Those Summer Nights by Mandy Baggot

Those Summer Nights

Mandy Baggot

Rating: 4.5 stars

Amazon UK (K £1.99 / P £8.99)

Sunshine, soft white sand and a sizzling hot millionaire - you don't get trouble in paradise, right?

Imogen Charlton is sorted. Dead-beat husband? History. Dream job? Application sent. But then her impulsive brother, Harry, spends every last penny on a Greek restaurant in Corfu, and is determined to run it himself. It's up to Imogen to bring him to his senses.

When sexy millionare Panos Dimitriou offers to buy back his family taverna, Imogen wonders if all her prayers have been answered (and all her fantasies about to come true). But Harry won't budge, and his enthusiasm is infectious.

Bright pink bougainvillea tumbling over whitewashed walls, endless blue skies, the sparkling Mediterranean; it's hard not to fall for Corfu. And that's not all Imogen is falling for...

As the sparks fly between Imogen and Panos, is Imogen having second thoughts on selling the restaurant? And will she have to choose between love and a new dream?

This summer, spend long sunny days on the beach, and balmy nights in Greek tavernas on the gorgeous island of Corfu. Perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond, Miranda Dickinson and Lindsey Kelk.

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To put it lightly, I think main character Imogen got a bit of a shock when her brother Harry announced that he just bought a restaurant - in Greece! This novel is humorous, romantic and overall just another really lovely and enjoyable story by Mandy Baggot.

I will say that I found it a bit slow to start with, but once the restaurant started getting up and coming and Panos and Imogen started to get a bit closer the book flew by and I loved it. The ending was a little predictable but I still loved every minute of it! Sometimes the predictable ones are the best ones. As mentioned above, the story follows Imogen on her working holiday to Greece to help brother Harry open a run-down restaurant he's just bought.

Imogen thinks that Harry is slipping back into the dark place he's just managed to get away from but as the story goes on, she finds that Harry is the happiest he's ever been. And I think it's just such a lovely story about love, family, and friendship. It's beautifully written and as always I love a good Mandy Baggot book!

The relationship between Imogen and Panos is sizzling to say the least! And the novel will certainly make your mouth water (by the delicious sounding food that is!!), the descriptions of the Greek food just sounds delicious and I was desperate to eat everything that was written about! The sun shining every day, the flowers, the sand, everything just sounded so perfect and like a dream holiday. If you want to wish for sunshine and be jealous about the food in this novel, then this is the story for you!

Once again, Mandy Baggot didn't disappoint. I can't wait to read more from her! (although I think I'm closing to having read everything now!) A brilliant novel that I would recommend to get you in the mood for Summer.

Spring at Lavender Bay by Sarah Bennett

Spring at Lavender Bay

Sarah Bennett

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK £2.99

A season for change...?

Beth Reynolds loved growing up close to Eleanor's Emporium - a brick-a-brack shop full of wonders on Lavender Bay. Devestated to learn that Eleanor has died, she returns home from London immediately and is shocked to discover that the elderly lady has left the shop to her!

Vowing to restore it to its former glory, she only intends to stay until the end of the season. Although the longer she spends in the colourful seaside town, the more she falls back in love with everything she left behind...and quite possibly, with her best friend Eliza's older brother, local chef Sam Barnes!

Why didn't she notice he was quite this gorgeous before? And will their spring fling be enough to convince her to stay?

Don't miss Spring at Lavender Bay, the first book in the enchanting Lavender Bay triology! Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.

Book 1: Spring at Lavender Bay

Book 2: Summer at Lavender Bay

Book 3: Snowflakes at Lavender Bay

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What a lovely start to a new series by Sarah Bennett, I haven't read many of her novels but the ones I have got my hands on I have really enjoyed. As always with Sarah's books, the covers are beautiful and really draw you in. There are so many colours and of course the red shop in the middle really stands out. I love the lavender on the sides of the cover and the sea in the foreground - so stunning and pretty!

The story itself is just as lovely as the cover. The characters are all wonderful and there's a real sense of a tight-knit community in the air! They all seem really friendly and it made me wish I could live somewhere like this amongst friends and people who genuinely care about you. The story follows main character Beth, who finds out that she's been left a shop in her hometown. Of course, this comes as a huge shock to Beth but she's touched that Eleanor (the shop owner) has passed it down to her and vows to turn the shop back around.

You can tell that Beth is happy to be back in Lavender Bay and it was really nice to read about her learning to love her hometown again. And of course, it was interesting to read about Beth and Sam's relationship! Sam seemed like a lovely lad and I was hoping it would all work out well for Beth - but I needn't have hoped! It was a great start to a new series and one that I throughly enjoyed.

Overall, a really enticing and lighthearted novel. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Spring on the Little Cornish Isles: The Flower Farm by Phillipa Ashley

Spring on the Little Cornish Isles: The Flower Farm

Phillipa Ashley

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK (K £1.99 / P £7.99)

Jess has lived at the idyllic flower farm on the Isles of Scilly her whole life, but when her boyfriend Adam leaves without explanation, Jess discovers that even her little slice of Cornish heaven can be lonely.

For the first time in Will's life, he's met someone he can't stop thinking about. But nothing is simple when the woman of your dreams is working for you.

Gaby is running away from painful memories, and where could be more perfect than a remote island off the Cornish coast? But to put the past behind her, she must keep moving ... however much she might want to stay.

Nothing is simple, even on paradise. Will love bloom for the residents of the little Cornish Isles?

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I really, really enjoyed this book. If possible even more so than the first of the series! The cover itself is absolutely beautiful and the pink sky, sandy beach and flowers in the foreground make it really stand out and draws you in. I love the style of writing that the title is in too!

The story itself was really lovely and easy to read - I personally found Jess' story the most interesting as I just really wanted to get to the bottom of why Jess' boyfriend Adam left the island. It was so gripping! The other stories around Gaby and Will were equally as enjoyable and I really hoped that there was a happy ever after with them. Will seemed to be like such a closed book, it was nice that when Gaby started working that they had banter and you could see Will starting to gently come out of his shell.

I also felt awful for Gaby and what she had been through that had made her want to flee to the quiet island. I had a few tears at some points! Just a warning that you may need to get your tissues out! Having said this, I found that the book had a really lovely heartwarming feel to it and I felt happy whilst reading about what was going on at the Flower Farm. I just really loved the story! It was nice as well that even though the story wasn't directly about Maisie, it was still nice to read about Maisie (from the 1st book) and find out how she and Patrick were getting on.

The location of the story sounded beautiful and it's now made me want to visit these islands! They sound really charming and the community side of it sounded more like family than just neighbours! Overall, I would really recommend you picking up this novel (and the first) and giving it a go. You won't regret it! It's a happy and heartwarming story that I throughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Publication Day Review: A Country Escape by Katie Fforde

A Country Escape

Katie Fforde

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK (K £7.99 / H £9.99)

A Year in the Country. A Year to fall in love.

Fran has always wanted to be a farmer. And now it looks as if her childhood dream is about to come true.

She has just moved in to a beautiful but very run-down farm in the Cotswolds, currently owned by an old aunt who has told Fran that if she manages to turn the place around in a year, the farm will be hers.

But Fran knows nothing about farming. She might even be afraid of cows.

She's going to need a lot of help from her best friend Issi, and also from her wealthy and very eligible neighbour - who might just have his own reasons for being so supportive.

Is it the farm he is interested in? Or Fran herself?

Warm, funny and wonderfully romantic, this is Katie Fforde at her very best.

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This is the first novel I've ever read by Katie Fforde (and have plenty more on my TBR pile!) and I must say that I was really enjoying it. I loved the setting so much and really enjoyed that it started in the country and I felt as though the story got started straight away and was really easy to read.

The story follows main character Fran, who gets a letter from a distant relative asking her to come and trial running the farm. If she manages to make the farm earn money and does so for a year, then Amy (her relative) will think about handing over the farm to Fran. Of course, Fran feels out of her depth with this, but she soon decides to give it a go and she quits her job and moves out to the country.

Best friend Issi is by her side when she moves in to the cute little cottage and they soon set about making the cottage more liveable and better looking. The setting itself is idyllic and I loved it. These type of books always make me want to quit my own job and start running a farm! But I think I'd be more like Fran and not know where to even start!

When the truck that takes the milk lets Fran know that they can't come due to the farms broken track, Fran realises that this is where the farm is going wrong. Tig (the one who helps with the cows) says to just chuck the milk away but Fran has other ideas. As she was a chef before she came down to help Amy, she decides to make cheese with the surplus milk. And honestly, some parts of it left my mouth watering!

I really enjoyed reading this story and getting to know all of the characters. I really loved Issi and found myself relating to Fran and her struggles. I was a bit dubious of Anthony to begin with but it still made a lovely story! Overall, a lovely romantic novel which you will lose yourself in.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Blog Tour: Prosecco and Promises by A.L. Michael

Prosecco and Promises

A.L. Michael
Previous books: If You Don't Know Me By Now, Goodbye Ruby Tuesday, Cocktails and Dreams
Release Date: 12th of February

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Canelo

Meet Mia: an unforgettable heroine learning the meaning of life and love on a beautiful Italian island. Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Lindsey Kelk and Lucy Vine.

Mia's dad has always been her idol. Now, she faces losing him and he is insisting that she leave England to visit her mother's family on the Italian island of Ischia.

Arriving on the island, Mia is embraced by the warm, crazy relatives she hardly knows. Despite her doubts about the trip, it is in Italy that Mia discovers connections to a part of her life that's been missing, and during the sun-soaked days and steamy nights Mia falls for handsome local Salvatore. But as the day of her departure draws nearer can she risk having her heart broken twice in one summer?

If you love Prosecco and Promises, why not read more about Mia's best friend Savvy in Cocktails and Dreams? Out now!

Amazon / Kobo / Google Books / Apple Books

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A.L. Michael is hurtling towards the end of her twenties a little too quickly. She is the author of 10 novels. Her most recent collection of books, The Martini Club Series, started with Cocktails and Dreams, to be followed by Prosecco and Promises, and Martinis and Memories.

She likes to write about difficult women. Well, they say to write about what you know. Andi works as a Content Writer, as well as a therapeutic facilitator. She has a bunch of degrees in stuff to do with writing, and wrote her MSc dissertation on the power of creative writing in eating disorder recovery. She truly believes stories can change your life.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Uh, what a refreshingly beautiful novel to read in this bleak January we're currently experiencing. I really enjoyed this novel.

The cover in itself is very beautiful and colourful but doesn't give much away so I was so intrigued when this popped up in my inbox so decided to give it a go! And I'm so pleased that I did. There's something so enjoyable and fun about it. Even though I hadn't read the first one in the Martini Club series, it was so easy to read as a standalone, as this story was concentrating on a different main character than the first. Although this book and the first have character cross-overs, it wasn't confusing and it was nice to read about the characters in this book.

I did find the storyline regarding Mia's dad terribly upsetting though. So I might have got a bit teary on a few occasions! But other than that the book was a great read. I loved the fact that we are so similar to Mia in this book. Mia and the reader are both meeting her mum's side of the family with fresh eyes, where she doesn't know them and I think that shows her vulnerable side, making Mia easy to relate to.

However, the storyline was interesting and I absolutely loved the setting. It had me wishing for warmer weather and a pool to dip my feet in whilst reading it. It was heartwarming and emotional all at once. It had a great pace and I found myself smiling at parts. All the characters I found really welcoming and it was like I was there as part of the long-lost family.

One thing that I enjoyed about this novel is that it's heartwarming and enjoyable but there's also the emotional and heart-wrenching side too, with a bit of a deeper storyline. This added so much depth and I think that's what swung it for me! The characters were all lovely, I loved the location and found myself relating to main character Mia. So overall, I really ended up enjoying this novel. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Ottercombe Bay, Part Two: Gin and Trouble by Bella Osbourne

Ottercombe Bay, Part Two: Gin and Trouble

Bella Osbourne

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK £0.75

Escape to the Devon coast, with Part Two of a brand-new four-part serial from the author of Willow Cottage.

Daisy Wickens has returned to Ottercombe Bay, the picturesque Devon town where her mother died when she was a girl. She plans to leave as soon as her great uncle's funeral is over, but Great Uncle Reg had other ideas. He's left Daisy a significant inheritance - an old building in a state of disrepair, which could offer exciting possibilities, but to get to it she must stay in Ottercombe Bay for twelve whole months.

With the help of a cast of quirky locals, a few gin cocktails and a black pug with plenty of attitude, Daisy might just turn this into something special. But can she ever hope to be happy among the ghosts of her past?

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Oh, if possible I enjoyed this one even more than the first! I feel like in this second instalment we got to know the characters so much better and I loved reading more about them and their pasts in the cute little village. The story follows on from the first cliff hanger and I was racking my brains to try and come up with a solution with who could do such a thing to Daisy!

I really enjoyed reading more about the railway station and what Daisy's plans were for it. I also enjoyed reading about her and Max's days working together - it was nice to see them finally getting on better after coming to loggerheads more than once in the first novella. Daisy's idea for the station is brilliant and I love the idea of being something during the day and then changing of a night! It sounds exciting and I can't wait to read about further developments.

As with the first one, the second one was also left on a huge cliffhanger (perhaps an even bigger one than the first!) where we actually end up fearing for Daisy's life and wondering what was going to happen next. I don't want to give too much away but lets just say that I can't wait to read the first instalment!! If you haven't yet picked up the first in the Ottercombe series then I urge you to. You won't be able to put it down!

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Runaway Bride by Mary Jayne Baker

Runaway Bride

Mary Jayne Baker

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK (K £2.99 / P £7.99)

A heart-warming novel about love and new beginnings, this is the perfect book for spring!

Here comes the bride... but how long can she hide?

When Kitty Clayton fleers her wedding with no money, no bank card and no phone, her life seems worryingly futureless. All she knows is, she'd rather sleep on the streets than go back home to cheating Ethan.

After picking her up hitch-hiking, widowed children's author Jack Duffy takes Kitty under his wing, looking out for her until she gets back on her feet. And it's not long before the two grow close...

But with Jack struggling to recover from the guilt he feels over his wife's death and Kitty refusing to face up to the problems she's running away from at home, will the two ever manage to share a happily ever after?

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I feel like I start everyone of my reviews by: 'I've never read a book by this author before...' and this is the same for this one (hides behinds hands). I'm shocked I'd never read a novel by this author before! It was refreshingly fun and easy to read and overall a really enjoyable book to sink into.

The cover is what drew me in, the colours are bright and eye-catching and I love reading any sort of stories about weddings (even if technically they don't happen), so I was really excited when I got accepted for this one. The beginning of the story is really gripping, it starts with Kitty running away, although we have no idea why or where she is running away too. This for me made me not want to put the book down! I was addicted to finding out what happened next!

When we first meet Jack I was a bit dubious. How could one man care so much for someone he has only just met? However, as the story goes on and we get to learn more about his background and what has happened to him, I started to feel incredibly touched by his kindness and felt so sorry for him! Jack and Kitty have both been through so much hurt that it was fate that pushed them together and I really enjoyed reading about their 'relationship' and how it evolved. You really start to see them both come out of their shell.

I loved how the story ended, and even though I had a bit of an inkling of how it would end, I enjoyed it all the same. It's heartwarming and just a really lovely romance story with a bit of humour thrown in! Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel by Mary Jayne Baker and look forward to reading more of her books. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Pets at Primrose Cottage Part Four: No Place Like Home by Sheila Norton

The Pets at Primrose Cottage: Part Four

No Place Like Home

Sheila Norton

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK £0.99

Part Four of a serialised novel - a charming and romantic story about living the simple life and the joy of animals.

With Emma's past threatening to ruin her life in quiet Crickleford, she's running out of options. If people - especially Matt, her reporter friend - find out her secret, it might force her to leave the place she's come to think of as home.

When flooding strikes the town while Emma is looking after an elderly couple's dog, she has to take her biggest risk yet - but could this be the one that blows her cover for good? And if it does, can Crickleford - and Matt - ever accept Emma for who she truly is?

Note: This is part four of a four-part serialised novel. The full length paperback will be available in April 2018.

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As always I was so excited to read another part of The Pets at Primrose Cottage - especially this one as it is the last! The series has been so exciting and I've been really looking forward to how it all ended! The cover as usual, draws you in immediately. I adore the ombre colours of the setting sun  and the beautiful flowers either side looks so pretty!

I am so, so happy with how this ended. It was the perfect ending and was of course another part of the series that was jam-packed with events and I couldn't put it down! I really found myself enjoying part four. Like the others I was excited to read about what was going to happen next in Emma's life and part three was left with a huge cliffhanger that I was dying to read what happened!

I was really hoping that Emma get a happy ending, as we read in the other parts that she hadn't had the best life so when things still kept going wrong for Emma I was really feeling for her. However, part four (for me personally) was the best part yet as it was so gripping and exciting! Will Emma's cover be blown or will she get the peaceful life she's been wishing for? You'll need to read it to find out! All the characters of this novel are wonderful and the village where it's set sounded utterly charming.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that is sad that this series is over, as it was so enjoyable and such an easy read. Not only that but it had such a feel-good factor about it. If, like me, you're gutted it's over too then I would highly recommend Sheila Norton's other novel The Vets at Hope Green (you can read my review here) as Sheila's writing is addictive!

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Year that Changed Everything by Cathy Kelly

The Year that Changed Everything

Cathy Kelly

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK (K £6.99 / H £7.79)

Release date: 22nd of February 2018

Three women celebrate their birthdays . . . 30. 40. 50. But their milestone birthdays mark the start of a year that will change everything . . .

Ginger isn't spending her 30th the way she would have planned. Tonight might be the first night of the rest of her life - or a total disaster.

Sam is finally pregnant after years of trying. When her waters break on the morning of her 40th birthday, she panics: forget labour, how is she going to be a mother?

Callie is celebrating her 50th at a party in her Dublin home. Then a knock at the door mid-party turns her perfect life upside down . . . 

Full of warmth and wisdom, this is a story about finding happiness on your own terms from international bestseller Cathy Kelly.

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I've been wanting to read a Cathy Kelly book for ages so when I saw this pop up on Netgalley I've never requested something quicker! The cover doesn't give much away but I love the cute and bright colours and the title is really gripping. You really want to find out what changed everything in these three womens lives. This novel by Cathy Kelly certainly didn't disappoint and I found myself really loving it.

The style of Cathy's writing itself reminded me of Milly Johnson (whom I am a huge fan of) so I found this book to be really fascinating and I was glued to the pages. The story follows three different women: Ginger, who turns 30, Sally, who turns 40, and Callie, who turns 50. They all celebrate their birthdays in extremely different ways and I must say that I loved every minute of all three of their stories. It was just so gripping and exciting. I loved reading about their different lives!

It was so easy to relate to every character but in a different way, so you find yourself really enjoying each of the characters lives and it was so nice reading about how they turned their life around and to see them stronger at the end of their difficult journey. This book covers a lot of different emotions and will leave you feeling all of them! It's a heartwarming and emotional tale but really lovely and lighthearted. Plus, I loved that it was set in Ireland!

Overall, this was an immensely enjoyable story and I will certainly be keeping an eye out for any of Cathy's other novels. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Cosy Castle on the Loch: Spring by Alice Ross

The Cosy Castle on the Loch: Spring

Alice Ross

Rating: 5 stars
Publication Date: 14th of February 2018

Amazon UK £0.99

Nothing in Flora Hamilton's twenty-two-year existence has ever gone to plan. But when she finds herself whipped up in a whirl of activity at Glenduff Castle to neatly tie up the rest of her life for her, she begins to panic.

With pressure coming at her from all sides, the easiest option is for Flora to go along with it all. But will the appearance of a handsome stranger at Glenduff provide her with an attractive alternative?

This is the first of four short stories in The Cosy Castle on the Loch series.

Coming next:

Summer

Autumn

Winter

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What a brilliant start to a new refreshing series by the lovely Alice Ross. The Cosy Castle on the Loch is a new four part series by Alice and I flew through it, it was so good! First of all, I just want to make a quick comment about how cute and pretty the cover is. I adore the cute pastel colours, the castle looks beautiful and I love the bunnies in the bottom corner! It looks beautiful and like a fairy tale and it makes you want to delve into the story!

The story itself is brilliantly written with lots of humour and the pace of the story is well thought out. The book itself isn't too long so it's a lovely way to spend an afternoon and you'll soon find yourself immersed into the story of Flora. Flora is our main character and I found myself really relating to her and loving her character! I thought she was so funny - and even though it sounds horrible to say so - her situation was quite funny too. The way the characters were with each other was lovely to read about, there was a really sense of community within this story and I really enjoyed reading it.

I did feel so awful for Joe, but I was really happy and pleased with how this part 1 finished. And I am so excited to see where the rest of the series take us! Flora is engaged to Joe, but she's not exactly the happiest bunny at the moment, so when new Australian guy Noah arrives at the castle where both Flora and Joe work, it certainly throws a spanner into the works. Flora must now decide what she wants, but she's worried that everyone will think horribly of her with whatever decision she makes.

The question Flora must now ask herself is hanging over her shoulders like a dark cloud threatening rain but will she make the right decision? Or lose everything she has for nothing?

Overall, a brilliant start to this new series and a story that is so easy to lose yourself in. I loved it! Thank you so much to Alice Ross for providing a copy of this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Reach for the Stars by Kathy Jay

Reach for the Stars

Kathy Jay

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK (K £0.99 / P £7.99)

From heartbreak to the best mistake they'll ever make...

When Layla Rivers' boyfriend of 12 years skips out on their round-the-world trip of a lifetime - without her - she does what experience has taught her to do best, hide away in the cosy Cornish village she calls home. But any hopes of laying low soon disappear when Hollywood's hottest star & mutual acquaintance, the gorgeous Nick Wills, crash lands on her couch...naked!

For Nick, Cornwall is supposed to be an escape from both his problems and the limelight, yet as the stars align and disarming Layla bursts into his world, his life only gets more complicated.

Will Nick and Layla fight against the undeniable connection between them or, under the warmth of the Cornish sun, will they follow their hearts' desires?

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I was really looking forward to reading this novel and for me, it did not disappoint. The cover drew me straight in once I saw the beautiful colours and silhouette characters. The cover doesn't give much away but I think that this is what draws you in and holds you there.

The story itself was just as endearing and I found myself really relating to main character Layla. I mean, who wouldn't lock themselves away at home after a painful breakup? I started to really feel for her with all she'd been through with her ex - her ex being someone that I truly started to detest! (I mean, how can you do that to someone?! Especially when you've been together for so long)! Nick, whom Layla meets in quite a fashion, came across as a genuinely lovely person and I really warmed to his character. Hoping that they both realised what the other was feeling and would finally put those emotions into play!

I thought the story had real emotion in it, whether that be making you laugh or whether it pulls at your heartstrings - you really become invested in these characters lives and relationships and for me that's really important when it comes to reading a book. I loved where the location was set. It was nice to see a book set in two places (Cornwall and Paris). I've always loved books set in Cornwall or other such places so was really enjoying reading this story. I think it's a lovely romantic and upbeat story which - in my opinion - is a lovely book to read in this dreary month of January! It was heartwarming, soppy in places and overall a lovely romance novel. Just what I like!

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Publication Day Review: The Wedding that Changed Everything by Jennifer Joyce

The Wedding that Changed Everything

Jennifer Joyce

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK £2.99

Love happens when you least expect it...

Emily Atkinson stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago! She's fed up of dating frogs in order to track down her very own Prince Charming, despite the best efforts of her matchmaking best friend...

But now she's been invited to the wedding of the year at the enchanting Durban Castle, and perhaps bumping into a knight in shining armour isn't as far away as she thought!

Will Emily survive the wedding and walk away an unscathed singleton - or finally find her own happily-ever-after?

A cosy and charming romance.

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I really, really enjoyed this book. Much like Jennifer's first novel I've ever read (you can read my review here), the story drags you in and I loved every second. It was interesting and eventful from start to finish. I was hooked from the first page!

The story follows main character Emily, on her journey to keep as far away from love as possible! Even though she tries her best to stay single, her best friend Alice has other ideas. When Emily is invited to Alice's sisters wedding, Alice is over the moon and Emily is not. This means that Emily now has to put up with Alice's matchmaking efforts - and being hit on by a man with a pregnant wife was not what Emily was expecting! However, as the journey goes on. Emily soon opens her heart to someone she least expected and in my opinion, she chose the right guy!

I adored the location the story was set in, Durban Castle sounded magical and I felt like I was there next to Emily, a proper part of the story. The week before Carolyn's wedding was certainly eventful but I really enjoyed reading about said events and all the hilarious aftermaths that took place! My favourite night being karaoke night! I found myself really warming to all the characters in the book, especially Emily and Tom and was so, so pleased with the ending. I was sad when this book was over!

If you didn't believe in love before this book, then you will now. It's a lovely romance story with some serious laugh-out-loud moments. Overall, another amazing story written by the very talented Jennifer Joyce. If I could give this story more than 5 stars then I would! Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publishers for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Blog Tour: The French Adventure by Lucy Coleman

The French Adventure

Lucy Coleman

Rating: 4 stars

Packed full of French flavour and idyllic settings this is a romantic, heart-warming and unputdownable new novel about life and love, perfect for anyone who loves Milly Johnson, Lucy Diamond and Debbie Johnson.

Suddenly unemployed and single, Anna escapes to her parents' beautiful house in France for a much needed recharge - and to work out what she wants to do next with her life now her carefully mapped out plan has gone out the window.

Anna gives herself 6 months to recuperate, all the while helping renovate her parents' adjoining gites into picturesque B&Bs. But working alongside the ruggedly handsome Sam on the renovation project, she didn't expect for life to take an unexpected, if not unwelcome, twist...

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Lucy lives in the Forest of Dean in the UK with her lovely husband and Bengal cat, Ziggy. Her novels have been short-listed in the UK's Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards. Lucy won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award.

Follow Lucy
Website / Twitter

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Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter






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As you know if you read my blog, you'll know that I have an unhealthy book obsession with stories set in France. I don't know why but I just love the descriptions of warm croissants, crisp wine and the sun setting over the fields. Ugh - get me to France now! I hadn't read a book by Lucy Coleman before so didn't know what to expect, but what I read was really well written and I enjoyed it.

This book gives you all the feels. It'll make you want to move to France and start a new life just like Anna. Lucy Coleman has a way of writing where it feels like you're actually there standing beside Anna and you mentally really feel involved in the story. The cover of this novel looks idyllic and the description just made me want to read it. I was so excited when I saw this pop up in my inbox!

The story follows main character Anna, after quitting her job and breaking if off with Karl she jets off to France to help her parents with their new venture into Bed and Breakfast. At first she sees it as just a working holiday but when she gets there she finds that she is really starting to enjoy her time off and away from England. I could have whooped for joy when Anna quit her job. It was so empowering! And I really felt for her when she admitted to her best friend that her relationship wasn't what she wanted or how it should be.

In one way or another I found myself really relating to Anna's character and there's a part of me that just really wishes I had some relatives over in France so that I could do the same thing! There were many parts throughout the story that I just really found myself enjoying and once again found my love of all things French. Lucy Coleman has written this wonderfully and I would definitely be looking into some future books by her.

I enjoyed the characters, the story, the location (of course) and the romances and dramas involved. Overall, a really enjoyable first read of one by Lucy Coleman. Hope to hear more of her work in the future! Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.