Book Review - Here Comes The Best Man by Angela Britnell

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Title: Here Comes The Best Man

Author: Angela Britnell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Choc Lit

Publication Date: 10th July 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Being the best man is a lot to live up to …
When troubled army veteran and musician Josh Robertson returns home to Nashville to be the best man at his younger brother Chad’s wedding he’s just sure that he’s going to mess it all up somehow. 

But when it becomes clear that the wedding might not be going to plan, it’s up to Josh and fellow guest Louise Giles to make sure that Chad and his wife-to-be Maggie get their perfect day. 

Can Josh be the best man his brother needs? And is there somebody else who is beginning to realise that Josh could be her ‘best man’ too?

I'd forgotten how much I love a book that features a good American southern man, with manners, calls people Ma'am and felt like a cowboy without being a cowboy.  It has been ages since I read a book with that sort of leading man, and I am so glad I now remember just how much I enjoy them! 

Josh is wonderful, he is reluctant to even be at this brother's wedding to start with, let alone be the best man in a week of wedding festivities, until he meets Louise. 

Louise is Maggie (the bride's ) godmother's assistant and as a result is an invited guest of the wedding, and she is determined not to fall for anyone, let alone the black sheep of the family. 

I loved both Louise and Josh and all their various interactions.  They both have quite a bit of depth to them, and although this is reasonably short book there is a good amount packed into it. 

This is a direct sequel to The Weeding Reject Table which I read a few years ago, but as the focus of this book is not the same main characters, I can say it definitely works as a standalone. Although I couldn't remember specifics from the first book, there were enough prompts / hints at what happened that you can get a good idea of what the key bits from the first story may have been - although I would recommend reading it too. 

There are great interfering manipulative relatives, much humour, some fabulous chemistry and did I mention how much I fancied Josh for myself?   

An incredibly enjoyable novella from an author I always tend to enjoy reading that will delight many I think. 

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

Book Review - Summer at the Little Duck Pond Cafe by Rosie Green

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Title: Summer at the Little Duck Pond Cafe

Author: Rosie Green

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 18th June 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Jaz Winters stuck a pin in a map and fled to the village of Sunnybrook, looking for a brand new life - and after a rocky start, it's beginning to look as if she made the right decision. Her blossoming friendship with Ellie and Fen has seen her through some dark times, and she's managed to land two jobs - waitressing at The Little Duck Pond Café and working as a weekend tour guide at Brambleberry Manor, the country house that's been in Fen's family for generations.

Sure, life isn't totally perfect. There's the irritating know-it-all guy who keeps popping up on her manor tours, for a start. He seems determined to get under Jaz's skin whether she likes it or not. But she supposes he's a small price to pay for the relative peace she's found, living in Sunnybrook.

But just as Jaz is beginning to think rosier times are on the horizon, a shock encounter looks set to shatter her fragile happiness.

Will she be forced to flee from Sunnybrook and everyone she's grown so fond of? Or will she find the strength to stand her ground and finally face up to the nightmares of the past?

Fast paced novella, that focuses on Jaz and her need to make a new life for herself after a relationship ended but who is determined that she doesn't lose touch with her ex's daughter Titch.  

I really felt for Jaz as its clear she is missing Titch but can't do anything about it, and she just wants to do whats best for the girl she loves.  

Jaz is attempting to sort out a new life in Sunnybrook and there are familiar faces from the previous book in the series, but equally this works wonderfully well as a standalone novella.  I love all the assorted characters that are present and was amused at the lengths Jaz was going to to avoid being photographed, or even near the gorgeous local photographer! 

This was a lovely story to while away an hour or two with,  with a storylines running through it, and I'm already eager to return to Sunnybrook in the Christmas book. 

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

Book Review - The Secrets of Primrose Square by Claudia Carroll

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Title: The Secrets of Primrose Square

Author: Claudia Carroll

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Zaffer

Publication Date: 26th July 2018 

Rating: 4 Stars

So many stories hidden behind closed doors . . . 

It's late at night and the rain is pouring down on the Dublin city streets. A mother is grieving for her dead child. She stands silently outside the home of the teenage boy she believes responsible. She watches . . .

In a kitchen on the same square, a girl waits anxiously for her mum to come home. She knows exactly where she is, but she knows she cannot reach her. 

A few doors down, and a widow sits alone in her room. She has just delivered a bombshell to her family during dinner and her life is about to change forever. 

And an aspiring theatre director has just moved in to a flat across the street. Her landlord is absent, but there are already things about him that don't quite add up . . .

Welcome to Primrose Square.

What an impressive story of women's friendship, of their strength or to borrow a well known 90s phrase - Girl Power!  For that is what this is 4 very different females, of assorted ages, all showing their inner strength and courage in assorted circumstances. 

There are four main characters and the focus changes between them all. The one thing they have in common is their address is on Primrose Square. 

There is plenty I would like to say about the specifics but I think this works better as a book you don't know too much about in advance. It will mean the writing is even more powerful especially in the case of Susan and Melissa's stories. 

This is a book that makes me proud to be a woman and the writing deals with a whole host of issues with great compassion.  It is a very well written and researched book, and feels like a slight change of direction from the author. 

I tend to think of romantic comedy when it comes to Claudia Carroll, but yet this is a book that had me thinking and feeling far more than it did laughing.    The Secrets of Primrose Square is a book that needs to be read steadily so that you don't miss anything, as there is a lot going on, and some information is shared really slowly building up not to shocking reveals but ones that make sense in the context of what you have been reading. 

Without a doubt its a very good book, and I will be sad to say goodbye to Susan, Melisa, Nancy and Jayne. 

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

Book Review - The Cornish Village School by Kitty Wilson - #HolidayReading Book 4

Book 4 of 28 read on my holiday to Cyprus in June 2018.

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Title: The Cornish Village School - Breaking The Rules

Author: Kitty Wilson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Canelo

Publication Date: 11th June 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Rosy Winter is definitely not looking for love

Following heartbreak, Rosy has rebuilt her life in the beautiful Cornish village of Penmenna. Now, headmistress of the local school, she is living by The Rule: no dating anyone in the village. Easy right? But Rosy Winter has a new neighbour, handsome gardener Matt.

In Penmenna for his new gardening TV show, this guy next door will do everything he can to persuade her to break her rule and win her heart. Meanwhile, Penmenna Village School is threatened with closure and it’s up to Rosy to rally the local community and #SaveOurSchool. Can she bring her worlds together and accept help from the most unlikely of sources? One thing’s for sure… she won’t be giving up without a fight.

Having been a fan of books set in schools all my life and a huge fan of books set in Cornwall, downloading and reading this one was a no brainer decision for me.

It is an excellent debut novel from a talented writer who really knows how to put cute children and a cute dog into the same book as a sexy gardener, a reality tv star and a headmistress amongst others 

This is a book centering around a campaign to save a local village primary school and the way the teachers and PTA and community come together with some great ideas. 

I loved Rosy who is determined to live her life by one very important Rule, but when the dishy Matt moves in next door she is forced to re-examine her life a bit. 

With some great auxiliary characters, flashes of humour and a general feel good vibe to it, this is a fabulous story and I can't wait to see what happens next in the series.

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

Book Review - Coming Home to Ottercombe Bay by Bella Osborne- #HolidayReading Book 3

Book 3 of 28 read on my holiday to Cyprus in June 2018.

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Title: Coming Home to Ottercombe Bay

Author: Bella Osborne

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 18th June 2018 

Rating: 5 Stars

Daisy Wickens has returned to Ottercombe Bay, the picturesque Devon town where her mother died when she was a girl. She plans to leave as soon as her great uncle’s funeral is over, but Great Uncle Reg had other ideas. He’s left Daisy a significant inheritance – an old building in a state of disrepair, which could offer exciting possibilities, but to get it she must stay in Ottercombe Bay for twelve whole months.

With the help of a cast of quirky locals, a few gin cocktails and a black pug with plenty of attitude, Daisy might just turn this into something special. But can she ever hope to be happy among the ghosts of her past?

What on earth do you do if you discover you have inherited an old abandoned railway station that has had planning permission turned down for multiple times?  What do you do if the conditions of this inheritance are that you have to stay in Ottercombe Bay for a whole year especially when you a someone with itchy feet and never stays in one place for long?

Well that is exactly what Daisy is faced with, and along with some old and new friends has to make some big decisions. 

There are other questions from her past that need answering, other mysteries to be solved and potentially a new love interest too. 

Easily though my favourite character was Tamsyn, Daisy's wonderful best friend, who has a real way with words and a delightfully inquisitive mind - or you could just call her bonkers!

Add in to this story Bugsy Malone, a pug who takes an instant dislike to Daisy, and at times seemingly wants to get rid of her, and you have a brilliant set of characters to make a hugely entertaining book. 

i loved reading this, it felt like a breath of fresh air, in amongst other books featuring surprise inheritances and keeps you reading and interested from start to finish.  I loved it!

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

Book Review - A Match Made in Devon by Cathy Bramley

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Title:  A Match Made in Devon

Author: Cathy Bramley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Transworld Digital

Publication Date: 26th July 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Sometimes you have to play a part to realise who you really are…

Nina has always dreamed of being a star. Unfortunately her agent thinks she’s more girl-next-door than leading lady and her acting career isn't going quite as planned. Then, after a series of very public blunders and to escape a gathering storm of paparazzi, Nina is forced to flee from London.

Her plan is to lay low with a friend in Devon, in beautiful Brightside Cove. But soon Nina learns that more drama can be found in a small village than on a hectic television set.

And when a gorgeous man (and his adorable dog) catch her eye, it’s not long before London and showbiz start to lose their appeal. Will Nina choose to return to the bright lights or has she met her match in Brightside Cove?

Wow Cathy Bramley has done it again, this is simply superb, I loved every moment of it.  Originally published in four parts, I have read the combined version, but can safely say that each of these parts had distinct story elements and by the last one a significant amount of things happening in it. 

In terms of sheer light heartedness and fun Part 2: The Hen Party was my favourite section of the book, and the whole hen party really entertained me.  In terms of sheer wow and how on earth did that all fit into one section of a book then part four: The Leading Lady was a favourite as I was so impressed by the writings and plots in this section. 

As an overall book it works incredibly well and kept me hooked and interested at all times.  I was never really sure what Nina would end up deciding about her life and career and I was thoroughly enjoying finding out alongside  her. 

I fell in love with the location of Brightside Cove in Devon, which sounded like it really is the perfect retreat from the thrust of London living. Getting to know all the various people in the cove was enjoyable and watch out for Eliza and her Mermaid school, Mabel the loveable dog, Jethro the tourist hating shop keeper amongst others. 

The reason Nina disappeared to Devon in the first place is due to a hilarious incident  that happened to go viral and potentially threaten her career. The whole of the first quarter of the book is dealing with the aftermath of that and it was really enjoyable seeing how it would turn out. 

There are some truly memorable scenes including the the body painters, any scene involving the mermaids, and there is one rather emotional skype call that was rather eye opening and informative, and put into place a lot of answers to various questions about Nina and her brother Archie. 

A truly fabulous story that was a joy to read, and if you want to know who is the Match Made in Devon then you really need to read it for yourself! 

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

Book Review - The Oddest Little Beach Shop by Beth Good

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Title: The Oddest Little Beach Shop

Author: Beth Good

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Publisher supplied copy

Publisher: Quercus

Publication Date: 12th July 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

From the first day of Annie's arrival in the sleepy Cornish resort of Polzel, next-door neighbour Gabriel seems determined to make her life difficult.

Despite his sexy looks and angelic name, Gabriel behaves like an ogre to everyone, and has apparently been that way since losing his wife in a surfing accident. Annie would do far better, her friend Claudia urges her, to focus her attentions on Jamie instead. Jamie's the hottest lifeguard in the village - and her co-worker in the Polzel beach shop.

But when Polzel's famous annual pie-rolling contest sees Annie and Gabriel forced together, it turns out Annie might have a thing for big Cornish ogres after all . . .

A feel-good summer novella from popular romantic comedy writer Beth Good and another quirky entry in her 'Oddest Little Shop' series.

It is always a pleasure to read a Beth Good novella, and this was no exception.   

I loved the setting of Polzel, the two rival shops on the beach, one of which Annie has just moved above and the other is rival Gabriel, who appears to be a man of many talents. 

Annie is still adjusting to looking after her nephew,  when she decides to move to Cornwall and start their lives fresh. 

With a village full of quirky characters, what isn't always apparent is whether it will be Gabriel or Jamie that she may end up with. 

This is a sweet rom com, with plenty of moments to make you laugh including everything to do with the pie-rolling content, which just sounds bizarre but fun.  

The only shame about this lovely novella, is that it had to finish, my mind is still on the characters and I would loved it if this was longer, so I could have learnt more about them.  This is a lovely relaxed book on the whole, to help you while away an hour or two, when you just want to escape into a shorter story than a full length book. 

Thank you to Milly Reid at Quercus for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Development by Jackie Kabler

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Title: The Development

Author: Jackie Kabler

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Accent Press

Publication Date: 10th May 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

After a stressful week, TV reporter Cora Baxter is ready for a quiet weekend. What she isn't counting on is witnessing the shocking death of a young woman on her way home.

Cora discovers that seventeen-year-old Leanne has been protesting against a new housing development, angering the powerful establishment. Leanne’s death is ruled a suicide but, when puzzling information comes to light, Cora decides to investigate further.

She might not know what an unscrupulous businessman, a suspended police officer and hate-mail sending neighbours have to do with the case – but she does know there is a news story there.

With her eccentric camera crew on hand to help, can Cora work out what happened in the days before Leanne’s death? And was it really suicide after all?

As it had been so long since I read the previous book in the series it took me a few chapters to get back into the swing of these characters and how they interact.  There were early references to the previous books but my memory must be failing as they weren't enough to trigger specifics in my mind. 

As a result I think its fairly safe to say this is a book that work as a standalone, and it a great humorous mystery.  There are moments in the story that are just completely hilarious, while they are attempting an investigation into a suicide, which has really affected Cora. 

Let's face it if a dead body fell onto your car while you were driving along you may start to feel connected to the person and wonder what drove them to kill themselves.  Due to the pacing of the book and how quickly I was reading it, I didn't really come up with any theories myself, but was interested in how Cora's investigation was proceeding. 

What I think though makes these books really special is the amount of imagination that must go into coming up with many different stories for breakfast TV, that Cora and her crew can get around the country to report on.  They go from the relatively normal to the completely bonkers! 

The mystery in this book unfortunately didn't hook me as much as I would like, I think it was the topic at the heart of it that just didn't set me on fire. I was curious how Cora would approach it, but it just didn't completely intrigue me.   I also found some of the smaller changers of perspective to be a bit random, although they did make more sense in the last few chapters. 

Despite that overall I found The Development to be a good book, not the best in the series, but a perfectly enjoyable read that I devoured really fast. 

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

Book Review - Open Your Eyes by Paula Daly - Blog Tour

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Title: Open Your Eyes

Author: Paula Daly

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Transworld

Publication Date: Transworld Digital

Rating: 5 Stars

Haven’t we all wanted to pretend everything is fine?

Jane doesn’t like confrontation. Given the choice, she'd prefer to focus on what’s going well, the good things in life.

But when her husband, Leon, is brutally attacked in the driveway of their home, in front of their two young children, Jane has to face reality. As he lies in a coma, Jane must open her eyes to the problems in her life, and the secrets that have been kept from her, if she’s to find out who hurt her husband – and why.

Maybe it’s time to face up to it all. Who knows what you might find . . .

I didn't quite see that coming, after being transported on a fabulous journey, where I really wasn't sure who had injured Leon, or what the motivation was, the ending made a lot of sense and was rather quite satisfying. 

As a result of a brutal attack Leon's life hangs in the balance and it soon becomes apparent that Jane knows very little about her husband, or about things like her own finances as he looked after them. So when he is incapacitated she suddenly realises she needs to take control. 

I found Jane to be a rather likeable character, who was certainly believable, who is forced into an unthinkable situation.  She is an aspiring author and her husband is a published author, and one of the themes running through the book is one that all authors will relate to. 

That being said at some point it seemed like there was a degree of snobbery about any self published authors which did get my back up as I have read plenty of self published books that are incredibly enjoyable, yet when I had those thoughts it was clear that either the character or author isn't keen on it. 

There are all sorts of references to problems that authors have, or could have and it all seemed to ring true to what I know about the book industry. 

At times this is a book that pulls on your heartstrings, and then there was an incident that made me regret reading that part of the book in bed, as I knew I needed to sleep but my heart was racing and the book was just getting more addictive but it was 3am!! 

Whenever I wasn't reading this my mind was on the story, and I suspect it will infiltrate a few more nights sleep too. It was addictive, and I really felt for both Jane and Leon.  It was clear a lot of research had been done into portraying Leon realistically after the attack. 

A thoroughly enjoyable story which has reminded me how much I love Paula Daly's books. I really should purchase the couple I haven't read yet. 

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

Please do check out the rest of the fabulous bloggers on this blog tour. 

Book Review - My Very Italian Holiday by Sue Roberts - Blog Tour

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Title: My Very Italian Holiday

Author: Sue Roberts

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 1st August 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

A beautiful guesthouse, a fresh start and a hunky Italian. Does it sound too good to be true?

When Gina arrives in Lake Como, thousands of miles away from her life in the Lake District, she wonders if she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Working for Fabio, running his lakeside hotel, seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After her world was tragically turned upside down, breaking her heart in the process, she was in desperate need of a fresh start. Plus, it didn’t hurt that Fabio was easy on the eyes…

But it’s not all picturesque mountains, pizza and prosecco. The crumbling guesthouse that Fabio has inherited from his family needs some serious TLC. Is she up to the challenge?

As Gina and Fabio work in close quarters, sparks start to fly. But Fabio has a secret he is scared to share, and Gina has her past to come to terms with. Does her heart belong back home or is a life in the sun – with a very handsome Italian – just the change of scenery she needs? 

Escape to the gorgeous mountains and glittering Lake Como in Northern Italy! This laugh-out-loud funny and feel-good story of starting over and living life to the max is perfect for fans of Kat French, Jenny Oliver and Carole Matthews.

This is a lovely story about a second chance at falling in love. Gina was widowed years ago and since then has put her heart into her Lake District B&B. 

She has the support of her family, and some good friends and is slowly starting to realise she needs to be more social and starting getting out and about a bit more, which leads to some wonderful girls night out at the local pub with assorted theme nights which are hilarious. 

I loved the sense of community in the Lake District and also meeting the assorted guests that Gina and sister Hannah had staying with them. I loved the scenery of the Lake District, and getting to know all of Gina's friends and family and their assorted characteristics and relationships. 

Now you may be wondering why I am chatting about the Lake District about a book called A Very Italian Holiday - well for a fair bit of the book I was wondering that myself, as it took a while for an Italian man to even appear, let alone a trip to Lake Como. 

Once we get to Italy I did in fact that love that part of the book two, especially the descriptions of Italian food and there are some incredibly funny scenes on Gina's busman's holiday.   What dd surprise me was given the absolute gorgeousness of the summery cover for this book, that the main trip to Italy was in the winter, and it just didn't feel like the sort of poolside / garden read I was hoping for.  

If anything I think this a book that will warm you up on an autumns day when you are reminiscing of sunlight, and wishing you were abroad.  

My Very Italian Holiday is a good book, which I enjoyed a great deal, but I feel it suffers from second book syndrome, and I far preferred the authors first book.  I am looking forward to seeing what she writes next as there is definitely a very good writer, with some great ideas present, so will be interesting to see how that develops. 

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

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