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28 February 2017

March 2017 Releases!

February has been quite a good book month, if I may say so. However, I already had a sneak peek at what March has in store for us, and wow, I had a pretty difficult time picking just a few releases to share with all of you today! There are definitely some great titles hitting the shelves in the next 31 days or so, so be sure to keep an eye out for these sparkling new titles, especially the ones you can find below which are some of my personal favourites for March...!

'The Difference Between You and Me' - Celia Hayes (1 March)

Trudy Watts has everything she's ever dreamed of: a job that she loves, a successful boyfriend and an ultra-modern apartment in one of the most fashionable parts of London. With a long-awaited promotion due to come her way and her wedding just around the corner, Trudy's life is just perfect...

That is until catastrophe strikes and her life is turned upside down. She's transferred to Turriff, a remote Scottish town to manage a small, struggling bank branch.

Her arrival is traumatic and she wishes she was anywhere but here... Until she sees him – Ethan, the charming pub landlord, who seems to enjoy nothing more than to tease her. And it's right there, in that pub, that her life will suddenly change...

 

'There's Something About Cornwall' - Daisy James (8 March)

A knight in a shining camper van!

Life is far from picture perfect for food photographer, Emilie Roberts. Not only has her ex-boyfriend cheated on her, he’s also stolen her dream assignment to beautiful Venice! Instead, Emilie is heading to the wind-swept Cornish coast…

Emilie doesn’t think it can get any worse – until disaster strikes on the very first day! And there’s only one man to rescue this damsel in distress: extremely hunky surfing instructor, Matt Ashby.

Racing from shoot to shoot in a bright orange vintage camper van, Matt isn’t the conventional knight in shining armour – but can he make all of Emilie’s fairy tale dreams come true?

 

'Laura Lake and the Hipster Weddings' - Wendy Holden (9 March)

She'll need a triple-barrelled name for the castle one. She'll need a gallon of glitter for the woodland one. She'll need a lobster-shaped hat for the Shoreditch one.

Laura Lake longs to be a journalist. Instead she's an unpaid intern at a glossy magazine – sleeping in the fashion cupboard and living on canapĂ©s. But she's just got her first big break: infiltrate three society weddings and write a juicy exposĂ©.

Security will be tighter than a bodycon dress, but how hard can it be? Cue disappearing brides, demanding socialites – and a jealous office enemy who will do anything to bring her down...

 

'The Queen of Wishful Thinking' - Milly Johnson (9 March)

When Lewis Harley has a health scare in his early forties, he takes it as a wake-up call. So he and his  wife Charlotte leave behind life in the fast lane and Lewis opens the antique shop he has dreamed of. Bonnie Brookland was brought up in the antiques trade and now works for the man who bought out her father’s business, but she isn’t happy there. So when she walks into Lew’s shop, she knows this is the place for her.

As Bonnie and Lew start to work together, they soon realise that there is more to their relationship than either thought. But Bonnie is trapped in an unhappy marriage, and Lew and Charlotte have more problems than they care to admit. Each has secrets in their past which are about to be uncovered. Can they find the happiness they both deserve?

 

'The Little Teashop of Lost and Found' - Trisha Ashley (9 March)

Alice Rose is a foundling, discovered on the Yorkshire moors above Haworth as a baby. Adopted but then later rejected again by a horrid step-mother, Alice struggles to find a place where she belongs. Only baking – the scent of cinnamon and citrus and the feel of butter and flour between her fingers – brings a comforting sense of home. 

So it seems natural that when she finally decides to return to Haworth, Alice turns to baking again, taking over a run-down little teashop and working to set up an afternoon tea emporium. 

Luckily she soon makes friends – including a Grecian god-like neighbour – who help her both set up home and try to solve the mystery of who she is. There are one or two last twists in the dark fairytale of Alice’s life to come . . . but can she find her happily ever after?

 

'Evie's Year of Taking Chances' - Christie Barlow (10 March)

Evie’s job has always been her safe haven. As a librarian in the little town of Becton she loses herself in books - after all it’s far easier to read about other people’s problems than set about solving her own.

Then, one birthday, everything is turned upside down. A mysterious parcel containing a beautiful book with a poignant inscription arrives for Evie. It’s the beginning of a new chapter for Evie and she’s inspired to try and find her real mother. 

Evie’s search leads her to meet handsome author Noah Jones. Charming and intelligent, Noah seems the perfect catch but what Evie doesn’t realise is that he is hiding something – a key to Evie’s past. 

As Evie gets closer to Noah and discovering her mother, she must take a giant leap of faith. Can she embrace the new and make this her year of taking chances? And if she does, will she get her heart broken? 

 

'Love in an English Garden' - Victoria Connelly (14 March)

The Jacobs family has lived at Orley Court for generations. But when Vanessa Jacobs is widowed and left to manage the property, she finds costs spiralling out of control. In order to stay in their beloved home, she and her daughters will have to sell part of it off—a decision that drives a wedge between Vanessa and her mother-in-law.

The new owners of the north wing are Laurence Sturridge and his father, Marcus. Both of them long for an escape: Laurence from the monotony of his City career; Marcus from the grief of losing his wife. Could the beauty of Orley Court offer them a fresh outlook on life?

As the two families embark on a challenging new chapter over the course of a glorious English summer, secrets are revealed and relationships tested. But as Orley Court begins to weave its magic over them, will it be love, above all, that brings the two families together?

 

'The Idea of You' - Amanda Prowse (21 March)

With her fortieth birthday approaching, Lucy Carpenter dares to hope that she finally has it all: a wonderful new husband, Jonah, a successful career and the chance of a precious baby of her own. Life couldn’t be more perfect.

But the reality of becoming parents proves much harder than Lucy and Jonah imagined. Jonah’s love and support is unquestioning, but as Lucy struggles with work and her own failing dreams, the strain on their marriage increases. Suddenly it feels like Lucy is close to losing everything…

Heart-wrenching and poignant, this latest work by bestselling author Amanda Prowse asks the question: what does it mean to be a mother in today’s hectic world? And what if it’s asking too much to want it all?

 

'Miss Mary's Book of Dreams' - Sophie Nicholls (23 March)

In historic York, Ella seems to have the perfect life. She's a published author, her bookshop is thriving, she's married to the man of her dreams and they've started a family of their own. 

But Ella is struggling. Motherhood isn't quite everything she imagined it to be, and she's worried that there may be cracks in her marriage. 

On the other side of the Atlantic, despite endless blue skies and a stream of eager customers in her vintage dress shop, Ella's mother Fabia finds that life in San Diego is not enough for her. She misses York, and can sense that Ella needs her, so she flies home. 

And this is when they meet Bryony. With a complicated life and secrets of her own, Bryony may have some of the answers they're looking for. 

Can Ella and Fabia help her find her way, whilst also working out how to find their own happily ever after?

27 February 2017

Review: 'Mixing It Up' by Tracie Banister (2016)

Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, Manhattan upper-cruster Cecily Sinclair now uses that pricey utensil to dish up fancy French fare on her cooking show, Serving Romance. When there’s an executive shake-up at the network, she’s not worried. Not much anyway. Her show’s a hit after all. Why would the new CEO want to mess with success?

The driving force behind several buzzed-about networks, Devlin Hayes is considered to be a wunderkind in the television industry. Although his plans to rebrand CuisineTV and make Serving Romance more Millennial-friendly don’t thrill Cecily, her charming, blue-eyed boss is a hard man to say “no” to and she really wants to keep her job—even if that means sharing screen time with a loathsome blast from her past. 

Mercurial Italian chef Dante Marchetti a.k.a. “Il Duce” was once Cecily’s boss, and she has the PTSD to prove it. Now the owner of one of the hottest restaurants in town, Dante’s egomania knows no bounds and his constant attempts to provoke and upstage Cecily make her want to conk him on the head with a sautĂ© pan. She thinks they’re toxic together, but viewers love their chemistry and clamor for more. 

As Cecily battles to maintain the integrity of her show, she finds herself scheming and manipulating right along with Dante and Devlin. Is she fighting a lost cause? Does she really belong on TV, or would her culinary talent be better served elsewhere? And could one of the men who makes Cecily’s blood boil ignite a passion in her for something other than food?

Last year I was contacted by author Tracie Banister with a review request for her novel 'Twin Piques' (click here to read my review). When I finally got to the novel, I was blown away by Tracie's writing skills and how much I actually enjoyed the book, and I was immediately excited about her next read. So, when Tracie contacted me at the end of last year about her latest release, 'Mixing It Up', I immediately said 'yes' when she asked me to review the book, without even reading the description. I am always in the mood for a good chick lit read and I already had a good feeling I would end up enjoying this one just as much, or perhaps even more, than 'Twin Piques'...!

Cecily Sinclair loves her job as a TV-chef. In her own show 'Serving Romance' she gets to share her passion for French food and cooking with her audience, and according to the audience numbers they seem to love it as well. But then CuisineTV is taken over by Devlin Hayes, who has all kinds of plans to give the channel a make-over and make it more appealing for millennials. Cecily has to fight to keep her show on the air, and matters become even worse when she gets a new co-host in the form of Italian chef Dante Marchetti, a former boss she never got along with and still can't stand. With all the changes in her life, and an unexpected chance at romance, Cecily is forced to make some pretty important decisions; decisions that could change everything she has been used to for the past couple of years...

If I hadn't already fallen in love with Tracie Banister's stories before picking up this novel, I am sure 'Mixing It Up' would have definitely done the trick; what a fantastic read! In the book we get to follow TV-chef Cecily who has a real passion for French food. Cecily loves her own TV show, 'Serving Romance', so is quite shocked when the new boss of CuisineTV decides it's time for a make-over, and she suddenly has to team up with Italian chef Dante Marchetti, whom she can't stand. I straight away warmed to Cecily and really loved the storyline. There was more than enough going on to make me want to read on, and I just really liked the setting of the TV cooking world, even though I hardly ever watch any cooking shows on TV; Tracie Banister just managed to make it fascinating with everything that was going on in the book and her captivating and fun writing style.

One of the strengths of this novel is definitely the collection of characters. As already mentioned I liked Cecily, but there are also some wonderful and interesting other characters, such as new TV boss Devlin, Cecily's cousin Dina, her good friend Paige, and frustrating but funny chef Dante Marchetti. The different personalities really complement one another and add their own touch to the story, which is easy to get through and get back into because of the fast pace, good-length chapters and just great writing. I'm definitely a Tracie Banister fan and if you haven't yet read one of her novels, don't hesitate any longer and pick one up as soon as you can, especially if you're a chick lit fan. All in all, 'Mixing It Up' is an amazingly enjoyable, fun and entertaining read I couldn't get enough of; loved it from start to finish and wish there was more!
Rating:10/10
 
For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

25 February 2017

Blog Tour: 'The Orphan's Tale' by Pam Jenoff

I'm both honoured and excited to be part of the blog tour for author Pam Jenoff's new novel 'The Orphan's Tale' today to celebrate its recent release! 

Below you can find a special guest post from Pam herself, so be sure to check it out!


Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Times: Why I Love Historical Fiction
Picture your life as it is right now.  Perhaps family and job, relatively stable with a reasonable expectation of continuing on much the same path.  Then suddenly you are cast from your home, separated from your lived ones and forced to survive in circumstances for which you are not remotely prepared.
Welcome to historical fiction.
This is the situation most of protagonists face.  I generally write about women in the first half of the twentieth century, usually sometime around the Second World War.  Whether in a rural or urban setting, working or upper class, these woman faced much more rigid social conventions than we do today.  They were generally expected to get married, raise a family and live not far from where they grew up.  But then, something happens. 
That something is what makes for great story.
In my books, I get to take a woman out of her traditional role and turn her feet from the expected path in an entirely new direction.  Take, for example, one of my two protagonists in The Orphan’s Tale.  Noa is a sixteen year-old who has been cast out of her parents’ home after becoming pregnant by a German solider.  She’s barely surviving living over a train station when she finds a boxcar full of unknown infants headed for the concentration camps, steals one of the infants and flees.  Now she has to take care of herself and the baby without a home.  The circus provides refuge but she has to learn the aerialist act to blend in.  This is hardly the path she expected in her life.  She’s ill-prepared for the challenges and at first she fails mightily.  But in taking on the new role, she is pushed and grows in ways that she would have never suspected.  It’s the hero’s journey, on steroids.
And that is what I love about writing historical fiction.  I love to take women out of their traditional roles and thrust them into circumstances they could have never imagined but for war or other external catastrophe.  To test their metal and hold my breath to see if they succeed. 
Ultimately this test is about you, the reader.  Because my goal in writing is to put you, the reader, in the shoes of my protagonist, to have you feel the fear and discomfort.  To face the test and ask yourself, what would I have done?  To have you stand at the praecipe with my protagonist, to stand at the doorway and question whether or not to step through.
I hope the answer is yes.
Thanks, Pam!

24 February 2017

Review: 'My Sister's Bones' by Nuala Ellwood (2017)

ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO GO BACK?

Kate Rafter is a successful war reporter. She's the strong one. The one who escaped Herne Bay and the memories it holds. Her sister Sally didn't. Instead, she drinks.

But when their mother dies, Kate is forced to return to the old family home. And on her first night she is woken by a terrifying scream.

What secret has Kate stumbled upon?
And is she strong enough to uncover the truth . . . and make it out alive?

Not too long ago I unexpectedly received a review copy of Nuala Elwood’s novel ‘My Sister’s Bones’ which was released by publisher Penguin on February 9th. I have to admit I sometimes can’t help myself and judge a book by its cover, but if I had done that in this case I am pretty sure I would never have picked up this novel. The cover does nothing for me, and the book description also doesn’t really entice me to be curious about the story inside. However, the good thing about receiving copies like this thriller for review is that I didn’t make the decision in the book shop to not pick it up, I was lucky enough to get a copy and simply for that reason it is worth sitting down with it and giving it a shot…!

Kate Rafter has always enjoyed her job as a war reporter, travelling to dangerous areas to report local news to the rest of the world.  When the passing of her mother brings Kate back to the UK, she is forced to not only deal with her own issues, such as the effect all the horrible things she has encountered has had on her, but also with her remaining family, namely her younger sister Sally and Sally’s husband Paul. Sally is an alcoholic, and has been for years, and even though Paul tries to bring the two sisters together, their relationship seems to be ruined. As Kate starts to hear and see things no one believes are real, she finds herself in a difficult situation. But Kate is determined to discover the truth, whatever that may be.

If you love a good thriller, then I think I can safely say that you will not be disappointed  by picking up Nuala Ellwood’s ‘My Sister’s Bones.’ The novel is compelling, has some dark and intense elements at its core and a captivating storyline with an interesting set of characters. That being said, though, I have to be honest and say at the start of this review that this is just not my genre. I miss a bit of warmth and humour, and secretly still find myself keeping my fingers crossed for a happy ending for all. However, I do think, also based on other reviews that I’ve seen, that this is a good read, especially since it did manage to keep my interest and kept me guessing and wanting to know what would eventually happen to main character Kate and some of the other secondary characters in the novel. Kate is a fascinating main character; I won’t say I really ended up loving her, but I did understand some of the decisions she made and why she is the way she is. Both her and Sally’s story intrigued me, and I enjoyed learning more about the both of them and their history.

I don’t want to give too much away about the plotline, because that can ruin the reading experience, especially for a read like this one, where it is better if you know hardly anything about the story before you dive in. There is a realistic set of characters at the core of the story and there are a few twists and turns along the way to keep you guessing. The author’s writing style is quite engaging, a balanced mix between dialogue and description/scene setting, and the chapters are of a good length. While I personally wasn’t 100% engrossed in the read, I do honestly think fans of this particular genre will be able to really enjoy this in the way it should be enjoyed, because even though I am definitely not an expert when it comes to this genre, ‘My Sister’s Bones’ is a compelling and tense read that had me on the edge of my seat, and it is undoubtedly worth a chance.
Rating:8,5/10
 
For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

22 February 2017

Review: 'The Young Wives Club' by Julie Pennell (2017)

Laura Landry’s quarterback husband was her ticket out of Toulouse. But when a devastating football injury sidelines him, they’re forced to move back to the small town she was so desperate to leave. As Brian starts drinking instead of rehabbing his knee, Laura must reevaluate what her future looks like…and if it includes her husband. 
 
For years, Madison Blanchette has been waiting for bad-boy musician Cash Romero to commit to her. When wealthy George Dubois asks her out, she figures she may as well wait in style. Life with George means weekend trips to New Orleans, gourmet meals, and expensive gifts. At first she loves how George’s affection sparks Cash’s jealousy, but when George proposes to Madison, she finds herself torn between two men… 
 
All Claire Thibodeaux wants is to be the perfect wife and mother. If she can do everything right she won’t end up like her mom, a divorced, single parent trying to make ends meet. But when Claire’s husband Gavin, a well-respected local pastor, starts spending late nights at work and less time in their bed, she can’t help but fear that history is about to repeat itself… 
 
Gabrielle Vaughn never thought she’d end up with someone like her fiancĂ©. The son of a prominent congressman, Tony Ford is completely out of her league—which is why she lied to him about everything from having a college degree to the dark truth about her family. She knows she has to come clean, but how do you tell the love of your life that your entire relationship is a lie? 
 
As these young wives come together to help each other through life, love, and heartbreak, they discover that there are no easy answers when it comes to matters of the heart. 
 
Julie Pennell’s ‘The Young Wives Club’ is without a doubt one of the 2017 new releases I have been most excited about checking out. I straight away liked the book cover with its attractive pastel colours and I just loved the sound of the story itself. I’ve always had a soft spot for outlines like this one with a focus on multiple female characters and a Southern setting and feel. The author, Julie Pennell, has written for Seventeen magazine, Teen Vogue, and TODAY.com, and this is actually her debut novel. I had a really good feeling about this one and only hoped the novel and its author would manage to live up to my, I have to admit: pretty high, expectations…! 
 
Laura, Madison, Claire and Gabby have been friends through thick and thin while growing up in the small town of Toulouse in Louisiana, but life is about to throw quite a bit of trouble and chaos towards them. Laura loves her life being married to her high school sweetheart and popular football player Brian, even though she gave up absolutely everything just to be with him. But when Brian suffers an injury that changes their whole life, Laura is forced to rethink the decisions made. Madison has always been in love with Cash Romero, but when she is given the chance to finally help her family with their financial troubles, she feels it is time to leave some of her daydreams behind. Claire has always been the 100% supportive preacher’s wife, but her husband Gavin is making it quite difficult for her to continue with this role. Gabby has never felt the way she feels about her boyfriend Tony and she can’t imagine anything better than spending the rest of her life with him, but she has kept things from Tony; things that are now about to rise to the surface and change everything… 
 
Oh, I loved this novel! I’m so happy to say that Julie Pennell’s debut novel lived up to my expectations and I’m already incredibly excited about the fact that we will hopefully be able to read more of her books in the future. At the core of this book we’ve got four different women who grew up in the same town and are close friends, but each of them is dealing with her own issues, all in a way having to do with marriage/being in love. Laura, Madison, Claire and Gabby are in their early twenties and I think every reader will be able to relate to at least one of these young women in one way or another, just like I did. I personally particularly warmed to Gabby and Laura, but I also really enjoyed Claire and Madison’s stories, and the four storylines combined really turn this novel into an incredibly enjoyable and simply great read. 
 
I really loved Julie Pennell’s writing style; I loved how there was a switch between the four different stories and characters, and the writing was just really comfortable and flowed well and at a good pace. I also think the book has a great setting with a small town in Louisiana where everyone knows each other and these girls have been through it all together, no matter what. The book has an important message at its core, showing that marriage does not mean losing yourself; you are still a person, you are still you, and you should have your own things and your own dreams to chase. I think I could gush about this novel for a few more paragraphs, but I’d rather have all of you pick up this novel yourself and give it the read it definitely deserves. ‘The Young Wives Club’ is a heart-warming and simply brilliant read that I thoroughly enjoyed until the very last page… Loved it, loved it, loved it! 
Rating:10/10
 
For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

21 February 2017

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books I Loved More Than I Thought I Would

'Top Ten Tuesday' is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. I love making lists, so this feature fits me perfectly! If you also take part in this feature or have any additions to my lists, please get in touch; I'd love to hear from you!
 
 
10 Books I Loved More Than I Thought I Would

I've skipped Top Ten Tuesday a few weeks in a row because the assignments for the past weeks just didn't really work well for me, but I'm back with a great top 10 list to share with all of you, if I may say so myself! I immediately liked this week's topic, because I think we all know that feeling of having certain expectations before you pick up a particular novel, and how amazing it is when the book turns out to exceed all those expectations you had... I had a look at some of the books I've read the past year or so and picked out 10 that I ended up loving more than I initially thought I would; check out the overview below!

Be sure to share your own TTT's in the comments section below; I'd love to hear from you! 



1. 'Destination Thailand' - Katy Colins



When I received a review copy of this novel I already hoped I would end up enjoying it, but I had no idea how much I would fall in love with Katy Colins' writing and this series... You must check it out if you're a chick lit fan because you're definitely missing out on something good!





2. 'The Mating Season' - Laurie Horowitz



When I was asked to review several 'Bookshots', I was curious to give this genre of quick, short and fast-paced reads a chance. However, I didn't expect to really love some of the novellas, like 'The Mating Season', which is simply great read.




3. 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' - J.K. Rowling & others



I think we all had different kinds of expectations when this story was released last year. However, I have to say, I ended up loving it. I was afraid it would not be able to match the other Harry Potter books, but I really fell in love with this story in its own way.




4. 'The Trouble with Emma' - Katie Oliver



As a big Jane Austen fan I am always curious to find out what other authors decide to do with her classic novels. Luckily, Katie Oliver only exceeded my expectations with her adaptations and she has become one of my favourite Austen authors of the moment.




5. 'Fooling Around with Cinderella' - Stacy Juba



I had no idea what I was going to be in for when I started this particular novel I was asked to review, but I ended up loving it; such a great read that completely surprised me with its amazingness!




6. 'How to Get Ahead in Television' - Sophie Cousens



Same with this one; when I picked it up I already thought I would like it, but it turned out to be so much better than I initially thought.




7. 'The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper' - Phaedra Patrick



I wasn't really sure what to make of this one when I was asked to review, but I quickly got lost in the story and didn't want it to ever end; another unexpected fantastic read.




8. 'Missing Pieces' - Heather Gudenkauf



I'm usually not a big fan of thrillers, but this read blew me away.




9. 'Twilight' - Stephenie Meyer



I actually saw the film before I read the book. I really liked the film, but was blown away by the book.




10. 'The Help' - Kathryn Stockett

Wasn't really sure about what to expect with this one at first, but once again a novel that managed to blow me away and became one of my favourites.