow-coloured stride.

‘Someone new is appearing?’

‘Yes.’

He gazes down at the sofa. ‘Is Elizabeth Taylor?’

‘No.’

‘Is Jean Harlow?’

‘No.’

‘Is Ava Gardner?’

‘No.’ I lower my voice, though I couldn’t really tell you why. ‘It was … Grace Kelly.’

Just for a moment, Bogdan looks impressed. ‘I am loving her.’

‘Right, well …’

‘Seriously. Am being in love with her. She is my … how are you saying? Perfect woman.’
I glance at his Harry Styles Is Cute T-shirt. ‘Er … are you quite sure you have a perfect woman?’

‘There is no need for the being snarky. Am I ever asking you the personal questions about your specific sexual persuasions?’

‘Well, OK, no, you don’t ask me questions about my sexual persuasion, as such, Bogdan, no. But you’ve never exactly been shy about digging for details on my sex life with Dillon.’

My ex-boyfriend Dillon is – along with Harry Styles, Harry Styles’s ‘boyfriend’ and now, apparently, Grace Kelly – another person Bogdan has a heartfelt crush on.

‘Am falling in love with her,’ he goes on, lyrically, ‘from the moment am first seeing her in Mogambo. Was even trying to be growing moustache like Clark Gable, but is difficult as was only eleven at time.’

‘I wouldn’t have thought growing a Clark Gable moustache was difficult at age eleven. I’d have thought it was impossible.’

‘No, no. For me, this is perfectly possible. Is simply difficult as world is not ready for eleven-year-old boy with Clark Gable moustache. Am being on receiving end of the terrible mocking in streets of Chişinău. Perhaps would have been different in London.’

‘I highly doubt that, to be honest with you.’

‘But Grace Kelly …’ Bogdan heaves a sigh. ‘Has ever there been such classical beauty? And such style! When am thinking of her in that wedding dress, am feeling—’

‘Yes, well, that wedding dress is what she popped up in last night,’ I say, hastily, before Bogdan can go any further down the route of the way Grace Kelly in her wedding dress makes him feel. ‘Right here on the Chesterfield.’

If you like this extract, then please check out my review and also the rest of the blog tour

Book Review - A Night in With Grace Kelly by Lucy Holliday

Amazon UK

Title: A Night In With Grace Kelly

Author: Lucy Holliday

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Publisher supplied review copy

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 12th January 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Fate has got it in for Libby Lomax. She realised, far too late, that her best friend Olly, is the actual Love of Her Life. Now he’s in love with the so-nice-it-hurts, Tash, and it looks like her happy ending is completely out of reach.

Things start looking up when she, quite literally, runs into the completely gorgeous Joel. Libby discovers that there is more to Joel than his six-pack, not least, the incredible fact that he honestly believes he has found his fairy tale princess in her.

And if this wasn’t enough, an unwanted guest shows up on Libby’s enchanted sofa; Grace Kelly, wearing her iconic wedding dress and convinced that Libby is figment of her imagination. But one thing that Grace doesn’t believe in is fairy tales. Grace believes that if you really want something, then you’ve got to make it happen yourself; words which give Libby hope that happy endings aren’t just for fairy tale princesses…

What a wonderful return to the story of Libby Lomax, her unrequited love of best friend Olly, and her enchanted Chesterfield Sofa that has a habit of manifesting Hollywood greats from it.  

Normally I'd mention in a review if a book can be read as a standalone, but I was so pleased to be back with these characters, and enjoying the book so much, I literally haven't given it a thought until now. I am sure that if you have read the other two, then this is a fabulous final book in the trilogy. If you haven't then I think you would still enjoy A Night in With Grace Kelly, as it did take me a few chapters to remind myself what was going on, and a lot of the relevant back story does appear. 

There are many hilarious moments in this book, a lot of them involving Libby's sister, Cass and mother. They become even more self obsessed and shallow than ever before, when they discover just who Libby has just met and started to date, Joel. 

Joel is a lovely guy, and he is clearly able to think of more than just himself.  I loved the way on only their second real meeting he goes out of his way to help Libby's friends, when they really need half a miracle, and I think that is what set into motion the entire second half of the book. 

There are a whole multitude of good looking men in Libby's life, and I just had my fingers crossed the whole book that she would end up with the correct one.  

Grace Kelly does, as you make expect from the title, make a few appearances in the book, but I felt her influence was a lot less than we have had previously with Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, but yet what Grace was saying to Libby, was succinct, to the point, and was actually really good advice for what Libby was going through at the time. 

It was great to learn a small amount about Grace Kelly too, as although I know she is a Hollywood icon, I didn't really know anything else before reading this book . 

Libby Lomax is just such a loveable character, she gets herself though into some interesting and funny situations, some of the time just because she may be daydreaming, or for other small reasons, and suddenly things seem to snowball slightly. 

I have completely enjoyed A Night In With Grace Kelly and the other two books in this series and can't wait to see what Lucy Holliday will write next. 

Thank you so much to Harper for this copy of the book that I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Not Just For Christmas by Alex Brown - Book #45

Amazon UK

Title: Not Just For Christmas

Author: Alex Brown

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 6th October 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Kitty, who runs the Spotted Pig Tea-rooms in the picturesque village of Tindledale, thinks she's come to terms with her husband Ed’s death on active duty. When she learns that Ed’s army dog, a black Labrador named Monty, is being retired and needs rehoming, it awakens her heartache once more.

Amber runs the pet parlour, but her love of dogs extends to rescuing abandoned pooches and now her tiny cottage is overflowing with homeless hounds. The only answer is to open a proper rescue centre but where will the money come from?

Kitty knows she could never take on Monty – it would be too painful, but with more than one dog needing a home this Christmas, is a miracle too much to hope for?

Short but sweet, but incredibly heart warming and emotionally charged story, in this enjoyable return to Tindledale. 

In just over 80 pages, Alex Brown has managed to tug on my heartstrings, and hook me into this incredibly well written, and well formed story. From what I can tell short story writing is a real skill, as you need to convey a story but in a lot less space than a full book, without leaving the reader frustrated, and this is a brilliant of example of how a short story should be. 

The story centres around a rather special dog Monty, who with the such clear descriptions, I could really picture at all times. He is a truly remarkable animal, and has a huge part to play in this story. 

For fans of the Tindledale series, you will recognise quite a few of the characters that pop up, but if you haven't read any, don't worry this is a self contained standalone story, that will leave you wanting to know more about the village. 

With a great deal of feeling, this cosy tail has definitely left me feeling slightly more ready for Christmas and the season of good will. 

Thank you to everyone who voted for Not Just For Christmas this week. Deep down I was hoping it would win, as I adore Alex Brown's books. As always I am really curious as to what you will pick for me this week. 

Book Review - We Were On A Break by Lindsey Kelk

Amazon UK

Title: We Were On A Break

Author: Lindsey Kelk

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper

Publication Date: 6th October 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Is it a break? Or is it a blip?

‘You’ve just had a holiday,’ I pointed out, trying not to yawn. ‘Wasn’t that enough of a break?’
‘I don’t mean that kind of break.’

There’s nothing worse than the last day of holiday. Oh wait, there is. When what should have been a proposal turns into a break, Liv and Adam find themselves on opposite sides of the life they had mapped out.

Friends and family all think they’re crazy; Liv throws herself into work – animals are so much simpler than humans – and Adam tries to get himself out of the hole he’s dug.

But as the short break becomes a chasm, can they find a way back to each other? Most importantly, do they want to?

We Were On A Break is a book that will have you chuckling from start to finish. There are so many comic gold moments in it, that I found myself enjoying everything. Most of them are small things, but when you aren't wanting to slam the two main characters heads together in an effort to make them see sense, everything else is really funny. 

Adam was supposed to propose to Liv on holiday. He knew it, his brother knew it, his brother's wife, Cass knew it, and since Cass is Liv's best friend she may have let the secret slip. All Adam didn't know was that Liv had found out and had spent the whole holiday expecting a proposal which due to some unforeseen events, and an inability to read a map app, never occurred. Instead by the time they are back in the UK, there have been massive arguments and they appear to be on a break. 

Ever since series 3 of Friends, the line We Were On A Break has always brought to mind Ross & Rachel, and their epic fight, and the rest of a season of great humour surrounding that one line! As a result it is not surprising that things get a bit out of hand and both Liv and Adam find themselves spiralling away from each other, after one asks for a break. 

The story switches perspectives between Adam and Liv fairly regularly, which is confusing as first until you start recognising a change when it happens. There is no warning, just one minute you are reading with a girls perspective and the next from a boys. 

The dynamic between Adam's brother Chris and just about anyone else in the story would be hilarious if he wasn't such a <insert rude insult here>. He is a condescending piece of work with regards other people including his brother, but yet is also a bit of a show off. Just wait until you get to descriptions about the christening party! 

As a huge Lindsey Kelk fan, I was incredibly excited to receive an early review copy of this book, and it certainly lived up to expectations. We Were On A Break may not be my favourite book by the author, but it is still a lovely addition to my collection of her books, and one I really enjoyed reading. 

Thank you so much to Harper and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.