Category: General Fiction

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.

A Daughters Courage by Renita D’Silva

226x346

Synopsis: 1929. When a passionate love affair threatens to leave Lucy in disgrace, she chooses a respectable marriage over a life of shame. With her husband, coffee plantation owner James, she travels to her new home in India, leaving her troubled past behind her. 

Everything in India is new to Lucy, from the jewel-coloured fabrics to the exotic spices. When her path crosses that of Gowri, a young woman who tends the temple on the plantation’s edge, Lucy is curious to find out more about her, and the events that lead her to live in isolation from her family… 

Now. With her career in shatters and her heart broken by the man she thought was her future, Kayva flees from bustling Mumbai to her hometown. A crumbling temple has been discovered in a village nearby, and with it letters detailing its tragic history – desperate pleas from a young woman called Gowri. 

As Kavya learns of Gowri and Lucy’s painful story, she begins to understand the terrible sacrifices that were made and the decision the two women took that changed their lives forever. Can the secrets of the past help Kavya to rebuild her life? 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I confess that before I had read Renita’s work I was always a little put off. I don’t know why but the synopsis always seemed a little too ‘not my thing’. However, after reading the first book by her I was smitten. I always love it when an author and their book surprises me. Since then I have goine on to read and loved her tales, because that what they are. Cleverly woven stories which literally take you on a journey. When I saw she has a new book out I have to admit I was apprehensive. When you fall in love with an author and their work, I always get a little bit scared that their following books won’t live up to my expectations. Thankfully I was wrong and this book swept me away as much as her others have, if not more.

I confess when the synopsis indicated we would be reading about Lucy and Gowri in the 1920’s my heart sunk a little. I have never been big on historical settings however by the time I had finished the book I was literally blown away. This story is tragic, emotional and so compelling I literally didn’t want to put it down, something I never thought I would say when it comes to historical stories.

Lucy lives in England and Gowri in India. Their lives could not be further apart and their stories end up being completely interweaved in a tale that swept me away to tyhe wilds of India. Gowri is a young woman who was given as a Devadasi when she was a young girl. Upon finishing this book I googled and read a lot more about this sad and sorry tradition where young girls become a servant of God and essentially nothing more than a mans toy. My heart wept for Gowri but the story was told with such passion and heart that I didn’t just imagine this story, but felt like I was right there with her. On the opposite side of the world Lucy is an entitled young British woman who seems to have it all. Her story takes a turn when she makes a huge mistake in her life which leads her into the arms of James, a young eligible Bachelor who owns a plantation in India.

In addition to Lusy and Gowri we meet Kavya who is living in the present day and who has had to make the decision to return to her village after failings in her personal life. We also briefly meet Sue, a widow who is working through the grief of lsoing her husband whilst recently discovering she was pregnant. Although Gowri and Lucy stole the show for me, both Kavya and Sue were pivotal to the story towards the end. The book started a little slower than her usual books but with perfectly good reason. The background is all important as these girls lives are laid out before us.

This book was a sheer joy to read and I am putting myself out on a limb by saying this is the best book I have read in this genre this year. Please do not make assukmptions like I once did by either teh synopsis, or cover not being the style you would read. This is true storytelling at it’s best and transporting you to another time and another world. One that had me absorbed to the end. A truly outstanding book that I hugely reccomend to everybody. This is by far the best work Renita D’Silva has written and a book that I absolutely LOVED!

Ella’s Ice Cream Summer by Sue Watson

227x346

Synopsis: Ella’s life just hit rock-bottom, but can a summer by the sea mend her broken heart? When life gives you lemons… make ice-cream!

Life hasn’t always been easy for single mum Ella, but she has just hit an all-time low; she’s jobless, loveless, very nearly homeless and, to make matters worse, now the owner of a pocket-sized pooch with a better wardrobe than her.

Packing her bags (and a bigger one for the dog), Ella sets off for the seaside town of Appledore in Devon to re-live the magical summers of her youth and claim her portion of the family ice-cream business: a clapped-out ice-cream van and a complicated mess of secrets.

There she meets gorgeous and free-spirited solicitor, Ben, who sees things differently: with a little bit of TLC he has a plan to get the van – and Ella – back up and running in no time.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have been a huge Sue Watson fan for a long time now and once I had finished reading this book I actually pondered over exactly what it is about her books that make them so special. It comes down to the fundamentals, which for me is the characters. Yes she has amazing ability as a storyteller and creates wonderful tales that will keep you entertained, but what does she do differently that others maybe don’t? Characters….that’s what! All of Sue’s books have a wonderful laugh out loud quality to them but most of this is instilled in each character and none more so than this latest book Ella’s Ice Cream.

Ella is feeling like her life has stalled. She has two children ready to fly the nest on gap years and a seventy something Mother who seems more at ease with technology than she could ever be. Then there is the smarmy ex-husband Dick who is currently shacked up in Spain with his boss. When Ella discovers that her aunt has left her a share of her Ice Cream business down in Appledore she is taken aback. Appledore is a place that holds fond memories for her as a child, however a family rift stops her from delving too far into the past. Ella takes the bull by the horns and makes her way to Appledore against her Mothers wishes.

As much as I adored Ella, the star of the show for me was her mother Roberta! I literally fell in love with the Mother who is obsessed with Mob Wives and sexting! With Italian roots, some of the scenes that I read involving Roberta had me laughing out loud. I could literally picture some of the scenes unravelling in front of my very eyes and I felt like I was sitting on the beach at Appledore observing this crazily lovable family. The fact that there is another book coming made me jump for joy and I cannot wait to get started on it.

This book is an absolute corker and a joy to read from start to finish. Sue Watson has produced a wonderful book that I think everybody would enjoy. I cannot recommend this author highly enough and think that more people need to discover the pure joy of her books. An outstanding book that is an absolute must for your Summer Holidays!

A Baby At The Beach Cafe by Lucy Diamond

51H2vb6QXjL._SL250_

A Baby at the Beach Cafe is an engaging short story follow-up to Lucy Diamond’s bestselling novel The Beach Cafe.

Evie loves running her beach cafe in Cornwall but with a baby on the way, she’s been told to put her feet up. Let someone else take over? Not likely.

Helen’s come to Cornwall to escape the stress of city living. She hopes a seaside life will be the answer to all her dreams. When she sees a job advertised at the cafe it sounds perfect.

But the two women clash and sparks fly. . . and then events take a dramatic turn. Can the pair of them put aside their differences in a crisis?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review:  I adore Lucy Diamond’s books and was shocked when I realised I had missed this little nugget. I thoroughly enjoyed the Beach Cafe books and was excited to read a little more about Evie and her husband Ed. At only 145 pages it’s certainly a short story and I read it in one sitting but it was so nice to be back with the characters. Evie is now heavily pregnant and her husband Ed decides they have to employ a new Cafe Manager for when Evie goes on Maternity leave.

With the Beach Cafe being Evie’s baby she is reluctant to allow anyone else to run her perfect little business. When Helen escapes city life by moving down to Cornwall she hadn’t planned on working but the opportunity presented itself and both her and Evie are not keen on each other for various reasons. Although Helen could be abrasive as a reader you knew why and actually it was such a lovely story I almost thought it was a shame when it ended as I would have loved to have known more about Helen.

If you haven’t read any of Lucy Diamonds books you are missing out. The books of hers I have read to date have been nothing but delightful and the Beach Cafe books are amazing. Definitely a recommended author.

Mystery at Maplemead Castle by Kitty French (Chapelwick #2)

51MQ-xaNJaL._SL250_

Synopsis: Maplemead Castle is crawling with ghosts, and the new owners need them gone. When Melody Bittersweet and the Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency arrive on scene, they quickly identify the troublemakers swinging from the chandeliers… literally.

A century ago, stunning trapeze artist Britannia Lovell plunged to her death, and has done every night since. But did she really just fall, or was there something more to her demise?

Forced to work with Leo Dark, her scoundrel ex, and infuriating, irresistible reporter Fletcher Gunn, Melody’s investigative powers are under strain (i.e. lost in a pink mist of lust and confusion). She needs her team on top form, but best friend Marina’s cake pipeline goes AWOL, assistant Artie’s distracted by a giant sausage roll, and the pug is scared witless by a lion.

Somewhere, hidden in the castle, is a heart-breaking secret, but what will it take to find it? And is there a chance it could set Britannia free, or is she doomed to repeat her last fateful act forever?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I am absolutely besotted with this trio and would happily read on and on! I read the first instalment and absolutely loved it so was thrilled to be able to move straight onto book 2. Melody sees dead people (literally) and has decided to move away from the family business (both her mother and Gran see dead people too) and has set up her very own ghost busting agency. Now don’t get me wrong I know that this sounds ridiculous and I for one would (previous to the first book) be rolling my eyes. I couldn’t have been more wrong and instead have fallen hook line and sinker for these wonderful characters.

Melody’s agency consist of Marina, the fiery Sicilian, the shy but wonderfully direct Artie as well as Lestat the one eared pug! They find themselves called to Maplemead Castle as it appears to be crawling with ghosts. The new owners call them in and within the first ten minutes at the castle all sorts has happened including the appearance of trapeze artist Britannia Lovell who has been dead for a century and a very funny incident with a dead ringmaster and his lion. It sounds barmy, and it IS barmy but it also an enticingly funny read that will leave the majority laughing out loud.

The addition of Melody’s ex-boyfriend Leo as well as reported Fletcher Gunn (also Melody’s enemy as well as secret desire) makes the story a whole lot more interesting and get Melody and the team into a whole heap of ridiculous and unsavoury situations. I wish we had seen more of Melodys Mum and Gran who are both a rule unto themselves and are exceptional characters who I love.

The one liners, the crazy situations and the skills from this author have created another stonkingly good book. I am totally girl fanning over Kitty French and am absolutely delighted to have read this series, I am just crossing my fingers and hoping the next one is just as good. If you wan’t something different that will cheer you up no end, make you laugh, and keep you utterly entertained from the very first to the very last page, then look no further! 

Blog Tour: A Wedding In Italy by Tilly Tennant

163x250

Synopsis: Kate is living the dream with her gorgeous boyfriend Alessandro in his native city, but the reality is sometimes a little less romantic than she’d hoped. Every day in her new home is a fight against leaking pipes, her cantankerous landlord and her less-than-perfect grasp of the Italian lingo. 

All around her there is talk of weddings, but when a secret from her past is thrust out into the open, Kate must fight to prove to Alessandro’s Mamma – and the rest of his formidable family – that she truly is Italian marriage material. 

With the women in Alessandro’s life on a mission to break them apart, the cracks begin to show and Kate starts to question if Alessandro really is the man of her dreams. Can love and the city of romance conquer all, or is that just a fairy-tale?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I was SO thrilled there was another Tilly Tennant book out but almost passed out in excitement when I realised this was a follow up to ‘Rome Is Where The Heart Is’. I dived right in and instantly fell in love all over again with the characters. Kate is now living the dream in Rome and her boyfriend Alessandro is there to support her all the way. However, it’s pretty clear that things haven’t quite gone as swimmingly as she had hoped and it isn’t long before you start to see Kate’s normally positive outlook start to diminish.

Kate was hoping that her dressmaking business would have taken off, however somehow she mas managed to get lumbered making dresses for her Landlords wife for less than she is meant to. On top of that she still hasn’t grasped the Italian language enough, she has a hard time trying to please all of the family and to top it all off she now has worries about some of the non family female members that seem to spend a lot of time with Alessandro.

Although things aren’t quite what she thought you cannot help but fall in love with Kate, she is so sunny and upbeat and there is an inate kindness about her. What adds to the story are Alessandro’s family who all have their own ways but undoubtedly make the story line so much richer. Lucetta (Alessandro’s sister) get’s married which means not only does Kate get to experience an Italian family wedding first hand, but she gets to meet Alessandro’s extended family too. We also in this latest story get to meet up with Jamie who was instrumental in book 1 and I was so pleased to see him back, albeit not for long!

This story was SO enjoyable because in true style Tilly takes you into the heart of the Conti family and you almost feel part of the furniture. Kate and Alessandro along with the family make for such a warm and inviting book that I hope we get to see them again as they are SO much fun.

THE LITTLE TEASHOP OF LOST AND FOUND BY TRISHA ASHLEY

51a7uT1J5sL._SL250_

Synopsis: Alice Rose is a foundling, discovered on the Yorkshire moors above Haworth as a baby. Adopted but then later rejected again by a horrid step-mother, Alice struggles to find a place where she belongs. Only baking – the scent of cinnamon and citrus and the feel of butter and flour between her fingers – brings a comforting sense of home. 

So it seems natural that when she finally decides to return to Haworth, Alice turns to baking again, taking over a run-down little teashop and working to set up an afternoon tea emporium. 

Luckily she soon makes friends – including a Grecian god-like neighbour – who help her both set up home and try to solve the mystery of who she is. There are one or two last twists in the dark fairytale of Alice’s life to come . . . but can she find her happily ever after?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5 

Kat’s Review: So this was my first Trisha Ashley book and I was really looking forward to getting stuck in, especially with the extremely enticing cover. The book starts and we are introduced to Alice Ross who is a redhead who seemingly flits from one end of the country to another. Just 6 chapters in and we had already covered a nearly 20 year time span. I have to be honest and admit that I was struggling with it a bit and found myself feeling little connection with the character. However, thankfully it seems the author did this to give the reader a really condensed version of Alice’s life in preparation for what comes next. From this point on the story flowed beautifully and by the halfway mark I knew I would complete the rest in just one sitting!

So once we skip past the beginning of Alice’s life we catch up with her as she is grieving for many things in her life. She decides to make an impulse move and buys a run down cafe near Haworth. With just her Beetle and a few items she makes the journey down there with the view to starting afresh and possibly getting some answers about the place in which she was born. Initially I have to be honest and say that I thought this book would be solely focused on Alice and her Teashop (hence the title). However, although the Teashop plays a huge part in the story it’s not actually the main focus and this gave it a much more original feel. Sadly these types of stories are being replicated by many authors and sometimes there is such a thing as too much.

What makes this story so enjoyable was the discovery and subsequent quest to find out about where Alice was born and what the area would tell about where her life started. For me the absolute stars of this story were the very unconventional characters of Tilda and Nell. Two Yorshire ladies who are actually well known for how rude they are. They brought a brilliant sparkle to the story and made it so much more refreshing to read about some characters that brought something new to the table. In addition Alice meets the Gidding’s family who are such a joy to read about as well as other locals who make more fleeting appearances such as Jack the Handyman as well as Alice’s long term friend Lola.

I think that had I given up after those first 6 chapters I would never have discovered such a great author so I am pleased I persevered. The story was a joy to read and although some would peg it firmly in the ‘romance’ category I think there is a lot more to this that just hearts and flowers. Another great author to add to my never ending list of people I need to continue to read.

The Skeletons of Scarborough House by Kitty French (Chapelwick Mysteries #1)

51+tp7fwn6L._SL250_

Synopsis: Welcome to Chapelwick, a leafy English town in the hills of Shropshire, where chocolate fudge cake comes served with a side of murder.

Scarborough House is haunted, and it’s not doing much for Donovan Scarborough’s investment portfolio. No one wants to buy a place with levitating crockery, or (the wrong kind of) rhythmic pounding throughout the night.

Luckily, Melody “I-See-Dead-People” Bittersweet has just launched her own ghostbusting agency with best friend Marina, geeky, keen Arthur, and a one-eared pug called Lestat. They’re quick to take the case, even if it has already sort of (definitely) been given to Leo Dark, Melody’s rakish, despicable ex.

Melody soon discovers the resident phantoms are three brothers, one who was murdered at twenty, while the others lived to old age. But did the family exile the right person, or did the true killer get away with it?

Donovan Scarborough doesn’t care who solves the case. Whoever gets rid of the ghosts gets paid.

Can Melody and her new crew untangle the mystery, and bring the brothers peace, before Leo? Or will his distracting sexiness and Melody’s bonkers family cause the agency to fall at its first hurdle?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “The Skeletons of Scarborough House by Kitty French (Chapelwick Mysteries #1)”

The Girl Who Came Back by Susan Lewis

51jnn-gPRgL._SL250_

Synopsis: When Jules Bright hears a knock on the door, the last person she expects to find is a detective bringing her the news she’s feared for the last three years.

Amelia Quentin is being released from prison.

Jules’s life is very different now to the one she’d known before Amelia shattered it completely. Knowing the girl is coming back she needs to decide what to do. Friends and family gather round, fearing for Jules’s safety. They know that justice was never served; every one of them wants to make the Quentin girl pay. 

The question is, what will Jules do; and which of them – her or Amelia – has the most to fear?

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I have been reading Susan Lewis for years and my very first review on Amazon nearly 10 years ago was one of her books. I always enjoy them but every now and then one comes along that I struggle with and sadly this was one of them. In the beginning we see glimpses of Amelia and instantly it becomes apparent she is no ordinary child and if that continues she may well become a very disturbed individual. Jules then becomes the main focus of the story and we see her struggle to come to terms with the news she has just been told. Amelia Quentin will be released from prison following an event that had far reaching consequences for her family.

As the story continues we see both present and past explored but it was done in an easy to read way. There are many elements to this book that maybe wont sit right with some people (subject matter for a start wont be everybody’s cup of tea), however the story flowed well and was easy to get into. However, there were one or two issues within the book I just felt had no added value, as well as the fact that certain elements within the story didn’t seem authentic and to be honest this spoiled things a little for me.

I continued reading and finished the book, and although I enjoyed it there were too many things I didn’t like or had niggles with so felt that the fairest rating would be the middle of the road. I certainly hope her next book is just as enthralling as the numerous others of hers I have read.

The Kicking The Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins

51pzhtXIrNL._SL250_

Synopsis: Three sisters. Their mother’s dying wish. One last chance to be a family. Meet the daughters of Iris Parker. Dee; sensitive and big-hearted; Rose uptight and controlled and Fleur the reckless free spirit.At the reading of their mother’s will, the three estranged women are aghast to discover that their inheritance comes with very tricky strings attached. If they are to inherit her wealth, they must spend a series of weekends together over the course of a year and carry out their mother’s ‘bucket list’. But one year doesn’t seem like nearly enough time for them to move past the decades-old layers of squabbles and misunderstandings. Can they grow up for once and see that Iris’s bucket list was about so much more than money.

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Continue reading “The Kicking The Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins”