Category: General Fiction

CHRISTMAS AT THE LITTLE VILLAGE BAKERY BY TILLY TENNANT (HONEYBOURNE #2)

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Synopsis; Snow is falling in Honeybourne and Spencer is bringing home his American fiancée Tori for a traditional English Christmas with all the trimmings. But when his hippie mum and dad meet her high-maintenance parents, sparks of the wrong sort start to fly. Then Spencer bumps into his first love Jasmine and unexpected feelings come flooding back. 

Millie is run off her feet with Christmas orders at the Little Village Bakery and new baby Oscar. Thank goodness her cousin Darcie is here to help her. Although she does seem to be rather flirty with Millie’s boyfriend Dylan. 

Will Darcie ever find true love of her own? And is marrying Tori a terrible mistake for Spencer if his heart is with someone else?

*Please note, if you plan on reading the first book, then do not continue reading my review as it will inevitably contain spoilers*

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I absolutely loved the first book by Tilly that was set in the small village of Honeybourne. When I realised this was the second book featuring some of the same characters I was extremely excited. The first book features Millie and Dylan, and although they play a big part in this latest book, the main characters are Spencer and Tori. Spencer has been in America and he has brought his English fiance home for Christmas. Sadly for Spencer he hadn’t bargained on a lot of the things that end up happening over the seasonal period in Honeybourne.

Although Millie and Dylan are now settled with baby Oscar, they have help in the form of Millie’s cousin Darcie. Darcie helps out at the bakery and she certainly makes a lasting impression on the reader too. It seems Darcie is somewhat smitten with Dylan which can only cause confusion. IT seems on Spencer’s return he is the only one that has noticed it. However he has his own problems in the form of his hippy like parents and also meeting Tori’s parents for the first time.

As usual the characters Tilly Tennant creates are lovable and what is even more endearing is that you get to see additional characters from around the village that featured in book 1. Jasmine and Rich feature especially seeing as Jasmine was Spencer’s first love and one that he never quite got over. There are so many funny moments which made me giggle, especially when Spencer and Tori’s parent meet…it makes for some very amusing scenes.

Overall, the first book edged it for me as Millie and Dylan are still firm favourites. Having said that this was a thoroughly enjoyable book and with the added benefit of being set in a snowy Honeybourne around Christmas time it certainly has the seasonal feel to it. I love Christmas books, and think this would make a wonderful addition to anybody’s stocking this year!

RETURN TO THE LITTLE FRENCH GUESTHOUSE BY HELEN POLLARD

Synopsis: When Emmy Jamieson leaves her life behind and moves to La Cour des Roses, a gorgeous guesthouse amidst vineyards in France, everything is resting on her success as the new guesthouse manager. 

Looming in the calendar is the biggest booking ever, when the entire eccentric, demanding Thomson family will descend for a golden wedding anniversary. With airbeds on the floor and caravans in the garden, La Cour des Roses will be bursting at the seams.

Emmy knows she’s up to the challenge, especially with the support of the gorgeous Alain, the half-French, half-English, caramel-eyed accountant. But she hadn’t counted on a naked, sleepwalking travel blogger, or the return of owner Rupert’s venomous ex-wife Gloria.

Gloria has a few things to say about Emmy’s new role, Rupert’s finances, and the unsuspecting Alain, which send everybody reeling. Just when Emmy can see a future for herself of endless sunshine, true love and laughter, are her dreams about to be ripped at the seams?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 

*** If you are planning on reading the first book please don’t read my review as it will inevitably contain spoilers ***

Kat’s Review. It’s official….Helen Pollard can do NO wrong. I read her book The Little French Guesthouse and fell in love. I fell in love with France, with the Guesthouse and with all of the characters. In the return to La Cour des Roses with this next book I have fallen in love all over again. Emmy Jamieson has packed up her bags and made the permanent move to France. Following her boyfriend Nathan cheating on her with the guesthouse owner Rupert’s wife Gloria, she is now moving in with Rupert at the Guesthouse and together they will build the business back up.

Emmy hadn’t planned on her beautiful French adventure starting off with seemingly everything going wrong. As the book picks up where the last one left off it feels like returning to your favourite holiday destination! Emmy soon realises that Gloria has left things in a right mess and with the upcoming arrival of the Thomson family which they knew nothing about she has her work cut out.

Rupert is slowly adjusting to life without Gloria and the addition of Emmy helps him along his way. He has faith in her along with a whole host of friends that make a welcome return. Rupert’s accountant Alain once again appears and it seems that Emmy may have met a man that is worth paying attention to. However, she hadn’t bargained on naked sleepwalking guests, or the return of Gloria,

I love how we see Emmy and Rupert try but struggle to get everything done in time for the Thomson’s arrival as well as seeing how all the additional friends help in their own way. Helen Pollard manages to sweep you along with all the excitement and the pitfalls of this beautiful guesthouse. Her writing is so easy to fall in with and I could almost imagine myself sipping coffee in their glorious gardens. There are some wonderful moments in this book and the characters are just people I want to read more about. This really is a wonderfully feel good read, and I absolutely cannot wait to return to the village and read more about everybody. I just hope I get what I wish for!

Strictly My Husband by Tracy Bloom

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Synopsis: Laura loves it when Tom takes her for a late night tango around the kitchen after their friends have gone home and they’re avoiding the washing up. She can’t dance but who cares when no one is watching?

All that changes when Tom arrives on the doorstep with Carly, a professional dancer, and announces he’s offered her the spare room to rent while she performs in a show that Tom is directing.

An outraged Laura doesn’t feel like dancing with Tom anymore but Carly does. It only takes two to tango, and given Tom’s history who knows where it could end? Will Laura be the one left watching from the sidelines whilst Carly waltzes off with her husband’s heart?

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I like Tracy Bloom books and although I have only rated this 3/5 it was still a good read. The problem I had with this book was Laura, the main character! Laura is married to the handsome Tom and her life is ticking along like normal. However, when Tom brings home a professional dancer Carly to rent their room things start to go rapidly downhill for Laura.

Laura and Tom are very readable and along with them we meet their married friends Jerry and Hannah as well as Tom’s brother Will. Jerry was without a doubt the star of the show for me and was hilarious, full of life and completely over the top. However, Laura just grated on me from start to finish. The woman never stopped moaning and to be honest I just didn’t like her. That’s my main reason for the 3 star rating. Laura, Tom, Carly, and the other characters were great. They were all easily read, humorous and swept the story along. However, every time Laura got on the phone to Hannah to moan I could almost feel the switch in my brain starting to turn off. 

Pushing that to one side, Tracy Bloom has a great balance between humour and storytelling and there is an easy flow to her books which makes them very readable. I feel like Jerry should make a return in future books as I would have loved to have read more about his adventures following the end of this book. Overall certainly not a bad read, but marred by my dislike for the main character.

THE LITTLE VILLAGE BAKERY BY TILLY TENNANT (HONEYBOURNE #1)

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Synopsis: Meet Millie. Heartbreak has forced her to make a new start and when she arrives at the old bakery in the little village of Honeybourne she is determined that this will be her home sweet home. Her imagination has been captured by the tumbledown bakery but with no running water and dust everywhere, her cosy idea of making cakes in a rural idyll quickly crumbles. 

Luckily the locals are a friendly bunch and step in to help Millie. One in particular, Dylan, a laid-back lothario, soon captures her attention. 

But just as Millie is beginning to settle in, an unexpected visitor from her past suddenly turns up determined to ruin everything for her. It’s time for Millie to face the skeletons in her closet if she’s going to live the dream of running her little village bakery, and her blossoming romance with Dylan. 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: First off I love the cover for this book and having never read any of Tilly Tennant’s books I was looking forward to getting started. Right off the bat I liked Honeybourne. A small village where everybody knows everybody. Millie has turned up in Honeybourne having brought the old rundown bakery that has been standing unloved for many years. Millie is not an easy character to get to know and its clear from the outset that her past is whats made her run away and try to start afresh. However, the real reason behind it is kept cloaked in mystery until a long way into the book.

We also meet Jasmine, the pink haired jewellery maker along with her husband Rich and their triplets. They are instantly likeable along with Jasmines younger brother Dylan. Dylan is the laid back one who seemingly doesn’t have a care in the world. Additional characters include Millie’s neighbour Ruth, and Spencer an old friend of Dylan and Jasmine’s. The only niggle point for me in the story was that although Millie’s history was interesting it dragged out too long. Other than that the book, story and characters totally held me captive.

I fell in love with this village and it’s occupants and although the bakery itself is the starting point it isn’t necessarily the main focal point of the story. This was more getting to know the people involved. Millie’s past soon comes back top haunt her and before you know it everybody involved seems to have secret’s spilling out of their closet. The story was great and so enjoyable, and I really love the fact that the follow up books feature other characters within the village. Overall this was a thoroughly enjoyable read perfect for the summer. Luckily for me I have the next book lined up so I know which book will come next. 

We’ll Always Have Paris by Sue Watson

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Synopsis: When she was almost seventeen, Rosie Draper locked eyes with a charismatic student called Peter during their first week at art college, changing the course of her life forever. Now, on the cusp of sixty-five and recently widowed, Rosie is slowly coming to terms with a new future. And after a chance encounter with Peter, forty-seven years later, they both begin to wonder ‘what if’ . . .

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have to confess when I read the synopsis I was a little worried. Sue Watson has been a favourite author of mine for some time and her writing style is peppered with humour which normally has me crying with laughter. The synopsis with this latest book seemed a little less like her normal style so I wondered whether I would enjoy it as much? Thankfully this latest release shows that Sue Watson seems able to turn her hand to any style without any problems. 

Rosie Draper is the lead character in this book and being in her sixties means she falls outside the normal twenty or thirty something woman. Rosie is an absolutely brilliant character, but sadly the opening sees her struggling to come to terms with the loss of her husband after a long and happy marriage. Luckily she has her two adult children supporting her along with her granddaughters. Her two daughters run their flower shop and Rosie decides to return back to working with them in an effort to return her life to something approaching normalcy. 

She didn’t count on running into her first love Pete from when she was 17 whilst attending and preparing some wedding flowers. Peter and her slowly claw back their friendship as Rosie struggles to get the perfect balance between her family and her own personal happiness. This book was certainly a change from her normal work but a story that I just fell in love with. I adored the family, Peter and Rosie herself. The story is told with warmth and love and is a real hear string puller!

I can certainly say that this book was an absolute joy to read. Sue Watson has managed to create a wonderfully warm love story which focuses on a lady slightly older than most I read about. It pulls the heart strings, and feels like a big warm hug at the end of a hard working day. I can truly say I think this book will be hugely popular and I for one cannot wait to see what Sue comes up with next, it seems there isn’t a lot this lady can’t do!

Scandalous Lies by Nigel May

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Synopsis: SUSPENSE: Georgia’s best friend, ballroom dancing sensation Mitzi, has vanished with boyfriend Foster while on holiday in California. Can Georgia get to the truth of their disappearance before it’s too late?

SECRETS: Reality TV star Nova could give the Kardashians a run for their money. But while she allows millions of viewers into her fabulous home, she’s unaware what her husband, celebrity mogul Jacob, is up to behind closed doors …

SEX: Tanya is filthy rich, married to a man who adores her but she is restless. And her sexual appetite is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

SCANDAL: Victoria, once the trophy-wife, has lost her mojo. Determined to get her life and marriage back on track, she’s desperate to inject some excitement in her life – but at what cost?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: If you’re a fan of Hollywood glamour, raunchy suspense and secrets then this book will be right up your street! I really love Nigel’s books and they are real Bonk Busters which means they are normally full of loads of sex, some normally underhand skulduggery and there is normally shed loads of celebrities or wealth floating about. This book has the whole shebang….and more! the ballroom dancing sensation MItzi has taken some time out to spend with her equally famous boyfriend Foster and they go missing at some stage during the trip. When the world moves on, Mitzi’s best friend Georgia is struggling to do the same. It seems like the world is quickly forgetting Mitzi and Georgia is determined to find the truth about what happened to her.

At first it seems like there is an overload of characters but by the time I was a quarter of the way through the book it started to all link together. Although there are too many characters to mention one of my favourites was Nova, the mother of Charlie (Georgia’s boyfriend) and a reality TV star. She is a larger than life character that I adored and to be frank the story just wouldn’t have been the same without her.

There are so many threads to the story and it seems that everybody involved has some sort of a secret. There are also some extremely naughty scenes featured heavily in the book, so beware for commuters that like to read over your shoulder, they may get more than they bargained for. By the time I had worked out who was sleeping with who, and who was jetting off to the next country I was pretty breathless. There was so much going on but I literally couldn’t stop reading. From LA to London to India, we see some amazing locations with some sensational characters and it’s all wrapped up in an entire life of glamour and lies. I LOVED this book, even more than previous Nigel May books I have read. One thing is for sure and that is that I will be reading every last book he currently has out as otherwise I fear I may be missing out. If you’re a fan of authors such as Jackie Collins, Tasmina Perry and the like then Nigel May needs to be your new ‘go-to’ author…I promise you won’t be disappointed. 

Good at Games by Jill Mansell

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Synopsis: Suzy fell for Harry the moment she showed him her husband’s sperm sample. It didn’t really belong to her husband, though, because she wasn’t married. It wasn’t a sperm sample either, it was a drinks carton containing the dregs of her milkshake. But when you’re trying to get off a speeding charge you just have to improvise, don’t you? And it wasn’t actually love at first sight. Still, it was undeniably a healthy attack of lust. And it might just be the beginning of something special..

 Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have been reading Jill Mansell since my late teens and have always loved her books. Reading this certainly took me back a bit as it was first released nearly 7 years ago. However, with any Jill Mansell book as soon as I started reading I just fell into the story and characters without a problem. Suzy Curtis is a feisty character who makes for incredibly easy reading. She is the ex-wife (number 2) of Rock Star Jaz, and along with him we meet Leo and his brother Harry.

The opening of the book is very funny as we see Suzy get herself in a ridiculous situation that quickly spirals and ends up with her being in a situation she maybe shouldn’t be. As the book progresses we see a story line surround numerous characters and this just adds to the enjoyment of the book. Reading this book some 16 years after it was published certainly made me realise that Jill Mansell’s books have seemingly got better with each year that passes. I felt like this slightly failed to hit the marks if you compare it to her recent releases.

That aside, this really was a typically enjoyable read by Jill Mansell. Funny and lighthearted and very readable. I always find that her books are easy reads and normally a perfect book to take when you go on holiday. Although this wasn’t quite as good as her newer stuff, it was still great and I will as always look out for any new releases she has coming out.  

One Hot Summer by Kat French

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Synopsis: Being married to a celebrity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when that celebrity has a very public affair with his co-star…

Alice McBride is determined that the one thing she won’t lose in her marriage breakup is Borne Manor, her beloved home, but she gets more than she bargained for when she rents it out for the summer and a sexy cowboy comes to stay.

Country music star Robinson Duff has had his own share of heartbreak and needs somewhere quiet to hide out for the summer. Neither Alice nor Robinson are in any position for romance; the timing is terrible and they’re both rebounding like out of control frisbees.

Can a holiday romance help mend their broken hearts. Or will it just make things even worse when the long hot summer comes to its inevitable end?

Kat’s Rating: 6/5..oops sorry, I mean 5/5

Kat’s Review: Okay here’s a fact for you. I read a LOT of books, maybe not as much as some but certainly more than your average reader. Yes my preference is Crime, Thriller or Mystery but you need to break it up and I love nothing more than a good ol’ romantic fiction, especially if it’s funny. It’s why I’m a huge fan of people like Sue Watson. However, I admit when I started to read this and saw the cover I didn’t bother with the synopsis as I figured it would be ‘par for the course’ in this genre. Oh my, how wrong can one person be. Have you even been in a good old fashioned greasy spoon, and by the time you have finished your meal you are convinced it should be Michelin starred? Well, that’s kind of what happened to me with this book!

Alice McBride and her husband Brad start the opening chapters of this book and we see Alice sling Brad out of her beautiful marital home Borne Manor due to his wandering hands. So far so normal, except even at this point there was just something about the characters and the setting. It was so easy to read and Alice was just so normal and likeable. Seeing as her husband Brad is a reasonably well known Actor, her split is not easy and as she is recovering from it all she realises that she refuses to lose her home, so decides on a Summer Rental. 

Enter Robinson Duff, the country music star that’s had his own share of heartbreak and is getting away from it all. Now I know that so far it seems like your ordinary romantic comedy but believe me it is SO much more. The additional characters which make up the village cast had me howling at times. It contains naked painters, ex porn stars and practising witches are just the tip of the iceberg. Now don’t get me wrong it’s predictable to a point, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Kat French has created the man of (I would have thought) every girl’s dream. I am convinced that if women created men and they were made like Robinson Duff, the world would be an easy place to live in!

If you want some fluffy, romantic, amazing writing and eye watering funny scenes then look no further. I haven’t enjoyed a book this much since I first discovered Sue Watson’s (in particular Love Lies and Lemon Cake). It is the perfect remedy to reading too much crime, a depressingly bleak British Summer and the drudge of every day life. Everything you could want and more in a book of this type and I think many will LOVE it. I know I certainly did and I will be eagerly scouring Amazon for when her next book is due. It’s official, I am now a Kat French Fan Girl!!!

‘SUMMER AT OYSTER BAY’ BY JENNY HALE

Synopsis: They say falling in love is easy. But what if you know it’ll break your heart?

For Emily Tate, returning to her charming childhood home Oyster Bay is like coming up for air after the fast pace of her city life. At the farm her grandfather built, surrounded by sister Rachel’s chatter, Gram’s butter biscuits and the soft, white sand, Emily is reminded exactly who she is and what she holds most dear.

When Emily starts work at elegant Water’s Edge Inn, Charles Peterson, the handsome new owner, asks for her help. He wants to expand and needs Emily to teach him the local ways, so he can convince the planning commission. Emily vows to make him fall in love with her hometown, just the way it is.

At work, Charles is reserved and serious, yet once Emily has him kicking off his shoes in the sand and sailing across glistening Chesapeake Bay, she sees another side to him, and their easy rapport feels like the start of something big.

But when it becomes clear Charles’s plans for the inn involve bulldozing Oyster Bay, Emily is heartbroken. Will she lose her home and Charles all at once, or can she save Oyster Bay, and give true love a chance?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have read three other Jenny Hale books which I really enjoyed so I was looking forward to reading this newest release. Thankfully Jenny has once again delivered a beautiful and heart-warming tale set in what sounds like somewhere I need to go! Emily Tate is returning to her home in Oyster Bay following 3 years living in the City. Luckily she is going to live with her Grandmother (Gram) at her childhood home and pretty soon gets to integrate herself back with family and friends. She is lucky to have secured a job at the elegant Inn at Water’s Edge and when she meets the new owner Charles Peterson the story takes a turn.

Emily is incredibly likeable, as are her Gram and sister Rachel, niece and Brother In Law Jeff. Jenny Hale has an incredibly talented way of making you feel like you are right alongside these characters in this beautiful yet small town place. Charlie Peterson is so likeable although at first he comes across as a little aloof. The other characters that feature such as Rachel, Emily’s sister also have their own story interwoven within the book which makes for another interesting take on the family.

Overall, this book has everything you could want. I found myself completely immersed and finding out more about Emily’s family really made for an absorbing and compelling read. I could see the way the story was going towards the end, but that’s exactly where I wanted it to go and I was so pleased that Jenny Hale finished the book as she did with a beautifully well fitted Epilogue. Overall I am finding Jenny Hale to be a ‘go-to’ author. One that you know you are guaranteed a great story. I cannot wait for her next book!

My Mother’s Secret by Sheila O’Flanagan

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Synopsis: When Steffie helps her two siblings organize a surprise wedding anniversary party for their parents her only worry is whether they’ll be pleased. What she doesn’t know is this is the day that her whole world will be turned upside down.

Jenny wants to be able to celebrate her ruby anniversary with the man she loves, but for forty years she has kept a secret. A secret that she can’t bear to hide any longer. But is it ever the right time to hurt the people closest to you?

As the entire family gather to toast the happy couple, they’re expecting a day to remember. The trouble is, it’s not going to be for the reasons they imagined…

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I am a big Sheila O’Flanagan fan and am rarely disappointed with one of her books. This latest one, although it wasn’t a disappointment as such, I just felt it was a little bit ‘middle of the road’ for my liking. It’s a typical family drama and the writing style is no different, there was just something that seemed a wee bit off kilter.

Roisin is the older sister to sister Steffi and brother Davey. When she throws an anniversary surprise party for their parents Jenny and Pascal, Steffi knows full well that this isn’t the sort of thing her parents want as they prefer the quieter life, so when her Mother drops a bombshell at the party it gets the book off to a great start. The characters are well fleshed out and you get that real Irish family feel to the story.  There are a lot of different personalities and threads which keep you engaged as a reader.

However, unusually for an Sheila O’Flanagan book, it didn’t seem to go much further than that for me. It’s a solid read but seems to be missing it’s usual magic, and the worst part is I can’t even tell you why. Yes it was a little predictable, but normally I overlook that as the enjoyment parts are so good. This time around, although I didn’t dislike any of the characters, I didn’t really care for them either way. Maybe it’s a one off, but for me this book felt a little bit too old fashioned and that just isn’t the case with this author normally. Here’s hoping her next released brings back that little bit of sparkle I felt was missing in this one.