Books on Tour - The Little Guesthouse of New Beginnings by Donna Ashcroft

 Today I am really pleased to be taking part in Bookouture's Books on Tour promotion to celebrate Donna Ashcroft's new release, The Little Guesthouse of New Beginnings. 

The Sunshine Hideaway, with its big bay windows and stunning view of Sunflower Island’s golden beaches, is the only place Madison Skylar has ever truly thought of as home. Could returning to the island be the second chance she needs? 

When twenty-three-year-old Madison arrives at The Sunshine Hideaway, she discovers the beautiful little guesthouse is falling into disrepair. With the help of old friends Amy and Connor, Madison throws herself into creating a gorgeous wellness retreat, introducing yoga sessions, adventure walks and ice-cream sundaes with a delicious twist. But will it be enough to save her childhood home?

Handsome and mysterious Connor has lived on Sunflower Island his whole life. He works hard as a builder, with his faithful dog Jaws by his side, but something is missing and he dreams of bigger things. As Connor helps to revamp The Sunshine Hideaway, this could be his opportunity to tell the woman he’s secretly been in love with for years how he really feels…

As spontaneous and fun-loving Madison settles into life on the close-knit island, sparks fly between her and shy Connor as they clash on the reinvention of the guesthouse. Are the they too different to make things work or will Madison and Connor finally find true love this year?

An utterly perfect, feel-good romance about the power of friendship, the meaning of home and the joy of falling in love in the sunshine. Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Milly Johnson and Debbie Macomber.

 

I really enjoy Donna Ashcroft's books and The Little Guesthouse of New Beginnings is not exception. Set in a beautiful setting that I would love to visit and with a cast of characters that I would love to spend time with it is the perfect book to loose oneself in over a long relaxing summer weekend. 

The Little Guesthouse of New Beginnings is an easy read and I would love to revisit the guesthouse again to see how the characters continue to develop after this novel finishes.

Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me to take part in the Books on Tour promotion and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review. 

Books on Tour - The Woman at 46 Heath Street by Lesley Sanderson

Today I am really pleased to be taking part in Bookouture's Books on Tour promotion to celebrate Lesley Sanderson's new release, The Woman at 46 Heath Street.

The letter is addressed to me. No stamp, swirly handwriting in black ink. I pull out a piece of paper, stiffening when I read the message. Hands trembling, the note slides to the floor: Your husband is having an affair.

Six words written in neat block letters. Six words slipped through her letterbox, destroying her marriage, exposing Ella’s perfect life as perfect lies.

But Ella has a plan: Alice is the answer to her problems. A lodger, to help keep her afloat, a friend, to keep the loneliness at bay.

Only Alice has her own reasons for wanting to live at 46 Heath Street…

If you loved The Wife Between Us, The Girl on The Train and The Secret Mother, you will be totally hooked by this twisty and gripping read about family secrets, marriage betrayal and the dark side of love.

The Woman at 46 Heath Street is an easy read which kept my attention throughout. Although it wasn't an edge of the seat psychological thriller that seem to be flooding the market at the moment it was addictive and I had to continue to reading just one more chapter. 

I was able to guess the ending early on however this did not spoil my enjoyment of reading it at all. 

I really enjoyed Lesley's writing style with the story being told by two main characters, Ella and Alice, in the present day and loved the addition of Nancy's narrative told through diary entries - it was a great addition and added an extra air of mystery and intrigue to the story which made the book stand out in my mind when recommending to others. 

Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me to take part in the Books on Tour promotion and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review. 

Books on Tour - Heartlands by Kerry Watt

Today I am pleased to be taking part in Bookouture's Books on Tour to celebrate the publication of Kerry Watt's new release, Heartlands.

Call it mother’s intuition, but I knew she was dead the moment she was late home. As I listened to her phone ring and ring, that’s when I knew for sure. My little girl was gone. 

Twenty years ago, Sophie Nicoll never came home from school. Days later her body was found in a shallow grave on a remote farm a few miles from her hometown. Two boys from her school were found guilty. The press called the boys evil. Sophie’s family wanted them dead. The judge promised they’d never walk free.

Two decades later and schoolgirl Shannon Ross has vanished from a small town in the Scottish Highlands.

It’s Detective Jessie Blake’s first big case since she joined Perthshire Police. Having recently arrived from London, Jessie lives in fear of people finding out about her past and her reasons for moving north.

When Shannon’s body is found in the river on the outskirts of Inverlochty, Jessie discovers she’s not the only one with something to hide. As the small community begins to crack under pressure, people begin to point fingers. And soon, the big secrets hidden within the small town are revealed – with devastating consequences.

This shocking crime thriller set in the dramatic Scottish Highlands will have you reading well into the night. If you like LJ Ross, Cara Hunter or Robert Bryndza, you will absolutely love this.

Heartlands is Kerry Watts' first novel and in it she introduces us to Detective Jessie Blake, a character that I am already reading more about and learning more about her and her history as Heartlands is all about her first case as Detective but there appears to be things in her past that she would rather stay hidden.

I did enjoy Heartlands although at times it felt that Kerry was trying to pack the book with too many storylines and back history. I am looking forward to reading more by Kerry and watching her writing develop. The character of Detective Jessie Blake is an interesting one and I would love to read more about her and watch her grow as she continues to stamp her mark on the Perthshire Police and leaves London behind

Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me to take part in the Books on Tour to celebrate teh publication of Heartlands and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Blog Tour - Reasons to be Cheerful by Nina Stibbe

Today I am excited to be taking part in Penguin's Blog Tour to celebrate the publication of Nina Stibbe's fantastic new release, Reasons to be Cheerful.

iWhen people in the village heard I was about to start working in the city they tried to unsettle me with tales of woe. The sun, blotted out by the tall buildings, couldn't shine and the rain was poisoned by the toxic fumes that poured from the sock factories. My skin would be covered in pimples from the hell of it all'

So begins a young woman's journey to adulthood. Lizzie Vogel leaves her alcoholic, novel-writing mother and heads for Leicester to work for a racist, barely competent dentist obsessed with joining the freemasons.
Soon Lizzie is heading reluctantly, if at top speed, into the murky depths of adult life: where her driving instructor becomes her best friend; her first boyfriend prefers birdwatching to sex and where independence for a teenage girl might just be another word for loneliness.

In Reasons to Be Cheerful Nina Stibbe shows her extraordinary gift for illuminating the vital details which make us human. She is that rare writer who makes us laugh whilst reminding us of the joy, and the pain, of being alive.




Nina Stibbe is a fantastic author - one that when I pick up, I know that I am in for a brilliant read and one which will leave me giggling away in the corner as I devour the book!

Reasons to be Cheerful is another brilliant read by Nina Stibbe. It is hilarious in a number of places, with a cast of great characters and is a book that many of its readers will identify with.

Set in the 1980s, Nina has included a number of fantastic observational moments which transports the reader straight back to the decade and I am sure many readers will identify and reimnise about way into the night! It is great to again meet with main character Lizzie Benson and in a time that I remember although I was slightly younger than her at the time.

A great book to throw into a bag to read in moments of quiet. I read lots of it while waiting for my bus to and from work and it lightened my mood many times.

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Books on Tour - Escape to the Little French Cafe by Karen Clarke

On the beautiful French coast lies the Café Belle Vie, a peaceful haven offering a warm welcome and delicious pains au chocolat – and where Natalie’s quiet life is about to be turned upside down…

When thirty-one-year-old Natalie Bright’s boyfriend dumps her and immediately gets engaged to his ex-girlfriend, she escapes her heartbreak and moves to the charming village of Chamillon on the Île de Ré.

She’s determined to build a new life there: writing about farmer’s markets for a local magazine, exploring the local vineyards on her bike, and taking advantage of the sunshine. And in the Café Belle Vie she finds a bustling community – including new best friend Charlie – and a near-constant supply of cakes.

All in all, things are looking pretty good.

So when a blast from the past – her teenage crush Jay Merino – suddenly turns up in Chamillon, Natalie’s thrown. She’s sworn off men ever since she moved to France, but she and Jay have a connection that stretches back years.

But could taking a chance on an old flame complete her new life – or ruin everything she’s worked so hard for?

A gorgeous rom com full of sunshine, croissants and sparkling romance! Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson, Zara Stoneley and Debbie Macomber.

I really enjoy Karen Clarke's books. Karen has written a number of trilogies which are based in a fictional village or area and Karen gives us the opportunity to meet a number of the residents and feel part of the community.

Escape to the French Café is another great read by Karen Clarke. it is set in France and the setting sounds idyllic, a place I would love to visit! The cast of characters all sound great and by the end of the book I felt like part of the community within Café Belle Vie! 

In this book the reader meets Natalie Bright, who has escaped to Chamillon following the break down of her relationship with her boyfriend when he gets engaged to his ex girlfriend! Chamillon sounds like the ideal place to get over a break up and she looses herself in her new life. All is going well until her teenage crush also crashes into her new life - this is a slow burning romance and one which I enjoyed reading about, watching from afar as their relationship blooms.

As ever Karen includes great humour within her writing and in parts I was giggling and chuckling while reading and I just had to keep reading!

I really hope that Karen will be returning to Chamillon soon, there are some fantastic cast characters who I would love to find out more about.

This is the perfect book to load onto your kindle to read while relaxing over a long weekend, or to read while travelling away to sunnier climbs.

Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me to take part in the Books on Tour to celebrate the publication of Escape to the Little French Café and a copy of the book in return for an honest review. 

Books on Tour - When You're Gone by Brooke Harris

Today I am pleased to be taking part in Bookouture's Books on Tour to celebrate the publication of Brooke Harris' 'When You're Gone'.

Holly was overjoyed to discover she was pregnant. But the baby is unwell, and her relationship is fracturing under the stress. Just when she is at her lowest, she receives the worst news of all: her beloved nana, Annie, is dying.

But Annie has one final wish before she leaves. She asks Holly to find a memory box in the attic, and to read the handwritten pages within it to her, the most precious things she owns.

It’s the story of Arthur ‘Sketch’ Talbot, Annie’s first – and last – love, and how much he sacrificed to save her from a home where she didn’t feel safe. It’s Annie’s promise to Holly that it doesn’t matter how long you love someone – but how much.

As Holly reads her nana’s story to her one last time, could it help her find the strength to face her own future? Is fulfilling her grandmother’s final wish really a gift for Holly?

Compelling, heart-breaking, and emotionally vivid, When You’re Gone will break your heart and fix it anew. A gripping and emotional novel about family, love and sacrifice, for fans of Diane Chamberlain, Susan Lewis and Kathryn Hughes’ The Letter.

Previously published as When It Rains. This edition contains significant editorial revisions.

When You're Gone is a book that is going to stay with  me for a long time. It is a book that has been beautifully written and definitely takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions. It gripped me from the very start and I did not want to put it down until I got to the very end. I often found myself with tears rolling down my face as I read.

There are some difficult themes throughout the book with Holly being pregnant with a sick baby and also facing the harsh reality that her nana is dying. Dealing with both at the same time is heart breaking but there is some light within the story as she is able to reminisce with her nana about her past and her first love.

When You're Gone is a fantastic read, a powerful story of love and lost and the strength of family and friendship.

Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me to be a part of Books on Tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Blog Tour - One Summer's Night by Kiley Dunbar

Today I am pleased to be taking part in the blog tour to celebrate the publication of Kiley Dunbar's debut novel 'One Summer's Night'.

Kelsey Anderson is stuck in a rut so big, she’ll need a 4-wheel drive to get out. She’s just been made redundant from her dead-end job, and boyfriend Fran is so busy climbing up the career ladder that he’s forgotten how to have fun. She needs to change her life – and fast.

Stumbling across an advert for tour guides in Stratford-Upon-Avon seems like the perfect way to bring the sunshine back. In an impulsive move, she moves from her small Scottish village to Shakespeare’s birthplace, armed only with a suitcase and her battered copy of Shakespeare’s Sonnets.

Kelsey quickly falls in love with the place, her job as a tourist guide allowing her to explore every inch of the picture-perfect town, from cosy cafes to the picturesque banks of the river.

But it’s not just the town that captures her heart, as she finds herself torn between the actors Will and Jonathan who both vie for her affections.

But will beautiful Peony, the lead actress at the Oklahoma theatre company where Jonathan is playing Oberon in A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, play a role in keeping Kelsey and Jonathan apart?

Or will flirtatious, charming Will, the fellow tour guide who has set his sights on Kelsey, keep the star-crossed lovers from finding their happy ending?

A gorgeously uplifting, feel good romance that will captivate readers of Holly Martin, Cathy Bramley and Milly Johnson.

I really enjoyed 'One Summer's Night'. It is set in Stratford Upon Avon, a town that I visited many times, although surprisingly never done the Shakespeare touristy bits. Having Kelsey Anderson as a tour guide meant that the author, Kiley Dunbar, was able to show the beautiful Stratford Upon Avon setting at its very best.

The book features a great cast of characters and I really empathised with Kelsey who had a lot going on in her life. She is very down to earth and I think that it is this that makes her likeable.

I also really liked Kiley's writing style, very laid back , easy to read and had an almost chatty style to it. At times I felt like I was listening to a conversation between friends telling each other of events of their days.  The storyline was believable and went at a steady pace.

I would recommend One Summer's Night to any of my blog readers who are looking for an easy to read, great story, set in a beautiful setting with a cast of characters that would be a great set of new friends.

Thank you to Hera Books and Tracy Fenton for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.