Category: General Fiction

The Truth About You by Susan Lewis

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My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Lainey Hollingsworth has spent her whole life on the outside of a secret. Her mother would never discuss the reasons she abandoned Italy when Lainey was a new born, nor has she ever stayed in touch with the family she left behind.

Now Lainey’s mother is dead, taking the secret with her, and leaving Lainey free to find out about her roots. Her husband, Tom, appears supportive, until he hits her with a bombshell that shatters the very foundations of their marriage. Another secret Lainey never knew anything about.

Shaken, but more determined than ever to find out who she really is, Lainey takes her children to Umbria in search of answers. What she finds in the sleepy, sunbaked village of her birth turns her world inside out.

My Review: Susan Lewis has always been an author who I enjoy and I can normally guarantee a brilliant read. With this latest book there was no exception and I demolished the book in one day. The only downside for me was that I read a book only a couple of months back with a similar storyline. That aside, it was again another fantastic book by SL.

The characters in this book are easy to relate to as on the surface it seems like thousands of other families you may know. Lainey is married to Tom, and they have like that for around16 years. They have two kids, one a teenager. Tome has a third grown up son who lives with them too, and in addition they have Lainey’s father Peter who is sadly suffering from Dementia.

Lainey’s life is taken up in the most part with caring for her children and father, as well as managing her husband Tom’s diary. Her friend Susan also adds another dimension to Lainey’s life and this makes for lots of interesting characters. In the beginning we get to know everybody involved and I couldn’t help but like everybody. The situation concerning her father was very sad, but dealt with in a lovely way. Lainey’s one wish is to find out about her roots and who her biological father was. Although Peter had raised her as his own, she has a yearning to find out more about what really happened with her Mother, and the secrets she held back from Lainey right up until the day she died.

We see Lainey arrange the trip to Italy to find out more, when her life starts to unravel. The good thing about this story was that there were so many elements to it constantly keeping you from wondering. There were threads to this story which involved more than one of her kids, then she gets a bombshell from her husband and before she knows it her life doesn’t resemble anything it should do. The book all in all was pretty emotional and manages to touch on a lot of sore subjects, but Susan Lewis has managed to craft them into a sensitive tale rather than anything that made me uncomfortable.

I was so taken with the story that I didn’t really want to put it down. The only thing which I thought was maybe a little far fetched was the element concerning her daughter Tierney and a ‘secret man’. Other than this I was once again thoroughly immersed into another great book by Susan Lewis.

The Unpredictable Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell

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My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: When Josh Strachan, newly returned to his home in north Cornwall from sunny California, first meets Sophie Wells, he’s immediately smitten. Sophie’s pretty, she’s funny, she has lots of friends and she clearly loves her job as a photographer, despite the sometimes tricky clients. There’s just one problem: Sophie has very firmly turned her back on love. It’s nothing personal, she tells Josh, but she just doesn’t do dates. And no one – even Sophie’s scatty best friend Tula – will tell him why. Josh is sure Sophie likes him, though, and he’s just got to find out what’s put her off romance. And then put things right…

My Review: When I received this latest offering by Jill Mansell I was a little surprised. The book itself looked like it was a little smaller than previous offerings. After a little scout on Amazon I saw that it was actually only marginally shorter than her two latest books. Not deterred I started the book and within the first few pages was once again transported into the wonderful fictional word Jill created. Sophie at first glance appears to be the main character but in this book, by the end I felt like there were maybe 5 or 6 ‘main’ characters. Initially Sophie wasn’t a character that I immediately liked. She seems like a friendly girl who lives in Cornwall and is trying to build up her photography business. The thing was she was such a closed book it was really difficult to warm to her that much. Shortly after we meet Sophie’s friend Tula who is somebody who is an open book and a character you like almost from the off. In addition to them, we see Dot who is running her hotel in Cornwall jointly with her Grandson Josh. Josh has recently moved back to the UK and in addition to seeing him work around the hotel we meet his friend Riley. Now do you see what I mean about the characters?

Jill Mansell has a magical ability to transport you into the worlds she creates and by the end of the book I found myself wanting to go and visit the hotel in Cornwall and meet the characters she has lovingly created. Each character has its own flaws and the most major one, seems to be Sophie. As the story unfolds we see everybody’s issues start to jump to the forefront and as time went on and I realised what Sophie’s issues were it made me like her even more. There were plenty of plot threads going on too, but I can assure you this wasn’t overdone and the characters all made their own mark on me.

I was so engrossed in this book that by the time I finally got around to starting it (two weeks later than planned)! I finished it the same day. Jill’s last two books were 5 star reads and this one is no different. I found myself totally absorbed, and this book gives you everything you could want from a book in this genre. It has fantastic characters and an interesting storyline that takes you straight into their world without pausing for breath. In my eyes, Jill Mansell is a legend! I kid you not people; the lady has been writing books for over two decades and the only way I can describe her (in the nicest possible way) is like a fine wine. She just gets better with age! Do yourself a favour and pre-order this one, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

CUPCAKES AT CARRINGTON’S BY ALEX BROWN

226x346Synopsis: Georgie Hart loves her job–running the luxury handbag concession at Carrington’s Department store in the pretty seaside town of Mulberry Bay, and treating herself (once too often!) to a red velvet cupcake with buttercream icing in Carrington’s café.

But Georgie is thrown into disarray when Carrington’s is plunged into a recession-busting makeover, cueing the arrival of femme fatale Maxine, who wields the axe in her immaculately-manicured hands.

It spells a recipe for disaster for Georgie and soon she is fighting not only for her job, but also for the attentions of her gorgeous boss, James. And when hot newcomer Tom arrives, who may or may not be the best thing since sliced bread, Georgie must decide where her loyalties really lie… 

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: Having never read Alexandra Brown and seeing the good reviews for this book I was looking forward to getting stuck in. The lovely thing about this book was it was only a mere few pages before I got to know Georgie Hart and very quickly, adore her! Georgie hasn’t had an easy upbringing and from the very early stages there are hints about her past without the reader actually finding out what it is that had happened until further in.

Continue reading “CUPCAKES AT CARRINGTON’S BY ALEX BROWN”

I Heart Christmas by Lindsey Kelk (I Heart #6)

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My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Angela’s planning her very own fairytale of New York…

• Enormous Christmas tree

• Eggnog

• Eccentric British traditions

• Gorgeous man

But Santa’s throwing her a few curveballs – new job (as if it’s not mental enough already), new baby-craze from her best friend Jenny, and Alex determined they should grow up and settle down. Once friends start turning up uninvited on her doorstep (and leading her astray), can Angela really have a merry little Christmas? So much for happy holidays – something’s got to give…

My Review: I am a huge fan of the Angela Clark series and was looking forward to reading the next instalment. For those that are up to date, the last time we saw Angela was in London, and her getting married to Alex. Now she is back at home in New York and is just dying for her perfect Christmas. This involves lots of garish decorations, a huge Christmas tree and lots of one on one time with Alex. As usual in her life things don’t go quite to plan. When her parents drop the bombshell that they are visiting she realises her one on one time may well be something that doesn’t happen at all.

With the addition of the usual suspects returning such as Jenny, Alex, James, Craig, Angela’s parents and her friend Louisa it feels like everyone is in attendance. Once again (as I seem to do with all Kelk books) there are some real one liners that had me laughing out loud. I also loved the fact that things get tough on the work front for Angela and it made a change from just reading about her relationship. The return of Cici is something I found hilarious and the storylines around her and Angela had me crying with laughter.

I managed to finish the book in just over a day and a half and was gutted that I one again I have to wait for the next instalment. The only thing that I can say about why I didn’t make this a 5 star read, was that I almost felt that this instalment of the series wasn’t quite a complete story (if that makes sense) but is absolutely critical for us to see Angela moving to the next phase of her life. It didn’t have the same oomph as the last book (which was my all time favourite) but I still loved it. I feel like the next one may well be even better than the last and I can’t wait to see what happens next. If you haven’t read any of the I Heart Series…where have you been? You would be an absolute fool to pass them up and if you want a book to make you cry with laughter and escape for a few hours then this series is the way to do it. 

Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley

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My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Meet Sophie Stone, a thirty-something serial procrastinator. Tesco knickers, Take That and tea with two sugars is about as exciting as it gets. Sophie’s life is safe and predictable, which is just the way she likes it, thank you very much. But when her boyfriend dumps her on Valentine’s Day and a mysterious benefactor leaves her an inheritance, even Sophie has to accept that change is afoot. There is a catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must agree to meet the father she has never seen.

Not a fan of surprises, Sophie would rather not; why not let sleeping dads lie? Besides, her mother would kill her. With interference from an evil boss, bickering flat mates, warring parents and a sexy ex-boyfriend, Sophie has plenty to contend with without an architect who puts his foot in it every time he opens his mouth. But it soon becomes clear that she will have to face the past and learn some uncomfortable home truths before she can finally build a future on her own terms.

My Review: This book is Cathy Bramley’s debut novel, yep that’s right her DEBUT. I am flabbergasted (a word I love and that isn’t used enough). Cathy’s debut had the feel of a seasoned pro and I found myself engrossed from the very beginning. Sophie is at first a little bit pathetic, but likeable if you know what I mean. She is the girl who has her head in the clouds, but actually seems to roll over for her vile boyfriend.

The boyfriend I spent the most part despising and wondering when somebody was going to give him a slap! I liked the architect character who is at first just as socially inept as Sophie. But as a character I couldn’t help feeling for him, and wondering why he found himself in such awkward positions half the time. I also rather liked the two flatmates that lives with Sophie as they give another layer to the story, as well as the added drama that comes with two polar opposites (the two are sisters)! As soon as Sophie is given the choice of meeting her absent father in order to gain her aunts house things get so complicated for her. Not only does she have to answer to her mother, but her flatmates as well. In addition to this she has to try and work out if her own opinions matter?!?

The story, although not original, kept me interested from the beginning right through to the very end. Although the idea and storyline may not be original, the way Cathy Bramley tells the story, and brings the characters to life certainly is. If I had read this knowing nothing of her background, I would have made the assumption that she had written numerous books. IF you are a fan of Milly Johnson and the like, then Cathy Bramley will definitely be up your street. I for one, will definitely look forward to her next book, and wouldn’t be altogether surprised to see a big publishing house sign her in the coming months. If they don’t, then it’s their loss and Cathy’s gain, a debut that most definitely wasn’t like a debut!

CHRISTMAS AT ROSIE HOPKINS SWEETSHOP OF DREAMS

My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Curl up with Rosie her friends and her family as they prepare for a very special Christmas . . .

Rosie Hopkins is looking forward to Christmas in the little Derbyshire village of Lipton buried under a thick blanket of snow. Her sweetshop is festooned with striped candy canes large tempting piles of Turkish delight crinkling selection boxes and happy sticky children. She’s going to be spending it with her boyfriend Stephen and her family flying in from Australia. She can’t wait.

But when a tragedy strikes at the heart of their little community all of Rosie’s plans for the future seem to be blown apart. Can she build a life in Lipton? And is what’s best for the sweetshop also what’s best for Rosie?

My Review: I was so excited when I got an early copy of this book, because I only recently got around to reading the first book Rosie Hopkins Sweetshop of Dreams. I really enjoyed that and was excited to get stuck in to the follow up, which is set at Christmas (so perfect timing). First off I must just say that I LOVE Jenny Colgan covers, and this one is especially ‘christmassy’ (I know that’s not a word but you know what I mean). For those that haven’t read the first book, although it’s not a necessity I think it makes this book so much more enjoyable.

Although I really enjoyed the first Rosie book, I LOVED this one and it started from the first few pages. Mrs Colgan re-acquainted me with the main characters, Rosie and her live in boyfriend, grumpy but adorable Stephen; as well as Rosie’s cranky aunt Lillian who now lives in a home. There are also numerous characters that have progressed from the first book and we see them back in the second such as Tina, Moray and the strange and quirky young boy Eddison.

I felt like I had practically moved into the village within a matter of pages and found myself holding the book everywhere I went on the off chance I could squeeze a few more pages in. This time around Rosie’s family are making their way across the water from Oz and Rosie cannot wait to see them all. With the excitement of her family visiting, the running of the sweetshop and the general activity in the village; I almost felt as shocked as the characters were when a tragedy occurs in the village. This is a catalyst for quite a few things (which I can’t details because that would be spoilers!).

However, with the tragedy to one side, we see loads of things happen as a result of it and this includes some sad moments, as well as some legendary moments! There are some very funny scenes that go on featuring Lillian and Rosie’s Mum which had me giggling. These two particular characters make such a difference and are an absolute joy to read. There seemed to be a number of conclusions made with this follow up book which I was really chuffed about too.

All in all my review may sound vague, but I really wouldn’t want to spoil this for anyone as it was such a brilliant book. I couldn’t out it down from start to finish and think it was even better than the first one. It was full of love, laughter and plenty of tears and is without a doubt a perfect Christmas Present! Can’t recommend it highly enough and think that JC fans who are itching to get this will be thrilled!

Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews

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My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Cassie Smith has been out of work for a while but she has an idea. Drawing on her love of Christmas, she begins charging for small things: wrapping presents; writing cards; tree-decorating. She’s soon in huge demand and Cassie’s business, Calling Mrs Christmas, is born. Carter Randall wants to make Christmas special for his children, so he enlists Cassie’s help, and his lavish requests start taking up all her time. Thank goodness she can rely on her loving partner Jim to handle the rest of her clients. When millionaire Carter asks Cassie to join his family on a trip to Lapland, she knows she shouldn’t go . . . Suddenly Cassie finds herself facing a heart-breaking choice that could change her entire life.

My Review: Okay, I am going to make a very bold statement about this book. I think this has to be my favourite Carole Matthews book EVER, and that is saying something people! Carole has been writing since 1997 and I have read nearly all of her books, so for me this was just an absolute gem and I cannot think of another of her books I prefer?!? With the title, the very seasonal cover and obviously the synopsis of the book I knew this would be a Christmas themed book and was actually looking forward to it. With the end of October rapidly approaching, the clocks turning back all too soon and the evenings getting darker I was actually looking forward to a bit of festive reading.

From page 1 I fell in love, and that theme continued throughout the book. I fell in love with Cassie, her boyfriend Jim, Cassie’s family, the boys from Jim’s unit and the Randall family. Cassie is in an all too unfamiliar predicament; having been unemployed for months, with no future work in sight. So when she comes up with the idea for her own business named Calling Mrs Christmas, she has no idea that it will take off beyond her wildest dreams. With her love of Christmas spurring her on, and the support of her family she starts the business that sounds too good to be true. Jim was a wonderful character and I liked the fact that we got to see the side of Jim where he has to deal with all sorts of issues at the Young Offenders Institute where he worked.

When Cassie lands a huge client who is a rich and handsome businessman, she knows that he will be a hard client to keep happy. The story really highlights the extremes of Christmas from the end where boys have nothing, and the men who seem to have it all. Although Cater Randall is the handsome rich man in this story, I also thought he was wonderful and to be honest it made for a fair match in terms of lead men in the story (that’s always a winner in my eyes).

The best part of the book for me was when Cassie visits Lapland as part of her work, and I have to say it is blatantly clear that Carole has researched this part of the world (you lucky thing). I could almost picture every part of the trip from riding the Husky sleds to staying in the Ice Hotel. Every part of that trip was so authentic I might as well have been along for the ride. The ending was absolutely perfect and there wasn’t a moment in this book I didn’t enjoy. I loved everything about it apart from when I finished. Not only was I disappointed to have finished, but I did have a flicker of hope that maybe CM may well debate doing a sequel <getting down on knees to pray at this point>. This latest Matthew’s book is magnificent, and quite frankly if you haven’t read it, pre-ordered it, or asked for it as a Christmas present then you are missing out. This book is the perfect stocking filler and one which is my absolute favourite……

Take A Look at Me Now by Miranda Dickinson

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My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: How far would you go to make a new start? Heart-warming and romantic, Take a Look at Me Now will make you laugh, cry and cheer Nell on from start to finish.

What a difference a day makes…

Nell Sullivan has always been known as ‘Miss Five-Year Plan’. But when she finds herself jobless and newly single on the same day, Nell decides it is time to stop planning and start taking chances.

Nell blows her redundancy cheque on a trip of lifetime to a place where anything is possible – San Francisco. There she meets a host of colourful characters, including the intriguing and gorgeous Max. Very soon the city begins to feel like Nell’s second home. But when it’s time to return to London, will she leave the ‘new Nell’ behind? And can the magic of San Francisco continue to sparkle thousands of miles away?

My Review: I was lucky to get an early copy of this and after reading the synopsis was really looking forward to reading it. The subject matter is kind of good timing as the present day seems to be all about people being made redundant and in this latest release by Miranda Dickinson we see Nell face exactly that challenge. Nell is a woman who is known for her ‘five year plan’ and within the first few chapters you can see that she is (although loveable) totally stuck in a rut with her job, her love life and things in general. So when she goes in to work one day and manages to lose her job and her bloke in one foul swoop, she takes action.

I loved the fact that Nell was so impulsive and immediately decides to use her redundancy money to get away from real life and take some time out. Her destination of choice ends up being San Francisco. Having visited San Francisco I certainly had an advantage, but Miranda Dickinson really transports the readers there and the descriptions made me feel like I really knew the neighbourhood and characters. Nell is lucky that she has her cousin Lizzie out there who she was very close with growing up. Now that she has her accommodation sorted out, she just decides to wing the rest of her time.

I fell in love with not only Nell, but the people that lived in Haight-Ashbury and the whirlwind 8 weeks that Nell spends there. There were so many characters but they all played their part and towards the end of her journey there, it felt almost heart wrenching to see her have to return home. The story then follows up with the decision she makes when she finally does make it home. I have to be honest and say this was my least favourite part of the book. Aside from that the only other criticism I really had was how quick the ending was wrapped up. It was going at a brilliant pace and I felt like it could have easily been stretched over a couple more chapters (but that’s me no doubt being a little picky!).

I must say I thoroughly enjoyed this latest book by Miranda Dickinson and absolutely fell in love with San Francisco all over again. Most definitely recommended by meJ

Younger, Thinner, Blonder by Sue Watson

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My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Tough talking, ball busting, TV talk show host Tanya Travis is at the top of her game. For fifteen years she has steered The Truth With Tanya Travis to be a ratings winner, solving the problems of Britain’s great drug taking, shagging, DNA testing unwashed. But underneath the designer exterior, Tanya’s life isn’t so rosy. She is hounded by the press, who are desperate to prove her boyfriend’s infidelity, and her closest relationships are with her crazy Brooklyn agent and her sweet faced (but foul mouthed) cleaner. When reality TV show Celebrity Spa Trek comes knocking, Tanya turns them down flat, believing that her image and credentials as the Darling of Daytime raise her above participating. However, she may be forced to re-think when her carefully constructed life starts to come apart at the seams. With her relationship in crisis, her career on the line, and her finances in dire straits she may have to join the desperate gaggle of C-List wannabes trekking round Nepal after all…. 

My Review: Sue Watson’s debut novel Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes was released in 2012 and was an absolute winner with me. I was really excited and getting to read an early review copy of her new book and thankfully I wasn’t disappointed. If there are people out there that wants to read a thoroughly meaningful book with morals and meaning, then please don’t read this and then grumble. If, however, you are looking for an extremely humorous fictional take on what it’s like to be a failing celebrity then this will be a winner!

Initially I found it hard to get to grips with the lead in the book Tanya Travis and the beginning felt a little bit ‘bitty’. Luckily that lasted no more than a few chapters and I began to really like Tanya Travis. Yes, she is a daytime talk show and has the boyfriend, lifestyle and money to match; but we also get to see the normal side to this quirky and OCD inflicted character. Within the first quarter of the book the humour was ramped up and I found myself wondering why Sue Watson hasn’t been writing for longer. In addition to Tanya, we meet Tanya’s slightly eccentric and crazy agent Donna and the absolute legendary cleaner she employs, Astrid. One thing I will say is that in both of her books, there have been characters that haven’t necessarily taken the led but which you absolutely fall in love with, and Astrid is most certainly one of them!

When Tanya’s career takes a serious nosedive her life falls apart in front of the general public. With her life and career on the verge of crumbling, she manages to let her agent persuade her to take part in the reality TV show Celebrity Spa Trek. BY the second half of the book I didn’t want to put the book down. The cleaner Astrid had me in hysterics, and Tanya’s behaviour matched the hilarity. The section of the book where she takes part in the reality show doesn’t dominate the book, but certainly adds the extra layer in terms of characters. There were some brilliant characters and I couldn’t help making real life comparisons (which makes it even funnier).

I certainly guessed where the book would go towards the end, but am glad that it was written the way it was. I only have one criticism about this latest book and that is the cover! I know people may think that’s a trivial matter, but for some reason I just don’t think the cover is enough to make people want to pick it up if they were in a bookshop. The cover certainly doesn’t do justice to the book itself, that’s for sure.With the cover issue aside, I can honestly say that if you want a really funny book to transport you from everyday humdrums, and lift your mood then this is the book for you. This was an outstanding second book by Sue Watson which does exactly what it says on the tin. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

WELCOME TO ROSIE HOPKINS’ SWEETSHOP OF DREAMS BY JENNY COLGAN

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Rosie Hopkins is about to face major upheaval. Her elderly aunt Lilian – feisty, independent Aunt Lily who never talked about her past – needs her help, so Rosie is moving to the depths of the countryside for a few months to look after her. Plus Rosie will be away from Gerard, the man she hopes to settle down with soon, and they’ll miss each other dreadfully… won’t they? Lilian Hopkins has spent her life running Lipton’s village sweetshop, through wartime and family feuds. As she struggles with the idea that it might finally be time to sell up, she also wrestles with the secret history hidden behind the jars of beautifully coloured sweets.  And the longer Rosie and Lilian spend together, the more they realise they can learn from each other…

My Review: I am a pretty recent covert to the Jenny Colgan books and was a huge fan of the Cupcake books. I’m currently working through her other books and realising that the sequel to this is due out in a couple of months I figured now was a good time to read it. As with her other books it didn’t take me long to get into the story and straight away really liked Rosie as the lead character. When Rosie is asked to go and help her elderly aunt Lilian in the countryside she is really unsure. Her boyfriend Gerard (who was awful I must say) would be left behind while she sorted out the family issues at hand.

As soon as the story moved with Rosie to the Countryside it improved dramatically. With the introduction to her aunt Lilian who I absolutely loved, it seemed like her and Rosie worked really well together as characters. Lilian’s little sweet shop has been closed for years and with her Aunt’s declining health, Rosie needs to sort out the sale of the shop and finding a home for her aunt. The other element of this story was not only Rosie’s but of Lilian’s past and how she found herself to be where she is today. As the reader we get to see snippets of Lilian’s history and her own life being brought up in a time when war was as the forefront of everybody’s mind. This was such a nice way to layer the story as you find yourself understanding why Lilian is the way she is now.

There are many village characters that also add sparkle to this story and I found myself wishing Rosie on as all she seems to do for the first half of the book is land herself in hot water. I particularly liked the stroppy and awkward character Stephen who seems to be determined to do things his way! I read this book very quickly and absolutely loved it. As usual with Jenny Colgan books you get the added addition of something extra and in this books case it was sweets. You get taken back in time with all the nostalgic mentions of sweets from days gone past, as well as sweet recipes at the start of each chapter! I have to say that the Cupcake books are still my favourite but this is a definite second. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the follow up of this due out in November 2013.