Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery by Cathy Bramley

Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery

Cathy Bramley

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

Thirty-two-year-old Hetty Greengrass is the star around which the rest of her family orbits. Marriage, motherhood and helping Dan run Sunnybank Farm have certainly kept her hands full for the last twelve years. But when her daughter Poppy has to choose her inspiration for a school project and picks her aunt, not her mum, Hetty is left full of self-doubt.

Hetty's always been generous with her time and until now, her biggest talent - baking deliciously moreish shortcrust pastry pies - has been limited to charity work and the village fete. But taking part in a competition run by Cumbria's Finest to find the very best produce from the region might be just the thing to make her daughter proud . . . and reclaim something for herself.

Except that life isn't as simple as producing the perfect pie. Changing the status quo isn't easy - and with cracks appearing in her marriage and shocking secrets coming to light, Hetty must decide where her priorities lie . . .

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Oh, Cathy Bramley sure knows how to write a book. I absolutely adore this cover and I think it's my favourite one of hers yet. I just love the polkadot jug, the pie at the bottom and of course the pretty farmhouse with the lovely green fields behind. The animals in front of the farmhouse look so cute and the whole cover just comes together nicely and looks so pretty.

I did like the character of Hetty, although she seemed a bit of a pushover, I really felt for her and how she really wanted to get her pie business off the ground but husband Dan wasn't too keen. Nearer the end of the book, when everything was settling down again I thought that Hetty was far too nice to Dan! I really don't think he deserved what he got in the end. Whether it was when they were both young or not, it's still not nice!

I loved the character of Poppy, she was probably my favourite of the book. And I absolutely loved the location of where this novel was set. It sounded so idyllic and even though farm life doesn't sound like the most fun - it sounds lovely and homely and making me wish I was a bit of a farmers wife! Reading about Hetty bake her pies made my mouth water and the flavours just sounded absolutely delicious! Where can I buy a similar pie to what Hetty has made please?!

The story itself started a little slow, and there were certain characters which I just didn't gel with unfortunately. I'd say around 60/70% in was when it started to get really good and from then on I couldn't put it down. Even though it's not very long (just over 300 pages) it took me a little while to get through it. This isn't my favourite of Cathy Bramley's but it's slightly different to her other novels so perhaps that's why? There was so much drama in the second half of this novel though, which is why I gave it 4 stars!

Overall, it wasn't my absolute fave of Cathy Bramley's but I'm glad I read it. The second half was definitely better than the first, so I'd recommend sticking to it and reading it the whole way through. It was an enjoyable novel with some lovely characters and lovely surroundings - and let's not forget about the delicious sounding pies!

My Very Italian Holiday by Sue Roberts

My Very Italian Holiday

Sue Roberts

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

A beautiful guesthouse, a fresh start and a hunky Italian. Does it sound too good to be true?

When Gina arrives in Lake Como, thousands of miles away from her life in the Lake District, she wonders if she's bitten off more than she can chew. Working for Fabio, running his lakeside hotel, seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After her world was tragically turned upside down, breaking her heart in the process, she was desperate for a fresh start. Plus, it didn't hurt that Fabio was easy on the eyes...

But it's not all picturesque mountains, pizza and prosecco. The crumbling guesthouse that Fabio has inherited from his family needs some serious TLC. Is she up to the challenge?

As Gina and Fabio work in close quarters, sparks start to fly. But Fabio has a secret he is scared to share, and Gina has her past to come to terms with. Does her heart belong back home or is a life in the sun - with a very handsome Italian - just the change of scenery she needs?

Escape to the gorgeous mountains and glittering Lake Como in Northern Italy! This laugh-out-loud funny and feel-good story of starting over and living life to the max is perfect for fans of Kat French, Jenny Oliver and Carole Matthews.

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I was so looking forward to reading this novel! I really enjoyed Sue's other novel so was hoping I would love this one just as much. The cover is absolutely stunning and just draws you straight to it! The bright colours, the shimmering sea and of course the cocktails just make for such a pretty cover and I wish I could go somewhere hot right now!

I will say now though, that I was surprised at how much of this book was set in England. What with the cover, the title and even the blurb I expected most of the novel to be set in Italy, so was shocked when I was more than half way through and not only were we still in England but it was Christmas as well! Don't get me wrong, the novel was so easy to read and I flew through the pages - it wasn't as though it was boring when it was set in England - it just wasn't what I was expecting to be honest. I actually really enjoyed reading about the Christmas Nativity play and Bonfire Night though! It got me a little excited about all that's to come!

Main character Gina was so relatable and I really felt for her throughout the novel as she tried her hardest to get over Adam. I loved Gina's sister Hannah and her dad was soooo cute! Actually I probably would have liked it even if the whole book was set in England! I felt like we were introduced to so many characters from the off that at first I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up and didn't know why they were all mentioned (like Paul and his dad?!) but it had such a lovely community feel to it. I also felt that Fabio and Gina's relationship felt a little rushed and we were literally running through the months! However, I just could not put this book down.

Overall, it was different to what I expected but was still a really lovely read all the same. I do really enjoy Sue Roberts style of writing, it's easy to read, lighthearted and just overall really enjoyable. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

A Holiday to Remember by Susanne O'Leary

A Holiday to Remember

Susanne O'Leary

Rating: 4.5 stars

Amazon UK

A side-splittingly funny summer read about two best friends who decide to take a chance and travel the world, finding themselves - and finding love - along the way!

Until a few weeks ago, Leanne was a thirty-something who lived with her mother. And yes, she still slept under her Barbie bedspread.

Until recently, Maddy was married to a man whose golf club got more action than she did.

But not anymore.

Leanne and Maddy (and their miniature poodle Bridget) have packed their suitcases and bid goodbye to their dreary lives for the summer. After winding along Italy's sun-dappled Adriatic Coast in a shiny red convertible, sailing around Croatia's gorgeous Dalmatian Island awaits them.

Days splashing around in sparkling turquoise waters and wine-fuelled nights under the stars are every girl's dream. But with a devilishly handsome Italian on board, old flames to get over and holiday flings to contend with, there's plenty of drama ahoy. One thing's for sure, Leanne and Maddy's trip promises to be a holiday to remember...

A joyful, laugh-out-loud and feel-good story that will make you want to pack your bags, set off on an adventure and live life to the max. Fans of Fiona Gibson, Lucy Diamond and Carole Matthews will love this hilarious and heartwarming read.

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This is the follow on from The Road Trip by Susanne O'Leary which I posted about the other day (you can read my review here), and even though I'm glad I read the first one before this one, you can easily read this as a standalone. You don't need to read The Road Trip beforehand as Susanne O'Leary explains everything that happened before so it's so easy to catch up and understand what's going on and who each of the characters are.

As with the first one in this series, I love the cover and I was instantly attracted to it. I love the pink and yellow sunset, the beautiful sea with the hills and islands, and the cute balcony with the pool overlooking it all. It's beautiful and so summery. It certainly looks the part, but does it live up to the first? I believe that it does, I adore all the sightseeing the two women do, I love all the food they try, the wine they drink, the sailing and the swimming - it's all so summery and to be honest it made me want to do exactly the same! Of course - it would be better with a bit of money!

The story follows on with main characters Maddy and Leanne. With the first one in the series, it focused more on Maddy and her life with a bit of Leanne chucked in here and there. With this one, it's more like the opposite, we focus more on what Leanne's going through but we still do hear about how Maddy's getting on too. It's nice to catch up with them both again and to visit the new and exciting places that they decide to visit.

There's a lot more drama in this one than in the last I feel, especially with Claudia and her baggage and with Carlo, Lucilla and Leanne! There's trouble brewing at every corner for them all and it's just a great read. It's a great way to spend a few hours, getting lost amongst the pages. I loved this novel and I hope there's another one because I'm not ready for this adventure to end! Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Road Trip by Susanne O'Leary

The Road Trip

Susanne O'Leary

Rating: 4.5 stars

Amazon UK

Maddy and Leanne are in need of a miracle.

Maddy can't bear to wash another pair of her husband's Y-fronts and if he continues to drone on about golf she might just scream.

Leanne can't stand living with her overbearing mother for a second longer and she's one disapproving eye roll away from a nervous breakdown.

But their luck changes when they win the lottery.

Setting off from Dublin, Maddy and Leanne lease a red convertible, winding through Europe and heading for the sun-drenched French Riviera.

But the pair have their own reasons for their adventure. Maddy has never forgotten her summer romance of twenty years ago with a gorgeous Frenchman and Leanne plans to track down the father who abandoned her as a child.

Amongst glorious sunsets and buckets of bubbly, Leanne and Maddy are searching for answers after years of wondering 'what if?' But there might just be some surprises in store along the way...

A hilarious and heartwarming story about friendship, living life to the full and making the most of every moment. Fans of Fiona Gibson, Carole Matthews and Lucy Diamond will adore this uplifting, fun-filled read.

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What a charming and uplifting novel all about friendship, living life to the full and romance. I absolutely loved this novel. It's the first I've ever read by Susanne O'Leary and the cover just automatically drew me in! I love the sunshine, the beach, the mountains and the absolutely stunning colours of them all and the flowers along the bottom of the cover. It screams summer and just looks absolutely breathtaking.

There are two main female characters in this novel, but we really only get to see it from Maddy's point of view. Maddy hates her home life with her husband and Leanne who is the same in some ways but Leanne cannot stand to live at home with her mother anymore. The pair long to get away and with their lottery win - they plan to do just that. I absolutely love the meaning behind this uplifting novel which is - live life to the fullest! If you are unhappy, then why are you still doing what you're doing that makes you feel that way?

The relationship between the two women is a bit funny at times - although it's not a huge age gap you can certainly notice it at times where either Leanne is acting childish or Maddy is acting like an old woman! The scenery of this novel is fantastic and it will certainly leave you wanting to go on your own road trip that's for sure! It's such an easy read that I felt like I just flew through the pages and felt like I was there right next to Maddy and Leanne on their adventure.

Maddy and Leanne show this perfectly and it was just so funny and moving. It's a great read that'll leave you wanting an adventure. Thank you to the publishers for a chance to read this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

Blog Tour: Summer on the Little Cornish Isles: The Starfish Studio by Phillipa Ashley

Summer on the Little Cornish Isles: The Starfish Studio

Phillipa Ashley

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Fans of Jill Mansell and Carole Matthews will love this gorgeous new book from the author of the bestselling Cornish Cafe series.

One Summer can change everything. . .

Poppy has always loved Cornwall - the crisp sea air, the welcoming community. So when her boyfriend Dan suggests they leave their office jobs and take over the Starfish Studio on the Isles of Scilly, Poppy doesn't need asking twice.

But things don't go to plan when Dan dumps her, weeks before they're due to move. Determined not to give up, Poppy accepts the help of local photographer Jake, her landlord's grandson. But Jake is distracted by a loss from his past.

Can they turn the crumbling gallery into a success in time for tourist season? And will a summer on the little Cornish Isles mend just the studio - or Poppy's heart too?

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I absolutely LOVED this book. I enjoyed the first two in this series, but this one trumps them both. It's just so lovely and so heartwarming that I struggled to put it down! First of all, the cover is absolutely beautiful and I love the bright colours and the pretty flowers dotted all around. It makes me want to move there straight away.

The overall story was really interesting as well. I loved the character of Poppy, she was so relatable and I really felt for her when she decided to move down to the island regardless of what was going on in her life. Having decided to move down to the island was a big step anyway, but now she has to do it on her own must have been even tougher! Another character which I really felt for was Jake. I really felt sad and emotional at what he had been through. The location of the story was stunning. I loved the beach, the harbour, and I especially loved reading about the gallery - it just sounded so summery and lovely!

There are twists and turns throughout this novel and all of them will leave you hooked. It was such a lovely read that I'm sad it's over! Throughout the whole book I was rooting for Poppy and Jake and just hoping that they could let go of their hurtful and painful pasts and be happy together. They seemed so happy when they were in each others company - that I was sad when it seemed like it was ending when Jake went to a photography shoot and Poppy's ex, Dan, showed up!

Overall, another amazing novel by the talented Phillipa Ashley. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly. I've really enjoyed reading this series, I'm not sure if there are going to be anymore but I will definitely be reading them if there are! Now I just have to go and read some more by Phillipa Ashley...

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You can follow the rest of the blog tour here.

Here Come the Girls by Milly Johnson

Here Come the Girls

Milly Johnson

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

A heartwarming and hilarious novel from the bestselling author of Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower Cafe and The Queen of Wishful Thinking.

Ven, Roz, Olive and Frankie have been friends since school. They day-dreamed of glorious futures, full of riches, romance and fabulous jobs. The world would be their oyster.

Twenty-five years later, Olive cleans other people's houses to support her lazy, out-of-work husband and his ailing mother. Roz cannot show her kind, caring husband Manus any love because her philandering ex has left her trust in shreds. And she and Frankie have fallen out big time.

But Ven is determined to reunite her friends and realise the dream they had of taking a cruise before they hit forty. Before they know it, the four of them are far from home, on high seas. Can blue skies, hot sun and sixteen days of luxury and indulgence change their outlook on life?

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This is Milly Johnson at her finest. I absolutely loved every single part of this novel, and I didn't want to put it down - or for it to finish! This is a beautiful story about friendship, having fun and of course romance. The cover is lovely and summery, I adore the pretty pink flowers, the women characters in their colourful outfits. I loved the fact that this book was set on a cruise, I wanted to go on a cruise before this but after reading this I want to go even more!

The story follows 4 friends, who have been mates since school. However, even though 3 of them meet every other Saturday (if I remember rightly), Roz has fallen out big time with Frankie so the group has been split up somewhat by their argument. However, Ven is determined to get them all together again and to go on the cruise they all promised they would go on when they were 14. It doesn't start in the best way, there's tons of drama even getting all the girls to go on the cruise - what with Olive and her horrible husband David, and Roz's argument with boyfriend Manus - it appears the cruise is jinxed from the start.

However, as soon as they get on the cruise they're all bursting with excitement - and that's when Roz spots Frankie. Throughout this novel there's tons of drama, tons of humour and tons of food and romance! I absolutely loved this novel by Milly Johnson - just like I have with most of her other novels. The restaurants on the ship and their food just sounds delicious and throughout the novel my mouth was watering - going on a cruise sounded so much fun!

Overall, another brilliantly written novel by Milly Johnson. Definitely up there with my favourites of hers.

Poppy's Place in the Sun by Lorraine Wilson

Poppy's Place in the Sun

Lorraine Wilson

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

Sometimes you need to lose yourself to find your way home...

With only her trusty dogs Peanut, Treacle and Pickwick by her side, Poppy Kirkbridge could be forgiven for having doubts about her move to a quiet village in rural France. But as the sun shines down on her ramshackle new home, Poppy knows she's made the right decision. A lick of paint, and some TLC and her rustic farmhouse will be the perfect holiday retreat - Poppy's dream come true.

Poppy is welcomes by her fellow villagers, except for brooding local vet Leo Dubois, who makes it clear Poppy isn't welcome in his village - or his life! Leo might be gorgeous, but Poppy won't be told what to do by an arrogant Frenchman - no matter how kind and gentle he is to her dogs!

Determined to stay, Poppy tries to understand the enigmatic Frenchman better. But as the two get closer, Poppy sees another side to Leo - a man with heartbreak of his own. Falling in love with Leo is easy, but can he ever return Poppy's love? And what would this mean for her dream life and place in the sun?

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I was a bit late to the bandwagon with this one, but better late than never eh! I really enjoyed this, it was romantic, lighthearted with some deep moments - and a lot friskier than I imagined it to be!

The cover is 100% what drew me in, I love the bright colours, the pretty flowers around the border, and of course the three cute dogs surrounding Poppy! I've never read a novel by Lorraine Wilson before but I wasn't disappointed and I will definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future. I love books set in France - if my blog is anything to go by - so was really excited to start this.

I really felt for Poppy throughout the novel, not with her horrible ex Pete, but with her diagnosis. She was struggling to do much in her new French home but was so happy for her once she met Joanna and she helped Poppy out with the housework and decorating. However, having said that, that was probably the part I was looking forward to most, the decorating of the French house and the gites. I love reading about all that and French cooking etc but there didn't seem to be much in this book, less than what I thought there would be anyway.

However, it still made for a great story and I really loved it. I liked Poppy and Leo's blossoming relationship, although I felt a lot of it was sexual, it was still nice to read them opening up to each other (emotionally!) and finally letting their barriers down. There were parts of the book where I was smiling, and other parts which absolutely broke my heart and had me crying! A lot of emotions... It was a nice, happy ending.

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

My June 2018 Favourites

I feel like I've just blinked and this Summer is half way gone! Where's June gone?? Are we really going into July now?? And how nice has this weather been??? I've loved every single minute of the sunshine we've had and I don't want it to end anytime soon! I've been praying for the sun to be out everyday, just so I can finally and actually get some use out of my summer clothes! England is known to have it's cloudy and rainy days, but luckily this year we finally seem to be getting a summer. I know - madness!

So, to go with those Summery moods, I've been reading some Summery books and these are my absolute faves from this month:

The Second Chance Tea Shop

Fay Keenan

You can read my review here

The UnDomestic Goddess

Sophie Kinsella

You can read my review here

The Bakery at Seashell Cove

Karen Clarke

You can read my review here

Summer on the Little Cornish Isles: The Starfish Studio

Phillipa Ashley

My review isn't coming to my blog until the 9th of July - so watch this space!

The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop

Caroline Roberts

You can read my review here

Last of the Summer Vines

Romy Sommer

You can read my review here

I feel that June has been such a great month for books, and whilst some of them aren't released in June, I feel that they are going to do really well once they are released! All of these novels gripped me from the off and I really, really enjoyed them.