Category: General Fiction

Those Summer Nights by Mandy Baggott

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Synopsis: Imogen Charlton is sorted. Dead-beat husband? History. Dream job? Application sent. But then her impulsive brother, Harry, spends every last penny on a Greek restaurant in Corfu, and is determined to run it himself. It’s up to Imogen to bring him to his senses. 

When sexy millionaire Panos Dimitriou offers to buy back his family taverna, Imogen wonders if all her prayers have been answered (and all her fantasies about to come true). But Harry won’t budge, and his enthusiasm is infectious. 

Bright pink bougainvillea tumbling over whitewashed walls, endless blue skies, the sparkling Mediterranean; it’s hard not to fall for Corfu. And that’s not all Imogen is falling for… 

As the sparks of passion fly between Imogen and Panos, is Imogen having second thoughts on selling the restaurant? And will she have to choose between love and a new dream? 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Mandy Baggott is a relatively new author to me. I know she has been writing and publishing since 2012 but I read my first book be her not that long ago and LOVED it. I was sincerely hoping it wasn’t a fluke and YAY it wasn’t. I have finished this and decided that Corfu is definitely somewhere I need to go back to.

Imogen (Immy) and her brother Harry are close, except that Harry doesn’t have a great history and when he announces he has brought a restaurant in Corfu Immy thinks he has finally lost his marbles. She decides that the only way to make Harry realise what a mistake he has made is to go to Corfu with him and see what she can do to get him to change his mind.

Harry and Immy are such adorable characters and it’s obvious from the outset how close they are. Harry is so loveable and although it seems like his choices are impulsive it soon becomes clear that his family are the reasons behind it. Mandy Baggott has such a wonderfully descriptive narrative that I almost felt like I was settled in one of the sun loungers right next to Harry’s restaurant.

I absolutely adored Elpida who is the lady who previously owned the restaurant. When her grandson Pano turns up things are shaken from the ground up. Pano is quite frankly everything you want on a Greek God and frankly I wanted to marry him myself within a few pages of meeting him. Pano is a developer and doesn’t take kindly to Harry and Immy trying to revive his Grandmothers restaurant.

With this book comes a whole host of loveable characters and a place that frankly should take centre stage in a luxury travel brochure. The story is another wonderful read, and one that transported me to a beach that frankly I wanted to spend weeks on. I loved the fact that although we see Greece, you also get a real flavour of the traditional Greece as opposed to the tourist traps. Once again I devoured this book and am annoyed I didn’t have the patience to wait and take it on holiday with me. My next question would be…”how long do I have to wait for the next book?”.

The Last Kiss Goodbye by Tasmina Perry

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Synopsis: Everyone remembers their first kiss. But what about the last?

1961. Journalist Rosamund Bailey is ready to change the world. When she meets explorer and man about town Dominic Blake, she realises she has found the love of her life. Just as happiness is in their grasp, the worst happens, and their future is snatched away.

2014. Deep in the vaults of a museum, archivist Abby Gordon stumbles upon a breathtaking find. A faded photograph of a man saying goodbye to the woman he loves. Looking for a way to escape her own heartache, Abby becomes obsessed with the story, little realising that behind the image frozen in time lies a secret altogether more extraordinary.

Kat’s Rating: 3/5 

Kat’s Review: I have to hold my hands up here and say I actually put off reading this book. I am a huge Tasmina Perry fan but when I saw her slight departure from style with both the cover and synopsis of this book I was slightly wary. This latest book is set over two time frames, both the 1960s and 2014. We have two stories set 50 years apart featuring Dom and Ros from the Fifties and Abby set in the current time frame.

Abby is archivist and after a separation from her husband she is finding her feet. She comes across a photograph that she longs to know more about. The photograph turns out to be that of Rosamund Bailey and Dominic Blake who was a famous explorer. This is where the story begins to separate and we see Dom and Ros feature. I have to be honest and say that the story was okay, but that’s where it ended for me. I didn’t care too much for either Dom or Ros and felt like Abby was rather flat.

The story itself trundles along but the characters which are just a fancy word for the glue that holds it all together just didn’t interest me enough. The writing style is still glaringly apparent but I suppose I have become accustomed to reading the Bonkbuster style books that Tasmina previously wrote. I am finding it difficult to articulate but in a nutshell I didn’t like or care enough about any of the characters for me to rate it anything outside of average. I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed, but can only hope her next book is as engaging as all her previous works.

Summer At Rose Island by Holly Martin (White Cliff Bay #3)

Synopsis: Fall in love with the gorgeous seaside town of White Cliff Bay this summer and enjoy long sunny days, beautiful beaches and… a little romance. 

Darcy Davenport is ready for a fresh start. Determined to leave a string of disastrous jobs and relationships behind her, she can’t wait to explore White Cliff Bay and meet the locals. 

When Darcy swims in the crystal clear waters of the bay, she discovers the charming Rose Island Lighthouse. But it’s not just the beautiful building that she finds so intriguing… 

Riley Eddison doesn’t want change. Desperate to escape the memories of his past, he lives a life of solitude in the lighthouse. Yet he can’t help but notice the gorgeous woman who swims out to his island one day. 

Darcy is drawn to the mysterious and sexy Riley, but when it seems the town is trying to demolish his home, she soon finds herself having to pick sides. 

She’s fallen in love with White Cliff Bay. But is that all Darcy’s fallen for? 

KAT’S RATING: 4/5 Continue reading “Summer At Rose Island by Holly Martin (White Cliff Bay #3)”

Blog Tour: The Flood by Steven Scaffardi

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I came across Steven Scaffardi back in 2011 and his novel The Drought. This book has had a massively lasting impact on me and was (and still is) one of the funniest books I had read in a long time. It’s a book that seems suited to most people and I think fits the bill in terms of women and men and I know that it was a massive success among my own circle of friends. Since then I have stayed in touch with Steven and been constantly hassling him as to when book 2 was out. It seemed

that Steven’s real life took precedence (how dare he) but now he has got around to releasing book 2 and it was definitely worth the wait. If you haven’t read him before do yourself a favour and buy Book  The Flood as well as the follow up, his latest release, The Flood (Book 2).

Synopsis: One bet, four girls, eight weeks, multiple dates. What could possibly go wrong? 

Following his traumatic eight month dry spell, Dan Hilles is back in the driving seat and ready to put his dating disasters behind him. 

But if only it were that simple. 

After a drunken afternoon in the pub, fuelled by the confidence of alcohol, Dan makes a bet with his three best pals that will complicate his love-life more than ever when he brazenly declares that he could juggle multiple women all at the same time. 

With just eight weeks to prove his point, Dan is about to find out how hard it is to date a flood of women without them all finding out about each other, especially when they come in the shape of an ex-girlfriend, a stalker, the office ice queen and the one that got away. 

The Flood is the hilarious follow-up to The Drought by lad lit author Steven Scaffardi, chronicling the adventures of unlucky-in-love Dan Hilles.

KAT’S RATING: 4/5

KAT’S REVIEW: So finally I could delve back into the life of Dan Hiles and his equally crazy friends. Dan Hiles is again allowing himself to be led into stupid bets, and book 2 proves that when he takes a bet. Four girls, eight weeks and multiple dates. Dan’s friends Jack, Rob and Ollie are largely responsible for the booze fuelled night where Dan accepts the bet but these three characters are also a must have staple for these books.  Although Dan takes centre stage as we see his ridiculous attempts to complete the bet, his friends are there for the journey which makes the book even more funny.

MANY people reading this will be able to empathise with friends like Dan’s. As we travel along with Dan things seem to take a more and more ridiculous turn with every bad decision he makes. For me the fact that Dan is a walking disaster makes the book even funnier. Now for some they may read the synopsis and think it’s not up to much. The truth is, if you have a wicked sense of humour I cannot see anything you would find as a negative with this book.

It covers all types of situations, the sexist, the ridiculous and the outlandish. However add to that mix a bunch of brilliantly written characters both male and female, along with some excellent scenes that will have you belly laughing and you’re on to a winner. Some people may wonder why I am praising this the hilt and then only give it 4 stars? Well the truth is the first book was SO funny that I accidentally spat my tea out while laughing really hard and managed to annoy the commuter in front of me. For me that initial book will always be my favourite and this one didn’t quite match it. Other than that, there is nothing negative I can say about this book. I’m astounded a publisher doesn’t demand to sign a deal with him as he has all the skill and talent of other Published male authors such as Mike Gayle and Matt Dunn.

If you want a book to make your eyes water, make your stomach hurt and cheer you up immensely you can’t go far wrong with this one. I for one am waiting with baited breath for the next instalment which I have a sneaking suspicion will be even better!

THE LITTLE FRENCH GUESTHOUSE BY HELEN POLLARD

Synopsis: When Emmy Jamieson arrives at La Cour des Roses, a beautiful guesthouse in the French countryside, she can’t wait to spend two weeks relaxing with boyfriend Nathan. Their relationship needs a little TLC and Emmy is certain this holiday will do the trick. But they’ve barely unpacked before he scarpers with Gloria, the guesthouse owner’s cougar wife.

Rupert, the ailing guesthouse owner, is shell-shocked. Feeling somewhat responsible, and rather generous after a bottle (or so) of wine, heartbroken Emmy offers to help. Changing sheets in the gîtes will help keep her mind off her misery.

Thrust into the heart of the local community, Emmy suddenly finds herself surrounded by new friends. And with sizzling hot gardener Ryan and the infuriating (if gorgeous) accountant Alain providing welcome distractions, Nathan is fast becoming a distant memory.

Fresh coffee and croissants for breakfast, feeding the hens in the warm evening light; Emmy starts to feel quite at home. But it would be madness to walk away from her friends, family, and everything she’s ever worked for, to take a chance on a place she fell for on holiday – wouldn’t it?

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: This is my first, but most definitely not my last Helen Pollard book. Being totally honest when I read the synopsis I was a little bit ‘meh’. Been there, read that, you know what I mean. A somebody who reads over 100 books a year things can get a little ‘samey’. However, as any reader knows, it’s not the story but the characters that bring a book to life. This is where Helen Pollard’s talent lies and I just fell in love with everybody in this book.

Emmy Jamieson is on holiday with her boyfriend Nathan. They have decided to visit La Cour des Roses, a little guesthouse in the French countryside. They are literally just unpacked and settled when Emmy realises that Nathan is at it with the Guesthouse owners wife Gloria. Before you know it both Nathan and Gloria have done a runner and Emmy is left feeling guilt ridden as Gloria’s husband Rupert is left both shell shocked and on his own to run his guesthouse. I have to be honest and wondered where the story could go with such drama happening in the first few chapters, however the beauty of this book is that this episode was just the beginning.

Emmy is a little downtrodden but rolls up her sleeves and before long, its clear her way of coping is getting stuck in and helping Rupert for the remainder of her holiday. Other than that I’m not mentioning anything else to the story line, just read it and hopefully fall in love with it just as I did. The storyline almost seems secondary to the wonderful host of characters my absolute favourite (aside from Emmy) being Rupert.  In addition to Rupert we meet so many characters that add to the flavour of this story, it made me want to visit a place just like this and find friends such as Emmy does.

I truly loved everything about this book and am already wondering when the sequel is out (YAY a sequel). What I am hoping is that we get to see ALL of the amazing people in the next book as they all brought a little something to this story. This truly was a feel good read which is an absolute must read, and in my opinion the perfect accompaniment to a sun lounger and a large cocktail…what more could a girl want? Bravo Bookouture, it seems that before long you are going to snag all the best authors and take over the Publishing world!

A Mother’s Secret by Renita D’Silva

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Synopsis: What if you discovered that everything you knew about yourself was a lie?

When pregnant Jaya loses her mother, then her baby son Arun in a tragic cot death, her world crashes down. Overcome by grief and guilt, she begins to search for answers – to the enigma of her lonely, distant mother, and her mysterious past in India. 

Looking through her mother’s belongings, she finds two diaries and old photographs, carrying the smoky aroma of fire. A young boy smiles out at Jaya from every photograph – and in one, a family stand proudly in front of a sprawling mansion. Who is this child? And why did her mother treasure this memento of a regal family lost to the past? 

As Jaya starts to read the diaries, their secrets lead her back to India, to the ruin of a once grand house on a hill. There, Kali, a mad old lady, will unlock the story of a devastating lie and a fire that tore a family apart. Nothing though will prepare Jaya for the house’s final revelation, which will change everything Jaya knew about herself. 

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: Renita’s last book blew me away and if I’m honest I figured it may just have been that particular story. However, having devoured this latest book I now know for sure it’s the author and not just the story that makes you fall in love with a book. Durga, Kali and Jaya are all the focus of this intricately weaved story and one that I just fell in love with.

Durga is a young girl who has been sent to stay with her Grandmother who lives in a once grand house on a hill. Durga is a delightful character, a young girl who is labelled as naughty and is struggling to come to terms with her new home. However, upon arrival at her new home she sees that an older lady Kali is living there and being looked after by her grandmother. Kali is the other main character that is slowly introduced to the story. In addition we see Jaya living in London and dealing with the aftermath and emotional effects of losing her mother and newborn son.

Jaya’s story was in interesting one and as each story is unfolded at times I wondered what I was missing. I knew there were connections but just couldn’t see them. Once I was a quarter of the way in I knew I was hooked and there was no way I was putting this book down. Renita D’Silva has a way with words and as a reader you feel like she can physically transport you to that small village in India. You can see the sights, smell the spices and imagine you are right there alongside the characters.

As the story progresses I became more and more lost in this story and the connections became more and more revealed and the story just sweeps you along. The story is packed full of hope, despair, tragedy, loss and a whole host of other emotions. This is the second of Renita’s books that have literally knocked my socks off. They have such a different feel to them and I always feel that ridiculous sense of loss when the story is finished. I will hold my hands up and admit that seeing the cover and even reading the synopsis of her last book, I still thought “this isn’t for me”. Maybe that ridiculous pre-judgement makes me even more happy as the story took me by surprise. Truly a delight to read and a loss when finished. This is definitely a book I would highly recommend and I would urge you to give it a try even if it’s not your normal type of book, as it may just surprise you.

The Second Chance Shoe Shop by Marcie Steel

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Synopsis: All Riley Flynn wants is to meet someone who makes her happy. But attracting the right kind of man is not easy, and with her heart still hurting from her last break-up, Riley believes she’ll never find love again.

A year ago, Sadie Stewart’s whole world was shattered when her husband, Ross, died. She has struggled to keep herself together for the sake of their young daughter, but with the anniversary of his death approaching, Sadie finds herself overwhelmed by grief.

Sadie and Riley work at Chandlers shoe shop, in the charming town of Hedworth. But when Chandlers is threatened with closure, the friends are confronted with the loss of not only their jobs, but also their support network – the glue that holds them together when they are close to breaking.

As they put together a plan to save their beloved shop, Sadie realises that she might just be learning to live again. Could it be that new beginnings are just round the corner? The campaign also finds Riley unexpectedly crossing paths with charming photographer, Ethan. Maybe her second chance at love is right under her feet …

KAT’S RATING: 4/5

KAT’S REVIEW: When I read my first Marcie Steele I admit I was worried. Marcie Steel is none other than the crime writer Mel Sherratt. Could she possibly have one foot in each genre successfully? It turns out she can! I really enjoyed the other MS books and was looking forward to reading the latest one. With this one out main character is Riley Flynn. She works in Chandlers Show shop and has done for many years. Alongside her, the other two characters appearing in this story are Sadie and Dan.

Riley is an immediately likeable character and you get an idea very soon on that her friends including Sadie and Dan are like one big family. The shoe shop boss Suzanne soon makes an appearance and threatens to close the shop they have all worked at for years. Between them they decide there is nothing left to do but plan something to save the shop. We see Riley’s love life slowly unfold including some suspect ex-boyfriends. On the other side of the fence Sadie is struggling to get her life back on track following the death of her husband Ross. The friendship between everybody shines through and makes this a real feel good read.

The story was a little slow in the beginning but soon picked up when they are pitched against each other and their antics start. It’s a very light hearted read and certainly enjoyable although I still think her last book holds the edge. I certainly think Mel Sherratt is proving its more than possible to straddle two genres.

The Birds and The Bees by Milly Johnson

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Synopsis: Romance writer and single mum Stevie Honeywell has only weeks to go to her wedding when her fiancé Matthew runs off with her glamorous new friend Jo MacLean. It feels like history repeating itself for Stevie, but this time she is determined to win back her man. She isn’t going to act as he might expect. She isn’t going to wail and dig her heels in, she is simply going to pretend to let him go whilst she pursues a mad course of dieting, exercising and self-improvement.

And it feels like history is repeating itself for Adam MacLean too, who is also determined to win his lady, Jo, back with the same basic psychological tactics. Then he is going to initiate his master plan: Getting together with Stevie to drive Jo wild with jealousy.

So, like the Scottish country jig ‘The Birds and the Bees’, the couples all change partners and learn some revealing truths about each other along the way. But what happens when Adam’s master plan actually starts to work? And just who will Stevie be dancing with when the music stops?

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: Oh my. Milly Johnson recently got me out of a little reading funk with her release The Teashop On The Corner. When I realised that I still had a couple of books of hers I hadn’t read I was so pleased that I immediately bumped it up my to be read list, and thank goodness I did. Stevie Honeywell is an adorable character that you cannot help from the outset. She is a writer who is just weeks away from her wedding to fiance Matthew. However, she certainly wasn’t expecting Matthew to run off with the much skinnier and more glamorous Jo Maclean.

Her friend Catherine along with her husband Eddie and their brood of children make for excellent secondary characters and we see them chivvy Stevie along so that she can move on from Matthew. However, that was before Stevie met Adam Mac Lean, Jo’s ex-partner. Adam is a really funny character to read about, with his gruff Scottish drawl and brittle exterior,, he really is a lovable bloke. With Stevie experiencing so many setbacks, her and Adam are hellbent on showing they don’t need their exes, with the sole purpose of attracting them back.

As with any Milly Johnson book it takes little to settle in and the characters you instantly like and want to know more about. Every time I read a Milly Johnson book it cheers me up and I just want to keep reading. I find myself in that horrible position of only having one of her books left to read so shall save that for my next book funk moment. This is a warm-hearted and wonderful read that will cheer you up no end.

The Teashop On The Corner by Milly Johnson

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Synopsis:  Life is full of second chances…if only you keep your heart open for them. 

Spring Hill Square is a pretty sanctuary away from the bustle of everyday life. And at its centre is Leni Merryman’s Teashop on the Corner, specialising in cake, bookish stationery and compassion. And for three people, all in need of a little TLC, it is somewhere to find a friend to lean on. 

Carla Pride has just discovered that her late husband Martin was not who she thought he was. And now she must learn to put her marriage behind her and move forward. 

Molly Jones’s ex-husband Harvey has reappeared in her life after many years, wanting to put right the wrongs of the past before it is too late. 

And Will Linton’s business has gone bust and his wife has left him to pick up the pieces. Now he needs to gather the strength to start again. 

Can all three find the comfort they are looking for in The Teashop on the Corner? And as their hearts are slowly mended by Leni, can they return the favour when she needs it most…? 

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW:  Prior to starting this latest Milly Johnson I was in something of a ‘book funk’. Reading on average 3-4 books a week, I suddenly found everything I picked up didn’t hold my interest. I just couldn’t get in to anything and was wondering whether I should take a few days break. However, luckily for me I persevered. Well actually what that meant was closing my eyes and tapping a page on my Kindle for a ‘Lucky Dip’. That ‘Lucky Dip’ happened to be this one by Milly Johnson and what a treat it ended up being!

Carla Pride is in a position many women may empathise with. She has been married for ten years and her husband dutifully goes off to work, while she sits at home keeping the place spic and span whilst trying to find a new job. When her husband dies suddenly she becomes much more than just a grieving widow. Finding herself in a position where she needs to start afresh she is not only nervous but apprehensive about what is in store for her.

The Teashop on The Corner is owned by Leni Merryman and soon becomes the centre stage for this story. This book doesn’t just follow one lead character but a few and its done magnificently! Will Linton has lost everything and is starting again, Molly Jones has to deal with the re-appearance of an ex-husband and all together the Teashop becomes their sanctuary. In addition characters pop up such as Sean , Ryan and Mr Singh. It doesn’t feel like you are reading about any one of them, but all of them as a whole.

I fell in love with the teashop as well as the characters in the book. Milly Johnson has always been a fantastic author who I have loved reading but I must say this book had that extra something and I couldn’t even tell you what that ‘something’ was…it was just there! Read in one day, this book not only got me out of my book funk, but transported me to a town I actually wanted to be a part of. BY the end of this book I wanted to know what happened to them after that, a girl can hope right? A truly magical read which had me smiling, crying and laughing. A highly recommended read!

The Secret of Orchard Cottage by Alex Brown (Tindledale #3)

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Synopsis: April Wilson is wondering what to do next – her life has been turned upside down after the loss of her husband so she’s hoping to piece herself together again with a visit to her elderly great aunt, Edith. Arriving in the rural idyll of Tindledale, she’s dismayed to find Edith’s cottage and the orchard behind it in a sorry state of disrepair. Edith seems to have lost interest completely, instead she’s become desperate to find out what happened to her sister, Winnie, who disappeared during WWII.

April gets to work immediately, discovering that the orchard still delivers a bumper crop each year, and with the help of some of the villagers – including Matt, the enigmatic Farrier – begins to unravel the mystery of the missing Winnie. Slowly,

April can feel things coming to life again – but can Orchard Cottage work its magic on her too?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Okay, where do I start? Alex Brown is a GENIUS people. I have read all of her books (with the exception of one) and they are just better and better with each book I read. When I read ‘The Great Christmas Knit Off’ and realised it was one book in a series all set within the village of Tindledale I fell in love. There was no warning, it just rushed up and smacked me in the face. I was drawn to not only this beautiful little village but all the people in it, and I really do mean ALL of them. The wonderful thing is that each book features the main characters but each villager plays their part, and before you know it you wonder which one of them will be featured in the next book. Following on from that first book AB released ‘The Great Village Show’ and then this month she has released this beauty.

April Wilson is the star of this latest release and as we see her trying to get over the loss of her husband Gray she decides to visit her older Aunt Edie who lives in Tindledale. More specifically she lives in a place called Orchard Cottage. Orchard Cottage and its magical feel translates across the pages as if you were standing right next to April. However, this latest Tindledale book is a slight departure from the other two in the sense that I feel like it was dealing with a couple of more serious and evocative issues. Thankfully, Alex Brown has sprinkled her Author Magic and made it a beautiful and wonderfully enjoyable book to read.

There are so many characters that are added into the Tindledale mix such as April’s Stepdaughter Nancy, and we see the return of much loved characters and places that feature in the other 2 books. Edie’s story is one that is a little sensitive as it deals with Edie’s apparent decline into Dementia. This along with the continual mention of Edie’s sister Winnie, April feels like she doesn’t know what is fact or fiction. This element of the story and finding out what happened to Winnie was so lovely and I really loved the way it was done. In addition we see April trying to get over her grief and it almost feels like the magic of Orchard Cottage rubs off on her as we see her develop.

Once again I was blown away by how great Alex Browns books are. They are going from strength to strength and I feel like at the moment she can do no wrong. She creates characters you really feel for and love as well as creating a village in my head that I would LOVE to visit. Bravo Alex, I am will be waiting with baited breath for the next Tindledale installment.