Category: General Fiction

BLOG TOUR: Christmas at Mistletoe Cove by Holly Martin (Hope Island #3)

Synopsis: Growing up on Hope Island, Eden Lancaster always believed that if you wished hard enough for something, dreams really could come true. But Eden’s greatest wish is also her biggest secret: she has been completely in love with her childhood friend, the charming and attractive Dougie Harrison, for as long as she can remember. And he has no idea.

When Dougie leaves his successful life in New York to return home to Hope Island for good, Eden can’t escape her feelings. Her heart is full of hope that her romantic dreams are finally, at long last, going to come true…

This Christmas could change everything. But can a lifelong friendship really turn into the perfect romance? And will Eden get the happily ever after she’s always wished for?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: Christmas at Mistletoe Cove by Holly Martin (Hope Island #3)”

Summer at Buttercup Beach by Holly Martin (Hope Island #2)

Synopsis: For two years Freya Greene has hidden the fact that she’s totally and utterly in love with her best friend Rome Lancaster. It’s not been easy – they work together in his glasswork business, she lives above his workshop and, he’s completely gorgeous. But Rome has never shown any sign of returning those feelings. Until now… 

Lately they’ve shared affectionate touches and words heavy with meaning. Yet Freya knows Rome has a damaged heart. After losing his fiancé in a tragic accident, he’s not allowed himself to fall in love. 

Freya has already had her heart broken by a man who couldn’t let go of a past love. Can she risk it happening again? Rome and Freya have a friendship that could blossom into something more. Are they both brave enough to take that chance? 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I am a fan of all things Holly Martin and was thrilled that Summer At Buttercup Beach was available to read. Bella and Isaac from Spring at Blueberry Bay feature in this latest book but the main stars of the show are Freya and Rome. Freya gave evevrything up and has ended up staing on Hope Island working alongside her best friend Rome. The only problem is that although they have been firm friends for 2 years, she has never told him that she is head over heels in love with him.

I liked Freya and Rome and they are certainly characters which are easy to read, as is the beautiful setting of Hope Island. When Rome starts to show signs that maybe he feels something different Freya wonders if she was imagining it. We also see some characters return (albeit briefly) from the last book and it’s always lovely to see where everybody is with their lives. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I felt like there was maybe a little something missing from Holly’s usual offerings. Maybe because the story solely worked itself around just Rome and Freya and their feelings it wasn’t quite as engaing as her other books?

Thst small niggle aside the story has everything you would want from a book like this and is a perfect beach read. What I did love was the addition of Dougie and Rome’s sister Eden featuring lining up what I hope is the synopsis for the next Hope Island book. Another great read by Holly Martin and I will look forward to reading the next one for sure!

Summer at Seafall Cottage by Lily Graham

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Synopsis: Victoria Langley’s world crumbles when her husband leaves, but she knows exactly where to go to mend her broken heart. The rugged shores of Cornwall will be her perfect sanctuary. 

In the quaint, little village of Tregollan, nestled in the sea cliffs, Victoria is drawn to Seafall Cottage, covered in vines and gracefully falling apart. Inside she finds a diary full of secrets, from 1905.

Victoria is determined to unravel the diary’s mystery, but the residents of Tregollan are tight-lipped about Tilly Asprey, the cottage’s last owner. Just as she reaches a dead end, Victoria meets Adam Waters, the lawyer handling the cottage’s sale. He’s handsome, charming, and has a missing piece of the puzzle.

Tilly’s diary tells a devastating love story that mirrors Victoria’s own. Can Victoria learn from Tilly’s mistakes, and give herself a second chance at love? Or is history doomed to repeat itself?

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I was looking forward to this release by Lily Graham as I absolutely LOVED A Cornish Christmas. However, I was surprised as this one seemed a little slower to get into.

Our lead character Victoria’s has gone to Cornwall and made an extremely rash decision and brought herself a derelict house. Following the breakdown of her marriage it appears this is her way of retreating to lick her wounds in private. ‘Seafall Cottage’ Has its own secrets though and when she finds some diaries in the house she cannot help but be pulled into the stories within those pages. Before long she becomes almost obsessed with the owner and writer of the diaries Tilly.  Tilly is a young girl living in the early 1900s and we see the story flip between present day and Victoria and then back to the past with Tilly.

Additional characters such as Angie, Victoria’s houseboat neighbor struck a cord and I really liked her and then there is Adam and a whole host of others. Somehow though I never really connected all that much with any of them. The writing was brilliant and the story enjoyable but I just felt there was something lacking with this latest book that wasn’t with the last one. I certainly enjoyed it, but think her first book was so amazing I spent the whole time comparing which is never a good idea.

Single For The Summer by Mandy Baggott

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Synopsis: Tess Parks has made up her mind: love isn’t for her.

When it comes to dating she has one rule: after six weeks with a guy, she ends it. So when her heartbroken best friend invites her for a girly getaway in Corfu, Tess is sure she can stick to their pact to stay single for the summer.

But then she meets the gorgeous restaurateur Andras…

To keep his overbearing mother off his back, Tess agrees to pretend to date him. But as the two spend time together, Tess begins to realise that this fake relationship is starting to feel like the best one she’s ever had…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have to say I have a bit of a girl fan thing going on with Mandy Baggot. Her books are like the best chocolate on a miserable day, no matter what…it never fails to cheer you up. I have read a few MB books now and they just seem to cheer me up immensely, I always know I am going to get a fantastic book that will have me smiling and laughing from one page to the next. Thankfully her magic has not faded one bit. This latest book is the absolute PERFECT anecdote to our miserably pathetic ‘summer’ evenings we are meant to be having.

Tess Parks is front and centre in this latest book and is strictly a 6 week maximum serial-dater. I fell head over heels in love with this loud, funny yet sensitive woman who is an absolutely hilarious serial dater. When her latest BF pops the question over dinner she goes into meltdown. Her friend Sonya is also having a hard time and is ‘on a break’ from her boyfriend Joey. When Sonya suggests some R&R in Corfu the two girls head off with the plan of drinking in the sun and forgetting all their troubles.

For the girls, what they didn’t plan on was running into a gorgeous Greek restaurant owner Andras and his overbearing Mother. Andras needs a fake girlfriend to get his Mother off his back and before they know it, they are dragged into a crazy week which had me tittering along with every additional part of the story. Mandy Baggot has created the perfect read, full of characters that you can’t help but love (even Andras overbearing Mother), tortoises that won’t stay in their home and all sorts of weird and wonderful other things.

This book was a sheer joy to read and I just loved how beautiful Corfu sounded, it actually made me want to hop on a plane for a weeks R&R myself. I read the book in one day over two sittings and loved it from start to finish. Having been having an absolutely rubbish day, Mandy Baggot single-handedly sent me to bed feeling a lot more happy than I was when I woke up. A pleasure to read and I will make sure that her newest releases always make their way to the top of my to read list now!

Bed and Breakfast on The Beach by Kat French

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Synopsis: A Greek island solves all life’s problems…doesn’t it?

Winnie, Stella and Frankie have been best friends forever.

When their lives unexpectedly unravel, they spontaneously decide to buy a gorgeous B&B on a remote Greek island. Drenched in hot sun, Villa Valentina is the perfect escape from reality. But when Winnie meets Jesse, their brooding neighbour, she finds that Greece is full of its own complications – not least how attractive he is…

Meanwhile, Frankie and Stella are discovering that Villa Valentina has its own secrets – starting with the large supply of gin in the cellar and the arrival of a famous rock band. A band with one very good-looking member who just might distract Frankie from thoughts of her husband…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: So Kat French (or Kitty French if reading her other books) has very quickly become a firm favourite of mine. Her books are endless buckets of fun and I was really looking forward to this latest one. To be fair when I started reading it I wondered what on earth was going on?  A couple of chapters and we already had three women with a whole new adventure ahead of them? Where was the explanation and the background? Well, you see this is where the delectable Kat French comes into her own. She doesn’t need all that because what she does is then slowly reveal each character and the reasons for how they got to the beautiful island of Skelidos.

Villa Valentina on the sun soaked Greek Island starts out as a holiday destination, but somehow ends up with them being the new owners of the B&B. What they don’t realise is that by taking a leap of faith and starting a new adventure, it would also bring with it some added extras which they weren’t quite prepared for! Stella, Frankie and Winnie have been friends since childhood, so the fact they start a whole new adventure and business together comes as no big surprise. I think in my eyes Winnie seemed to be more of a central character with Frankie and Stella playing more of a backseat. However as the story progresses each of the three women take their own journey and we go along for the ride.

With donkeys named The Fonz, a secret distillery in the cellar, pop stars turning up just to name a few this story is packed to the rafters with fun, frolics and romance. I loved the additional male characters in the book especially Jesse their moody neighbour. I read this in a day and a half and just two sittings and it was a glorious read. This book was pure delight from start to finish and it had everything you could possibly want in a book like this. There were one liners that made me laugh out loud, ridiculously funny situations, romantic ones, terrible ones…you name it, it was there. Another outstanding read that I would definitely pick up for any upcoming travels you may have

BLOG TOUR – SUMMER AT THE LITTLE FRENCH GUESTHOUSE BY HELEN POLLARD

Synopsis: Emmy Jamieson loves her new life in the gentle hills and sunflowers of the lush French countryside, managing La Cour des Roses, a beautiful, white stone guesthouse. With marriage to caramel-eyed Alain just round the corner, things couldn’t be more perfect.

The odd glass (gallon) of wine dulls the sound of Emmy’s mum in full motherzilla-of-the-bride mode, and the faint tinkling of alarm bells coming from Alain’s ex are definitely nothing to worry about. Guesthouse owner Rupert and a whole host of old and new friends are there to make sure nothing gets in the way of Emmy’s happiness.

But as Emmy gets close to the big day, a secret from the past throws everything decidedly off track. Will her idyllic French wedding go ahead as planned, or will Emmy run back home to England with a broken heart?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I was sad to realise that this is the end for Emmy and the Guesthouse, having read the previous 2 books I had fallen a little in love. Emmy Jamieson is running La Cour Des Roses the guesthouse set in the French countryside and it’s only a matter of weeks until her wedding to the lovely Alain. Rupert is the man who she runs the Guesthouse with and I was thrilled to be back in their lives as they are wonderful characters. This main storyline centres solely around the run up to her wedding with the addition of the overbearing Mother/Bridezilla . The thing that made me fall for these books is the characters and once again Helen Pollards skill of drawing you into their lives is what makes these such an enjoyable read.

Her descriptive ways explaining how beautiful it is where they are in France is also an added bonus. From the guesthouse, to the foord and drink, to the wonderful characters she has created.  We see the return of characters from books one and two but we also meet some new family members which always makes books like these all the more interesting. With Emmy mother causing mayhem it seems that nothing is going right for her and you spemt the whole time praying that things worked out.

I don’t want to mention too much more of the storyline for fear of ruining it for those who have yet to read it. What I will say is that although you could read this book as a standalone, why would you want to? This trio of books is absolutely wonderful and they could be read back to back for pure enjoyment and total escapism. I was once again transported into another world, one which I wish I could have been a part of. As much as I am sad to see the last of the Guesthouse and it’s owners, I am so excited to see what Helen Pollard comes up with next. This is certainly an author that I would highly recommend.

Blog Tour: Curves, Kisses and Chocolate Ice Cream by Sue Watson

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Synopsis: Dani’s on a mission to get her life back on track by the end of the Summer. Running, rowing, aerobics and more, but perhaps all she needs are sweet treats and a second chance? 

Twenty years ago, Dani fled Appledore with a broken-heart and a suitcase full of shattered dreams. Only now is she brave enough to put her past behind her and return for a summer selling homemade ice-cream and getting fit by doing sit-ups by the sea. 

But the new-look cafe is filled with old memories of Jude, her teenage sweetheart-turned-sour. She thinks of him every time she swirls warm sauce onto a “chocolate-bockaglory” and even with the help of Chris, her gorgeous personal trainer, the urge to break her diet is everywhere she turns. 

When Jude makes an appearance at the cafe on the eve of Dani’s birthday party, history threatens to repeat itself. Is Dani strong enough to say no? And is the love she’s been longing for much closer than she thinks? 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: We are back in the town of Appledore and this time we meet Dani. She left Appledore twenty years before with a broken heart and now she is back, overweight and desperate to become thinner and more fabulous in time for her fortieth birthday. Dani is a very likeable character and to be honest you just know that she is going to struggle on her weight loss challenge. The first quarter of the book really sets the scene and the reader really gets to see what Dani is up against including some very funny scenes when she attempts to go to the gym.

Once Dani is in her stride she is joined by Chris from the gym who is on a mission to help her with her plan to lose weight. It was also nice to see brief glimpses of characters from the first book set in the same town. Although these are all set around the town and the Ice Cream Cafe, each book can certainly be read as a standalone. As the story progresses you soon understand that this is the reader experiencing Dani’s journey with her, including all the pitfalls and funny moments too.

In one respect this was very different from her last book but actually that made no difference and it was nice to have such a departure. As usual Sue Watson has created a book that will lift your spirits and more importantly make you laugh. I am a huge fan, and although this may not be my favourite of hers, it’s a brilliant addition and one that I thoroughly loved. Be warned though, with the sheer descriptive deliciousness, don’t expect to NOT want to eat a number of summer deserts whilst reading. The perfect beach read that will have you laughing into your Cocktail!

BLOG TOUR: THE SUMMER HOUSE BY JENNY HALE

Synopsis: Callie Weaver and best friend Olivia Dixon have finally done it: put their life savings into the beach house they admired through childhood summers, on the dazzling white sand of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. They’re going to buff the salt from its windows, paint its sun-bleached sidings, and open it as a bed and breakfast.

Callie’s too busy to think about her love life, but when she catches the attention of local heartthrob Luke Sullivan, his blue eyes and easy smile make it hard to say no. He’s heir to his father’s property empire, and the papers say he’s just another playboy, but as they laugh in the ocean waves, Callie realizes there’s more to this man than money and good looks.

Just when true happiness seems within reach, Callie and Olivia find a diary full of secrets… secrets that stretch across the island, and have the power to turn lives upside down. As Callie reads, she unravels a mystery that makes her heart drop through the floor.

Will Callie and Luke be pulled apart by the storm it unleashes, or can true love save them?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: That picture on the front of this book, well it sums up this story perfectly. Callie Weaver has invested everything she has into the Beach house in the Outer Banks. I’m a fan of Jenny Hale and I must say that this latest book was just what the doctor ordered for me. Jenny Hale manages to do a wonderful job of describing this quaint town with it’s stunning white beaches and I could almost picture the house that Callie is renovating. Her and her childhood friend Olivia want to reopen the house as a Bed and Breakfast. Olivia’s Grandmother Glady’s lives across the way and with her help and support they start the arduous task of getting it all ready for the end of the Summer.

Callie was a reserved character but one that I liked. Her tentative attitude towards people she doesn’t know that well is endearing and as a reader it’s nice to share her journey while she takes some chances with her career as well as her personal life. Callie runs into a guy whilst out shopping and circumstances throw them together. She has no idea at first that there is more to Luke Sullivan that the press make out. To the press he is just a Playboy and a man who seemingly does little more than flaunt his wealth. At first I have to be honest and say I wasn’t overly enamoured with Luke, but as the story progresses you soon see there is a lot more to him than meets the eye.

Callie’s story also sees her stumble across something that could tear people’s lives apart and she doubts what she should do. I loved reading about Callie and Olivia’s friendship and although Callie was the lead character it was nice to see Olivia’s life changing too in the background. The story progresses and eventually Callie realises that she needs to take a huge chance and just wonders whether in doing so she will jeopardise everything she has worked for.

Overall this was a hugely enjoyable book and would make a perfect beach read. Jenny Hale has managed to capture my attention with every book she has written and manages to take me away from it all, so much so I could almost imagine standing on that beach. Her last book remains my all time favourite but this was still a great read and an author I would highly recommend.

Spring At Blueberry Bay by Holly Martin (Hope Island #1)

Synopsis: Bella has always had a sunny outlook and caring nature, despite recently falling on hard times. When she finds a handsome homeless man on her doorstep, her kind heart tells her she must help him. So, she invites Isaac into her cottage and into her life in ways she could never have imagined…

But Isaac is not what he seems. He’s keeping a huge secret from Bella, yet he never expected to fall for this open, generous and charming woman. 

Bella can’t ignore the chemistry between her and Isaac, but she’s had her trust badly broken in her past. Will she run when she learns the truth about Isaac, or will he be the one man who can help Bella believe in love again?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I am a huge Holly Martin fan and this latest release was no different and was a fantastic read. The only criticism I had was that this leans slightly more towards Bonkbuster type books than her normal fairytale romances. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, it was just a slight departure that I wasn’t quite prepared for! This latest tale introduces us to Bella. Bella lives on Hope Island and when she arrives home one day to find a homeless man on her doorstep, she does the unthinkable and lets him in to her house. It turns out the man Bella has let into her home named Isaac is not quite what she thinks, but when you see how Bella’s nature is (slightly vulnerable and maybe a wee bit too kind-hearted) you can see why she would have done it.

Bella is at a bit of a crossroads and is trying to secure a new job as an Events Fundraiser and you can’t help rooting for her. Her subsequent interview was very amusing and certainly made for an entertaining chapter! I loved the fact that as Bella’s story progressed that we got to learn of her family and how she got to where she currently is. I especially loved her extended family such as Erin and Rome and would certainly love to read nore about them.

It’s hard to go into too much detail with the soryline because it would essentially be a plot spoiler for everybody. What I will say is that this was certainly another great read by Holly Mertin and I can almost picture the Island. I liked the storyline and characters but maybe this just wasn’t quite as exceptional as some of her other reads, this author is far too much of a genius storyteller for her own good 🙂

You’re The One That I Want by Giovanna Fletcher

Synopsis: Maddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob – the man she’s about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben – best man and the best friend any two people ever had.

And that’s the problem.

Because if it wasn’t Rob waiting for her at the altar, there’s a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself, but if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? And would he be right?

Best friends since childhood, Maddy, Ben and Rob thought their bond was unbreakable. But love changes everything. Maddy has a choice to make but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it…

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have really loved all of Giovanna’s previous books and decided that I would give this one a try as it was sat on my unread pile of books. The book opens with Maddy as she walks down the aisle towards her future groom. We then take a huge step back to Maddy as a young child. The story revolves around her lifelong friendship with Ben and Robert. The story switches characters between chapters as we see the three friends start their blossoming friendship as young children. I loved the early days as we see them go from young children to teenagers.

What starts as a friendship becomes much more than that as we see Maddy, Ben and Robert fall in love. Yes you read that correctly. Maddy dates Robert and life seems perfect. With Robert at one side of her and hers and Roberts other best friend Ben at their side they have the world at their feet. As the story progresses we see Ben with his unflinching loyalty to his two friends suppress his real feelings about Maddy. The journey we are taken on is certainly one that captured me, however I wasn’t really sure where I stood with what Maddy should do. Maybe that was part of this story that is meant to drag you in. Real life isn’t as simple or cut and dried as it seems.

I certainly read the book quickly enough and I certainly enjoyed it. However in all honesty had the ending not been so surprising and brilliant I may have given it the middle of the road 3/5 rating. With the ending written as it was, I enjoyed it and felt like we had taken the complete journey with these three characters. As ever Fletcher’s wring flows beautifully and is easy to fall into, however it’s not quite as good as some of her other books I have read. I will still asd ever immensley look forward to any of her new releases.