 Release date - 25th June 2020 Book length - 400 pages Publisher - Sphere BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk www.waterstones.com US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Millie from www.littlebrown.co.uk for providing me with a copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK Jodie Jackson is all at sea, in every sense. On a ferry bound for the Isle of Wight, she's leaving her London life, her career, and her husband behind. She'd like a chance to turn back the clocks, but she'll settle for some peace and quiet on her brother Bill's beautifully renovated houseboat, Sunny Days. But from the moment Jodie steps aboard her new home, it's clear she'll struggle to keep herself to herself. If it isn't Marilyn, who cleans for Bill and is under strict instructions to look after Jodie, then it's Ned, the noisy sculptor on the next-door houseboat. Ned's wood carving is hard on the ears, but it's made up for by the fact that he's rather easy on the eyes. Bustled out of the boat by Marilyn and encouraged to explore with Ned, Jodie soon delights in her newfound freedom. But out of mind isn't out of sight, and when her old life comes knocking Jodie is forced to face reality. Will she answer the call or choose a life filled with Sunny Days and Sea Breezes? MY REVIEW SUNNY DAYS & SEA BREEZES by Carole Matthews is an emotional story about life and what happens when your future changes unexpectedly in ways you could never imagine. Jodie Jackson needs to escape and her big brother's houseboat on the Isle of Wight is the perfect hideout. Here she hopes to slow down and come to terms with everything that has happened in her life, and putting some distance between herself and her husband is a must right now. Jodie craves solitude but she had never met anyone like Marilyn before, and Marilyn is determined to help Jodie be happy again. Along with some other quirky characters and a very handsome and endearing next-door neighbour, could Jodie figure out what she wants from the future while coming to terms with the past? Or will the past always pull you back in? Engaging from the beginning, I felt instantly connected to Jodie and longed for her to open up about her heartache, and when she did, let's just say I had a good cry. As Jodie became stronger and started to focus on herself and how she was feeling, I longed for her to find happiness in herself and her future. The setting is beautiful and I fell in love with the houseboat - I definitely would love to stay one and have it on my bucket list! There were some surprises along the way which I enjoyed, and I read this book in one evening because I simply couldn't put it down. SUNNY DAYS & SEA BREEZES by Carole Matthews is a moving story about heartache and hope, and I cannot wait to read more from one of my favourite authors. AUTHOR BIO Carole Matthews is the Sunday Times bestselling author of thirty-two novels, including the Top Ten bestsellers Let's Meet on Platform 8, A Whiff of Scandal, For Better, For Worse, A Minor Indiscretion, With or Without You, The Cake Shop in the Garden, Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses, A Cottage by the Sea, The Chocolate Lovers' Club, The Chocolate Lovers' Christmas, The Chocolate Lovers' Wedding, Million Love Songs and her current novel, Christmas Cakes & Mistletoe Nights. Carole has also been awarded the RNA Outstanding Achievement Award. Her novels dazzle and delight readers all over the world. For all the latest news, follow here: Website - www.carolematthews.com Twitter - twitter.com/carolematthews Facebook - www.facebook.com/CaroleMatthewsBooks Instagram - www.instagram.com/matthews.carole/ 
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 Release date - 11th June 2020
Book length - 352 pages Publisher - Constable BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank www.littlebrown.co.uk and www.plunkettpr.com for providing me with a copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK THE PERFECT LIFE Doctor Luke Forde has the perfect life. A respected heart surgeon, he has a rewarding job, a successful wife, and a daughter, Nina. From their beautiful house overlooking Carberry Lough in County Clare, they present a portrait of family bliss. But over the course of a weekend, Luke's life spirals into chaos. A GUILTY SECRET It begins with the word 'GUILTY' painted on his boathouse one morning. Then he spots a chilling notice in the local newspaper. When this is followed by the delivery of a small coffin-shaped package, Luke is terrified. Someone knows the dark secret he is hiding. And someone is out to get him. SOMEBODY WANTS REVENGE Luke begins to be plagued by horrifying anonymous messages, and it transpires that it's not only Luke the sender is intending to harm. With strange things happening in the operating theatre, Alison's political ambitions straining their marriage, and Nina's behaviour sparking all sorts of trouble, Luke turns to therapist Terence Black. Is the therapist the only one that can save Luke and his family from the horrendous secrets of the past? MY REVIEW A compelling psychological thriller that will get under your skin instantly, GUILTY by Siobhán MacDonald is one of the best books I have read this year. Doctor Luke Forde has a perfect life - a successful politician for a wife, a beautiful teenage daughter whom he is very close to, and a career as a paediatric heart surgeon which fulfils him in so many ways. He prides himself on being honest and capable but when he sees the word 'Guilty' spray-painted on his boat-shed wall, his wonderful world slowly begins to disintegrate, and this is just the beginning. As more threats are issued, Luke is forced to face the past but as the truth emerges, will those you seek revenge stop at nothing to take away all that matters to him? With palpable tension on each page, GUILTY is the kind of story that you instantly jump into and cannot wait to finish. The characters aren't particularly likeable but they are believable and as I began to see that looks are often deceiving, I felt gripped to uncover just what Luke was hiding and who was coming after him and his family. The shadier side of politics is another element of this thriller which worked really well for me and I enjoy a thriller where there are plenty of possible suspects - it makes it more interesting when you're trying to figure out the truth. A fresh and dynamic story from start to finish, GUILTY by Siobhán MacDonald is a story that goes above and beyond, and I cannot wait to read more from this talented author. AUTHOR BIO Siobhan MacDonald was born in Cork in the Republic of Ireland. She studied engineering at University College Galway and pursued a successful career writing for the technology sector in Scotland for ten years, then in France before returning to Ireland. Growing up in a large Irish family, there was a premium attached to being able to tell a good story. Siobhan's mother taught speech and drama and was a proficient storyteller herself, a talent she encouraged in all her children. After many years writing short stories and articles, Siobhan published her first novel Twister River in 2016. Siobhan followed this up with her second novel, The Blue Pool. Twisted River won an Earphone AudioFile award in 2016 and The Blue Pool has been a top #10 bestseller in the Australian Kindle chart. Guilty is her first novel for Constable, Little, Brown. Siobhan lives in Limerick, Ireland with her husband and two sons. To keep up-to-date with this author, please follow here: Website - www.siobhanmacdonald.com Twitter - twitter.com/SiobhanMMacD  Release date - 11th June 2020 Book length - 401 pages Publisher - Avon BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Ellie from www.avonbooks.co.uk for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review via Netgalley. ABOUT THIS BOOK Summer in Cornwall is the perfect time for a fresh start… Seven years ago, Marina Hudson’s husband was lost at sea. She vowed to love him forever – but when kind-hearted Lachlan arrives in Porthmellow, should she deny herself another chance at happiness? Tiff Trescott was living life to the full as a journalist in London – until her boyfriend’s betrayal brought it all crashing down. Fleeing to her cousin Marina’s cottage, Tiff feels like a fish out of water. And when brooding local Dirk wins a day with her in a charity auction, she’s thrown headfirst into Cornish life. This summer promises new beginnings for both Tiff and Marina. But are they too good to be true? MY REVIEW It is always a joy to dive into one of Phillipa Ashley's wonderful stories where community spirit and inner strength always shine through, and A PERFECT CORNISH ESCAPE is no exception. Seven years ago Marina lost her husband, Nate, when he disappeared at sea. It was the hardest loss that she has ever had to endure and while their marriage hadn't been perfect, Marina loved Nate and grieved deeply for him. But setting up the Wave Watchers lookout had given her purpose and strength and she was determined to stop other families suffer in the same way that she had. She would always love Nate but she knew that she was ready to move into her future and when she befriends a new resident in the village who also has a tragic past, there is a gentle connection there that makes Marina look forward to what could be, for the first time in a very long time. Meanwhile, Tiff, Marina's cousin, has arrived in the village to escape her humiliation. After being duped by someone she thought she loved, losing her career, and being black-listed, spending some time at the coast with her beloved cousin doesn't seem like a bad idea. Marina has gone through a lot after losing Nate, even though Tiff had never liked him for the way he treated Marina, and Tiff was hopeful that maybe she could nudge Marina into moving on. What Tiff didn't expect was a handsome, brooding, next-door-neighbour who lit her soul on fire. But Tiff knows that love never works out and she isn't going to stay in Cornwall forever, but what's the harm with a little fling? But as the past comes back to haunt everyone, can this small community rally around when it is needed the most and can love overcome even the most surmountable of odds? With a beautiful setting and a community that you will fall head over heels in love with, A PERFECT CORNISH ESCAPE by Phillipa Ashley is everything you could possibly want in a novel and more. While Marina and Tiff are both so opposite, they are both completely loveable and I desperately wanted them to find the strength to take a chance and be happy. There is drama, twists, kindness, and friendship brimming in these pages, and I could not put this book down once I turned the first page. An excellent novel by an excellent writer, I can't wait for more! AUTHOR BIO Phillipa Ashley writes warm, funny romantic fiction for a variety of world-famous international publishers. After studying English at Oxford, she worked as a copywriter and journalist. Her first novel, Decent Exposure, won the RNA New Writers Award and was made into a TV movie called 12 Men of Christmas starring Kristin Chenoweth and Josh Hopkins. As Pippa Croft, she also wrote the Oxford Blue series – The First Time We Met, The Second Time I Saw You and Third Time Lucky. Phillipa lives in a Staffordshire village and has an engineer husband and scientist daughter who indulge her arty whims. She runs a holiday-let business in the Lake District, but a big part of her heart belongs to Cornwall. She visits the county several times a year for ‘research purposes’, an arduous task that involves sampling cream teas, swimming in wild Cornish coves and following actors around film shoots in a camper van. To keep up-to-date with this author, follow here: Website - phillipa-ashley.com/books/ Twitter - twitter.com/PhillipaAshley Facebook - www.facebook.com/PhillipaAshleyAuthor Instagram - www.instagram.com/phillipa.ashleyauthor/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!  #BookReview: The Heart of Summer by Felicity Hayes-McCoy @fhayesmccoy @HachetteIre #TheHeartOfSummer15/6/2020  Available Now
Book length - 392 pages Publisher - Hachette Books Ireland BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com Ireland - www.gutterbookshop.com I want to thank www.hachettebooksireland.ie for providing me with a copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK It's summer in Finfarran on the west coast of Ireland. Librarian Hanna Casey is looking forward to al fresco lunches with friends, and balmy evenings with her boyfriend Brian in their stunning new home in the beautiful Hag's Glen. With family drama and a painful divorce behind her, Hanna is browsing romantic holiday brochures and making plans with Brian for the future. Then, unexpectedly, Brian's adult son moves in with them, and Hanna re-encounters Amy, one of three girls with whom she shared a London flat in her twenties. And all of a sudden, Hanna begins to question her apparently perfect life. When Amy suggests a visit to London's bright lights and a flatmates' reunion, Hanna accepts. But, while it might be a short hop to England, somehow she feels like she's leaving Brian too far behind. And when Hanna is given a new opportunity, the chance to be more than a local librarian who's settled back into the little rural community where she grew up, she realises she has tough choices to face... MY REVIEW A gentle and enjoyable read, THE HEART OF SUMMER by Felicity Hayes-McCoy is the perfect book to curl up with in the garden and get lost in for a few hours. Summer has arrived in the little town of Finfarran and with it, changes are coming. Hanna Casey has a job that she enjoys, even if it wasn't always her dream, her boyfriend Brian, that she has moved in with who loves her, and her daughter who seems to be happy for the first time in a long time. If her mother drives her mad sometimes and the locals stick their noses into her business on the odd occasion, it's a small price to pay for living in such a beautiful, peaceful place away from her hurtful past. But when Brian's grown-up son comes to stay and she has the chance to go to London for a reunion with her old flatmates, Hanna jumps at the chance. She needs some time to figure things out and maybe some things need to change. Meanwhile, things continue in the village with unexpected business opportunities taking centre stage, some surprising news for one couple, and plenty of ups and downs for the villagers that feel like family. THE HEART OF SUMMER by Felicity Hayes-McCoy is the kind of story that you just fall into and while this is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone story - but why have one good book when you could have more! The characters are relatable, especially Hanna's relationship with her mother, and I loved getting to know the other characters in the community. There is laughter, tears, misunderstandings, and guilt, and so much more hiding amongst these pages, and I highly recommend THE HEART OF SUMMER to fiction fans everywhere. AUTHOR BIO Felicity Hayes-McCoy, author of the best-selling Finfarran series, was born in Dublin, Ireland. She studied literature at UCD before moving to England in the 1970s to train as an actress. Her work as a writer ranges from TV and radio drama and documentary, to screenplays, music theatre, memoir and children's books. Her Finfarran novels are widely read on both sides of the Atlantic, and in Australia, and have been translated into six languages. She and her husband, opera director Wilf Judd, live in the West Kerry Gaeltacht and in Bermondsey, London. To keep up-to-date with this author, follow here: Website - felicityhayes-mccoy.blogspot.com Twitter - twitter.com/fhayesmccoy Facebook - www.facebook.com/fhayesmccoy/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/felicityhayesmccoy/  Available Now
Book length - 384 pages Publisher - Mills & Boon BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Samantha at www.harlequin.com for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review via Netgalley. I'm also lucky enough to have an extract for you all to enjoy too. Happy reading!! ABOUT THIS BOOK Every prince has his secrets. And she’s determined to unravel his… Every dashing young man in London’s ton is vying for Lady Caroline Hawke’s hand—except one. The handsome, delectable, rogue, Prince Leopold of Alucia can’t quite remember who Caroline is and the insult is not to be tolerated. So Caroline does what any clever, resourceful lady of means would do to make sure a prince remembers her: sees that amusingly risqué morsels about Leo’s reputation are printed in a ladies’ gossip gazette…all the while secretly setting her cap for the rakish royal. Someone has been painting Leo as a blackguard, but who? Socially, it could ruin him. More important, it jeopardises his investigation into a contemptible scheme that reaches the highest levels of government in London. Now Leo needs Lady Caroline’s help to regain access to society. But this charming prince is about to discover that enlisting the deceptively sweet and sexy Lady Caroline might just cost him his heart, his soul and both their reputations… MY REVIEW A romance that will make you laugh and keep you on your toes, A ROYAL KISS AND TELL by Julia London is enjoyable from beginning to end. Lady Caroline Hawke has watched her best friend find true love and happiness and cannot help but want that for herself. The handsome, yet bothersome, Prince Leopold stirs something within her but he seems oblivious to her in every way. Well, two can play at that game, and Caroline is determined to make him take notice, and she has just the plan to do it before he disappears from her life forever. Leo has always been the spare son, good for nothing but carousing and being free. But with his older brother happily married, the focus is now on him and he is being married off for political gain. But when he is informed about an evil plot involving many trusted people in the palace, will Leo be able to find the courage to uncover the truth, regardless of the consequences? And will he be able to ignore the beautiful, yet infuriating Lady Hawke, whose smile he cannot seem to forget? With plenty of twists and turns, laughs and longing looks, A ROYAL KISS AND TELL by Julia London is the second book in this enchanting historical romance series. Caroline is a very unique character - confident, sassy, outspoken, and content in who she really is regardless of what society says - and likeable from the beginning. She is the opposite of Leo who lives rigidly by protocol but underneath his hard exterior is a vulnerable man who has never really known where he belonged. A ROYAL KISS AND TELL has everything you could possibly want - danger, sinister plots, gossip, ballrooms, romance, and everything in between - and I look forward to the next book in this series. This book is sure to be a huge hit with all historical romance fans. EXTRACT Since the day of Eliza’s betrothal to Prince Sebastian, Caroline had also assumed, quite incorrectly, that she would be the principal bridesmaid. After all, she and Eliza and Hollis had been entwined in one another’s lives since they were very little girls. “I am content with flower girls, honestly,” Eliza said. “I’d be content with a very simple affair. I was content with the civil ceremony. But Queen Daria prefers otherwise.” “Naturally, she does. This is the wedding where you will be seen by all the people you will rule one day.” Eliza snorted. “I will not rule, Caroline. I’ll be fortunate if I can find my husband in this massive place.” She’d gestured to the decorative walls around them. It was not an exaggeration—Constantine Palace appeared to be bigger than even Buckingham. “Let me be the maid of honor,” Caroline had begged her. “I am much better equipped to see to your train than Hollis is.” “I beg your pardon! I am her sister,” Hollis reminded Caroline. “The train is thirty feet, Hollis. How will you ever manage? You’ve scarcely managed your own train since we’ve been in Alucia. And my gown should be seen. I spared no expense for it.” Eliza and Hollis looked at Caroline. “I mean, of course, after your gown is seen.” The sisters continued to stare at her. Caroline shrugged a very tiny bit. “Obviously,” she added. “I rather thought that’s what you meant,” Eliza said charitably. The three of them had gleefully adopted the Alucian style of dress since arriving a month ago in Helenamar. The English style of dress—full skirts, high necks and long sleeves—was hot and heavy. They’d admired the beautiful Alucian gowns that fit the curves of a woman’s body, with the long flowing sleeves, and, most of all, the elaborately embroidered trains…until they discovered that the unusually long trains were a bit of a bother to wear. “I will manage,” Hollis had insisted. “No one has come to this wedding to see your gown, Caro.” “Well, obviously, Hollis, they haven’t. But they will be delighted all the same, won’t they? And by the bye, there’s no law that says the attendant of honor must be one’s sister.” “There is no law, but she is my sister and she will be the attendant of honor,” Eliza said. “And besides, if you were to stand with me, I’d fret the entire ceremony that you were too enthralled with Leo to even notice my train.” She’d arched a golden brow directly at Caroline. As if Caroline had done something wrong. She most certainly had not. “Leo? Is that what we’re calling him now?” she drawled. Leo was Prince Sebastian’s younger brother. His Royal Highness Prince Leopold. Prince Leopold, as everyone knew, had spent the last several years in England, “attending” Cambridge, which meant, in reality, that he spent more time at soirees and gentlemen’s clubs and hunting lodges than studying. Caroline had encountered him last summer in Chichester at a country house party. They’d engaged in a charming little exchange that Caroline recalled perfectly, word for word. Prince Leopold, on the other hand, remembered it not at all. Worse, he didn’t seem to remember her. The archbishop’s voice suddenly rose into a chant of some sort, drawing Caroline’s attention back to the ceremony. Oh dear, she was thinking about Prince Leopold again when she should be watching her best friend marry a prince. At that moment, Eliza slipped her hand into Prince Sebastian’s hand and held on tightly as the archbishop asked her to repeat after him in English. To love, to honor, to protect and defend. So romantic. Caroline glanced to her right. She was seated next to her brother, the baron Beckett Hawke. He was older than her by half a dozen years and had been her guardian since she was eight and he was fourteen. She leaned against him. “Isn’t she lovely?” she whispered. “Ssh.” “I think she is lovelier than even Queen Victoria on her wedding day,” Caroline whispered. “Her gown is beautiful. It was my idea to use the gold and silver thread on the train.” Beck pretended not to have heard a word. “Do you know, I think I could have made that train.” Her brother put his hand on Caroline’s knee and squeezed as he turned his pale green eyes to hers. He frowned darkly. Caroline pushed his hand away and glanced around her. It was massive, this Saint Paul’s Cathedral. Painted ceilings soared overhead with visions of angels and other godly images. All the fixtures were gold plated, particularly the pulpit, which looked more like a monument than a stand for the Bible. There was so much stained glass that the morning light fractured across Eliza’s long train, turning it into a moving rainbow as sunlight shimmered through the panes. Every seat in the massive cathedral was taken, filled with beautiful people of varying skin tones and colorful costumes and glittering jewels. They had come far and wide, Caroline understood, from countries she’d never even heard of. In a cove above the altar, a choir of young men and boys sang the hymns that had accompanied Eliza down the center aisle to meet her prince. It had sounded as if the heavens had parted and the angels were singing for this bride. The ceremony, almost an hour of it now, was filled with a lot of pomp and circumstance. Caroline wasn’t entirely certain what was happening, as the ceremony was conducted in Latin and Alucian and, for the parts Eliza had to say, in English. It seemed to her that Eliza and Sebastian were up and down quite a lot, one minute on their knees with their heads bowed, and standing the next, staring starry-eyed at each other. There was a somber moment when Eliza was directed down onto her knees alone. It looked as if she were knighted or anointed in some way, and when it was done, the archbishop put his hand to her head, the king and queen stood, and then Prince Sebastian lifted her up and pinned a gorgeous sapphire-and-gold brooch to her breast. “She’s a real princess now,” Caroline whispered to Beck. Predictably, he ignored her. Eliza looked like a princess, too, and Caroline wished Eliza’s father, Justice Tricklebank, could be here. Alas, his advanced age and blindness had made it impossible for him to attend. There had been a smaller, private ceremony in England—the first civil union—before Sebastian had returned to Alucia. That ceremony, which her father had attended, had been necessitated by the fact that Eliza and Sebastian could not seem to keep their hands from each other for as much as a few hours. There was another civil union once Eliza had arrived in Alucia so there would be no question of impropriety, as the heat between Eliza and her prince had only grown. It was embarrassing, really. But neither ceremony had been anything like this. This was a pageant, a feast for the eyes and hearts of romantics everywhere. Caroline’s mind drifted, and she wondered if all these people would be at the ball tonight. She hoped so. She had a beautiful blue Alucian gown trimmed in gold that was astoundingly beautiful. She’d made the train herself. The ball would be her moment to shine…next to Eliza, of course. Yesterday, Eliza had nervously counted out the heads of state that would attend the wedding and the ball and had turned a bit pale as the number mounted. Caroline’s pulse had leapt with delight. “I can’t bear it!” Eliza had exclaimed, unnerved by the number of dignitaries, of the many kings and queens. “What if I say something wrong? You know how I am. Have you any idea how many gifts we’ve received? Am I to remember them all? I’ve never seen so many gold chalices and silver platters and fine porcelain in all my life! What if I trip? What if I spill something on my gown?” “My advice, darling, is not to fill your plate to overflowing,” Hollis had said absently. She was bent over her paper, making notes for the periodical she published, the Honeycutt’s Gazette of Fashion and Domesticity for Ladies. The twice-monthly gazette covered such topics as the latest fashions, domesticity and health advice, and—the most interesting part—the most tantalizing on-dits swirling about London’s high society. Hollis could hardly keep up with the ravenous demand for society news now. She was planning to publish a gazette that would be twice the length of her normal offering with all the news of the royal wedding the moment she returned to London. She’d been busily dispatching letters to her manservant, Donovan, for safekeeping throughout the month they’d been in Alucia. She was so preoccupied that her advice, while offered freely, was not offered with much thought, and Eliza took exception. “I beg your pardon! I’ve hardly eaten a thing since I’ve arrived in Alucia. At every meal the queen looks at me as if she disapproves of everything I do! I’m afraid to do anything, much less eat,” Eliza complained. “They’ll all be looking at me. They’ll be waiting for me to do something wrong, or speculating if I’m already carrying the heir. You cannot imagine how much interest there is in my ability to bear an heir.” “Well, of course!” Caroline said cheerfully. “You’ll have to be a broodmare, darling, but after you’ve given them what they want, you may live in conjugal bliss for the rest of your days surrounded by wealth and privilege and many, many servants.” “They won’t all be looking at you, Eliza. At least half the room will be looking at your handsome husband,” Hollis had said with a wink. Caroline was once again jolted back into the present when the archbishop lifted a heavy jeweled chalice above the heads of Eliza and Prince Sebastian. Surely that meant they were nearly done? Prince Sebastian took Eliza’s hand, and they turned away from the archbishop, facing the guests with ridiculously happy grins on their faces. They were married! Hollis turned, too, and even from where Caroline sat, she could see Hollis’s dark blue eyes shining with tears of joy. The guests rose to their feet as the prince and his bride began their procession away from the altar. Rose petals rained down on the couple and their guests from above. The little flower girls fluttered around behind Eliza like butterflies, flanking her train as they followed the couple down the aisle. Prince Leopold offered his arm to Hollis, and she beamed up at him. Caroline felt left out. Hollis and Eliza were near and dear to her heart, the closest thing to sisters she’d ever had, and she longed to be with them now. Eliza and Prince Sebastian floated past Caroline and Beck without any acknowledgment of them. That was to be expected—the two of them looked absolutely besotted. They were so enthralled with each other, in fact, that Caroline fretted they’d walk into any one of the marble columns that lined their path. Oh, but she was envious, filled to the very brim with envy. In England, she rarely gave marriage any thought except on those occasions Beck complained she ought to settle on someone, anyone, and relieve him of his duty. But he didn’t really mind his duty, his protestations notwithstanding. Caroline rather suspected he liked having her underfoot. So she flitted from one party to the next, happy to enjoy the attentions of the many gentlemen who crossed her path, happy with her freedom to do as she pleased. But looking at Eliza, Caroline realized that she did indeed want one day to be in love with a man who would be as devoted to her as Prince Sebastian was to his bride. She wanted to feel everything Eliza was feeling, to understand just how that sort of love changed a person. Prince Leopold and Hollis passed by Caroline and Beck. Hollis’s face was streaked with happy tears. Prince Leopold happened to look to the guests as they passed, a polite smile on his face. His gaze locked on Caroline’s—well, not locked, really, as much as it skimmed over her—but nevertheless, she smiled broadly. She began to lift a hand but was suddenly jostled with an elbow to her ribs. She jerked a wide-eyed gaze to her brother. “Stop gawking,” he whispered. “You’ll snap your neck, craning it like that.” Caroline haughtily touched a curl at her neck. Beck turned his attention to the procession. The king and queen were passing them now. Beck leaned toward her and whispered, “He’s a prince, Caro, and you are just an English girl. You’re indulging in fairy tales again. I can see it plainly on your face.” Just an English girl? She very much would have liked to kick Beck like she used to do when she was just a wee English girl. “Better to dream in fairy tales than not dream at all.” Beck rolled his eyes. He stood dispassionately as the archbishop and his altar boys followed the king and queen. Just an English girl, indeed. AUTHOR BIO Julia London is a NYT, USA Today and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of historical and contemporary romance. She is a six-time finalist for the RITA Award of excellence in romantic fiction, and the recipient of RT Bookclub's Best Historical Novel. For more information: Website - julialondon.com Twitter - www.twitter.com/JuliaFLondon Facebook - www.facebook.com/JuliaLondon Instagram - www.instagram.com/julia_f_london/  Release date - 4th June 2020
Book length - 384 pages Publisher - Hachette Ireland BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Hachette Ireland for providing me with a copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK When Emily's heart is broken by the love of her life, she never imagined that she would find herself running a small restaurant in the converted hat shop her grandmother left to her. The Food of Love offers diners more than just a home-cooked meal -- and even though Emily has sworn off romance forever, it doesn't stop her hoping for happiness for her regulars, like widowed Bill who hides a troubling secret, single mum Heather who ran away from home when she was sixteen, and gentle Astrid whose past is darker than any of her friends could know. Then, out of the blue, Emily receives a letter from her ex. He's returning home to Ireland and wants to see her. Soon Emily has some tough decisions to make. Will she choose the life she could have had, or the one she has ended up in? Is she brave enough to give love a second chance - and wise enough to figure out where it's truly to be found? MY REVIEW Roisin Meaney's books always feel like a warm hug after a long, hard day, and THE RESTAURANT is no different. Emily has tried to move on after getting dumped at the altar by the man she had planned her future with. After losing her beloved gran, she took a chance and opened a unique restaurant in what used to be her grandmother's small hat shop, and to her surprise, it proved to be popular. Now, Emily looks forward to seeing new customers mixing with her regulars who have become more like family - Heather who left behind a world of wealth to follow her heart; Astrid who has a traumatic past that nobody knows anything about; and Bill who is struggling with his only daughter and the world she has entered. Each of them finds peace, friendship, and possibly more because of the special place that Emily has created for them all. But when Emily's ex returns to Ireland and into her life again, will she trust him with her heart again and give up everything she knows for a chance at a different future? Emotionally-charged with characters that feel like family, THE RESTAURANT by Roisin Meaney leaves no stone unturned in this compelling story of life's highs and lows, and the strength that people can draw from other people and from within themselves. Astrid was by far my favourite - strong, determined, and brave beyond words. But I loved all of these characters and the way their lives intertwined at the right moments. The setting of the restaurant was excellent and while there are many sensitive topics broached in this novel, they are all handled in an honest and tender way that worked well in getting the impact across to readers. THE RESTAURANT by Roisin Meaney is a fantastic book written by a superb Irish author and I look forward to the next book already. AUTHOR BIO Roisin Meaney was born in Listowel, Co Kerry, She has lived in the US, Canada, Africa and Europe but is now based in Limerick, Ireland. This Number One bestselling author is a consistent presence on the Irish bestseller list and she is the author of fifteen novels including three stand alone novels set in the fictional island off the west coast of Ireland: One Summer, After the Wedding and I'll Be Home for Christmas. Her other bestsellers include: The Last Week of May, The People Next Door, Half Seven on a Thursday, Love in the Making, The Things We Do For Love, Something in Common, Two Fridays in April, The Reunion and The Anniversary. She has also written books for children. For more information: Website - roisinmeaney.com Twitter - twitter.com/roisinmeaney Facbook - www.facebook.com/roisinmeaneywriter/  Available Now Book length - 298 pages Publisher - Self-Published BUY LINKS: UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank the author and Anne from randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.com for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK Grace Sullivan flees Dublin with her two teenage children, returning to the sleepy West Cork village where she grew up. No one in Killrowan knows what Grace is running from - or that she's even running. She'd like to keep it that way. Taking over from her father, Des, as the village doctor offers a very real chance for Grace to begin again. But will she and the children adapt to life in a small rural community? Can she live up to the doctor her father was? And will she find the inner strength to face the past when it comes calling? Season of Second Chances is Grace's story. It's also the story of a community that chooses the title "Young Doctor Sullivan" for her before she even arrives. It's the story of Des, who served the villagers all his life and now feels a failure for developing Parkinson's disease. And it's the story of struggling teens, an intimidating receptionist, a handsome American novelist escaping his past, and a dog called Benji who needs a fresh start of his own. MY REVIEW SEASON OF SECOND CHANCES by Aimee Alexander is an emotional and uplifting story about breaking free from the past and finding happiness and friendship. Grace Sullivan has finally done it. She has broken free from her abusive husband and, along with her two older children, has moved back home to the small village she grew up in, to take over her father's position in the local doctor's practice now that he has retired. This is the new start that they all deserve, especially her kids, but small community life is a big change from the big city, and Grace worries about Jack and Holly fitting in. And then there is the worry that her ex, Simon, won't give them up without a fight and he knows how to charm and cajole to get what he wants. As the Sullivans settle into their new lives, old and new friendships are formed, fun and laughter heard again, and freedom to be themselves makes them all feel lighter but it isn't long before the past come backs to haunt them. But Grace and the kids are not the same frightened people anymore and are stronger than he could ever imagine. Beautifully written and with characters that I instantly connected with, SEASON OF SECOND CHANCES by Aimee Alexander is a very special story about moving beyond abuse with the help and support of those who care about you. Grace is smart, strong, and a wonderful mum, and I desperately wanted her to find that spark of happiness within herself again, that person that she used to be before he took over her life. Jack and Holly are wonderful characters showing maturity and strength of spirit that made me tear up at times, and Des is a darling that I just wanted to hug. This small-town community came alive on the page and I felt like I was there, listening to the gossip and the chat about the neighbours. SEASON OF SECOND CHANCES is a powerful and inspiring story about friendship, community, and being true to yourself, and I cannot wait for Aimee Alexander's next masterpiece. AUTHOR BIO Aimee Alexander is the pen name of best selling author Denise Deegan who writes contemporary family dramas about ordinary people who become extraordinary in crisis. Her novels have been published by Penguin, Random House and Hachette. Aimee lives in Dublin with her family where she regularly dreams of sunshine, a life without cooking and her novels being made into movies. She has a Masters in Public Relations and has been a college lecturer, nurse, china restorer, pharmaceutical sales rep, public relations executive and entrepreneur. To keep up-to-date with this author, you can follow here: Website - www.denisedeegan.com Twitter - twitter.com/aimeealexbooks Facebook - www.facebook.com/AimeeAlexanderBooks/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/denisedeegan/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!!   Release date - 1st June 2020 Book length - 336 pages Publisher - Trapeze BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Alainna from www.orionbooks.co.uk for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review via Netgalley. ABOUT THIS BOOK Two families. One cancelled flight. And a last minute house swap... Things get desperate for strangers Harriet and Sophie when they become stranded with their families in Heathrow's Terminal 5. Each woman has her own reason for really really really needing the family holiday they've anticipated for months. But Iceland's volcano has other plans for them. When their flights are cancelled, the families swap houses and discover that sometimes the best things in life happen close to home. This ash cloud has a silver lining, even if no one can quite see it yet. MY REVIEW THE STAYCATION by Michele Gorman is an excellent story about the ups and downs of life and marriage, and how sometimes you can find yourself when you least expect it. Harriet is determined that this holiday with her husband and teenage daughter will get them all back on track as a family, especially her marriage. She has everything planned down to the second, itineraries for every day, and contingency plans for anything that could possibly go wrong. But when an ash cloud shuts down all of the flights, Harriet finds herself swapping homes with a fellow traveller, Sophie, who seems to have the perfect family and a husband who cares for her deeply. Harriet hopes that some of it will rub off on her family. Sophie is so happy that Dan is willing to take time off to take care of her and the kids. Yes, Italy would have been lovely, but she is just as excited when she gets the chance to house swap with Harriet, and experience life in a country cottage. As Sophie really relaxes for the first time and begins a friendship with Harriet over the phone, she realises that Dan is working and being bossy just as much as usual. Only Sophie is beginning to rail against the idea that she cannot do anything for herself and as she begins to feel like her old self, will she view her marriage differently? Compelling, engaging, current, and with characters that feel like friends, THE STAYCATION by Michele Gorman is a wonderful novel that gripped me from the very beginning. Harriet is very direct and controlled but I could see how much she loved her family even though she knows she drives them crazy. Sophie was my favourite, a strong and intelligent woman who had lost control over her own life and lost the spark that made her unique, and it was lovely to watch her come into her own. The country setting was my favourite and the type of place that I would love to live but it was fun to see city living too. THE STAYCATION by Michele Gorman is my favourite book from this author so far and I look forward to more. AUTHOR BIO Michele is a USA Today bestselling author and has sold more than 450,000 copies globally across all formats, with seven novels published by Penguin Random House and HarperCollins. She was born in the US and now makes London home, writing comedies under her own name and cosy rom-coms as Lilly Bartlett. To keep up-to-date with this author, follow here: Website - www.michelegorman.co.uk Twitter - twitter.com/MicheleGormanUK Facebook - www.facebook.com/MicheleGormanBooks/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/michelegormanuk/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!  |
WelcomeHi fellow bookworms. My name is Linda and I'm a reviewer & blogger, wife & mother who loves all things books! 
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