Book Review - Jojo's French Escape by Lorraine Wilson

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Title: JoJo's French Escape

Author: Lorraine Wilson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 22nd May 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Trapped in paradise…

For twelve months JoJo Grant has been hiding from a secret too shameful to share.  And whilst her sanctuary might be the beautiful French countryside, JoJo has a horrible feeling that her peace is about to be shattered…because bursting into her life is the hottest celebrity chef around – Callum O’Connor.

Callum knows all about JoJo’s past, her time as a reality star, the scandal that has dogged her, but he isn’t sure why she’s still hiding?  After spending time with Jojo, it’s obvious to him that she has nothing to be ashamed of – she just needs to be a little braver…

But as much as JoJo likes Callum, he thrives on the glare of the outside world.  Can JoJo let go of her past…with Callum by her side?

Wow this is a story with a really powerful message in it. I won't say what it is but I'd like to think women especially everywhere will identify with it, in their own ways.

It's also a story featuring some of my favourite ever canines,  Pickwick, Treacle, Peanut, Barney, Max and new to the mix Flump.

The others fans of Lorraine Wilson will recognise from the previous books in the series,  but this can be read as a standalone easily.

But Flump is adorable, playful and a kleptomaniac on 4 legs. Most of my laugh out loud moments with this book have involved either Flump or the other doggies!!

Believe it or not the heroine is JoJo and she is human, and her plans to stay hidden in France could be affected by a dashingly handsome incredibly sexy T V Chef who is coming to stay for the summer. 

As I have come to expect from this author there is sizzling sexual chemistry and incredibly enjoyable sex scenes, within the pages.

This is a pure escapist read that I have read on a hot day,  in my garden during lockdown. It has taken my mind away from real life, and I couldn't get enough of this story.

It's a truly pleasurable reading experience!!

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily, 

Book Review - The Summer We Ran Away by Jenny Oliver - Blog Tour

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Title: The Summer We Ran Away

Author: Jenny Oliver

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 11th June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

It was meant to be the party of the summer…
In Cedar Road, everyone is preparing for Lexi’s ‘White Hot’ summer party. For one night, parking squabbles and petitions are put aside as neighbours sip Prosecco under the fairy lights and gather by the hot tub to marvel at Lexi’s effortlessly glamorous life with Hot Hamish.

For Julia, it’s a chance to coax husband Charlie out of his potting shed and into a shirt so they can have a welcome break from the hellish house renovation they’ve been wrestling with. And it’s a chance for Julia to pretend – just for a night – that her life is as perfect as Lexi’s.

But when, during the party, one of Julia’s WhatsApp messages falls into the wrong hands and reveals her most intimate thoughts, things reach boiling point…
    
And when all the neighbours know exactly what you’re thinking, there’s only one thing to do.

Run away.

It’s going to be a summer Julia will never forget…

Amazing how one set of what's app messages that were meant to be private, when shared to a group what's app, can change the course of a person's life forever. 

Which is exactly what happens when Julia's messages about having erotic dreams about a married neighbour, who's life she is lusting after, are shared at the big summer party on their road.  Julia's husband struggles to understand, and Julia decides to run, and ends up on an adventure with next door neighbour and friend Amber. 

I loved the story from the moment they were on the run, off to France for a few days on an antiques buying trip, which then turned into other sorts of a trip too, and one that ultimately alters the course of many people's lives. 

Amber is sort of reckless, whereas Julia worries about most things, so putting them together in a campervan, is rather amusing, and seeing how they rub off on each other is great. 

This was such an enjoyable story, I couldn't get enough of the turns it takes, the various subplots and just how it all came together.  I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this story. It really took me on a virtual journey which given we are in lockdown is the only sort of journey I'll be able to take for a while. 

It's another fabulous book from Jenny Oliver, who is an author I'm always eager to read. 

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

Please do follow along with the other blogs on this tour. 

Book Review - The New Guy by Kathryn Freeman - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Title: The New Guy

Author: Kathryn Freeman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 11th June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Sam Huxton doesn’t do one-night stands, especially not with men she’s just met! But the hot guy at the bar was hard to resist and their one night together is one she’ll never forget.

But one night is all they share – no names, no numbers, just some much needed fun…

Until the same guy walks into Sam’s life the next day as her new employee.  Sam never mixes business with pleasure and makes it clear an office fling with Ryan is off-limits.  But after-hours…one thing can lead to another. Can Sam trust her heart and her business with the new guy?

Ever had a one night stand where no names were exchanged, only to come into work the next day, to discover the new guy, the one you didn't interview despite being the boss, due to a family emergency, is in fact the one you slept with the night before?

Honestly having seen how Sam and  Ryan react in that exact situation, I'm very glad it hasn't happened to me! 

Written with Kathryn Freeman's usual amounts of sexual chemistry, banter, amusing dialogue and just generally people that feel realistic, it is another gem of a book from this fabulous author. 

I loved the setting of a an app company, was different and I found quite interesting, and I loved all the others that work alongside Sam and Ryan. 

Ryan is a straight talking guy even if it gets him into trouble, while Sam has been hurt by work place relations before and is understandably cautious.  

I throughout enjoyed seeing how this story developed and was rooting for Sam and Ryan the whole time. 

Another wonderfully entertaining story from an author that I love. 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Plus One Pact by Portia MacIntosh

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Title: The Plus One Pact

Author: Portia MacIntosh

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 21st May 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

What if your plus one could be the one...?

Cara has officially run out of men. Her most recent dates have gone from bad to worse, and when her dating app informs her there is no one left in her area to choose from, she is at a dead end.

But with a summer of events ahead of her, she needs to find a solution, fast; someone to keep her company at the never-ending weddings, family gatherings and gender reveal parties that she can’t face going to alone. So when she meets handsome, confident, Millsy on a night out she may be in luck. They could not be more different in personality, but he too has a summer of events ahead and is desperate to get his family off his back about finding a ‘nice girl’. What if they made a pact to help each other out and be a plus one for the summer? Just as friends of course...? A brand new romantic comedy from bestseller Portia MacIntosh, perfect for fans of Zara Stoneley, Sophie Ranald and Mhairi McFarlane.

Are you single, with a never ending series of family and friends events where you have been told you can bring a plus one? Ever get sick and tired of the expectation that you will have someone to drag to these events?

If so then you should be able to easily identify with both Cara and Millsy's situation and the pact they make as new friends to accompany each other to a whole host of gatherings.  

I loved how they were both adamant they weren't even pretending to be fake dates, and just purely a respectable plus one  for each other, and how a real friendship built up between them. 

With each event this pair goes to, something appears to go wrong, and it was great fun seeing how they got themselves out of various situations.   I also loved both Millsy and Cara's jobs - both quite different and in the case of Cara's especially not one I've come across in books before. 

This is a really amusing story that entertained me greatly in my garden in lockdown. Another joyous read from the always enjoyable Portia MacIntosh. 

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

Book Review - Up Close and Personal by Kathryn Freeman

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Title: Up Close and Personal

Author: Kathryn Freeman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter 

Publication Date: 12th June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

She can’t let him out of her sight…

Sizzling chemistry, a page-turning will they/won’t they romance and the hottest twist on one of your favourite movies…
British actor Zac Edwards is the latest heartthrob to hit the red carpets. Hot, talented and rich, he sends women wild…all except one.

Close protection officer Kat Parker hasn’t got time to play celebrity games.  She has one job: to protect Zac from the stalker that seems to be dogging his every move.

Zac might get her hot under her very starched collar, but Kat’s a professional – and sleeping with Zac is no way part of her remit…

From the moment that Zac and Kat met I was hooked.  Once again this author's fabulous ability to write humorous scenes, characters with clear chemistry and enjoyable conversation has shone through, to make this a ridiculously enjoyable book! 

It's not every day you read a book featuring a film star and a bodyguard, especially not when the bodyguard is female.  Kat is amazing, she is like a female superhero, and all the while she is looking after her 14 year old niece, in addition of doing her day job of protecting superstar Zac from what we assume to be a stalker. 

Although you may never in your life come up close and personal with a movie star actor yourself, or need a bodyguard, these are characters that are so lifelike and realistic that it feels as though you know them intimately.  They are both clearly hiding things from each other, which may or may not be relevant to Zac's protection. 

I loved seeing the various revelations and there is plenty of action in this book. I also really enjoyed seeing just what a nice guy Zac truly he, he made some gestures that were so lovely, including treating Kat and her niece to a memorable day out for them, even if he wasn't that into it.  I would have swapped places with any of the characters to have had the experience Kat had that day! 

This is just another top quality Kathryn Freeman book which is what makes her an auto must read author for me.  Thoroughly enjoyable the whole way through, I accidentally managed to read it one sitting (when I'm sure I was meant to be doing other things). 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily, 

Book Review - A Cornish Summer Holiday by Rosie Green

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Title: A Cornish Summer Holiday (Little Duck Pond Cafe, Book 10)

Author: Rosie Green

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied 

Publisher: Self published

Publication Date: 8th May 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Ellie’s plan to turn a neighbouring barn into a venue to teach bread-making skills is under way – but when the construction work interferes with the smooth running of the cafe, she comes up with a plan that lifts the hearts of all the Little Duck Pond Café crew. They’ll close for a month and take a well-earned break in the tiny Cornish village of Pengully Sands, where Sylvia’s sister, Agatha, owns a holiday home. With the glorious golden sands, sparkling azure sea and an ice cream parlour only yards away, it seems like the perfect location to relax and watch the surfers riding the waves (and maybe even having a go themselves).

But when they arrive, the girls find it isn’t quite the seaside idyll they were expecting. The house is less ‘holiday home’ and more ‘creepy, dilapidated haunted house’. And the ice cream parlour is sad and run down. Gracie, who runs it, is battling problems of her own, and the last thing she needs is a group of high-spirited girls arriving to disturb the peace and isolation she has so carefully cultivated for herself. And when a handsome stranger threatens her livelihood, it seems like the last straw. Can Gracie find her happy ever after - and even make friends with the Little Duck Pond Cafe girls next door?

This definitely won't be the relaxing break the girls had planned. But that doesn't mean it won't turn out to be the holiday of a lifetime!

I can't believe this is the 10th instalment of The Little Duck Pond Cafe series already, where does the time go?  

I will start by saying that it can easily be read as a standalone as for the the first time the duck Pond Cafe girls have gone on holiday together and this is the first book not set in Sunnybrook.

Rather we have a brand new location of Pengully, in Cornwall and the book is written from two focal points - The Little Duck Pond  Cafe girls and also local ice cream pop parlour owner Gracie.

Gracie is a fresh voice to the series and as fans may come to expect from new leading ladies of the series she has a whole lot of stuff to work through and some wonderful plot points that had me slightly emotional.

I loved seeing the girls make a new friend but also seeing how they turned their holiday around since their holiday cottage wasn't exactly in the condition they expected.

It was great to catch up with Ellie, Jaz, Fen, Katya and Maddison in a new situation,  but don't worry there is still plenty of great good and tasty bakes featured. 

Already looking forward to book 11 just hope I don't need to wait too long as I will never tire of this series, and its great array of characters.

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

Book Review - The Love Solution by Ashley Croft

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Title: The Love Solution

Author: Ashley Croft

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 15th August 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

One of them has love down to a science…

Sisters Sarah and Molly are close, but they couldn’t be more different. Sarah makes jewellery and is obsessed with all things shiny and glam, whilst Molly is most at home in her white coat and goggles, working in a science lab.

When Molly is put on a new assignment, she’s over the moon. It’s an important, top-secret project – and she has a handsome new boss to ogle at when she’s not staring into a petri dish…

But when Sarah finds herself on the painful end of a disastrous break-up, no amount of Ben & Jerry’s or trashy rom-coms can cheer her up. She wants to take a more drastic approach to dealing with her heartbreak, and one that only her sister – and perhaps a sprinkle of science – can help with…

Is love really all in the chemistry? Or will Sarah get more than she bargained for?

A story about two sisters who a are really unlucky in love.  From the prologue you get a great understanding of why they are so close, and the chapters alternated between Molly and Sarah.

Sarah walks in on her partner cheating on her,  on new years eve, hours after discovering she is pregnant but before she has told Niall.

Molly has a massive crush on Ethan who she works closely with,  but he is a workaholic and seemingly oblivious to Molly even being a woman!

They are both though incredibly talented scientists who are working on something that could make you fall in love.

As we get to know both sisters we can see just what a pickle they are both in and I enjoyed reading to find out if either would get a happy ending.

Although there is some science in the book there is also jewellery or more specific tiara making.

And it's from a tiara making workshop we meet Liam, who was easily my favourite of the men in the book!

I really enjoyed reading this story, was certainly interested in the outcomes and its well written.

I particularly loved the first two instances of Liam popping up, and also all the tandem riding!

It's definitely a book that makes you wonder that if you used some sort of love potion, would you be able to live with yourself knowing the other person may only be interested because of unnatural chemicals?

Thank you to Netgalley an d Avon for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Sunshine and Second Chances by Kim Nash

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Title: Sunshine and Second Chances

Author: Kim Nash

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 4th June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

It’s never too late to be offered a second chance at life.

Debs is newly single, Fiona is caring for her mum, Samantha is grieving, and Liv has the perfect life – or so she’d like her friends to think…

This year, these four life-long friends are turning fifty, and Liv is determined they will honour their promise to each other – made on a beach at sunrise twenty-nine years before – to celebrate this milestone together.

And what better place than a gorgeous villa where they will be spoiled and enjoy the stunning beaches, picturesque fishing towns and glorious climate of the Algarve?

But time away from home doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder. Sometimes it makes the thought of returning to your life too hard to bear. Especially with more than one gorgeous Portuguese man making hearts unexpectedly flutter...

It begins as a reunion in the sunshine, but little do the four friends know what life-changing decisions they’ll all be making before their flight home.

A heart-warming, feel-good summer read about friendship, love and second chances.

Left me with a smile on my face.  Such a heartwarming and just lovely story. 

Meet Debs, Liv, Fiona and Samantha, four ladies in the prime of their life, friends but they haven't seen each other much over the  years,  but had always said they would go away in or around their 50th birthdays. 

And where better than the villa Liv has organised in the Algarve,  a week of of being able to reconnect with each other and where they all need to make decisions about what their lives will be like going forward. 

What a holiday it is, there is fantastic food, some great excursions, some relaxation and a lot of good conversation between the friends. 

It was Debs and Liv's stories that were the strongest and I think we did get to know them better than the other ladies, whereas although I had no issues with Samantha I just didn't really connect with her. 

Whereas from the start Liv is introduced to us  as a mother of 2 (well 3 if you count how her husband treats her), and generally all around unpaid lackey.   I could understand her frustrations and was curious to see just what decisions she may come to. 

And then Debs, she is a comfort eater, is recently single and seems to be stuck in a bit of a rut. She has no self confidence, and was almost tempted to not go on the holiday as a result.  Yet slowly buy surely as the week progresses she really comes into herself... and it may or may not have something to do with the villa's gardener! 

This is a perfect read for these troubled times, it is full of heart, and with its gorgeous location, giving me a taste of Portugal from the comfort of my armchair, and made me feel as though I was one of the ladies on this trip.  

Another incredibly enjoyable book from the talented Kim Nash, an author who is becoming more and more accomplished with each story. 

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

Book Review - Meet Me At Pebble Beach by Bella Osborne

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Title: Meet Me At Pebble Beach

Author: Bella Osborne

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 28th May 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Meet Me at Pebble Beach was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

Regan is holding a winning lottery ticket.

Goodbye to the boyfriend who never had her back, and so long to the job she can’t stand!

Except it’s all a bit too good to be true…

When Regan gets pranked, she finds herself jobless, homeless and boyfriendless in one fell swoop.

Luckily her friendly seaside community provides a beacon of hope, proving to Regan that sometimes you really can rely on the kindness of others – and one local in particular, a handsome fireman called Charlie, helps Regan realise that this could be her chance for a fresh start.

Armed with a list of ways to change her life, Regan decides it’s time to step out of her comfort zone. Because – as Charlie knows all too well – life is for living . . .

A feel-good summer read, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Veronica Henry and Cressida McLaughlin.

Oh I do love a Bella Osborne book, and this is no exception! 

Within a chapter or two I was very interested in Regan's story and wow does she go on a journey in this book, including hitting rock bottom after a prank leads her to quitting her job, dumping her boyfriend and as a result losing her home all within a few mins. 

Seeing how she deals with that, and how she pulls herself back together and the steps taken to make a wish list written in haste ,to come true!   With the help of new and old friends, Regan has a lot of support even if she doesn't always seem to make the best decisions. 

This is definitely a book you will enjoy if you love Jam or Hedgohogs - but I promise not hedgehog jam! I won't say why both of these feature quite a bit, but trust me there are all manner of wacky flavoured jams which sounded rather interesting, and amongst other things some incredibly cute hoglets.   Oh and Elvis, he's fabulous and is gorgeous,, and a gentle giant, and so mischievous too! 

Then there is Kevins' story, which may have you shedding a tear, and the story involving him brings in an important issue, that faces not just Brighton but most places around the world.  Oh and Charlie, he is fabulous, I loved Charlie. He's a fireman, he is a rock for Regan, but he also has his own issue and I honestly had no idea how the book was going to turn out, although I'm delighted with the ending. 

This is just a really engaging read, it's deep in places, its very lighthearted in places, if best friend Cleo's subject matter for her paintings doesn't raise a smile at least I'd be shocked, and generally its a very well written book that I couldn't get enough of. 

Another gem of a book from this talented author. 

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy, which i have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Lies She Told by M. A. Comley

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Title: The Lies She Told

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 17th May 2020

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Abducted…why?

Laura Tyler’s life has recently come together in the past few months, now that she’s settled into a new home with her boyfriend, Andy.

So why would someone abduct her?

The more DI Sara Ramsey and her team dig into Laura’s past, the more shocked they become...

Can Sara overcome her prejudice towards the missing woman and track down her abductor?

Or will the sand of time run out for Laura?

This was a slightly different change of pace for this series, for a start it's not as dark as some of the authors recent books, but not only that, its a missing persons case at the heart of the book and not a murder.  

We get snippets of real time of what is happening to Laura, and it's not great.  Equally as the team investigate you realise we are looking into a person's disappearance where very few people have anything that great to say about her. 

Yet DI Sara Ramsey and her team are professionals although they seem to struggle a lot with this case, as there just seems to be no leads at all, and Laura is just coming across as really unlikable. 

I believe this book could be read as a standalone, and it was good we get to see a bit more of some of the other team members too not just Sara and Carla.  

It's another fabulous addition to the series, which I devoured really quickly and was hooked on, I read the majority in one sitting, and loved the race against time for Sara and her team, to see if they would be able to find Laura alive. 

I am already looking forward to the next book in the series, and can't wait to see what direction the author takes us in next. 

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