Book Review - Spring Fever by Emma Davies

Amazon UK

Title: Spring Fever

Author: Emma Davies

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lawsome Books

Publication Date: 18th November 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Life is about to get very exciting for Merry and Tom – a new baby, a wonderful new home, and a fresh business venture to get off the ground. Five Penny House is just the place to make their dreams come true, and so what if the locals think the place is cursed? Merry’s not about to let a little thing like that bother her…

For Freya and Sam too, spring heralds the beginning of their new life together at her beloved Appleyard orchard. There are plans to make and a lot of hard work needed if they’re ever to reverse its failing fortunes, but as long as they have each other, what could possibly go wrong? 

Then the rain starts to fall – and keeps on falling – and the new beginning both couples dream of begins to slip from their grasp. For Merry and Tom it now looks like the start of their worst nightmare. But sometimes help can arrive from the most unexpected places…

Action packed second book in the Tales from Appleyard series. For what feels like a reasonable length novella, this has a lot of story in it, and definitely a few moments of heart stopping action. 

It was ages ago when I read book one, and although I sort of remembered it, I was glad I didn't really need to know much to get into Spring Fever, as it feels like all the key relevant bits are mentioned, and the rest well the main focus in on Merry and Tom this time, and they are best friends of Freya and Sam from the orchard. 

Merry and Tom have just moved into a new house, and new business venture, with baby Robyn. They are determined to open a new shop but the locals all think the location is cursed.  As they start to sort out their new properties, they find all manner of things belonging to the old, long forgotten owner, which really inspires Merry.  There are certainly arguments for the Five Penny House to be cursed, especially with the run of luck Merry and Tom appear to be having since they have moved in. 

Freya and Sam are still trying to work on making Appleyard Orchard as good as it can be, they just need to be able to decide just what direction to take it in. 

There are many really good moments in Spring Fever, and the weather plays its part a lot too. Watch out for the excessive rain later on, causing one of the most nerve wracking moments I've read recently.  A really enjoyable novella, in a series that I am liking a lot. I am already looking forward to book 3, and curious to see what that one will be about. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Lawsome for my copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Once Upon A Winter by Tilly Tennant

Amazon UK

Title: Once Upon a Winter

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lawsome Books

Publication Date: 13th October 2016

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Snow is falling and Christmas day is in full swing at Hannah Meadows’s rural home. But the usual preparations for a turkey dinner with all the trimmings and lashings of festive booze are interrupted by an unexpected knock at the door. And there on the doorstep they find a handsome stranger with no memory of who he is or how he came to be there, begging for their help. 

So begins a winter like no other – one that turns all their lives upside down. For Hannah and her sister Gina, the stranger’s arrival might herald the prospect of love and healing for the hurt caused by messy break-ups. For Jess, Gina’s teenaged daughter, however, it signals dark times and discontent. There are new friends and enemies for them all and a new outlook on the world – and when the stranger’s memories finally return, there is heartache too.

If they can all weather the storm, happiness could be theirs. But storms this big can cause a lot of damage and chaos before they blow over... 

Once Upon A Winter is the combined novel of the four previously released parts, plus a brand new extra part just for this omnibus edition. If you had considered reading each part separately rest assured they would all work as little standalone novellas that are best to be read in order. 

I chose to read it as the full omnibus and I'm glad that I did, as it felt like a full book this way, which just happened to have its parts named! 

I loved this book, it is the story of sisters Gina and Hannah, and Gina's teenage daughter Jess, following their winter, starting with a most unusual Christmas day. Quite early into the story, this had me thinking, as what would you do if you lived in a remote area, and a stranger turns up on your doorstep on Christmas Day, in the snow, clearly injured and also apparently suffering from amnesia. As this is what sets into action a whole chain of coincidences and new romances. 

There is a great case of character's and some of Hannah's neighbours are fantastic. It takes a while for me to warm to the stranger on the doorstep, but soon I was interested in his life, and there is a couple of fantastic and gripping storylines that he is involved in. 

Ross and his family are a delight to read about they all seem to be genuinely nice people, which is something that hasn't escaped Gina's attention. 

Each part has its own little main story arcs, while progressing the main story along well. The whole book is easy to read, and I loved the location of the village just outside Millrise. Millrise has of course featured in many of Tilly Tennant's books. 

I think I loved the first part the best, followed by the added extra section for this edition, which gave a good rounding off of the characters lives, and gave me a good sense of closure, and had me smiling a lot. At some point in the middle, I did feel like the story was dragging slightly, possibly just because it was complicated and not explained as well as perhaps it could have been. 

Really did enjoy the majority of the story though, and was surprised with some of the twists along the way. Gina's ex husband is a nasty piece of work, as is another partner that features. Definitely a couple of baddies in with all the goodness and warmth of the story. 

Once Upon a Winter is the sort of book that could keep you cool on a hot summers day, or if read in winter will provide a good backdrop and alternative to the outside world!

Thank you to Lawsome Books and Netgalley for my copy of the book. This is my honest opinion. 

Book Review - Strictly My Husband by Tracy Bloom

Amazon UK

Title: Strictly My Husband

Author: Tracy Bloom

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 27th July 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Couples who dance together stay together... 

Laura loves it when Tom takes her for a late night tango around the kitchen after their friends have gone home and they’re avoiding the washing up. She can’t dance but who cares when no one is watching? 

All that changes when Tom arrives on the doorstep with Carly, a professional dancer, and announces he’s offered her the spare room to rent while she performs in a show that Tom is directing. 

An outraged Laura doesn’t feel like dancing with Tom anymore but Carly does. It only takes two to tango, and given Tom’s history who knows where it could end? Will Laura be the one left watching from the sidelines whilst Carly waltzes off with her husband’s heart? 

Couples who dance together stay together – or do they? 

Strictly My Husband had me giggling right from the start and kept me thoroughly entertained for the duration of its amusing story. Written from a variety of view points, there are the five friends/relations that get together on a regular basis, and then there is the newcomer to the group. 

Carly is the focal person in the story, and yet all we know about her is from everyone else's points of view. She is a talented dancer who Tom has decided to take pity on and let lodge in his house, while she performs in the Halloween show, Tom is putting on at Wonderland. What Tom neglects to do is mention Carly to his wife before they arrive home together, and as a result Laura, is suspicious from the start about Carly. 

Laura is a market research analyst, and we do get to see some funny market research focus groups occur, who is married to Tom a dancer, and now head of Entertainment at Wonderland. Laura has a very analytical mind, and manages to convince herself that by the end of the run of this month long show, that Tom will have cheated on her. 

Then there is Laura's friend Hannah, who just doesn't seem as interested in her husband Jerry as she used to be. Jerry is a larger than life bloke who has barrels of enthusiasm for everything, but doesn't always follow his ideas through. I loved the scene with the 7 foot inflatable crocodile, as well as his transformation as the book progressed. 

There is a strong dance theme running through the book, with Laura and Tom being big fans of Strictly, in addition to the Halloween show being produced, that is called Malice in Wonderland, and is a zany, spooky, scary take on Alice in Wonderland, with big production numbers, but Tom explains his concept better than I can in the book! 

Amy is Tom's assistant, but she is one of the stand out characters in the book, she is not big on park policy, and makes it clear to everyone her thoughts. She is strong willed, and not afraid to speak her mind, and some of her explanations to people as she "corrects" them, or "informs them" of something had me laughing out loud. 

There is a lot of fun to be had in Tracy Blooms latest book, that feels as though it should be a big hit. It has her typical comedic timing, some down to earth characters that are relatable too, and some memorable scenes.  Occasionally Laura's pontificating was driving me slightly mad, but I could completely understand where she was coming from, and some of her arguments to try and persuade herself she is correct do make a great deal of sense. 

Utterly enjoyable novel that will get you in the mood for the next series of Strictly Come Dancing. 

Thank you to Lawsome Book and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Happy publication day to Tracy Bloom. Strictly My Husband is out now! 

Friday Funday - Truth or Lie? - Peter Jones - Month 2 Week 4

Welcome to the second ever edition of Truth of Lie. My name is Rachel and I will be your host, for this exciting new game show. Each Friday, I will have one contestant, and they will be answering 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. 

Every 4 weeks, I will close the guessing, count up how many correct answers each of you has, and create a leaderboard. Anyone who is top of the leaderboard, will go into a draw for a paperback of the winners choice (open internationally). 

Please do include a way for me to contact you (email or twitter or similar), so that I can let you know if you have won. 

The weekend after a 4 week period closes, not only will I produce a leaderboard, and announce a winner, I will also let you know into the true answers, and which were the lies.  

Closing date for the first month is 11pm on 16th June 2016. 

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?

Hello, I’m Peter Jones. I’m the author of three and a half self-help books and two hilarious novels. I am very tall, I love cheese, I don’t own a departmental store and I’m not a dragon of any description.

Please to meet you Peter, so you aren't any of the really famous Peter Jones' that's a shame I thought I had a real coo snagging you for my feature! Ah well, I love your books anyway.

As an additional one week bonus, anyone who takes part this week, will also be entered into a separate draw to win a paperback copy of The Truth About This Charming Man (open internationally). Closing date is also 11pm on the 16th June. 

Now onto the show, and remember everyone, Peter 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?

Blimey. Hard to pick just one. Probably Audrey Niffenegger.

No. Scrub that.Nick Hornby. Definitely Nick.

Or Terry Pratchett. Yes – sorry – it has to be Terry.

Or Audrey.

Or…

2) What book do you wish you had written?

The Bible. Think of the royalties on that baby!

3) What was your most memorable holiday ever?

Probably the honeymoon I had with my wife Kate in St Lucia. It was the most magical place I’ve ever been to.

4) If you could be an animal what would you be and why?

A velociraptor. Apparently chicks really dig that steely cold, I-might-tear-you-to-shreds-any-moment look. How else do you explain Jason Stratham’s appeal?

5) If you could be a fruit, what would you be and why?

Are these questions taken from the Rachel Gilbey book of Speed Dating Tips? (Actually I’ve written a book on dating. My speed dating questions are way better).

6) What superpower would you love to have?

I’ve been asking myself this question on a regular basis since I was about ten years old, and whereas Invisibility, or Teleportation, or Time Travel would be “totally awesome” (you have to say that in an Californian accent)… as I’ve got older I’ve realised that actually, the ability to halt aging, would be much more preferable.

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

The one about the animal was a little irritating. I had to look up the spelling of velociraptor. 

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

I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut.  Apparently though there’s a maximum height restriction. Something to do with the height of the doors on the Space Shuttle. I guess it must be a health and safety thing. Or maybe NASA just can’t risk having their cosmonauts accidentally bashing their heads whilst boarding the shuttle. That kind of idiocy tends to detract from the historic gravitas of a manned space mission. You can see the headlines now: “English Astronaut struggles to get through six foot doorway – will he find Mars?” It’s a shame too, because I’ve got a whole load of ideas for Zero G experiments. Mostly involving my cat. (Apparently you can’t take cats to space either. Who makes these dumb rules?)

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

A perfect day for me starts at 4am in the middle of the summer. No one else – apart from birds and my cat – is up at that hour. I open the door in my office to the balcony, scoff my breakfast whilst I look out at the sea, then go back inside and get writing. If it’s a REALLY good day I can knock out 2,500 words by midday – and by then my  creative brain is usually empty. I make some lunch, and, whilst I’m eating it, check my email and post my writing progress on facebook. In the afternoon I might go for a walk – or do a talk at a local WI.  And after dinner I go to bed whenever I feel tired. That might be eight. It could be ten. I love responding to my circadian rhythm rather than being a slave to the clock. On days like that I never have any problem sleeping. I’m out for the count. And if it’s a really REALLY good day, I fall asleep knowing tomorrow’s going to be just the same.

10) Please name a cocktail that would describe you perfectly, and what’s in it?

More speed dating questions!? Maybe this is why speed dating never really worked for me.

11) Who is your ideal Disney character?

Ideal as in favourite? The genie from Aladdin. I know his lines from the film by heart.

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

Britney Spears.

13) If you could only look at one view for the rest of eternity, what or where would you like to be to see this view?

For all eternity!? Wowsers. Probably any beach on the cook islands. I’ve never been but the pictures look absolutely stunning.

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

I fainted during the sex education film at school. Three times. True story.

Thank you so much Peter for these very entertaining answers. I can assure you I have never been speed dating, so had no idea I was stealing their questions, and don't worry I won't share that embarrassing secret with anyone (at least I don't think anyone will read this!!!)

I hope you have enjoyed this edition of Truth or Lie? I will be back next week with another episode, and in the mean time...

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

Find Peter online at peterjonesauthor.com, facebook.com/peterjonesauthor and twitter.com/peterjonesauth

Peter’s latest hilarious rom-com novel – THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS CHARMING MAN – is part of amazon’s (June) summer promo! Download it for a mere 99p.

Here’s a nice sixty second video telling you all about it, or read my review here.

Book Review - The Good Guy's Guide to Getting the Girl by Peter Jones

Amazon UK

Title: The Good Guy's Guide to Getting the Girl 

Author: Peter Jones

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lawsome Books

Publication Date: 19th May 2015

Rating: 4 Stars

Jason Smith, 29, self-confessed ‘good guy’, is single. Finally. 

But now that he is, all the girls he’d happily give up one side of his bed for – like, for instance, his school crush Melanie Jackson, are long gone. Or married. Or crazy. Or inexplicably obsessed with the office heart-throb, Gary. 

Or are they? Has Jason stumbled on a fool-proof way to meet the kind of exciting, fun woman he’s always dreamed about – or is he about to gamble his career, his friendships, and any hope of future romance, on a schoolboy fantasy? 

From best-selling author Peter Jones comes this romantic comedy about guys, girls and finding love at the turn of the millennium. 

I believe  I have had made a mistake, I should have read this one before Peter Jones' newest book, as then I would have probably thought this to be brilliant. As it is, I know he is capable of even better writing, so although I do really like this story, I am delighted to say the author is already showing signs of getting even better. 

 I think what marginally bugged me about the book, was that every now and then Jason, would be talking to someone and then it would be interspersed with a flashback of something that had happened (in what felt like the present tense), and with the person being talked to interjecting and random intervals. I know I may be making it sound like a conversation, but it didn't quite feel like one to me, as I kept getting confused as to what exactly was going on. 

This is though a lovely piece of lad lit, with Jason after being made redundant from his computer programming job, deciding that his best way of meeting women and also earning some money would be to become a glamour photographer! This is after he had tried other things such as a mechanics and cookery course, and a blind date. 

The story is all about Jason's quest for "the one", his friendship with Alex who likes a lot to drink and surprisingly is married, given the amount of lads nights in the pub he seems to have, and also Jason's attempts to get make a new career for himself. The story is set in the late 90's so although there are mentions of the all the modern technologies we have come to take for granted, they are in a far more primitive form! 

There are lots of amusing anecdotes in this story, and Jason's blind date generated from his cookery class is definitely one of the weirder ones I've seen in fiction, just in terms of the nature of the person he was set up with.  

The Good Guy's Guide to Getting the Girl is an enjoyable book, and Jason really is a nice guy, which makes such a change to all those bad boys out there. It shows just how much fun a good guy could really be, and that all he really wants is rom com love! 

Thank you to Lawsome Books and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Check out this brand new trailer for Peter Jones' latest book The Truth About This Charming Man

Book Review - The Truth About This Charming Man by Peter Jones

Amazon UK

Title: The Truth About This Charming Man

Author: Peter Jones

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Negalley

Publisher: Soundhaven Books

Publication Date: 18th February 2016

Rating: 4.5 Stars

All William Lewis ever wanted in life, was to be an actor. 

That is until he met Rachel. 

Beautiful. Beguiling. Sharp as a tack. Rachel’s almost as appealing as a life in theatre. Unfortunate then that she happens to be married. To cut-throat venture capitalist Michael Richmond. So that’s the end of that. 

Or is it? 

Although Will’s never actually been on stage, or immortalised in celluloid, or appeared in a TV commercial, he’s still made a reasonable living out of pretending to be people he’s not. So when two of his ‘roles’ collide - seemingly by complete coincidence - well, maybe there’s a way he can be with Rachel after all… 

How I love discovering authors that are new to me. You never now what you are going to get, and in The Truth About This Charming Man, I read an incredibly enjoyably story, so long as you suspend pretty much most disbelief for the majority of the book. 

What took me by surprise a bit at the start was that instead of chapters, per se, the book is split into Acts and Scenes, a bit like a play. In fact this would be a terrific stage play, I could really see it on a stage somewhere, as a farce. 

It's a funny as it is bordering on the ridiculous in places, but its such a good upbeat feel to the book I was swept away in the story. Without giving too much away, its about William Lewis who is a struggling actor, who has never had  an acting gig on stage, but has been paid for the past 4 years to act as someone's boyfriend for social occasions. 

In a series of coincidences that are surprising, he is sacked from that job, bumps into the beautiful girl friend of his ex-girlfriend's boss, in another situation, is busted as an actor and then falls in love, with her, all the while as others think he is someone else. 

There is a series of more and more implausible situations and scenes that just show how good an actor Will really is, and all the while there are multiple people in this set of acquaintances that all want revenge on one person - the charming man mentioned in the title. 

This really is a hard book for me to describe as I don't think I've read anything quite like it, which makes if fabulously unique, and so enjoyable for me. Due to the amount of actors in the book, or wannabe actors, the style of it being set up like a play, without it being a script, makes perfect sense. 

If you like comedy, farces, slightly over the top circumstances with elaborate revenge plots, and the finale is brilliant, with a reasonably small cast of key characters, then I would definitely recommend The Truth About This Charming Man. I will definitely be going back, probably quite soon to read Peter Jones' debut novel to see just he is capable of. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Lawsome Books for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Book Revievw - You Can't Fall in Love With Your Ex (Can You?) by Sophie Ranald

Amazon UK

Title: You Can't Fall in Love With Your Ex (Can You?)

Author: Sophie Ranald

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lawsome Books

Publication Date: 14th August 2015

Rating: 4 Stars

Thirteen years ago, Laura thought her life was over. Now, she’s nailed being a grown-up. Married to the gorgeous Jonathan, she has two wonderful (if high-maintenance) children and a free pass into the school-gate elite. So what if once in a blue moon she still daydreams about Felix, the man who broke her heart? After all, living well is the best revenge. 

But then an unexpected encounter turns everything upside down. How can Laura risk throwing away everything she has for a dream of the past? She can’t be falling in love with Felix all over again... can she? 

I'm not sure why but I had been putting off reading this book for months, and I am of course now kicking myself, as its a really good book. Before starting this story, I had been having concentration issues with a few of the books I had been reading, so was wondering if it was me or them, but I had no such problems with this book. 

It is written in a witty and easy to read style, that draws you straight in. It focuses on one main character, Laura, who is perhaps suffering from a marital blip. She is married, has two children and they have just moved house. The first chapter with them moving house, will produce feelings in you, that you will recognise, when you are not precisely sure where your young child's comforter toy has gone. 

From there we then have a fabulous scene at the book club with all the new school mothers that Laura is hoping to befriend, and I loved seeing the competitive parenting at force. Laura's children of course are more of the normal run of the mill sort of children, than the ones these mothers have given birth to themselves, who are of course all young genius (es). 

Laura then meets a neighbour slightly more on her wavelength, and starts to settle in, and then they go to a theatrical experience, and Laura meets a blast from the past... an ex boyfriend to be precise. 

From then on we learn the story of Laura and the ex, and at the same time , we can see there may still be something between them. Of course he is an ex for a very good reason, so whether considering giving into your perhaps deepest hidden thoughts is a good thing, is another question, and one Laura has to deal with.

I found myself completely immersed in this story, and really enjoying every second of it. The characters struck a chord with me, and I found myself also enjoying the flashbacks to when Laura met the ex initially, and the exact circumstances her life changed all those years ago. 

This may have been my first Sophie Ranald book, but its definitely not my last, not least because I have the others on my kindle somewhere already, waiting for me. If this is a good example of her work, then I know I have just found another author to read regularly. 

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Lawsome Books for this review copy. This is my honest opinion.  

Book Review - Mishaps in Millrise by Tilly Tennant

Amazon UK

Title: Mishaps in Millrise

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lawsome Books

Publication Date: 29th October 2015

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Tilly Tennant’s delightful four-novella-part series, is now available in one edition with an EXTRA SHORT STORY at the end! 

Phoebe Clements’ life was a bit of a mess. Her boyfriend was killed in a freak accident, and then she lost her job just before Christmas. But when she wished for a new start, it came in the form of Jack, a gorgeous man she met in the grotto of a drunken Santa. 

Five months on and their relationship is going from strength to strength: Phoebe’s just landed her dream job at Hendry’s toy store, and Jack’s little daughter adores her. But Phoebe is convinced her happiness can’t last, and when life decides to stamp all over her newfound luck, it seems she might be right… 

There’s the small matter of Jack’s mother and her one-woman vendetta against Phoebe; there’s Jack’s troublesome brother, Archie, who moves in and turns their lives upside down; not to mention Hendry’s going into financial freefall, and Adam, the boss’s son, who seems determined to break up the happy couple so that he can claim Phoebe for himself. 

Could things possibly get any worse? Phoebe is about to discover that if they can, they probably will… Can she turn things around, or will she lose sight of everything and everyone that matters in the chaos? 

I started this shortly after writing the review for Mishaps and Mistletoe, and was so glad I did, as this is the continuation of Phoebe and Jack's story, and you get to really know the characters in this one. This is the omnibus edition, which is the combined four novellas that have been released over this year, as well as a brand new additional bit of content The House that Jack Built, which is the what happened next story, after the 4th part. 

I'm very happy that the additional content was added, as I found it wrapped up some of the supplementary characters stories quite nicely, as well as giving us even more Jack and Phoebe. 

This is the story of their relationship, and all the ups and downs that occur. What is clear though from very early on is that Jack and Phoebe really do love each other, and that even if they forget that at times, its as the heart of this book. 

Phoebe manages to get her dream job at Hendry's toy shop, where she had previously spent a few weeks as an elf, and is amazed when she gets the job she was after, despite a hilarious interview. The ideas she comes up with in her promotions role are fantastic, and as a closet geek, I did love the mentions of Cosplay, and comic conventions, and adult dressing up, even if it isn't what I would partake in, was nice to see a nod to that industry and sector of entertainments in a mainstream book. 

Maria is as adorable, and such a loveable child, and its clear how much everyone that meets her cares for her. Midnight is Phoebe's best friend and an unpredictable sort. She is a bit of  a livewire, and provides great entertainment, whenever she is being mentioned. 

And both sets of parents have their moments, both Jack's and Phoebe's although I think I would rather have Phoebe's parents than Jacks. What amazed me was despite how close Jack and Phoebe were getting the two sets of parents don't have a big meeting, which is a shame as I'm sure sparks would have flown!

There is a great sense of humour in this writing, and I am very glad I read this as a combined story, rather than having to wait for months for each novella to be released. Since each part moved on quite swiftly from the previous, I found reading it as a full novel, made the most sense. 

For those of you who are just caring about Christmas at this time of year, part 4 features a Christmas period to remember, however I wouldn't call it a Christmas novella at all, as its not the focus of the book at all. 

Overall a wonderful to read book, that has made me want to definitely read more books by Tilly Tennant. Lovely romance and I'll be sorry to see the end of Jack and Phoebe after this, as I was really feeling a part of their story. 

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

Book Review - Merry Mistletoe by Emma Davies

Amazon UK

Title:  Merry Mistletoe

Author: Emma Davies

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lawsome Books

Publication Date: 22nd October 2015

Rating: 4 Stars

Sherbourne Mistletoe has been prized and sold at the annual Mistletoe Fair for over a hundred years; but could this year possibly be the last? With her father’s sudden death and debts mounting up it looks as though Freya’s only hope for the future is to sell her beloved family home. And to make matters worse, the only contenders to buy Appleyard Farm, are the people she’d least like to sell it to – the dreaded Henderson brothers who seem always to make life so difficult.

It’s magical stuff though, mistletoe, and the arrival of the mysterious Amos Fry brings a glimmer of hope that just maybe Freya can fall in love with Christmas all over again.

Merry Mistletoe was a sweet story, that really brings home the value of friendship and goodwill at Christmas. 

Freya is dreading losing Appleyard Farm and the Sherbourne orchards, having had it in the family for over a hundred years, but when her dad did, he left a lot of debts, so Freya can't see any way out but to sell. But first she needs to do the last harvest and sell off the produce at the Mistletoe Fair. 

Freya's only offer on the farm come from rival brothers the Hendersons, who she would rather not sell to, but may not have any choice. As the story progresses we discover she has had an interesting history with the brothers, one that I would have liked explained in greater detail than it was. 

Freya has two main allies as this time, Sam, the Henderson who she doesn't hate as much as the other and Amos Fry. Amos Fry appeared randomly in the autumn, and has turned into a really good friend and helper on the farm, when Freya's boyfriend wasn't willing to do anything. 

There is just something about the way Amos is described which makes me wonder if he was human, or some sort of spiritual being. 

There is a countdown to mark each passing of time, and it is a countdown to Mistletoe Day, but having never heard of Mistletoe day, I would have loved an explanation as to what it is. 

Merry Mistletoe is a entertaining novella, that is well written, although more details would have been nice in places, and a great snapshot into a December at a Mistletoe Farm. 

Thanks to Lawsome Books and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest review.