Books on Tour - A Summer Escape and Strawberry Cake at the Cosy Kettle by Liz Eeles

The Cosy Kettle café is the perfect place to escape this summer, for fans of Cathy Bramley, Jenny Colgan and Debbie Johnson. Guests can tuck in to fruit puddings and strawberry-studded ice cream, but for Flora, the warm summer breeze is blowing in big changes…

When Flora finds out about her husband’s secret fling, she escapes to the one place she feels safe: her beloved café, The Cosy Kettle, in the charming village of Honeyford. Serving up cream teas to her café regulars is the perfect way to soothe her broken heart, and although she’s never lived in the area, the little community welcome her with open arms.

She’s soon lodging with local eccentric Luna in her remote and beautiful Starlight Cottage, snuggled between rolling green hills. Luna’s handsome son Daniel lost his wife several years ago, and as Flora gets to know him, sharing walks through the blossom-scented woods, they both slowly begin to heal… and she realises that behind Daniel’s quiet exterior, there’s a passionate nature that makes her forget all about her ex-husband.

As she settles into her new life, hosting a baking competition for the village’s summer celebration seems like a great idea… but with Daniel’s mysterious silences leading Flora to believe he’s hiding secrets, she can’t help but wonder if she can really trust him. And when the race to bake the perfect Victoria sponge stirs up old rivalries between locals, Flora starts to feel like she’s bitten off more than she can chew.

After her new start, will Flora ever truly belong in Honeyford? And, this summer, can she risk opening up her heart again? 

Today I am really pleased to be taking part in Bookouture's Books on Tour to celebrate the publication of 'A Summer Escape and Strawberry Cake at the Cosy Kettle'.

This is the second trip to Flora's café, The Cosy Kettle, in Honeyford. I really enjoyed my first visit and so have been hoping to return every since.  The Cosy Kettle is the heart of the community with villages dropping in and meeting up with friends alongside visitors the village.Each bring their own stories and it has been great to listen to their conversations, their problems and life journeys.

This is the second book in the series, and while it can easily be read as a standalone it was great to learn more about Flora's home life and to realise that there was more going on than she let people know. Her quiet and private demeanour was masking her own problems which she keeps behind closed doors, instead listening to her customers problems and sharing their highs and lows.

However it is a chance meeting with Luna, the owner of a mystical shop, that makes Flora see her life from a different viewpoint and this encourages her to make changes and taking part in the preparations for the villages summer celebrations gives her another distraction and interest.

I really enjoyed my second visit and relaxed which reading more about the village of Honeyford's inhabitants and I hope that a third visit will be possible soon.

This is a great summer read.

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

Blog Tour - To Do List and Other Debacles by Amy Jones

How not to be good?

 Let me list the ways… 

Are you a woman? Do you make to-do lists to stop you losing your mind? Have you ever cried in the toilets at work, had a meltdown in the supermarket, or gone off the rails at a hen party? And have you ever been saved from any of the above by your truly brilliant friends? 

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then this is the book for you. A moving, funny and brutally honest memoir of one woman’s millennial misadventures, The To-Do List and Other Disastersfollows Amy Jones on her journeys through friendship, marriage and mental health disasters in a story that’s as relatable as it is riotous. 

'The To Do List and Other Debacles' is a great book which so many readers will be able to relate to at some part in their life.

I write lists - to try and remember what I need to do each day, what I need to buy while in town or important jobs to do while at work the next day. Amy Jones also writes lists and has many on the go at any time to cover the different parts of her life. 

'The To Do List and Other Debacles' is written at a difficult time in Amy's life when she is suffering with body confidence issues and depression rears  its head. The book is an honest and real account of a woman who tries to overcome her demons. I felt myself relating to Amy's situation in so many places throughout this book - it is a really good read, difficult to read in places, especially where I identified with the feelings and thoughts.

This is an honest account of a Mental Health sufferer and the fight she had to get the help she needed and the recovery journey she took. Raw emotions are exposed which is so powerful and I felt myself emoting with Amy during the dark times but also the good times.

Thank you to Random Things and to the publishers, Ebury Press, for sending me a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

How not to be good? Let me list the ways…

Are you a woman? Do you make to-do lists to stop you losing your mind? Have you ever cried in the toilets at work, had a meltdown in the supermarket, or gone off the rails at a hen party?

And have you ever been saved from any of the above by your truly brilliant friends?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then this is the book for you. A moving, funny and brutally honest memoir of one woman’s millennial misadventures, The To-Do List and Other Disasters follows Amy Jones on her journeys through friendship, marriage and mental health disasters in a story that’s as relatable as it is riotous.

How not to be good? Let me list the ways…

Are you a woman? Do you make to-do lists to stop you losing your mind? Have you ever cried in the toilets at work, had a meltdown in the supermarket, or gone off the rails at a hen party?

And have you ever been saved from any of the above by your truly brilliant friends?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then this is the book for you. A moving, funny and brutally honest memoir of one woman’s millennial misadventures, The To-Do List and Other Disasters follows Amy Jones on her journeys through friendship, marriage and mental health disasters in a story that’s as relatable as it is riotous.How not to be good? Let me list the ways…

Are you a woman? Do you make to-do lists to stop you losing your mind? Have you ever cried in the toilets at work, had a meltdown in the supermarket, or gone off the rails at a hen party?

And have you ever been saved from any of the above by your truly brilliant friends?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then this is the book for you. A moving, funny and brutally honest memoir of one woman’s millennial misadventures, The To-Do List and Other Disasters follows Amy Jones on her journeys through friendship, marriage and mental health disasters in a story that’s as relatable as it is riotous.How not to be good? Let me list the ways…

Are you a woman? Do you make to-do lists to stop you losing your mind? Have you ever cried in the toilets at work, had a meltdown in the supermarket, or gone off the rails at a hen party?

And have you ever been saved from any of the above by your truly brilliant friends?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then this is the book for you. A moving, funny and brutally honest memoir of one woman’s millennial misadventures, The To-Do List and Other Disasters follows Amy Jones on her journeys through friendship, marriage and mental health disasters in a story that’s as relatable as it is riotous.

Books on Tour - The Liars House by Carla Kovach

Today I am very excited to be taking part in Bookouture's Books on Tour to celebrate Carla Kovach's fourth novel, The Liar's House.

Samantha stumbled out of the party and on to a busy street only ten minutes away from her home. But she never made it home… 

Seven years after Samantha’s disappearance, on what would have been her thirty-fifth birthday, her best friend Diane is shocked to find a letter addressed to Samantha on her doorstep.

Opening the envelope, Diane pulls out a birthday card and a finger nail painted in dusky pink nail polish. The same shade Samantha always wore. The same shade she was wearing the night she went missing.

When police analyse the nail, they don’t get the result they expected. Instead of linking them to Samantha, the nail belongs to another woman, Jade Ashmore. And Jade was murdered the night before the envelope was delivered….

THE COMPLETELY ADDICTIVE NEW CRIME THRILLER FROM BEST SELLING AUTHOR CARLA KOVACH – if you love Lisa Gardner, Robert Bryndza or Clare Mackintosh, you’ll love The Liar’s House. Gripping from the first page – you won’t be able to put it down. 

The Liar's House is the fourth novel in Carla Kovach's popular series featuring Detective Gina Harte and I believe that this is the best so far!

Carla writes fantastic reads, which she delivers in short, fast paced chapters. Drawing the reader in, she does not let go until the very end - hence me reading this in a short period of time. Carla captures the fear and urgency of the case's victims and investigating team perfectly and this all adds to the atmosphere of the book.

The book does cover the sensitive subject of domestic abuse however Carla tackles it with tact and sensitivity and is a book that may make readers look at their friends and colleagues to spot the signs of this ever increasing taboo subject.

Although this is the fourth book in a series, it could be read as a standalone, however I believe in order to understand DI Harte and her persona it is best to read them in order.

I am already looking forward to Carla's fifth novel and definitely recommend The Liar's House to all my readers, especially those who love police procedural novels. 

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

Carla Kovach is taking part in a Meet the Authors event at The Hive, Worcester on Thursday 17th October with Sue Watson and Sheryl Browne. A great oppurtunity to meet local authors at the fantastic city centre venue - our beautiful library.

Blog Tour - Am I Guilty? by Jackie Kabler

A mother’s job is to protect her child…but everyone makes mistakes.


I never thought it would happen to me…


One moment I had it all – a gorgeous husband, a beautiful home, a fulfilling career and two adorable children. The next, everything came crashing down around me.


 They said it was my fault. They said I’m the worst mother in the world. And even though I can’t remember what happened that day, they wouldn’t lie to me. These are my friends, my family, people I trust.


 But then why do I have this creeping sensation that something is wrong? Why do I feel like people are keeping secrets? Am I really as guilty as they say? And if I’m not, what will happen when the truth comes out…?

A mother's worst nightmare is the subject of Am I Guilty? Thea's life comes crashing down around her and the worst thing, she can't remember what happened on that awful day.

From the very start of Am I Guilty? I was engrossed, I am sure that mothers (and fathers) across the world will relate to the characters, with each telling the story from their own viewpoint, a style I really enjoy reading.

I began to piece together the events of the day where life changed for ever but the ending was a real surprise - I never saw it coming and it was a great ending that has left me wanting to read more of Jackie's back catalogue very soon.

The story is a great psychological thriller which builds in pace and leaves the reader engrossed.

Thank you to the publishers and to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to take part in the blog tour (apologies my post was late) and a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Books on Tour - Summer at the Little French Cafe by Karen Clarke

In the beautiful village of Chamillon lies the Café Belle Vie, where you’ll always find croissants and friends when you need them the most – and where Elle is hoping to uncover the truth about her past…

Thirty-year-old Elle Matheson has decided it’s finally time to find the mother who gave her up as a baby. With a faded postcard from the Café Belle Vie in hand – one of the very few things she has from her mother – she heads straight to the Île de Ré to begin her search.

With only the postcard and the ivory shawl she was wrapped in as clues, finding her mum is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, even with the help of friendly – and gorgeous – café-owner Charlie. And since Elle hasn’t exactly told her younger sister what she’s up to, the little white lies about where she is are starting to add up…

But Elle is really starting to feel at home on the beautiful island. The locals are welcoming, the café is homely, and Charlie is always there with a helping hand, a listening ear, and a pain au chocolat.

Is Elle about to discover not just where she came from – but where she belongs?

A hilarious rom com perfect for reading in the sunshine! Fans of Debbie Johnson, Zara Stoneley and Debbie Macomber will love Karen Clarke!

'Summer at the Little French Cafe' is the second visit to Karen Clarke's Little French Café and I for one have been looking forward to revisiting Café Belle Vie. 

Karen Clarke writes fantastic novels which are usually part of a trilogy series. Karen creates a great cast of regular characters throughout the trilogy and then brings in a number of visitors to each book. I love to explore the location and by the end of the series I usually feel part of the community and can picture the locals and beautiful scenery. However saying that, each book can be read as a standalone novel which the reader will enjoy and, hopefully, will encourage them to read the others in the series.

'Summer at the Little French Cafe' introduces Elle, a young woman who wants to trace the mother who gave her up shortly after her birth. Armed with the ivory shawl she was wrapped in and an old postcard featuring Café Belle Vie, the reader could be excused for thinking this will be a story of sadness, upset and disappointment, however Karen Clarke has written a story of hope, investigation and new beginnings. 

I really  enjoy Karen's books, as I am confident that the story, although an easy read, will also feature lots of comedy moments, with a little romance spread throughout the book.

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

Blog Tour - Something to Live For by Richard Roper

Sometimes you have to risk everything to find your something... 

Andrew works with death for a living. Searching for people's next of kin and attending the funerals if they don't have anyone, he's desperate to avoid the same fate for himself. Which is fine, because he has the perfect wife and 2.4 children waiting at home for him after a long day. At least, that's what he's told people.

The truth is, his life isn't exactly as people think and the little white lie he once told is about to catch up with him.

Because in all Andrew's efforts to fit in, he's forgotten one important thing: how to really live. And maybe, it's about time for him to start.

'Something to Live For' was a book that immediately caught my attention.The main character, Andrew, has a very unusual job - when a person passes away Andrew must search for any living relatives to attend the funeral and lay them to rest. I asked myself what sort of person would apply for this job - someone who was compassionate, knew the importance of family and wanting to ensure that everyone is laid to rest feeling loved and respected. However I am not sure that Andrew fits this description. A man who's father died when he was young, his mother withdrew into herself and her older sister bullied him and left him to bring himself up. 

The subject matter of the book should of meant that the story was a sad one, where Andrew is trying to find long lost relations or taking over the role when a person dies alone in the world and must sell their assets to repay the cost of their funeral however the book is actually filled with happiness and at times, funny moments.

I really liked the character of Peggy, a work colleague of Andrew's. This is where the humour evolved and gave him the support he didn't have from family and friends.

Something to Live For is a good read and one which I would recommend to others who wanted something different to read. I am not sure what category this would fit into or how I would describe it to others, but I for one, am very glad that I was offered this book to review and will be recommending to others.

Thank you to Compulisive Readers and Orion for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review. 

Blog Tour - Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams

What if you almost missed the love of your life?

Nadia gets the 7.30 train every morning without fail. Well, except if she oversleeps or wakes up at her friend Emma’s after too much wine.

Daniel really does get the 7.30 train every morning, which is easy because he hasn’t been able to sleep properly since his dad died.

One morning, Nadia’s eye catches sight of a post in the daily paper:

To the cute girl with the coffee stains on her dress. I’m the guy who’s always standing near the doors… Drink sometime?

So begins a not-quite-romance of near-misses, true love, and the power of the written word.

A wonderfully funny will-they-won’t-they romance told with real emotional honesty, perfect
for those who loved Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love as well as fans of Lucy Vine, Holly Bourne, Mhairi McFarlane and Beth O’Leary.

'Our Stop' is a funny story which is really a love story which starts at a busy train station, advertised on a newspaper notice board and then a will they, won't they meet and be attracted.It was a quick read which I loved and I think would make a great film that draws audiences in.

The characters were down to earth and likeable, people who readers are likely to see every day on the tube or bus and therefore realistic. 

Along with a number of other reviewers I did find the book to be a slow starter but it did increase in pace and the second two thirds of the book were very quick to read and I really enjoyed watching the relationship develop.

Our Stop is a fun love story which plays out as if in real life and will be loved by anyone who enjoys a real love story. 

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