Book Review - Berlin Calling by Lilo Moore - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Amazon UK

Title: Berlin Calling

Author: Lilo Moore

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied Copy

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 19th January 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

The song contest is hotting up, on and off the stage!

Rose writes twee pop, smiles a lot, and believes in magic and rainbows. When the cheesy love song she wrote is chosen for the European Song Contest, her luck seems to be turning around – especially when a chance encounter leads to the hottest one-night stand of her life. It’s almost too bad she’ll never see him again.

But then Rose discovers it wasn’t a chance encounter. The hot German DJ with the sexy deep voice is her rival for song contest glory.

Grumpy Emil is incredibly talented and the song he spins with his sister could be a winner, even if he doesn’t appreciate the playful spirit of the contest. As the continent falls in love with Rose and Emil’s competitive banter on social media, they must hide their history from the press or risk losing credibility – and a future songwriting career.

With an anonymous gossip out to ridicule the colourful contestants and a plot to undermine European public broadcasting bubbling under the shiny surface, Rose must be strong in the face of criticism and stand up for everything the contest means to her.

If this Canadian girl can save the contest, maybe she can believe that her feelings for Emil are the real deal.

It's a complete and utter ode to Eurovision, with a couple of main characters with off the charts chemistry, making this a very steamy story too. 

I was caught up in all things European Song Contest (to give it the books name for Eurovision), but it is 100% based on the real thing. 

My only regret with this story is that I don't know what the various songs really do sound like, as I suspect there could be a few great earworms amongst them. 

Rose embodies everything the contest stands for and more and I wish more people were like her. 

And Emil well I fell for him rather fast too, and loved the way he is with his sister too.  Would have loved to see Daria's paintings too.   Ok I just want the whole book made into a film, I know I'd watch! 

It is everything a Eurovision lover could want for in a book, I just couldn't get enough of all of it, and the romance and the mystery of who the troll IG account belongs to also kept me hooked. 

This was perfect poolside reading on the hottest day of my Mexican holiday, where I was heating up equally from the sun and the contents of some of the scenes. 

A complete and utter triumph of a book, and a great first book for Lilo Moore for this sort of genre. 

Light hearted (but with some key messages), full of camp escapism, what more could a girl ask for.  Hit all the right spots and was entirely pleasurable! 

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

Book Review - The Cassandra Complex by Holly Smale - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Amazon UK

Title: The Cassandra Complex

Author: Holly Smale

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 11th May 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Cassandra Penelope Dankworth is a creature of habit.

She likes what she likes (museums, jumpsuits, her boyfriend Will) and strongly dislikes what she doesn't (mess, change, her boss drinking out of her mug). Her life runs in a pleasing, predictable order. Until now.

She's just been dumped.

She's just been fired.

Her local café has run out of banana muffins.

Then, something truly unexpected happens: Cassie discovers she can go back and change the past.

Now, Cassie should be able to find a way to fix the life she accidentally obliterated. And with time on her side, how hard can it be...?

What a fascinating character Cassandra is. She knows she doesn't quite fit in with social norms, she knows what she is and isn't comfortable with, and has her own coping mechanisms. 

But losing her boyfriend and her job in the same day is a bit too much for her and she somehow ends up with an even more extraordinary gift. 

From which she has the ability to try to change her life, if only it was as simple as it may sound. 

The more I got to know Cassandra the more I loved her, she has the most unique brain, and with her love of Greek mythology and her general awkwardness, she reminded me of one of the authors characters - Geek Girl. 

Holly Smale has a knack for writing unique characters that you can't help but want to get to know, root for and love.  And reading the acknowledgments it is clear her own experiences played a big part in the formation of Cassandra. 

We need more eye opening books like this with a neuro-diverse heroine. Utterly brilliant. 

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

Book Review - The Last Passenger by Will Dean

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Amazon UK

Title: The Last Passenger

Author: Will Dean

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 11th May 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Caz Ripley, a cafe owner from a small, ordinary town, boards the RMS Atlantica with her boyfriend Pete and a thousand fellow passengers destined for New York.

The next morning, she wakes to discover that everyone else on board has disappeared.

And that's just the beginning. Caz must prepare for a crossing that will be anything but plain sailing ...

With the drama of The Woman in Cabin 10 and the tension of And Then There Were None , The Last Passenger is a psychological thriller set aboard a cruise ship about a woman whose seemingly ordinary life is suddenly thrown dramatically off course. Will Dean is The Master of Intense Suspense and this novel is full of his trademark twists and turns.

OMG! WOW! OMG!

...

...

I literally have no words.  I'm completely speechless...

... I had absolutely no idea what to expect from my first Will Dean novel....

... but that was amazing, x a million.

... From the first chapter I realised this was the sort of book I needed to clear my schedule and read in one sitting. 

.... and Wowser, I was right.  There are twists and turns galore and I literally had absolutely no idea what would happen next at any point. 

I do know that I'm rather glad I was not reading this while on holiday or a cruise ship, as that would probably have spoilt my ability to relax for the rest of it.  As it is, I dread to think how I'll sleep tonight as I suspect this might stay with me for a long time. 

And there is within the pages an excellent social commentary about elements of life many of us indulge in. But to say anymore about just about anything and I risk a spoiler.

And that ending... OMG! That is going got be playing on my mind for days too. 

I had heard this author was good, but I don't think I realised just what I had been possibly missing out on until this point.  This is one excellent storyteller and the way he was able to get inside the readers head is fabulous. 

It's claustrophobic, it's full of drama, and twists and turns, and I will say I felt for Caz and her backstory.  And it was due to that that I was willing her on at all times, even while completely terrified at some points. 

If you read just one exhilarating unputdownable psychological thriller this year, make it this one.  It is that amazing! 

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

Book Review - Chasing Dreams on Sunshine Island by Georgina Troy

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Amazon UK

Title: Chasing Dreams on Sunshine Island

Author: Georgina Troy

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 17th April 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Welcome to Sunshine Island - where the beaches are golden, the lifestyle is perfect and anything is possible.

It’s December and Jax Hudson doesn’t mind the cold. He’s still wearing shorts and walking barefoot on the beach. He’s looking forward to spending Christmas with his girlfriend until she unexpectantly calls time on their relationship.

Alone and feeling very sorry for himself, Jax accepts an invitation to a Christmas Eve party and bumps into Phoebe Bishop who is still mortified about kissing him in the summer.

As the first snow flurries delight the party guests, the festive joy soon turns to disaster when a snowstorm knocks out the island's power. Panic ensues as people realise their Christmas plans may have to be cancelled.

Phoebe is reluctantly enlisted by Jax to help transport the partygoers to the comforts of their own homes. As Jax and Phoebe spend time together they realise they have more in common than either had imagined…

Could this be a Christmas full of magic, mistletoe and happy-ever-afters?

It was fabulous to finally get to know Jax a lot better, and for him to have a real love interest. 

Phoebe hadn't really been on my radar from the previous books, so I thoroughly enjoyed learning all about her. And she is so different from her trouble making best friend Fliss. Phoebe is very kind hearted and when the snow falls on Christmas Eve, seeing her and Jax team up to check everyone is ok is heartwarming to see. 

They do seem to keep rubbing each other up the wrong way, and thus nothing is quite as simple as it seems. 

The book is set at Christmas but can easily be read at any time of the year, it isn't overly festive, rather using is as a backdrop to a winter based story on the island.  It was also great to catch up with characters from the previous books. 

I found this a really quick book to read which I read over the course of a day. It was such a pleasure to enjoy these words and the escapism this story provides, especially given the various dramatic happenings. 

Another winner is this really entertaining series. 

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

Book Review - The Influencers by S. V. Leonard - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Amazon UK

Title: The Influencers

Author: S. V. Leonard

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Canelo Crime

Publication Date: 10th March 2022

Rating: 4 Stars

A filter can hide all manner of secrets…

When budding true crime blogger Maggie Shaw is invited to the Influencer of the Year awards, it feels like everything is finally falling into place. The party is held on a glamorous yacht and presents the perfect opportunity for Maggie to network – the first step towards achieving her dream of turning her hobby into a full-time job. But by the end of the night, there’s one question on everybody’s lips: who killed Stella Knight?

Stella was beautiful and famous. Her life appeared to be perfect. But behind the façade, Stella had made a number of enemies – and all of them were on board.

A page-turning crime thriller, perfect for fans of Catherine Cooper and Lucy Foley.

I do love a story that involves influencers, hence being drawn to this book. 

And this is a mixed bag of influencers, many of which appear to be hiding something, 

But just why was Stella really killed, and who by is the question on everyone's lips, as she was the biggest star of the internet, but also treated people atrociously, 

In steps Maggie who is a relatively unknown true crime blogger who was invited to the influencers of the year awards on a yacht, and on discovering Stella's demist, decides she will investigate herself. 

After all the first few hours are critical and they won't be back to land for a few hours! 

This was an intriguing story that had me baffled at points, I definitely didn't predict the outcome. I rather enjoyed reading this and trying to get to the bottom of things. 

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

Book Review - The Golden Oldies' Book Club by Judy Leigh - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Amazon UK

Title: The Golden Oldies' Book Club

Author: Judy Leigh

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 6th December 2022

Rating: 4 Stars

Deep in the Somerset countryside, the Combe Pomeroy village library hosts a monthly book club.

Ruth the librarian fears she’s too old to find love, but a discussion about Lady Chatterley’s Lover makes her think again.

Aurora doesn’t feel seventy-two and longs to relive the excitement of her youth, while Verity is getting increasingly tired of her husband Mark’s grumpiness and wonders if their son’s imminent flight from the nest might be just the moment for her to fly too. And Danielle is fed up with her cheating husband. Surely life has more in store for her than to settle for second best?

The glue that holds Combe Pomeroy together is Jeannie. Doyenne of the local cider farm and heartbeat of her family and community, no one has noticed that Jeannie needs some looking after too. Has the moment for her to retire finally arrived, and if so, what does her future hold?

From a book club French exchange trip, to many celebrations at the farm, this is the year that everything changes, that lifelong friendships are tested, and for some of the women, they finally get the love they deserve.

Judy Leigh is back with her unmistakable recipe of friendship and fun, love and laughter. The perfect feel-good novel for all fans of Dawn French, Dee Macdonald and Cathy Hopkins.

I enjoyed the four parts the book was split into, mimicking fhr four seasons of the apple harvest,

For the book is focused on apples and cider production in particular, which was rather interesting. 

At its heart is had a group of women who are all friends and in a book club together, all initially going through a hard time and being unsure what their next stages of life my bring. 

My favourite section of the book is the trip to the town that Combe Pomeroy is twinned with. 

Speaking of twins, Jeannie's grandchildren are living with her and I loved how they came into their own and had so many great ideas. 

And then there is Jeannie's mum, who had me groaning almost every time she spoke - for she is constantly telling jokes (I'd say ranging from dad jokes to Christmas cracker jokes), to give you an idea of the humour involved in them. 

I almost feel like this needs a companion joke book full of Violet's jokes, in addition to seeing which ones didn't make the cute. 

It must have taken a great deal of research, to manage to locate an appropriate joke for pretty much any topic of conversation. 

An enjoyable year spent in Somerset learning all about cider. 

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

Book Review - The Little Board Game Cafe by Jennifer Page

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Amazon UK

Title: The Little Board Game Cafe

Author: Jennifer Page

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Aria

Publication Date: 13th April 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

An irresistible story of love, friendship and the power of Games Night, perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Christie Barlow.

When Emily loses her job, house and boyfriend all within a matter of days, she's determined to turn a negative into a positive and follow her dream of running a small cafe in the gorgeous Yorkshire village of Rosegarth.

But she quickly finds she's bitten off more than she can chew when the 'popular' cafe she takes over turns out to secretly be a failing business. Emily desperately needs a way to turn things around, and help comes from the unlikeliest of places when she meets local board game-obsessed GP Ludek. But when a major chain coffee shop opens on the high street, Emily is forced to question if she'll ever be able to compete.

Has she risked everything on something destined to fail? Or can a playful twist, a homely welcome, and a sprinkle of love make Emily's cafe the destination she's always dreamed of?

I can't believe this is a debut novel, it is so so good. 

I kept having to pick the book back up to discover what would happen next, as you may think you know what is likely to happen but there are definitely a lot of ups and downs.  

And this is a book that appealed to my inner gamer geek self.  I love a board game, and have even heard of or played quite a few of the games mentioned in this book, as well as having to google to just see what some of the others really looked like. Even recall being as distracted as Emily was while I had my one attempt at one of the more complicated games - although in my case it was because I had been stung by a bee earlier in the gaming day, and not for reasons of the heart as was the case for Emily. 

And the way the cafe was described and set up, I could picture it so so clearly, and it had so much more character than the time I went to a board game pub!  I just loved the whole idea of a board game cafe, and so glad that Emily decided to give that a go, after a false start and losing her job (her fiancee made her redundant), and then the fiancee and place to live. 

Nothing was particularly smooth and I loved seeing the various ups and downs, both in the business attempts and also her personal life.  And as you get to know her background,  you can't help but feel for Emily and understand her that bit more. 

The characters were all really realistic, and it was great to meet such a wide variety of people. And the little sub groups of the initial board game evening where Ludek introduced Emily to his love of games, well let's just say I know people that would fit into so many of those groups.  And it was also making me feel like I really need to go to my local games club and say hello to people, as I never do that enough! 

This just spoke to me on so many levels, it was just totally my sort of a book and I'm so glad I spotted the cover on Netgalley and couldn't resist requesting it.  As it was fabulous. 

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

Book Review - A Stitch in Time in Applewell by Lilac Mills

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Amazon UK

Title: A Stitch In Time in Applewell

Author: Lilac Mills

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Canelo

Publication Date: 12th May 2022

Rating: 5 Stars

It’s not just hems that are frayed in Applewell…

Gracie rescues old clothes and cast offs from Applewell’s charity shop, making them into cute and fresh outfits, which she then sells in her little shop. Turning a profit is hard at the best of times, let alone when new arrival Lucas appears…

After running away from the village in his teens, Lucas has finally returned to an uncomfortable amount of fanfare and gossip. His job requires him to streamline homeless charity, UnderCover, and his plans to do so risk putting Gracie out of business.

The pair of them exchange harsh words but when Lucas' niece cuts up his sister's wedding dress, there's only one person he can think to turn to. Along with repairing the dress, will Gracie patch up her relationship with Lucas? Or is that a stitch too far?

A sweet and heartwarming romance full of community spirit and quirky characters, for fans of Holly Martin, Suzanne Snow and Phillipa Ashley.

It was lovely to be back in Applewell, amongst this lovely community of people that care about each other, and about the world too. 

In this latest installment the recycling / upcycling type themes from the series are continued with Gracie's stop - A Stitch in Time.  Gracie doesn't purchase any materials, but from scraps she is able to make the most wonderful things,  that are unique, as well as supplying the local charity shop with rag dolls and more.

I enjoyed getting to know Lucas's backstory, and his passion for homeless charity UnderCover just shone through. It was admirable and I really felt for him at times. 

Equally I could relate to Gracie's shyness, and was urging her on in my head to just take a chance, given her attraction to Lucas was rather obvious. 

I really felt as though I was part of this community and really enjoyed getting to know Applewell and the surrounding area in Wales. It's a gorgeous sounding setting, and it's clear that so much of this book and series is a great passion for the author. 

It's written with heart, and I had a great time reading this. 

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

Book Review - Falling Hard For The Royal Guard by Megan Clawson

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Amazon UK

Title: Falling Hard For The Royal Guard

Author: Megan Clawson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 27th April 2023

Rating: 4 Stars

Love is in the heir in this royally good rom com – perfect for anyone who likes relatable heroines (with great hair), hot and aloof book boyfriends (with great hats), near misses, almost kisses and a corgi or two.

Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore.

From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending.

Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good.

And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions?

Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed?

A right royal rom com, perfect for fans of Red, White and Royal Blue and The Royal We.

Despite being a Londoner, it has never occurred to me that there would be people living in The Tower of London, let alone a whole community, that is so different to the rest of the capital.  So this was a rather eye opening and fascinating book from that point of view. 

And it is clear the author loves her history as we kept being treated to snippets of various things that have happened in the towers in the past, and thus is was clearly well researched too. 

And I enjoyed getting to know Maggie, who seems rather accident prone, and seems to enjoy the company of the Ravens than other people, well until she runs into one guard that changes things. 

I loved the growing friendship between Maggie and Freddie, and seeing if they could overcome multiple obstacles in their way.  They are from two very different backgrounds, and I really wasn't sure how this would progress. 

A very enjoyable debut novel, and I'm very curious to see what the author will write next. 

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

Book Review - Preloved by Lauren Bravo - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Amazon UK

Title: Preloved

Author: Lauren Bravo

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 27th April 2023

Rating: 4 Stars

A love story about things... 

Gwen’s life has stalled. She’s in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the country and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around herbaceous borders and the council’s wheelie-bin timetable. Above all she’s lonely. But then, isn’t everyone?

 

When Gwen’s made redundant from a job she drifted into a decade ago and never left, she realises it’s time to make a change. Over what might be the best – and most solitary – meal she’s ever eaten, Gwen vows to find something meaningful to do with her life, reconnect with her family and friends – and finally book herself a dentist appointment.

 

Her search for meaning soon leads her to volunteer in a local charity shop where she both literally and metaphorically unloads her emotional baggage. With the help of the weird and wonderful people she meets in the shop and the donated items bursting with untold stories that pass through its doors, Gwen must finally address the events and choices that led her to this point and find a way to move forward with bravery, humanity and more regular dental care.

 

Brimming with life, love and the stories bound up in even the most everyday items, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss, being true to oneself no matter the expectations – and the enduring power and joy of charity shops.

This is clearly a book that is an ode to charity shops, the people that work in them and the objects that are sold in them. 

In between chapters we would get a look at an item, and either how it came to be in the shop or where it went.  And these are more cleverly woven in than I initially thought, so it helps when early on you are told a whole host of names of people that work in the shop, to try to keep those in mind. 

At the heart of the book is Gwen who was a character I really found it hard to bond with, but I was curious about her, as perhaps could see elements of myself in her.  She starts volunteering in the shop after being made redundant, and through her eyes we meet many of the other volunteers, and see just what she is, or isn't willing to do with her life. 

What I greatly admired about this book was when the author would take a phrase / subject and then wax lyrical with many other ways of describing it, or explaining it for a paragraph or two. It allows you to look at things in a completely different light and some of the lines in those sections are rather amusing. 

This debut novel is a great showcase for this authors talented writing. 

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,