Book Review - Hattie's Home For Broken Hearts by Tilly Tennant - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Amazon UK

Title: Hattie's Home For Broken Hearts

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 10th July 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

Escape to the daisy-strewn windswept Dorset cliffs, to the donkey sanctuary at Sweet Briar Farm, where Hattie Rose is about to find, that in this world, the most unlikely opposites can sometimes attract …

Hattie was once thrilled to call the beautiful city of Paris her home. But when her heart is broken by her boyfriend and she loses her dream job, she bids farewell to the city of love and hurries home to Gillypuddle, a sleepy village on the Dorset coast. But as she returns home she finds her parents struggling to cope with a terrible family tragedy.

In a desperate search for a new start, Hattie takes a job at the donkey sanctuary nearby on Sweet Briar Farm where Jo, the taciturn owner, certainly loves her animals far more than humans. Hattie can’t help but fall in love with the donkeys (and the opportunity to get close to dreamy Canadian vet Seth) but Jo is harder to get to know and when she finds her boss sobbing in her sleep one stormy night, she knows that her new friend is hiding a dark secret.

And when handsome newspaper reporter Owen does some digging into Jo’s past he finds something that connects her to Hattie on a whole new level. Can Hattie trust what Owen says, especially when he seems intent on standing in the way of her blossoming romance with Seth? And can Hattie help Jo to start healing and the donkeys of Sweet Briar Farm?

A beautiful story that will melt the hardest of hearts. If you love Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond and Josie Silver you will be enchanted by this life-affirming read that reminds you that home is wherever the people you love are.

I really enjoyed getting to know Hattie, and seeing just why she decides to work at a donkey sanctuary, with a woman who the locals have nicknamed Medusa. 

It is clear that Hattie has a very big heart and loves animals, and that she would love to make the sanctuary a success, if only Jo wasn't so set against all of her ideas and suggestions. 

There are a couple of love interests too, a journalist who has some interesting ideas for dates, and the incredibly sexy vet. 

This was a charming story, filled with some laughs, some interestingly named children, great characters, adorable animals and just a great feel to it. 

I had a lovely time reading this book, and I can't wait to see what Tilly Tennant writes next. 

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

Book Review - The Garden on Sparrow by Tilly Tennant

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Amazon UK

Title: The Garden on Sparrow Street

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 9th October 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

As the cold winter nights draw in, escape to the sleepy town of Wrenwick, where the streets sparkle with snow and a lonely young widow is about to find that true love really can strike twice…

As Christmas cheer fills Sparrow Street with excitement, grieving widow Nina is having a hard time. December is always a difficult month to face without her beloved husband Gray, the days feel long and bleak, and to cap it all, she’s just lost her job.

So when Nina hears that Sparrow Street’s Community Garden, one of Gray’s favourite places, is to be put up for sale she knows she must do something. Filled with purpose, she gathers the residents of Sparrow Street around her to turn the neglected patch of land into a Garden of Memories.

Working with her neighbours, single mum Kelly and eighty-year-old Ada, Nina soon finds that she’s not the only lonely soul on Sparrow Street. And as the community comes together and the garden flourishes, Nina can’t help but be drawn to Irish gardener Colm with his sparkling blue eyes and kind heart, finding herself confiding in him about all her recent troubles.

But just as Colm and Nina grow closer and he opens up to her about his own secret loss, Colm’s estranged wife returns from Scotland, wanting to try again. Nina knows she should let the man she’s falling for go – it’s the right thing to do. But what if fate has other plans in store? Will the beautiful garden on Sparrow Street have brought two people together only for Nina’s cautious heart to push them apart?

If you love an uplifting, moving love story, then The Garden on Sparrow Street is the perfect romantic read to curl up with on a winter’s afternoon. Fans of Josie Silver and Carole Matthews will love this book!

What a genuinely just lovely story. 

This was a joy to read, and the idea of a memorial garden is really sweet.   Nina and her best friend Robyn have both lost partners to motor neuron disorder, and are now trying to move on with their lives a few year later. 

Nina is scared of even letting another man into her life she is convinced she isn't ready, but then she meets Colm,  but will they actually get together.   There are many fledgling relationships going on all around Nina. 

Sparrow Street seemed like a nice place to live, with some neighbours being far more community minded than others. Robyn was fabulous, she is opinionated, but also clearly cares about both Nina and her son, even if he has fallen in with a bad crowd.  And Winston Nina's dad just was so sweet too. 

I loved the concept of this book, the writing was great and when I was able I was totally engrossed in the pages. With a lovely cast of characters and a great message perfect for this time of year, this was a really enjoyable book.   

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

Book Review - The Mill on Magnolia Lane by Tilly Tennant - Blog Tour

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Amazon UK

Title: The Mill on Magnolia Lane

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 4th April 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

The sky is cornflower blue, the air is scented with the smell of fresh apple blossom and Lizzie Lovell can’t wait to start her new life in the mill on Magnolia Lane. But is she just about to fall in love with someone she shouldn’t? 

When Lizzie loses her larger-than-life dad she doesn’t know how to move forward. Encouraged by a childhood dream she shared with her beloved father, she is determined to continue his legacy and moves to the old Mill on Magnolia lane, a place he had always longed to own.

Restoring the old windmill is a much bigger job than Lizzie bargained for, especially when she is distracted by her new next door neighbour Jude, who has temptingly twinkly eyes and a body to die for. But when Jude’s ex- girlfriend Harriet arrives back on the scene, Lizzie begins to wonder if life wasn’t far simpler before she moved to the mill. Especially when it emerges that Harriet knows something about Jude’s past, something that could shatter her new start and her heart into smithereens …

If your heart is warmed by Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond and Josie Silver’s One Day in December, you’ll fall in love with this beautiful feel-good story about finding love when you least expect it. 

I really hope this is the start of a new series, as by the end of this book, I just didn't want it to end.   I loved the Mill and its rennovation work, and the way that Lizzie develops over the book is great. 

This is a story that takes place over at least a year if not longer, the exact time frames were hard to judge, as you'd start a new chapter and suddenly there was a fast forward of time - you never felt you missed anything but I just lost track when in the year we even were. 

Over the course of the book, we get to meet all the Lovell family, who all think Lizzie is mad to gamble on buying a disused mill, and try to get it up and running again.   To say there was some venting about builders would be an understatement. I'm so glad I wasn't living in Lizzie's caravan while they tried to make the building habitable. 

There is great character development all around, and I loved seeing how Lizzie, Gracie, Florentina and Gwendolyn all adapted to new circumstances each time something happens.  And let me just say there are a lot of eventful happenings in this story.  It really does keep you on your toes.

Charlie has got under my skin far more than I thought, given I keep thinking he is the brother in the next book I'm reading, and I'm missing his wonderful enthusiasm for everything. 

But its also a comforting sort of a book, its a very pleasant to read story, that filled me with warmth, and definitely had Tilly Tennant's trademark writing style and feel to it.   It's a very good book, and I'm hoping this isn't the last we have seen of Magnolia Lane and the Lovells. 

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

Please do follow along with all these great bloggers on this tour. 

Book Review - The Christmas Wish by Tilly Tennant

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Amazon UK

Title: The Christmas Wish

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 22nd October 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Christmas is coming but it doesn’t feel that way for Esme. Jilted by her cheating fiancée Warren and mourning the death of her beloved grandmother she’s determined not to let life beat her and books a trip to Lapland, on a holiday that her grandmother had always dreamed of taking.

Beneath the indigo skies of Lapland, love is the last thing on Esme’s mind but she can’t ignore a spark with Zach, a broodingly handsome actor, also nursing a broken heart. But when Esme is bombarded by messages from Warren promising he’s changed and she discovers that Zach is hiding something-will her head be turned? And when a trip to the northern lights reveals the full extent Zach’s own secret past is there any hope that Esme will get the happy ending that her grandmother wished for her?

I'm always a sucker for a book that involves a holiday,  and so a book with Christmas in the title and Lapland in the blurb by an author that I love was always going to be a must read for me. 

And I'm delighted to say it was everything I could have hoped for. The Amazon tag line for this book is completely correct, it truly is a heartwarming Christmas romance.    

For me the story came alive the second Esme decided that she was definitely going to Lapland, and her personal development and self awareness improving while on the weeks holiday were fabulous to see.  What she doesn't realise but the reader are clearly aware of is that she needs to leave Warren and the toxic relationship she is in, but she seems to struggle big time with a decision that seems so easy to anyone on the outside of what she was going through. 

Esme ends up in a group of four while travelling and Hortense is a real tonic, she  has such a fabulous personality that you can't help but like her.  Brian is also travelling alone but whether he is over the break up with his wife,  it is hard to tell. Although he was part of the group, he seemed quieter and more in the background. 

And then there is Zach, who is gorgeous, but clearly hiding something.  He seems to swing between being quite happy, to utter moodiness, 

I loved pretty much every second they spent in Lapland, and the descriptions were fabulous. I felt as though I was there alongside Esme and her new friends, and its made me even more determined to eventually one year brave the thought of a holiday somewhere cold!  

There were also some tricky subjects covered incredibly sensitively which added to the books appeal, and although even with Lapland, I didn't feel the book was overly festive, I would say its a fantastic book for any point over the winter. 

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

Book Review - The Summer Getaway by Tilly Tennant

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Amazon UK

Title: The Summer Getaway

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 11th July 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Ashley Moon is all set for a dream holiday with her daughter in the glittering French Riviera. But nothing can prepare her for the shock of discovering who’s staying in the villa next door… 

Ashley got much more than a suntan on her first ever foreign holiday; one whirlwind romance and nine months later she had a daughter, Molly.

Too heartbroken and proud to ever contact the father, Ashley made a decision to go it alone and raise her daughter herself. Fifteen hard and lonely years later, she finally has the chance to take Molly on her first ever holiday; a gorgeous, all-expenses-paid trip to the charming French resort of St. Raphael.

It is the perfect setting for a week of quality time together; they plan to cycle through the sun-drenched vineyards, lounge by the glistening pool and practise their French on friendly locals. And just when Ashley thought things couldn’t get any better, comes the news of a handsome new occupant in the villa next door.

But fate has other plans for Ashley. One look into her neighbour’s dark hazel eyes is all it takes to give her the shock of her life. Standing in front of her is Haydon, Molly’s long-lost father and the holiday fling she thought she’d never see again.

As the temperature on the Cote D’Azure steadily rises and Ashley and Haydon begin to spend more and more time together, will Ashley find the courage to tell him who she is – and more importantly, who Molly is?

Even when I wasn't reading this, thes story was playing on my mind - I just had to know what would happen next. 

This was such a fabulous story, incredibly summery and at the heart of it was the will she or won't she reveal to Haydon some important life changing information. 

For Ashley and Haydon had a one night stand in Ibiza 16 years ago, and lost contact and then Ashley realised she was pregnant.  Fast forward to the present day and Ashley and daughter Molly got  to St. Raphael for a weeks holiday and a great aunts 100th Birthday party .  It just so happen that on the same week Haydon and his daughter Ellie agree to a week away in the same resort, and in the neighbouring villa. 

What are the odds, of them being in the same place at the same time, recognising each other and having children that are getting on together. 

This is fabulous as various people work out the connection and others stay completely ignorant, and in amongst this there is a week in France including a big French family to get to know, a delicious sounding market, and some wonderful days involving the beach. 

This really was a perfect book to read during this summers heatwave or anywhere else  that is hot - from its stunning cover, to all of the contents this a joy to read and is Tilly Tennant back to her best.  

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

Book Review - A Cosy Candlelit Christmas by Tilly Tennant - Blog Tour

Amazon UK

Title:  A Cosy Candlelit Christmas

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 26th October 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

All singleton Isla wants for Christmas is to be left in peace, but a surprise trip to the Alps means there’s a chance for romance in every snowflake that falls…

It’s the week before Christmas and Isla McCoy has just received an unexpected gift: a letter announcing she is due a life-changing inheritance, but only if she’s willing to make amends with the father who abandoned her. 

She has absolutely no intention of forgiving him, but who could resist an all-expenses-paid trip to the French resort of St Martin-de-Belleville? 

There she meets smooth-talking Justin and nerdy glaciologist Sebastian; two very different men, with two very different agendas. Torn between her head and her heart, Isla finds herself utterly lost in a winter wonderland of her own feelings. 

Surrounded by twinkling candles and roaring log-fires, Isla’s resolve finally begins to melt. But will she learn how to reconnect, not only with a whole new family, but with herself and her heart?

Cosy, sweet book that I adored, from the moment Isla set foot in St Martin-de-Belleville  I was in love with the small French skiing resort in the Alps. 

Before starting this book I had been a bit worries, as having  A Very Vintage Christmas I knew some background in Isla and her trip to France and was scared this would repeat everything I knew but with not much new information.  Well I was WRONG! It was a completely new feeling story, in fact we barely see Dodie from book 1 at all, so it can be read as a standalone too.  It is Isla's story, from her point of view and we see everything that she gets up to. 

This is a story about whether Isla can start to build a relationship with her father, despite her mother still hating him over 20 years later. It's story where Isla has the change of a rather nice inheritance that comes with all manner of conditions. It is a story that contains two men both who turn Isla's head although I did have my own favourite between them. 

In fact Sebastian has a rather cool job, he's a glaciologist, which I a term I had never heard before but is explained in the story. He is also slightly geeky but has a heart of gold.  Whereas Justin, just felt a bit on the slimy side, like you couldn't quite trust him but not really sure why. 

Besides the characters, its definitely the setting that is the start of this book, I was simply enchanted by St Martin-de-Belleville. I love the idea of a small ski resort that is picturesque, with its independent shops, stunning scenery, and believe it or not for a book with this setting, not a single winter sport! Just goes to show you could visit a small resort like this and not be bored, even if you don't ski. 

Despite the freezing cold temperatures outside in the resort, Tilly Tennant's writing will leave you feeling warm inside, as you read this book, and work out just which characters can actually be trusted.  Although I didn't think it was the most Christmassy book I've read this year, it certainly a wintery and cosy story, and it does feature Christmas. It could easily be read at any time, although perhaps in front of a fire with a warm cup of cocoa would be ideal! 

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I've read honestly and voluntarily. 

Author Bio:

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop girl, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and has not stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor, and considers herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books before the rest of the world gets them.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her tenth Tilly Tennant novel. She also writes as Sharon Sant, where she explores the darker side of life, and Poppy Galbraith, where things get a little crazier. Find out more about Tilly and how to join her mailing list for news and exclusives at www.tillytennant.com

Author Social Media Links:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TillyTenWriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tillytennant6000/

Website: www.tillytennant.com

Book Review - A Very Vintage Christmas by Tilly Tennant - Blog Tour

Amazon UK

Title: A Very Vintage Christmas

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 28th September 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

The fairy lights are up and shoppers are flooding the snowy seaside promenade. It’s going to be a busy month at Forget-Me-Not Vintage, a magical shop with a warm heart where every item has a story to be told.

With bright red hair and an infectious smile, Dodie is a hopeless romantic and absolutely one of a kind, just like the pieces in her shop. 

When Dodie finds a love letter in the pocket of an old woollen coat, she makes it her mission to deliver it to its rightful owner. Following the address, she manages to persuade the handsome but reluctant new tenant, Edward, to help her with her search.

As the story of the letter unfolds, Dodie is there, as always, to pick up the pieces and make things right. But who will be there for her when her own love story needs a helping hand? 

Is it too much to dream of a happy ending like the ones in the black and white movies she adores? 

What a simply delightful story, which surprised and pleased me in equal measure. It certainly is a book that encompasses the spirit of good will that is generally around in December, without being overtly Christmassy. 

By which I mean, although its set in December, and Christmas does feature, its not the main focus. The focal point of the book is the letter that is found in a woolen coat that Dodie finds, while sorting out a new order of vintage clothes for her little shop.

She can't help but read it and is struck, as I am by just how romantic a story it tells, and Dodie becomes determined to reunite this letter with the family of either of the people involved.  Only a few small things, she knows the address from 1944, only first names and the first letter of the lady's surname. Not an easy task! 

Early in her search she meets Edward who against his better judgement ends up not only helping Dodie, but seems to keep bumping into her about town.  Yet Dodie has a boyfriend, Ryan, although even early on I wasn't too convinced by their relationship. 

There are three other characters of note for various reasons. Dodie's gran - every single time she was featured I was laughing, she is the sort of gran who continually has different classes on, seems to know everyone and yet feels slightly dotty at the same time!  

Isla is Dodie's best friend, and is going through some big things herself. which I won't mention, as I am looking forward to getting to know her properly in Tilly Tennant's second Christmas book for this year. 

Nick is the last character who is definitely worth mentioning, he pops up from time to time, but due to his situation, he gives a bit more of a serious / real tone to the book, reminding you that its not just Christmas decorations and presents at this time of year, but for others Christmas is a whole different ballgame. 

A Very Vintage Wedding is such a wonderful book, that had me smiling, laughing at times, but also almost had me feeling emotional too. It has a great premise, and with Tilly Tennant special kind of writing magic you have a charming book, and I can't wait for A Cosy Candlelit Christmas. 

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

Author Bio:

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop girl, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and has not stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor, and considers herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books before the rest of the world gets them.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her tenth Tilly Tennant novel. She also writes as Sharon Sant, where she explores the darker side of life, and Poppy Galbraith, where things get a little crazier. Find out more about Tilly and how to join her mailing list for news and exclusives at www.tillytennant.com

Author Social Media Links:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TillyTenWriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tillytennant6000/

Website: www.tillytennant.com

Follow along with the rest of this blog blitz

Book Review - A Wedding In Italy by Tilly Tennant - Blog Tour

Amazon UK

Title:  A Wedding in Italy

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 14th April 2017

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Sun, spaghetti and sparkling prosecco. When it comes to finding love, there’s no place like Rome… 

Kate is living the dream with her gorgeous boyfriend Alessandro in his native city, but the reality is sometimes a little less romantic than she’d hoped. Every day in her new home is a fight against leaking pipes, her cantankerous landlord and her less-than-perfect grasp of the Italian lingo. 

All around her there is talk of weddings, but when a secret from her past is thrust out into the open, Kate must fight to prove to Alessandro’s Mamma – and the rest of his formidable family – that she truly is Italian marriage material. 

With the women in Alessandro’s life on a mission to break them apart, the cracks begin to show and Kate starts to question if Alessandro really is the man of her dreams. Can love and the city of romance conquer all, or is that just a fairy-tale?

What a delight it is to return to Rome, and the story of Kate and Alessandro, who we first met in Rome is Where The Heart Is, in fact I was so wrapped up in antics of the Conti family, that I completely forgot to work out if this book could potentially be read as a standalone or not.  It certainly works fantastically as a sequel! 

Kate is now living in Rome, and trying to make her life there, so that can be with Alessandro. She is hoping to get her dressmaking business off the ground and in the meantime, is trying to find a job so she can pay the bills. She is starting to get along better with almost all of the Conti clan, however its family friend, and potential love rival Orazia that is going to potentially put a spanner in the works. 

As this book kicks off we are treated to what a full blown Italian wedding is like, as Alessandro's sister Lucetta is getting married, and Kate is about to meet more of the extended family, and is nervous. I loved hearing about the various Italian wedding customs and the whole celebration seemed fairly traditional but with a nod to modern day life too. 

Instead of having a guided tour this time of all of Rome's famous tourist attractions, we are instead, treated to one girls story as to how to become accepted in a city that isn't her own, in a language she is only just learning to speak, and I loved seeing how Kate was adapting. 

Kate's friend Jamie from the first book is back as well, and brings a great deal of light heartedness to the proceedings, and is a breath of fresh air generally. Kate's sisters are also a presence, mainly via skype, and it was good to catch up with them too. 

I loved seeing this different side to Rome, and the new characters that we meet in this book, Salvatore and Nunzia especially amongst others. 

A lot of the book for various reasons integral to the plot is set in the Conti household, and we really get a much better feel for all of the younger Conti children, and it was great to get this sort of understanding into Italian family life, complete with Signora Conti's massive meals on a regular basis. Even the Christmas traditional meals are touched on, which was interesting, although personally I am glad I've never spent Christmas in Italy as that sounded like far far far too much food! 

I completely enjoyed every second of A Wedding In Italy, which was a pleasure to read, complete with its ups and downs, and overall felt like returning to my "italian family" in this book, as I feel as though I would love Alessandro's family to be my own! 

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

About the author

From a young age, Tilly Tennant was convinced that she was destined for the stage.  Once she realised she wasn’t actually very good at anything that would put her on the stage, she started to write stories instead. There were lots of terrible ones, like The Pet Rescue Gang (aged eight), which definitely should not see the light of day ever again. Thankfully, her debut novel, Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was not one of those, and since it hit the Amazon best seller lists she hasn’t looked back. Born in Dorset, she currently lives in Staffordshire with her husband, two daughters, three guitars, four ukuleles, two violins and a kazoo.

www.tillytennant.com
https://www.facebook.com/TillyTennant/

https://twitter.com/TillyTenWriter

Take a look at the rest of this blog tour for A Wedding In Italy. My friends on the other stops would love for you to stop by. 

Book Review - Rome is Where The Heart Is by Tilly Tennant - Rome Week

Amazon UK

Title: Rome is Where The Heart Is

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 9th March 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

Can a holiday romance ever have a happy ending? Escape with Kate to the sun-drenched city of Rome where a love affair is just about to begin …

When Kate’s husband Matt dumps her on Friday 13th she decides enough is enough – it’s time for her to have some fun and so she hops on a plane to Rome. A week of grappa and gelato in pavement cafes under azure blue skies will be just what the doctor ordered.

What she doesn’t count on is meeting and falling for sexy policeman Alessandro. But the course of true love doesn’t run smoothly – Alessandro has five meddling sisters, a fearsome mama and a beautiful ex Orazia. They’re all certain that Kate is not the girl for him.

Can Kate and Alessandro’s love last the distance? Or will she return home with the one souvenir she doesn’t want – a broken heart …

When you see Rome in the title of a book what do you think of? I know I think of good Italian food, a city steeped in history and sexy Italian men. Ok so my thoughts may be a bit stereotypical, but Rome is Where the Heart is has all of that and a good deal more too - for this is a book featuring at least half the story in The Eternal City, but takes in another side to the city too. 

Yes there is Italian food, how could you have a book like this without it, and Kate ends up having some great meals with two very different men in the city - Jamie who she meets at the airport, and Alessandro who she meets for the first time at The Spanish Steps. One of them even take her to have a good Italian meal with the whole family, so you get a good insight as to a large Italian family dynamic at work, and I must say I really enjoyed his sisters and mother. 

Both Jamie and Alessandro are happy to take on the role of tour guide on various days of Kate's week in Rome, and we see The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and The Vatican amongst the other smaller sites. In fact The Colosseum plays its part in Kate's second meeting with Alessandro. I should mention that he is a Roman policeman! 

Kate has not come to Rome to look for love, more to try and start making her own way in the world, after her decree absolute comes through in her recent divorce. However fate has other plans for her! 

This is a highly enjoyable story that is a pleasure to read, and definitely shows another dimension to Tilly Tennant's writing, especially with some of the more serious story threads that are intermingled with the fun. Jamie is heavily involved with one of the more serious stories, as is Lily, Kate's younger sister who I really felt for. 

Rome is Where The Heart Is, gives an energetic look at Rome, and is also a lovely story of the closeness of sisters, with most of the story set to the most glorious of backdrops. 

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

Guest Post - Writing Rome by Tilly Tennant - Rome Week

Writing unfamiliar locations, while taking you to a place where you can let your imagination run wild, also presents its own challenges, and if it’s a real place you have a duty to get it right. You can visit a place but many locations, particularly large cities, change so quickly that by the time you get to write the story your details are already out of date. This happened to me once writing a YA book where I set a scene in Los Angeles. Naively, or perhaps arrogantly, I assumed that a holiday there fifteen years previously qualified me to describe it, to build the details into my book world. I recalled a particular building and wrote about it, only to have it pointed out by my editor that the building in question had been renamed since my visit and all my references to it were incorrect.  It made me realise that personal experience was not enough to get it right.   

So when I started Rome is Where the Heart is, I relied on lots of different resources to build the world Kate was experiencing. While visiting will let you soak up the real atmosphere of a place, you need hard facts too.  If wanted to get her from A to B I had to study maps of the city and figure how long it might take to walk or public transport timetables to decide which bus she might catch. I had to trawl through photos of buildings that might not be so familiar to tourists, such as the police station, so that I could give the reader a mental picture of these locations when they featured in the story. I watched endless YouTube videos of tourists’ visits to gain the tiny nuances of experience that vary from person to person so I could lend authenticity to the scene I was trying to set.  I spent hours staring at real time webcam footage from iconic landmarks to watch how visitors engaged with their surroundings, gaining inspiration and real human stories from simply seeing their reactions.  I even had to research customs and laws, things like what the Italian police carried with them on duty so I knew what to put on Alessandro’s belt, as well as everyday mundanities like shop opening times and gelato recipes. I don’t think I’ve ever been so knowledgeable about a place as I was once I’d finished this series! 

Reaching out to friends and readers was another appreciated resource, and I had invaluable help from one multilingual friend who translated my English into Italian to lend the dialogue some authenticity.  Google translate, while useful in a functional capacity, is just not the same. Friends shared their anecdotes of visiting too, so there was a wealth of inspiration to draw on from other’s experiences of the city.   

The more I’ve learned about Rome the more I’ve fallen in love with it. If you spend long enough immersed in such a beautiful and fascinating place it’s difficult not to allow it space in your heart. My greatest reward for all the time I’ve spent on this series of books would be that readers turn the last page loving Rome too. 

Thank you so much Tilly for sharing with us the lengths you have gone to research Rome, and I have to say it really shows in Rome is Where The Heart is which I really enjoyed.

Can a holiday romance ever have a happy ending? Escape with Kate to the sun-drenched city of Rome where a love affair is just about to begin …

When Kate’s husband Matt dumps her on Friday 13th she decides enough is enough – it’s time for her to have some fun and so she hops on a plane to Rome. A week of grappa and gelato in pavement cafes under azure blue skies will be just what the doctor ordered.

What she doesn’t count on is meeting and falling for sexy policeman Alessandro. But the course of true love doesn’t run smoothly – Alessandro has five meddling sisters, a fearsome mama and a beautiful ex Orazia. They’re all certain that Kate is not the girl for him.

Can Kate and Alessandro’s love last the distance? Or will she return home with the one souvenir she doesn’t want – a broken heart …

Fall in love with the colourful cafes and the cobbled piazzas of Rome and follow Kate’s dreams and her heart in this enchanting escapist read. Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Carol Matthews.

Available for pre-order now on Amazon UK

About Tilly Tennant

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop girl, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing, graduating in 2009. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and has not stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor, and considers herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books before the rest of the world gets them. You can catch her on Twitter @TillyTenWriter or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TillyTennant/ You can also check out her blog at www.tillytennant.com