Book Review - The Beach House by P. R. Black

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Title: The Beach House

Author: P. R. Black

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Aria

Publication Date: 16th January 2020

Rating: 4 Stars

This vacation is about to turn deadly...

Cora's on the island vacation of her dreams: a private beach in paradise, a romantic proposal, and an eight-figure cheque following the sale of her new fiancé’s business.

When their island turns out to be not so private after all, Cora tries to make the best of a bad situation by inviting their strangely friendly neighbours to celebrate with them.

But it doesn't take long for her once-in-a-lifetime holiday to take a very sinister turn...

It was definitely the cover that first attracted me to this book and then the blurb, as I do love anything set on a holiday.  Yet it then sat on my kindle for over a year before I had a chance to read it and I went in blind. 

I really had no idea what to expect other than for it to be quite dark at some point - so the relatively sedate opening, took me a bit by surprise, but I really enjoyed getting to know Cora and Jonathan, being happy with their new proposal and impressed with Jonathan's business dealings. 

But then there are a few weird occurrences but even then I had absolutely no idea what turns this book was going to take.  What resulted was the second half of the book is full of action, fast paced, and at no point was I sure exactly what I could believe or not. 

Full of drama this is fabulous, and had me on the edge of my seat and completely gripped and wrapped up in the story.  For this turns out to be anything but at a holiday of a lifetime, but yet it will for Cora be remembered forever but not for the reasons you may first be thinking. 

This is the first book I've read from the author and if this is an indication of their skills, then I'd certainly be happy to read more in the future. 

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

Book Review - All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle

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Amazon UK

Title: All The Lonely People

Author: Mike Gayle

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 23rd July 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

In phone calls to his daughter in Australia, widower Hubert Bird paints a picture of the perfect retirement, packed with fun and friendship.

But Hubert Bird is lying.

Something has made him turn his back on people, and he hardly sees a soul.

So when his daughter announces she's coming to visit, Hubert faces a race against time: to make his real life resemble his fake life before he's found out.

Along the way Hubert renews a cherished friendship, is given a second chance at love and even joins an audacious community scheme. But with the secret of his earlier isolation lurking in the shadows, is he destines to always be one of the lonely people?

Beautiful and emotional.

I'm at a loss for words how to describe this wonderful book.

There were rather unexpected moments, some that will make you cry and others that will have you smiling.

And I was hooked on the past sections, learning about Hubert and Joyce's life from when he moves to the UK in the 50s from Jamaica right unto the present.

And in light of recent events after the Euros final its clear the views of some in this country haven't changed since the 1950s which is rather disturbing.

There are so many important topic covered in this story but most key and perhaps even poignant after the last 15 months or so of the pandemic is of loneliness. And raising awareness of it.

Mike Gayle has gone up yet another notch with his superb writing, in this book. I cant do it justice but its definitely worth a read. 

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Escape to Honeysuckle Hall by Rebecca Raisin

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Title: Escape To Honeysuckle Hall 

Author: Rebecca Raisin

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ Digital

Publication Date: 5 August 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

A fresh start brings a second chance at love…

When Orly’s boyfriend and business partner dumps her for a celebrity fling, she finds solace in tacos, tequila and tears. One terrible hangover later, she’s packed her bags and swapped her London apartment for the overgrown grounds of Honeysuckle Hall.

After years spent catering to others’ whims, Orly is going after what she wants: a simpler life, surrounded by nature. Her plan to set up countryside retreats for burned-out city-dwellers means she soon has the social life she’s been dreaming of – and gorgeous carpenter Leo is always around when she needs something fixed…

As Orly’s new life blossoms, so does her friendship with Leo, and she wonders if she’s finally found somewhere to put down roots – until she discovers a series of anonymous notes, warning her off. Was she wrong to trust Leo? Or is someone else trying to sabotage her future?

A heartwarming romance full of humour, friendship and honeysuckle-scented dreams! Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Holly Martin.

There is just so so much to love about this book I wouldn't know where to start...

... well there is the extravagant proposal in the opening chapter that drew me in instantly and had me almost wishing there was far more about Orly's initial job. 

... there's Esterlita who from the moment she entered Orly's life, was a colourful breath of fresh air and I honestly think deserves a book of her own!  She's easily one of my favourite secondary characters I've come across in a long while. 

... there is the mystery about who on earth is leaving Orly mystery notes, trying to scare her out of her fabulous plan of offering retreats for people who are burnt out

... there is the first retreat with its great mix of campers, all of whom I loved and was invested in, even though they don't feature until around the last third or so of the book, I really loved their personalities. 

... And there is Orly herself who is a fabulous leading lady, who is after experiencing some humiliating heartbreak is now following her dreams with Honeysuckle Hall, and I just loved everything about her. 

This is a book that has so many threads running through it, which combined make one incredibly engaging and entertaining story. 

Oh and I forgot to mention what really drew me instantly to Orly is her hobby.  It's a hobby I don't recall seeing in any other books, but given it is one I indulged in as a child at the very least, I was rather happy to see it represented at last, but I'll leave it you to discover what she enjoys doing in her spare time. 

I had a lovely time reading Escape to Honeysuckle Hall even with its rather menacing chicken, giant spider and gorgeous carpenter - with at least 2 of those providing rather memorably funny moments! 

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

Book Review - The Little Bookshop of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans

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Title: The Little Bookshop of Love Stories

Author: Jaimie Admans

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ Digital

Publication Date: 8th May 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Today is the Mondayest Monday ever. Hallie Winstone has been fired – and it wasn’t even her fault!

Having lost her job and humiliated herself in front of a whole restaurant full of diners, this is absolutely, one hundred percent, the worst day of her life.

 

That is until she receives an email announcing that she is the lucky winner of the Once Upon a Page Bookshop!

 

Owning a bookshop has always been Hallie’s dream, and when she starts to find secret love letters on the first page of every book, she knows she's stumbled across something special.

But Hallie’s beloved bookshop is in financial trouble, and with sales dwindling, she can’t help but wonder if she is really cut out to run a business.

Things start to look up when she meets gorgeous, bookish Dimitri and between them, they post a few of the hidden messages online, reuniting people who thought they were lost forever.

 

But maybe it’s time for Hallie to find her own happy-ever-after, too?

Perfect for anyone that believes in the true power and magic of books.  It's like an ode to how brilliant books are and how great they can be in uniting people.

I think I fell in love with Dimitri from his initial entrance and by the end I was completely besotted with this character. 

And Hallie is wonderful too and it really is a dream come true for her to win this bookshop. Especially given how unlucky she tends to be.

Many a time while reading I ended up laughing out loud loudly, it's just a really funny book with a wonderful message.

And it's such a warm and comforting read I never wanted to return to the concept of real life, and would have happily gone on reading about these characters for a long time. 

This is yet another truly fabulous book from one of my auto read authors. If you are a book lover, you definitely need to give this a go, and I promise it will make you smile. 

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

Book Review - Vicki's Work of Heart by Rosie Dean

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Title: Vicki's Work of Heart

Author: Rosie Dean

Format reviewed: Ebook 

Source: Author Supplied Copy

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 26th March 2014

Rating: 4 Stars

Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Stranded at the altar, knee-deep in her fiancé’s gambling debts, Vicki Marchant seizes her freedom and moves to France, to paint.

It’s her time. No man will get in the way of her ambition again.

She learns two things: some men are hard to resist and her judgement of them is still on the dodgy side.

I've been meaning to read a Rosie Dean book for years, so when I had the opportunity to review Vicki's Work of Heart, I jumped at it. 

And what a lovely story it is, with Vicki Marchant having some really poor taste in men,  which is rather amusing and although you knew at least one of them was clearly hiding something, I honestly didn't quite guess what it was that made him such a bad choice for Vicki. 

And I loved the French countryside, and Vicki's quest to become an artist, as she has a year in France. 

It's a really gentle story, enjoyable and certainly the sort of book that would be great to while away a few hours in the sun.  In fact ha I read this on holiday I would have probably found it a rather quick read, but my concentration was lacking a bit while I did read it.  

It's just a lovely book, of Vicki trying to follow her dreams, and encountering various obstacles along the way. 

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

Book Review - Secrets on the Italian Island by T. A. Williams

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Title: Secrets on the Italian Island

Author: T. A. Williams

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Canelo

Publication Date:  8th July 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

Her work has got in the way of relationships before – but never like this

Anna’s job as a geologist takes her all over the world, including to the beautiful island of Elba, where she’s sent to look for precious metals. And the island isn’t the only thing that’s gorgeous – she can’t believe her luck when she meets windsurfer Marco and sparks fly.

But Anna must keep her role on Elba a secret to avoid upsetting the locals, which means lying to Marco even as they grow closer. When her old friend Toby visits, Anna suddenly finds herself torn between the attentions of the two men. However, Anna’s not the only one keeping secrets.

Is Marco being entirely honest with her? And why did Toby really come to visit?

A fun and escapist romance, perfect for fans of Lucy Coleman and Alex Brown.

I'm always excited to be able to be whisked away in a T A Williams book, especially as International Travel looks still so so far away in the real world, that armchair travel via reading is a bit escape for me. 

And once more our talented author has produced the goods in a wonderful story, set against a stunning back drop of the island of Elba, I couldn't get enough of this book. 

From the tasty sounding food, to the two men that Anna may be interested in, although neither are necessarily as they seem, to her job this was all such a great mix. 

In fact Anna is a geologist and actually gets to travel the world looking for precious metals and gets to do cool things like prospect ore, in the hopes something valuable occurs.  Although she loves the job she is starting to realise it may be preventing her from having a relationship, so there is real thoughts she has a lot as to what she really wants in life. 

But yet although she has a gorgeous Italian windsurfer, plus an old friend both potentially interested in her, the men I really enjoyed getting to know are Jack and George.  George is a the latest in a long line of black Labradors to capture my heart within T. A. Williams books, he seems to take to Anna really quickly as well as loving his master, and being known by everyone locally in the area. 

And Jack his owner, becomes a deer friend to Anna, despite being significantly older, and keeps her entertained with stories from his own career and travels.  It's lovely to see this friendship being developed. 

Elba really worked its charms on both Anna and me, and I really wish I was able to get on a plane, and experience the boat trips around the coast line etc...  It sounds so gorgeous. 

There are all manner of secrets being hidden in this book, both on the Island itself but also within its key cast of characters, which makes for some interesting discoveries. 

Another gem of a book from this rare and precious author! 

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

Book Review - The Day She Came Back by Amanda Prowse

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Title: The Day She Came Back

Author: Amanda Prowse

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Publication Date: 7th July 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a story that asks: how do you forgive the family that lied to you, and love the mum you never had?

When her loving, free-spirited grandmother Primrose passes away, Victoria is bereft, yet resilient—she has survived tragedy before. But even her strength is tested when a mysterious woman attends Prim’s funeral and claims to be the mother Victoria thought was dead.

As the two women get to know each other and Victoria begins to learn more about her past, it becomes clear that her beloved grandmother had been keeping life-changing secrets from her. Desperate for answers, she still struggles to trust anyone to tell her the truth.

To live a full and happy life, Victoria knows she must not only uncover the truth, but find a way to forgive her family. But after so many years, is trusting them even possible?

What can be said about this wonderful book and author that hasn't already been said a million times before?

For once more Amanda Prowse has written a masterpiece, that gets under your skin and keeps you thinking and to some extent guessing. 

As I'm not a mother I have no idea whether I would have made the decisions Prim made but rather could see it from all sides and.

And in was absorbed by Victoria's story, took a while to really get going but once it did just wow, I was hooked.

This is an author with an exceptional talent for empathy and getting her readers to empathise with very real characters. She is able to bring great depth of feeling to any situation and that to me is a remarkable ability.

Or simply put, another fabulous story that you will want to read in one sitting, so clear some time and pick up this heart warming and emotional story. 

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Summer Holiday by Jo Clegg

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Title: The Summer Holiday

Author: Jo Clegg

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Orion

Publication Date: 10th June 2021

Rating: 4 Stars

Two weeks. Two families. What could possibly go wrong...?

Claire Swift can't think of anything worse than another holiday with the Wellbeloved family. The last trip together was a complete disaster - yet somehow, despite Claire's best efforts, they're all off to the Cornish coast again this summer.

So, this time she's coming prepared.

But becoming a domestic goddess to keep up with perfect Honor Wellbeloved isn't easy - especially when Claire is known for being clumsy and burns every meal she makes. And it's not long before her carefully laid plans are going spectacularly wrong.

It's only two weeks, what's the worst that can happen?

A hilarious and relatable read perfect for fans of Catherine Alliott and Fiona Gibson.

What a funny and really lovely book this turned out to be. 

Claire is riddled with self doubt at all aspects of her life,  so thought of spending a fortnight away with Honor and her family sends her a bit crazy.

After all Honor is seeming perfect at everything while Claire is referred to as dingbat a lot of the time. 

So Claire tries to change in the run up to the holiday with amusing decision-making!

This was just a really enjoyable book,  where I loved seeing the interactions between the families and seeing what random thoughts Claire would have next. 

An entertaining debut,  and I'm definitely keen to see what Jo Clegg writes next. 

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

Book Review - Flawed Justice by M. A. Comley

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Title: Flawed Justice

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 24th June 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

When hope is lost... anger surfaces.

DI Lorne Simpkins and her partner, DS Pete Childs, encounter one of their most evil criminals to date when a priest is found murdered in a church.

Why was a man of God killed. Was the killer sending a message?

The truth, when it's finally revealed, is flabbergasting. Lorne sets out to right the wrongs she uncovers.

I’m, always excited to see any new book featuring Lorne and Pete, so was definitely eager to sit and read this. 

 And well I devoured this novella in not much time at all, perhaps an hour or so. 

What I found unusual but made an interesting change was that they were already trying to solve this case before we had even met the opening chapter murder. So it sort of felt like we as a reader were thrown in at the deep end… for all of a few mins before with a case recap we are caught up to date as they don’t really know much. 

What I found fascinating was the ,motivation for this particular killing spree, I can’t say it’s justified but definitely could understand it which is a weird position to be in. 

I loved seeing Lorne and Pete banter, it always amuses me, as does her interactions with the pathologist.  And was really good to see AJ, been a while since I last recall seeing him do some police work. 

It’s a fast and fabulous novella that I thoroughly enjoyed.

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

Book Review - A Summer Wedding For the Cornish Midwife by Jo Bartlett

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Title: A Summer Wedding For the Cornish Midwife

Author: Jo Bartlett

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 1st July 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

The venue is booked, the dress is picked, and Senior Midwife Anna Jones only has to say ‘I Do!’ to the man she loves! Theirs might have been a whirlwind romance, but Brae Penrose is everything Anna dreamed her husband would be and she can’t wait to start a family with him.

But as the big day approaches, Anna still isn’t pregnant and when disaster strikes, their perfect day looks destined not to happen at all! Is it a sign to slow things down?

The other midwives won’t hear of Anna and Brae postponing their big day, and soon the whole community of Port Agnes comes together to make sure the Penrose wedding goes off without a hitch!

And Anna realises, baby or not, she already has her dream family with Brae and her friends by her side.

Meet The Cornish Midwives of Port Agnes- where community, friendship and love are always delivered.

An uplifting and escapist read, perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Jessica Redland and Holly Martin!

This book was previously published as Christmas with the Cornish Midwives.

I honestly thought that the previous book would have provided all the drama these midwives could ever need, but within the first chapter of this book I was clearly proved wrong. 

Nothing like a dramatic opening to a book to draw you in and keep you hooked, and it perfectly set up some fabulous storylines for this latest edition of the Cornish Midwife soap opera.  Well it feels as though it could easily translate to a soap on the small scheme, as we get to know so many of the midwives at the Port Agnes unit. 

And it is becoming more and more clear how well regarded these midwifes are within their local community. For this new standalone story, the focus is on Anna, and her desire to have her own child, as well as hopefully marrying Brae the man of her dreams. 

And for the last section of the book I was sitting open mouthed at the community spirit shown in Port Agnes, with a lump in my throat at the emotion of it all, as well as impressed at how much more drama could be included before ending the book incredibly happy and with a smile on my face. 

While also knowing I can't wait for the next book in the series as this is a series, that has definitely got under my skin and into my heart and I need more.   

Oh and what of the midwifery, there are some great moments with those, and seeing how Anna handled one expectant mother in particular really gave me the feels and I just loved her all the more for it. 

Oh and I'm completely and utterly in love with Brae, he is absolutely wonderful, wish I could have him all to myself! Was also really happy to catch up with Ella and Dan, as well as seeing more from Jess and Toni, one of which I'm sure will be the heroine next!! 

A charming and heartwarming read set in the gorgeous Port Agnes - I loved it! 

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