Book Review - Scenes from a Country Bookshop by Victoria Connelly

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Amazon UK

Title: Scenes From A Country Bookshop

Author: Victoria Connelly

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author Supplied Copy

Publisher: Notting Hill Press

Publication Date: 6th November 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Josh Nightingale has always been married to his books. Happy to run his bookshop in the small town of Castle Clare, he’s never really had time for romance and truly believes that he’s never going to fall in love. But, when April Channing opens a new shop opposite his, everything changes.

Sweet and attentive one moment, abrupt and aloof the next, Josh really can’t understand April at all. What exactly is going on? Josh is pretty sure that the answer can’t be found in a book.

Join the Nightingale family once again for this deliciously heartwarming novel, the forth in The Book Lovers series, by the bestselling author of The Rose Girls and A Weekend with Mr Darcy.

I was so delighted when this landed on my kindle, that I pretty much had to start it instantly.  It was a joy to be back in Castle Clare, amongst the Nightingale family. 

Josh is the quietest member of his family, he's a bit of an introvert and loves his books and his bookshop and doesn't really do much else.   However when he meets April who takes on the shop opposite his bookshop, his life suddenly exists in technicolor. 

Yet nothing with April is quite as  it seems, I twigged one of her secrets quite early on, but the rest I was on the same journey of discovery as Josh with.  

She is s complex woman, and I loved her outlook on life, and also her unconventional family set up.  

It was great seeing all of Josh's family again, and catching up with people that we have met in the previous books.  This though easily stands alone, and the main focus is on Josh and April. 

I also enjoyed one of the book club members opening up to Josh about his own first love, and his sibling relationship.  It was good to for Josh to get an outsiders perspective on his own love life. 

I would love to tell you more about this fledgling potential relationship, but I don't want to risk spoiling the bigger story lines, that are really interesting. 

I also learnt a lot about the Bloomsbury Group from this book, not being someone who particularly reads classical literature I had no idea about the group that involved Virginia Woolf.  At times I wasn't really sure about the references but I got the gist, and I suspect if you have heard of them and their philosophies those bits would make even more sense to you. 

I couldn't get enough of this book, I found like I always tend to with Victoria Connelly books that it was an incredibly fast and enjoyable reading experience. 

I have everything crossed that this won't be the last book in the series, I really do need more from this family of bookworms, book sellers, book addicts and all around book lovers!! 

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

Book Review - Natural Born Readers by Victoria Connelly

Amazon UK

Title: Natural Born Readers

Author: Victoria Connelly

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Notting Hill Press

Publication Date: 26th September 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Ben Stratton and Bryony Nightingale. Everybody thought they’d be together forever. But, when Ben leaves the small market town of Castle Clare to travel the world, Bryony is heartbroken, seeing his departure as the ultimate betrayal.

Throwing herself into her work running the much-loved children’s bookshop, Bryony determines to forget Ben and to start dating again. But Ben doesn’t make it easy for her, sending her postcards filled with his love and posting her foreign editions of all the great romantic novels from the countries he’s travelling through.

Then, after six long years, the unexpected happens and Ben returns, determined to win Bryony back. But will she forgive him and does he have the courage to tell her the truth about why he left her?

I can't believe I have taken around 6 months to get around to reading the this third book in The Book Lovers series, given how much I loved the first two and how much of a book lover that I am too.   I felt right back at home in Castle Clare amongst the wonderful Nightingale family. 

If this is your first visit to this series, then not to worry as it can easily be read as as standalone as it focuses on a different member of the family to the other two, but I would recommend you go read them anyway as they are all fabulous. 

Bryony runs the Children's book shop, and has never forgotten her first love Ben, who has just returned after six years of travelling the world.  However although deep down in your hearts you know how you want the book to end, the characters seem rather obstinate, and the journey of reaching that end point is anything but smooth. 

We get to see how the rest of Bryony's family is progressing with their stories, but the storyline that I enjoyed the most was Flo and her great nephew Sonny. I loved everything about Flo and her menagerie of animals. 

If I uttered trumpets, donkeys and doctors in the same sentence while laughing at the memory  of the situation in the book, I bet you couldn't work out what I am referring to, but I can assure you when you get to that you will know just what I mean. 

There is something just so warm and cosy about the writing in this small town romance, featuring this family of book lovers that have the most marvellous multi generational sunday lunches, and all seem to look out for and love each other, and are all  delighted that Ben is back from his travels, while feeling guilty that they want to see him despite knowing that Bryony never got over him.  

I loved every moment of this heartwarming story, and at times I completely lost track of where I was while I was reading it. I was very lucky not to miss my stop and hadn't even noticed when my tube went underground!  Thoroughly enjoyable, Natural Born Readers gives hope for all bookworms that you may meet a book loving soul mate eventually.  

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

Book Review - The Season For Second Chances by Ruth Saberton

Amazon UK

Title: The Season For Second Chances

Author: Ruth Saberton

Format reviewed: 

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Notting Hill Press

Publication Date: 21st September 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

The Season for Second Chances

At the close of a hectic year, Grace Anders is looking forward to a quiet Christmas at the family home in Cornwall. Tucked away on Bodmin Moor, Hallows House is the perfect place to relax by the fire and catch up with loved ones. The last thing Grace expects, or wants, is the arrival of warring family members or the unexpected return of the man who broke her heart a lifetime ago.

But as the weather closes in and people arrive at Hallows to shelter from the blizzard, family feuds and old heartaches have to be set aside. Can a sprinkling of snow and some Cornish Christmas magic make this the season for second chances after all? 

Lovely novella that takes in Christmas Eve and shows the strange happenings of the season, as friends, family, exes, neighbours for a rather unexpected Christmas. 

It is rare for it to snow in Cornwall, so for it to be a white Christmas as people are travelling along the Bodmin Moor to Hallows House adds an added layer of complexity to their journey.  The descriptions of being out in this snow were realistic but equally terrifying. 

Or at least I have to assume the reason I barely got any sleep after reading the first half of this novella, was the thoughts of the snow moors, and not being able to see properly running through my mind, while I was hearing rain outside in all directions, which sort of added to the atmosphere. 

This  is a great snapshot of a whole bunch of different characters, their circumstances, and how a chance meeting with others is going to change their lives for the better. 

The Season For Second Chances is a good showcase for Ruth Saberton's writing, her descriptions and love of Cornwall. It was an shortish story that fitted a fair bit of drama into it and kept my interest until the end. 

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

Back Catalogue Books - Q&A with Ruth Saberton

Back Catalogue Books is my new regular Saturday feature, focusing on books that are not the latest releases. There is going to be a mix of Q&As and also reviews, depending on what I have the space for. 

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

I hope everyone enjoys this weekly look back at some of the slightly older books that are about but still great, and that I eventually make a dent in my TBRs as a result of it!

Today I'm talking to the wonderful Ruth Saberton, author of amongst others the Polwenna Bay series that I absolutely love.

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

I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember! As a child I filled endless notebooks with stories about ponies and forced my poor family to read them. I wrote all the way through university and always told myself that one day I would do this full time but of course mortgages and my teaching job took up a lot of time and although I carried on writing it felt like a distant dream.  A few years ago I decided that rather than just fantasising about being an author I was going to really go for it.  I wrote my first novel in about five months and writing it was the easy bit.  There then followed endless rejections from agents and publishers and it was soul destroying.  I didn’t give up though and writing about what I knew proved to be the key and I started Katy Carter Wants a Hero, the very fictional tale (!) of a teacher who dreams of being a best selling novelist.  This is the novel that was championed by Richard and Judy, hit the national press over the Easter weekend in 2011 and the rest is history!

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

I’ve written over twenty books now. (if you have a look at my website www.ruthsaberton.com they are all listed. You might just want to pop a link on rather than a long list!) Eight are written under a variety of pen names from Jessica Fox to Georgie Carter as I was writing for different publishers and had a non compete clause as well as being a ghost writer for Working Partners. I’m currently working on the next book in my Cornish set Polwenna Bay series, RECIPE FOR LOVE, and a fun novella.

3) Which book are you most proud of writing?

I don’t think I could pick a book I am most proud of. That’s like asking a parent to chose their favourite child. Obviously I’m hugely fond of KATY CARTER WANTS A HERO as it was my first published novel and the one that started my writing journey but I know I have moved on as a writer now – seven years on! I’m hugely proud of my latest novel THE ISLAND LEGACY http://amzn.to/2ingikq It’s sweeping romance set on a Cornish island and embraces the beauty of the county, mystery, a dark brooding hero and a spirited heroine. I’m hoping it will be a summer must read in 2017!
4) Which book was your favourite to write?

It’s always the book I’m writing at the time! That is the book that takes all my focus and passion.

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

I love Katy Carter, the hapless wannabe writer teacher heroine from KATY CARTER WANTS A HERO and KATY CARTER KEEPS A SECRET. She gets into all kinds of scrapes and none of them are based on me, of course not! I also have a soft spot for Ashley Carstairs the wealthy property developer with a devastating secret in the Polwenna Bay series and in my heart I’d love to be Amber from CHANCES, my pony novel, with her spirited Arab horse.

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

If I could go back in time and change anything from my books I think it would be to have started Indie publishing much sooner. Having creative freedom and building a publishing business has been so exciting and rewarding and I would have loved to have been there from the very early days. I also wish I’d written a best seller about boy wizards!

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

My favourite cover is the original cover for my novel DEAD ROMANTIC. This is my paranormal romance about a non nonsense scientist who begins to have a some very strange experiences. The novel begins in the past when the heroine has a chance encounter with a handsome stranger on a snowy railway platform one Christmas Eve and my cover artist’s design transported me straight there. This is the book that I HAD to write because the characters were shouting at me to get their story down!

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

I’d love to write a sexy bonk buster! I have one half written on my lap top but I’m scared it will shock my readers! It has horses, motorbikes, sex, ambition, villains and a to die for bad boy hero and it’s great fun. One day, maybe. I also have an unfinished historical novel calling me…

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

I’m busy writing my next Polwenna Bay novel, RECIPE FOR LOVE, having just finished 2017’s Christmas book SEASON OF SECOND CHANCES. It’s felt like a very long Christmas!

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

I love Jilly Cooper! I have all her books from the early romances right through to MOUNT. I love the way that the RUTSHIRE CHRONICLES follow the characters from the early days of the 1970s right though to modern time. They feel like family and friends to me and I cried my eyes out when (spoiler alert) Billy Lloyd Fox dies. I’m also in awe of the back catalogues of American Indie writers like Bella Andre and Marie Force. They have written huge numbers of books and series of novels and readers are able to spend many happy hours with them. I’m doing my best to write as fast!

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

I’m incredibly proud of my big back catalogue of novels, especially when I remember that until 2016 I was teaching full time and writing in the evenings and at weekends. I truly love what I do and I look at each book with huge pride and fondness. ESCAPE FOR THE SUMMER was my first big Indie success and it really changed my life and enabled me to write full time so I’ll always be grateful to that one. CHANCES is my pony novel and has been #1 in the YA Kindle chart for weeks, and THE ISLAND LEGACY is the first in my new collection of sweeping romantic reads in the tradition of Daphne Du Maurier and Rosamunde Pilcher. I’d love my readers to have a wander through my previous books.There are lots of new adventures ahead!

Thank you Ruth for coming to talk about your back catalogue, I really should read your Katy Carter series, and also love the Rutshire Chronicles by Jilly Cooper.

Ruth Social Media Links

 

Website - www.ruthsaberton.com

Twitter  -https://twitter.com/RuthSaberton

Facebook - Author - https://www.facebook.com/ruthsabertonauthor/app/2415071772/?ref=page_internal 

Facebook General  - https://www.facebook.com/ruth.saberton

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ruthsabertonauthor/

Pinterest - https://uk.pinterest.com/ruthsaberton/

Amazon  - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ruth-Saberton/e/B003VO6PT2

Book Review - Chances by Ruth Saberton

Amazon UK

Title: Chances

Author: Ruth Saberton

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied review copy

Publisher: Notting Hill Press

Publication Date: 18th December 2016

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Sometimes in life you have to take chances…

City girl Amber Evans is determined to get herself thrown out of her latest foster home in the countryside. Growing up on a tough estate has taught her not to trust anyone or anything and horse mad Amber knows her passion for riding can never be more than a dream.

But rural life is far from quiet especially when you’re living next door to Britain’s hottest international three day event star, Drake Owen. When Amber finds herself catapulted into a world full of glamour and rivalry she’s determined to prove she belongs there too.

No matter how dangerous it may be or who is out to stop her…

As a woman in her early thirties, I never know what to expect on the rare occasions I decide to read a Young Adult book. Often I find myself thinking I'm the wrong age, or just not the correct target audience, and then once in a while I find a book aimed at the young adult market, that really works for all ages, at least in this case Chances did that for me. 

Amber is incredibly reluctantly moved from her home, into foster care, as her mum can no longer look after her, at 15 years old, she feels she could have lived by herself, with help from social services, and isn't too happy about being dragged from Bristol, to the new foster family in Cornwall. However Amber is horse mad, and generally loves animals, and the family live in on farm, and so there are small things Amber does kind of like about the place immediately, although it would pain her to admit it. 


She is determined to get chucked out and go home, but Harry, who is Kate's (foster mum), 18 year old son, tries his best to reach out to her, and there are small negotiations of truces.  It is when she meets Drake Owen, the three day eventer, in the neighbouring property that things slowly begin to change, however not entirely for the better, as on the same day she makes a rather dangerous enemy too. 

As the story developed I loved seeing how Amber's character developed, and I think it does highlight some of the thoughts children in foster care, most probably do have, and how others would react in similar situations. All of her bad behaviour is understandable, and a lot of the time she does have very good reasons for acting out. 

I'm gutted that the book has finished so soon, and can only hope that this will be the start of a series, as I am already missing reading about Amber, her foster home and Chances, a wonderful Arab horse. There is a strength and maturity to the writing, and to the characters, especially Amber, but also her foster family, as to what they have dealt with in the past, that makes me feel this book really does work for everyone.

Arguably this could be looked at, as just another horse/pony book, but to me it is so much more than that, although I must say all the horsey-eventing side of things are very enjoyable and there is a fair amount of it. However it's Amber's relationship with Chances that was simply superb, and their stories in places mirror each other. 

I loved reading Chances, and found it incredibly hard to put down, the story flowed really well, and I think young and not so young readers will really enjoy and in parts relate to the story. I loved Chances and the book shows just how much Ruth Saberton clearly loves her horses and knows about them. 

Thank you so much to Ruth Saberton for my copy this book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Love is a Four-Legged Word by Michele Gorman

Amazon UK

Title: Love is a Four-Legged Word

Author: Michele Gorman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Publisher supplied review copy

Publisher: Notting Hill Press

Publication Date: 13th October 2016

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Best friends Scarlett and Shannon spend their days tangled up in dog leads and covered in fur, running their dog business together. Scarlett’s intensive training course, Ruff Love, fixes owners as much as their pets, while Shannon spends her days walking spoiled pooches. 

They share more than their business though: they also share Scarlett's husband, Rufus, who's been Shannon's best friend since childhood. It's a cosy setup. Unless one of them has a secret... 

When Scarlett and Rufus's baby plans are decimated by a surprise turn of events, their marriage hits the rocks and they both turn to Shannon. All three relationships are pushed to breaking point, but when loyalties become divided, how do you decide who's most important? 

I was really excited when I was offered a copy of this to review. I love dogs, I love dogs in fiction and I love Michele Gorman, so it seemed like a match made in heaven. I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times within the first chapter, as we are introduced to some of the canine companion in the book, and the reasons they needed time with Scarlett, an animal behaviourist. 

So it starts of as this incredibly sweet romantic comedy, as we meet Scarlett, Rufus and their mutual best friend Shannon. However as the story progresses, there are many far deeper issues running through the book, which enriched the reading experience for me. 

There are themes such as infertility, and marriage power struggles explored in great detail as Scarlett and Rufus are struggling to have a baby. There is also Scarlett's marginally unconventional family where she has a meal weekly at her dads, which also includes her step mum, her mum, and her sister, Gemma, who has some exciting news of her own. 

As Scarlett and Rufus start to get more serious, the light relief you need is still there in two forms. First in Shannon's meetings with a certain Mr. Darcy, who she has a massive crush on, and then in the form of the dogs. 

What I loved so much were the dog training sessions and how Scarlett's clients would slowly become more like friends, and in Margaret and Biscuit's case, she does so much more for Margaret than just helping Biscuit behave better. Their talks were great, and showed another dimension to Scarlett's personality. 

With a huge assortment of dogs in this book, with a whole range of issues, some from the dogs, and some thanks to the owners, I'm sure that if you have a dog, you will recognise them within at least one of the ones featured in the book. 

Love if a Four-Legged Word is a wonderful mix of humour, romance, serious discussions, friendship and all around engrossing writing that keeps your reading long into the night. 

Thank you so much to Notting Hill Press for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Free pre-publication sample book for Love is a Four-Legged Word by Michele Gorman

One of the upcoming releases I am really looking forward to is Love is a Four-Legged Word by Michele Gorman. If the cover is anything to go by, I can't wait to load it up and start reading for myself.

Yes that's right, author of The Curvy Girls Club amongst others, has a new book out, and this time it appears to have dogs, so I know I can't resist it.

As a special early treat for you all, Notting Hill Press have very kindly given me a FREE five chapter pre-publication sample book

So what is this book? Well let me show you! (Quotes from the book are in blue)

“Barkley glued his eyes to the aluminium foil as she unwrapped it. Dog treats? Leftover sandwich? Was it even edible? It didn’t matter – could he get it into his mouth? Chicken! It’s chicken! Everybody, the lady’s got chicken! He looked from Charlie to Hiccup. Hiccup wasn’t as impressed with the big reveal.”

Best friends Scarlett and Shannon spend their days tangled up in dog leads and covered in fur, running their dog business together. Scarlett’s intensive training course, Ruff Love, fixes owners as much as their pets, while Shannon spends her days walking spoiled pooches. 

They share more than their business though: they also share Scarlett's husband, Rufus, who's been Shannon's best friend since childhood. It's a cosy setup. Unless one of them has a secret... 

When Scarlett and Rufus's baby plans are decimated by a surprise turn of events, their marriage hits the rocks and they both turn to Shannon. All three relationships are pushed to breaking point, but when loyalties become divided, how do you decide who's most important?

“In her head she was the love child of Doctor Doolittle and Sigmund freud, a fairy dogmother who transformed pet owners’ lives across Greater London. In reality she spent a lot of time being drooled over in the mud.”

Links to download the sample book

Here are the links to get the first five chapters of Love is a Four-Legged Word. They’re hosted on Google Drive. 

Readers should click the relevant link, then click the Download button and save the file to their computer before transferring it to their reading device.

ePub: http://bit.ly/ePub-LIAFLW-sample-book

Mobi: http://bit.ly/Mobi-LIAFLW-sample-book

PDF: http://bit.ly/PDF-LIAFLW-sample-book

Love if a Four-Legged Word is available for pre-order at a special price of only 99p/99c until publication day when it will go to its actual price, so I suggest if you are interested, take a glance at the sample, and then pre-order! 

Amazon UK

“The excitement in his expression made Scarlett’s nether parts start to wibble. Finally, they were on the same page… or at least in the same book. She didn’t mind skim reading ahead to get to the good bits if she had to."

About Michele Gorman

Michele writes books with heart and humour, full of best friends, girl power and, of course, love and romance. Call them beach books or summer reads, chick lit or romcom... readers and reviewers call them "feel good", "relatable" and "thought-provoking".

She is both a Sunday Times and a USA Today bestselling author, raised in the US and living in London. She is very fond of naps, ice cream and Richard Curtis films but objects to spiders and the word "portion". 

Instagram: @michelegormanuk
Twitter:@MicheleGormanUK
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MicheleGormanBooks
Blog: www.michelegormanwriter.blogspot.com

Website: www.michelegorman.co.uk

Book Review - Treasure of the Heart by Ruth Saberton

Amazon UK

Title: Treasure of the Heart (Polwenna Bay Book 4)

Author: Ruth Saberton

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied review copy

Publisher: Notting Hill Press

Publication Date: 24th March 2016

Rating: 4.5 Stars

The heart is a deep ocean of treasure… 

For twenty-two years Issie Tremaine’s wild behaviour has driven her family to distraction. Now, with the future she’d dreamed of in tatters, she’s returned home to try and forget the past. When a huge winter storm and the arrival of a handsome stranger cause upheaval in the village there is an even greater tempest in Issie’s heart. Dare she trust again? Or will she only face more betrayal? 

As a professional treasure hunter, American Luke Dawson can’t risk any distractions. With his reputation hanging in the balance he’s staking everything on a major find in England and daren’t let anyone get in his way. Not even the passionate and free spirited girl he can’t stop thinking about. 

Alice Tremaine’s world has been her family. Since the death of her daughter-in-law she’s single handedly raised her grandchildren, often at the expense of her own happiness. Now they are grown up, Alice is resigned to a quiet life in Polwenna Bay until her past returns to challenge her and awaken a love she’d thought long lost … 

With a stormy start to the New Year, secrets and fears are swept away with the crashing tides and long forgotten truths are laid bare. What treasure lies beneath the ocean and in the hidden depths of hearts? And who will be brave enough to claim it? 

I can't believe its been under a year since I was first introduced to Polwenna Bay, and now this is book 4, and the series shows no signs of slowing down, in fact I'd argue it keeps improving, with each book having a completely different theme to it, as well as a different member of the Tremaine family to focus on. 

Each book in the series is definitely readable as a standalone, and this is no exception, although since the series is so great, I would be surprised if you didn't want to start at the beginning. 

This time around the focus is on Issie Tremaine, who is at the heart of the trip to Polwenna Bay, and during the night of a big storm, she is convinced she has found a shipwreck,which would prove a legend about missing treasure is true. She announces her find and the press, tourists and amateur treasure hunters all come to the town, to try and see if its true. 

At the same time handsome American Luke Dawson arrives in town, claiming to be researching a history paper, and attracts Issie's attention. Of course the reader has already been introduced to Luke, and know both sides of the story. 

We also get to see more of Alice Tremaine in this book, and in particular her lost love from her childhood, and although she is getting a bit older, she is wondering if it is too late for love. Her natural shrewdness does mean that she is wary of Luke, and also of a new incomer to Polwenna Bay who is running the beachside cafe. 

I'm not sure how she does it, but every time I read a Polwenna Bay book, while on public transport, Ruth Saberton has the ability to make me completely forget where I am, where I am going, and almost miss my stop, as I am so absorbed in the story. This absorption point in Treasure of the Heart arrived quite early on in the book, with an event that got my heart pumping, and had me worried for various characters. 

Treasures of the Heart is  a story of treasure hunting, Cornish folklore and legends, romance, new beginnings and also a continuation of all the characters stories from the previous Polwenna Bay books. It is a wonderful new addition to the series, and as always I can't wait for the next one. 

Thank you to Ruth Saberton for supplying a review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Book Review - Rules for a Successful Book Club by Victoria Connelly

Amazon UK

Title: Rules for a Successful Book Club

Author: Victoria Connelly

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied review copy 

Publisher: Notting Hill Press

Publication Date: 14th February 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Polly Nightingale never meant to fall in love again especially not with a biker thirteen years her junior. But then Jago Solomon enters her life with a guitar strapped to his back, and Polly and her six-year-old son, Archie, know that they’ve never been happier. 

But what happened three years ago when Polly’s husband, Sean, went missing? And what will it mean for Polly and Jago if her past ever catches up with them? 

Well I was expecting another book with lots of bookish references and although I wasn't disappointed on that score, the book club is only a very small part of this story. The heart of it is Polly's story and how she is just starting to get to grips with the possibility of moving on, after husband Sean went missing three and a half years ago. 

As much as Polly fights it, and she really doesn't want to give in to what is clear to the reader, and she tentatively gets to know Jago Solomon a lot better. He is younger than her, but doesn't seem to mind the missing husband, nor Archie, Polly's six year old son. 

Archie is adorable, and shows a maturity and level of caring not often seen in children as young as six, and I loved hearing about his fledgling guitar lessons with Jago. 

This is the second book in The Book Lovers series, and can easily be read as a standalone. There are enough references to the key points of the first book, for you to easily pick the series up from Book 2. For fans of the first book, you will be glad to see Callie still gets some of the focus, as does Sam's book shop. 

In fact all the Nightingales are back in force and their Sunday lunches are always entertaining. I am loving this whole book mad family.  Sam and Polly finally get their book club off the ground, and there are some slightly eccentric characters attending, in addition to snack one-upmanship. 

When the action hots up in the second half of the book, Victoria Connelly proves she can tackle a tough subject really sensitively and as some revelations were made I felt more and more sympathy for Polly. 

The book is easy and pleasurable to read, and is definitely up to Victoria's usual quality of storytelling. I loved Rules for a Successful Book Club and can't wait to see if and what is in book 3. 

Thank you to Victoria Connelly for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Book Review - The Book Lovers by Victoria Connelly

Amazon UK

Title: The Book Lovers

Author: Victoria Connelly

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Notting Hill Press

Publication Date: 27th August 2015

Rating: 5 Stars

Author Callie Logan never expected to swap her life in London for one in rural Suffolk but, after the breakdown of her marriage, she decides that a fresh start is just what she needs. Finding Owl Cottage in the tiny village of Newton St Clare, Callie determines to give up on love and throw herself into her work. But fate seems to have other ideas and she soon has two very different men vying for her attention. 

First there's Leo who likes to live on the wild side which usually means taking his dates foraging in the local woods for their supper. Then there's Sam Nightingale, owner of Nightingale’s bookshop. Sam, recovering from a divorce, has also vowed to embrace the single life. That is, until he meets Callie. 

But is Callie willing to risk her heart again and, if she is, will she make the right choice? 

The Book Lovers is the first in an exciting new series by the bestselling author of The Rose Girls and the Austen Addicts. 

If you are a regular visitor of my blog, or in fact of any book blogs, love books and love a good story, then The Book Lovers is definitely the book for you.  In fact I would suggest you stop reading this review, take my word for it that its a great book, and start reading it for yourself. 

I suppose there is of course the chance that you may need a bit more persuasion, or are genuinely interested in what I thought, and don't want to impulse buy based on an opening paragraph, which is understandable. 

It may have been a few years since I last picked up and read a Victoria Connelly book, but once I spotted this had been released, I knew it wouldn't take me long to make the time to read it, and I am so glad that I have. It is a very easy to read story, about Callie who is a children's author, who has moved to Oak Cottage in Suffolk, to recover from her marriage breakdown. There is also Sam Nightingale, one of the massive Nightingale family, all of which are involved with books, with 3 book shops among them. 

Sam runs a second hand book shop, and Callie is hooked on it, the second she steps foot in the place. If you have ever wanted to discuss books with an informed independent book shop owner you could do a lot worse than visit Sam's shop. Although I don't fully appreciate it myself, there is a great discussion about book sniffing early on, as well as a mention of other issues relevant to books and book lovers. 

Callie also meets Leo Wildman who is a big fan of walks in the woods and foraging for fresh produce from which to cook with. Callie's first meeting with Leo is in a rather bizarre situation, but before long they have hit it off and are enjoying each others company. 

I loved all of the Nightingale family that I had the fortune to meet, including Grandpa Joe (which every time I read that I thought instantly of the Grandpa Joe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), and Bryony who is the bundle of energy running their children's book shop and very excited that Callie is now living in their little village. 

The Book Lovers is a gentle, easy to read romance that will leave you nodding with recognition at some points, and generally feeling good after you have read it. I firmly believe The Book Lovers is a fabulous way to open a brand new series by Victoria Connelly.  

Guest Post - Judging Covers by Notting Hill Press

The evolution of a book cover for a different marketplace....

A month ago I was delighted to be part of the cover reveal for Match Me If You Can by Michele Gorman. I had two different covers to show you the UK and the USA version and the publishers were very keen to hear your opinion over which you liked best. And yet a month later, the book is now out, and the USA cover has been re-designed.... here is why!

It’s interesting to see how the same book is marketed differently depending on where its fans are based. Michele Gorman’s Match Me If You Can is published by Avon (Harper Collins) in the UK and by Notting Hill Press in the US. Avon took the lead in designing the marketing package for Michele’s UK chick lit fans, with a pretty teal cover, fun font and firm focus on the online dating/romance storylines in the book. 

Meet best friends Catherine, Rachel and Sarah. Yet to find Mr Right, they’ve been settling for Mr Right Now. But when Catherine, London’s finest matchmaker, gets the girls to join her dating site where they can rate and recommend their ex-boyfriends, they soon realise that anything could happen… There’s someone for everyone, right? These best friends are about to find out!

To complement the UK cover, we at Notting Hill Press designed the US cover using the same fonts and heart motif. But something started to bother us. Match Me If You Can is also about strong women. It’s funny, cheeky, poignant and realistic. The women join the dating website and recycle their exes but their lives – their friendship, families and careers – are at the heart of the book. And while both British and American fans are definitely romantics, American readers are also really partial to a feisty story about friends. 

We had to admit it: our hot pink cover didn’t seem quite right for Michele’s US fans. So we had a rethink about it, and here’s the result!

Meet best friends, Catherine, Rachel and Sarah. They’re fun, smart and successful, and haven’t had a date worth booking a wax appointment for in ages. 

Catherine runs London’s most successful matchmaking business with her silent partner and ex-husband, Richard, who’s just announced that he’s marrying his twenty-three year-old girlfriend. Catherine has bras that are older than Magda, and now she’s barging in on their business with her meddlesome demands and wedding plans. 

Architect Rachel’s got problems of her own. At work she’s competing against her ex-boyfriend, James, to win their biggest project and the promotion that comes with it. So when she joins Catherine’s website, RecycLove.com, where everyone brings an ex to recycle for the chance of an upgrade, she knows just who she’s going to trade in. 

Homebody baker, Sarah, is in a rut thanks to family demands over the last few years. Reluctantly she joins RecycLove.com, where she’s convinced that some minor adjustments will improve her chances. But as minor adjustments turn into a complete overhaul and dates start falling at her newly-pedicured feet, will her popularity be worth the sacrifices she’s making? 

A warm, funny story of friendship, strong women and self-discovery. Match us if you can, guys, but if not then please step aside and we’ll get on with being fabulous.

We hope you love the new cover and blurb as much as we do!

Sincerely,

Notting Hill Press

Thank you Notting Hill Press for this interesting back story to the cover for Match Me If Can. My review can be found here or if the new cover or blurb has interested you, you can purchase the book on Amazon UK

Book Review - Match Me If You Can by Michele Gorman

Amazon UK

Title: Match Me If You Can

Author: Michele Gorman

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Notting Hill Press

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 14th January 2016 

Rating:  4 Stars

What if Mr Right was just a click away?

Meet best friends Catherine, Rachel and Sarah.

Yet to find Mr Right, they’ve been settling for Mr Right Now.

But when Catherine, London’s finest matchmaker, gets the girls to join her dating site where they can rate and recommend their ex-boyfriends, they soon realise that anything could happen . . .

There’s someone for everyone, right? These best friends are about to find out for themselves!

Match Me If You Can is a fantastically entertaining story, full of some dating disasters, and good friendships. 

However for a group of three friends, I found that I was warming to Sarah's and Rachel's stories a lot more than Catherine's and at times I forgot Catherine was even there. That isn't to say I disliked her, just wasn't too sure about her. 

Catherine runs a dating website called RecycLove.com where in order to join it you have to not only bring an ex to join, but also write each other dating assessments, to give yo a chance to become a better boyfriend/girlfriend in future relationships. 

Catherine lives with Sarah and Rachel. Rachel is an architect who works alongside her ex, as they work together on the firms biggest ever pitch. Sarah is a bit of a free spirit, who designs wedding cards for a living, and also tries to be the best sister she can be to Sissy. Sarah is also a fabulous baker, and some of the descriptions were making me hungry. 

Sissy is to me the best character in the story, I loved her toast obsession, and she is just so kind hearted and its great seeing her develop. 

Sarah and Rachel both join Catherine's site and seeing the changes they make to themselves as they start dating new people are interesting. Also Catherine has to deal with working with her ex's fiancee who is a challenge. 

This is a typical Michele Gorman book, a lovely easy to read story, with a lot going for it. There was even a reference to a past book which made me smile.  However I felt that the ending was slightly abrupt. I honestly thought there was more to say before the epilogue came around. 

Thanks to Notting Hill Press and Avon for this review copy. This is my honest opinion.