Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello by Daisy James

Christmas Secrets at Villa Limoncello

Daisy James

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Escape to Villa Limoncello... where dreams come true in the most unexpected ways.

With Christmas around the corner, Izzie Jenkins is ready to kickstart the new 'Snowflakes and Christmas Cakes' course at Villa Limoncello with chef and business partner, Luca Castelotti.

However, secrets are stirring with their latest guests and when nasty accidents keep befalling the group it looks like Izzie will have to turn detective once more to protect the Villa's fledging reputation. On top of all this, Izzie's been offered the job of a lifetime - back home in Cornwall. Will she be coming home for Christmas, or will Tuscany work its magic to keep her at Villa Limoncello with Luca?

A gorgeous festive read perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Jenny Oliver.

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I have fallen in love with this series by the talented Daisy James. I absolutely adore her novels but for some reason, the Tuscan Dreams series has a special place in my heart! I adore the covers, they really draw your attention to them and I love how all three are really similar. This one in particular is so magical because of the deep, dark colours and of course the snow and fairy lights surrounding the cover.

This one I was especially excited to read, because not only is the novel set in gorgeous Tuscany, it's also set at Christmas time! I mean, what more could you want?! I adored the descriptions of the delicious sounding treats they were baking and I also loved reading about the decorations they made. It was really festive and magical. I really enjoyed reading about the same characters as the last two novels (not that this matters as you could still read this as a standalone, it would just be better for yourself to read the first two because they're so good!), it was nice to hear about them and what they have been up to since the last book.

As for the characters, once again I adored Izzie's character. She seemed down to earth and like such a caring person. I also liked Luca (although he seemed a bit confusing in this one and I wasn't as keen on him as before!) and the fabulous Jonti. However, the thing that made me love these novels was the location. It just sounded idyllic in every season. Add the setting and the sweet treats together and you've got yourself a perfect novel!

One thing I really liked about this novels is the mystery to all of the storylines. It's different to what I usually read so I was enjoying being on the edge of my seat to find out all the secrets and also to find out which character done what! It was an interesting and unputdownable read that I throughly enjoyed. I can't wait to see if there are more novels in this series in the future! Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

A Perfect Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley

A Perfect Cornish Christmas

Phillipa Ashley

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

Return to Porthmellow Harbour in this gorgeous festive romance.

Christmas in Cornwall is just around the corner...

But after last Christmas revealed a shocking family secret, Scarlett's hardly feeling merry and bright. All she wants this Christmas is to know who her real father is.

So Scarlett heads to the little Cornish town of Porthmellow, where she believes the truth of her birth is hidden. She just didn't bargain on being drawn into the Christmas festival preparations - or meeting Jude Penberth, whose charm threatens to complicate life further.

Everything will come to a head at Porthmellow's Christmas Festival ... But can Scarlett have the perfect Christmas this year, or are there more surprises on the way?

Curl up with this gorgeous novel and savour the world of Porthmellow Harbour.

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Wow, will you just take a look at this gorgeous cover?! As soon as I saw it be uploaded on Netgalley I knew I had to read it. Especially with it being set in the gorgeous town of Porthmellow and by one of my favourite authors, Phillipa Ashley. I absolutely loved the other novel set in this town, A Perfect Cornish Summer so couldn't wait to get stuck into this one. This cover is absolutely gorgeous, I love the bright sky, the snowy cottage and the fairy lights around the cottage too.

I loved being back in Porthmellow, as mentioned above, I loved the first one set in this delightful little town and I couldn't wait to see what the previous characters had been up to. Even though this novel mentions characters from the first novel, you could easily read it as a standalone as Phillipa really describes who everyone is and a little bit about their background. I love the setting, it sounds idyllic and so festive! Planning a trip to Cornwall ASAP...

Onto the storyline itself, I was so intrigued by Scarlett's story! I really wanted to find out if she did find her real dad and the whole background story from Christmas 2018 had me hooked! Bless Scarlett, she thought she was doing the right thing but in actual fact everyone kind of blamed her for the outcome! What I liked about this novel as well was that we read quite a bit about Scarlett's sister, Ellie, too. I enjoyed getting to know her and seeing what happened with her and Ashley.

Each sister had their own relationship issues, but it was nice to read about the family and about how well they came together to support each other through said issues. Ellie and Scarlett had a great family bond and you can easily see that. Nearer the end of novel, there's a huge twist that I certainly didn't see coming. It had me gripped and I sped through the pages! The only thing I would say is that it needed a little more festivity. I loved reading about the Christmas lights and Christmas Day, but I just wish there was more descriptions about it. Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

One Christmas Star by Mandy Baggot

One Christmas Star

Mandy Baggot

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Emily Parker is set to have the worst Christmas ever!

Her flatmate's moved out, she's closed her heart to love and she's been put in charge of the school original Christmas show - with zero musical ability.

Disgraced superstar, Ray Stone, is in desperate need of a quick PR turnaround. Waking up from a drunken stupor to a class of ten-year-olds snapping pics and Emily looking at him was not what he had in mind.

Ray needs Emily's help to delete the photos, and she needs his with the show. As they learn to work together they may just open their hearts to more than a second chance...

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If you've read my blog for a while you'll know just how much I love Mandy Baggot's novels. They're fun, romantic and so enjoyable to read. This one was no different from her other novels. When the cover was revealed, I fell in love! I love the dark sky, the colourful lights on the trees and of course the snow! It felt a bit odd reading a Christmas novel at this time of year but to be honest, it didn't have that much Christmas references in it. Don't know if I was disappointed about this or not!

At first, I wasn't sure what to make of Ray. I don't usually read novels set around celebrities but I found myself warming to Ray when we learnt more of his story. His life had had lots of ups and downs and I really felt for him and what he'd been through to get to where he is today. Emily on the other hand, I clicked with straight away. My heart melted for her all the time, I was heartbroken upon hearing about her trauma, I just wanted her to be happy! So when Ray and Emily meet (in quite the unexpected way may I add!) I was delighted for them both. They both deserved a shot at love and happiness!

One thing I loved a lot about this novel was that Emily was a teacher and the novel had quite a lot of input by the children in Emily's class. I loved them all! Particularly Jayden, but I also found Alice really funny and also loved Felix. All the children had such fun and unique personalities that I really found myself enjoying the storyline around the Christmas show. There is an overall happy and cheerful storyline, with some deep and meaningful parts, especially with Ray and what is going on with his ex.

Overall, this is a great winter read. Or a great read to get you in the Christmas spirit! There's a sense of magic within this novel, I loved the characters, the storyline and the happy ending. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Summer House in Santorini by Samantha Parks

The Summer House in Santorini

Samantha Parks

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

One summer in Greece will change everything...

Anna's running away. From a failed relationship, a dead-end career and a complicated family life.

On the island of Santorini, with its picturesque villas, blue-tiled roofs, and the turquoise waters of the Aegean lapping at the white sand beaches, Anna inherits a less-than-picturesque summer house from her estranged father. As she rebuilds the house, she rebuilds her life, uncovering family secrets along the way that change everything. She starts to fall for her little slice of paradise, as well as for gorgeous, charming Nikos.

Will Anna lose her heart in more ways than one?

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I've had my eye on this novel for a long time. I love books set in Greece and this one sounded idyllic. The cover is so beautiful and it makes me long to visit the country! I love the bright colours, they really catch the eye and I just wanted to dive straight in.

The synopsis is right up my street as well, it's lighthearted, uplifting and makes you want to visit the location! Straight from the off I really liked main character Anna. She seemed really relatable, down to earth and just a simply nice person. When we first met Nikos, I was surprised with how he acted towards Anna and was a bit confused by the set up. The more I started reading, the more I loved it. I loved the location, the characters and the storyline. Everything was perfect and I loved the authors style of writing.

Anna arrived in Greece after inheriting a summer house in the beautiful island of Santorini. When she arrives, she meets Nikos and her grandfather for the first time and when she sees the summer house, she realises she has bitten off more than she can chew. Somehow Anna, along with the help of Nikos and his cousin Elena, manage to sort out the summer house and make it beautiful again, going along with the plans that Anna's father would have wanted. It seemed that money came from no where but I loved reading about the changes to the summer house and the changes in Anna and Nikos' relationship. It was nice seeing them come together and seeing their relationship blossom. As well as Anna, I really liked the character of Elena, she seemed really fun and just like Anna, a really nice person.

Overall, I loved this story. It's lighthearted, uplifting and easy to read. Will 110% make you want to visit Santorini! Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Little Teashop of Broken Hearts by Jennifer Joyce

The Little Teashop of Broken Hearts

Jennifer Joyce

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

A deliciously charming romance, perfect for fans of Caroline Roberts, Jane Linfoot and Debbie Johnson.

From fairy cakes to first dates!

Maddie Lamington's dreams are crumbling around her. If she doesn't come up with a plan to save her little teashop on Sweet Street soon, it might be too late...

So when she sees how the perfect apple crumble brings together her lonely father and faithful customer Birdie, inspiration strikes: she'll set up a dating night involving all her sweetest bakes.

Luckily, seriously gorgeous Caleb is on hand to help sprinkle a little magic - and a lot of sugar! Could one night of scrumptious first dates fix Maddie's heartbreak and save her beloved teashop, too?

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Another one which has been on my TBR pile for ages and after finishing it, I'm not sure why I had waited for so long to give it a chance! The cover is cute and quirky and I adore the bright colours used. I do really enjoy novels by Jennifer Joyce so I was interested to see what this one was going to be like. The synopsis grabbed me from the start as I love novels set in little cafe's in cute little villages.

This one hooked me from the start and made my mouth water with the delicious sounding sweet treats! I loved the descriptions that Jennifer used, it made me want to visit her teashop myself! As well as the sweet treats, I really loved main character Maddie. I felt a connection to her from the off as she just seemed so genuine and kind. As well as Maddie, there were other secondary characters which I really liked too. I loved Maddie's dad and Nicky and Mags too. One person I wish we read more about was Cara, despite her being Caleb's daughter we don't really read much about her.

I was really hoping that Maddie's speed dating service took off, she really deserved to have some good fortune for once - what with everything she had been through with her ex-fiance. The speed dating events only really started nearer the end of the book, so it would have been nice to read more on this but I loved the build up and all the lengths that Maddie went to to make sure her business was a success. It was just a lovely and heartwarming read that I'm surprised I took so long to read it!

I would recommend you give this story a read if you want to enjoy a few hours reading about sweet treats, good friends and love.

A Match Made in Devon by Cathy Bramley

A Match Made in Devon

Cathy Bramley

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

A Match Made in Devon is being published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

Sometimes you have to play a part to realise who you really are...

Nina has always dreamed of being a star. Unfortunately her agent thinks she's more girl-next-door than leading lady and her acting career isn't going quite as planned. Then, after a series of very public blunders and to escape a gathering storm of paparazzi, Nina is forced to flee from London.

Her plan is to lay low with a friend in Devon, in beautiful Brightside Cove. But soon Nina learns that more drama can be found in a small village on a hectic television set.

And when a gorgeous man (and his adorable dog) catch her eye, it's not long before London and showbiz start to lose their appeal. Will Nina choose to return to the bright lights or has she met her match in Brightside Cove?

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I must say I always love a Cathy Bramley novel, but to be honest, the first time I tried to read this I had to give up. I wasn't sure what it was but something about the storyline and main character Nina didn't sit too well with me. Maybe I couldn't connect with her for whichever reason, or maybe because I thought the storyline was a bit OTT but I just couldn't finish it. So, it's been about a year since I last tried to read this and I thought I'd try again.

Firstly, the cover is possibly one of my most favourites of Cathy Bramley's. I LOVE the scone at the bottom, the strawberries look delightful and I love the glittering sea and coast line. It screams summer and I was excited to try reading this again. This time around, it did still take me a little while to get into the storyline but this time, I pushed past it and once I read the first 70 odd pages I started to really get into it. I felt sorry for Theo and what he had been through, and I hoped that he cheered up and things started going his way.

I started liking Nina more too, once I got past the first bit. She seemed like she had her heart in the right place and I was glad when she went back to Brightside Cove to help Theo. Another character who I wasn't 100% sure on at first was Eliza. She seemed way too forward at the beginning when Nina first met her and seemed to be putting her foot in it quite a few times! But after a while I warmed to her and she was one of my favourites in the end as well as Ned and Nora. Whilst the characters weren't exactly my favourites, I loved the location and I loved the idea of the business that Nina helps Theo set up.

Overall, it was still an enjoyable read but wasn't one of my favourites by Cathy Bramley unfortunately. Not sure what it was but I don't feel that I really connected with the main character, Nina, as much as the other characters.