Monday, 27 April 2020

Sunny Days and Sea Breezes by Carole Matthews



Sunny Days & Sea Breezes
Carole Matthews
Rating: 5 stars

Jodie Jackson is all at sea, in every sense.

On a ferry bound for the Isle of Wight, she's leaving her London life, her career, and her husband behind. She'd like a chance to turn back the clocks, but she'll settle for some peace and quiet on her brother Bill's beautifully renovated houseboat, Sunny Days.

But from the moment Jodie steps aboard her new home, it's clear she'll struggle to keep herself to herself. If it isn't Marilyn, who cleans for Bill and is under strict instructions to look after Jodie, then it's Ned, the noisy sculptor on the next-door houseboat. Ned's wood carving is hard on the ears, but it's made up for by the fact that he's rather easy on the eyes.

Bustled out of the boat by Marilyn and encouraged to explore with Ned, Jodie soon delights in her newfound freedom. But out of mind isn't out of sight, and when her old life comes knocking Jodie is forced to face reality. Will she answer the call or choose a life filled with Sunny Days and Sea Breezes?

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I do enjoy a novel by Carole Matthews. And although the last one I read of hers made me cry I decided to give the author another go and hope I chose one with a happier storyline! I'm so soppy, I can't do emotional storylines. The cover is slightly different from Carole's other novels, this one is more simplistic and sophisticated. It's really pretty and I really like the choice of colours.

Straight away I bonded with Jodie, even though she's nearly 15 years older than me you can see that she had been through a lot of heartache, although what kind of heartache isn't obvious at first. She seems kindhearted and even though a bit moany at poor old Marilyn, she seemed like a good person who had just been through a lot. I quite liked Ned at first too, although what Ida said made me take a step back from him he seemed a positive man who is quite passionate about quite a lot of things. Marilyn was by far my favourite. She's so bubbly and lovely even though she had been through some awful times in her life.

As well as the lovely characters, the location of this novel sounded so beautiful and I now long to get a houseboat!! Especially one as pretty and elegant as Bill's. There are parts of this story that did make me well up a bit. I really felt for what Jodie, as well as Marilyn, had gone through and it made me feel really emotional! However, most of the story is happy and lighthearted. I wasn't entirely sure on Ida throughout the story but one character I disliked and thought was very shady was Della. I had an inkling as to what she was up to half way through the book and I hoped that what I thought was happening wasn't actually true. But alas, I was right!

I absolutely adored this book; the characters, the storyline and the setting were all amazing and I was so sad when I finished it. I hope one day we can return and read some more about Jodie and Ned and the rest of the Isle of Wight gang. I would definitely say that this is my favourite book of 2020 so far. It just made me feel all sorts of emotions and I loved every page. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

Monday, 20 April 2020

Dreaming of Italy by T.A. Williams


Dreaming of Italy
T.A. Williams
Rating: 5 stars

Up for a dream promotion, Emma won't let anything get in her way - not even love.

Working for a major Hollywood film company isn't all glitz and glam. But when Emma gets sent to tour around Italy to scout the perfect location  for a new blockbuster movie, she's not going to complain. Especially when it could make or break her career...

Historical adviser Mark is a distraction that Emma does not need. As they explore the beauty of Italy, though, Emma starts to fall for the mysterious historian, finding herself torn between her job and her heart.

From the wild, northern mountains of Piedmont, down the vibrant coast of Cinque Terre and through the rolling hills of Tuscany, Emma's journey becomes one of self-discovery as she questions her priorities in life.

This heartwarming story of romance and redemption is the perfect read for fans of Tilly Tennant, Holly Martin and Daisy James.

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Oh, to be back reading a novel by T.A. Williams again. I always get the same feeling when reading one of his novels, I feel happy and always hungry! The cover of this particular novel of his makes you want to pack up and go visit Italy straight away. The pretty buildings, bright blue sky and shimmering ocean, not to mention the beautiful car, makes such a stunning and summery cover. I also love the red flowers dotted around the top of the cover.

In this novel we follow main character Emma, who is currently living in LA working for a film company. Her job is a big deal to her so as a consequence she's cut out all dating and social activities so she can rise to the top. And it's working. She gets sent to scout for locations for the next movie which is set in Italy. The descriptions of the food and locations sound stunning. I wish I was doing Emma's job! I was insanely jealous when I was reading about her adventures.

Emma soon meets historical advisor, Mark and has what she refers to as an 'odd' reaction to him as she has been sworn off men for so long. She finds him very attractive and finds herself swooning over him, she doesn't think it's reciprocated however. Over the course of Emma's working holiday, they have little chats full of flirty comments and Emma finds herself falling for him.

I really enjoyed reading about all the locations in Italy that they travelled too, especially as they were less well known locations. It was nice to learn a little history as well as enjoy the romantic storyline. T.A. William's style of writing is, as always, really elegant and easy to read. I always end up feeling like I'm right there with the characters.

Overall, a perfect lighthearted read for these uncertain times we are all going through at the moment. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

Wednesday, 15 April 2020

As Greek as It Gets by Sue Roberts


As Greek as It Gets
Sue Roberts
Rating: 4 stars

Let the hot Greek sun melt all your troubles away... A laugh-out-loud read full of warmth, joy and summer feeling!

Alice Clark is delighted when her boyfriend Max proposes. From her dead-end job to her straight-up-dead houseplants, her life hasn't exactly turned out how she imagined, so she can't wait to start some wedding planning.

But the intimate affair she imagined soon grows wildly out of control, along with Alice's doubts. Just as things reach breaking point between the couple, Alice's best friend whisks her away for an escape to a sun-kissed Greek island.

Sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and a cocktail - or three - and Alice soon finds herself letting loose and relaxing into the Greek way of life. When she visits a gorgeous village nestled in the hilltops overlooking the sea, and meets a friendly local woman with a very special business - and a very handsome son - Alice is surprised by how drawn she feels to these people and this life.

As the sun sets on her Greek holiday, Alice knows she has some big decisions to make. Will finding herself mean losing the life she had planned? Or could it be the start of something else entirely?

A feel-good read perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella.

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Oh what a perfect time to read a novel like this! If you can't get away for your holiday then this is the perfect alternative! It's full of delicious sounding Greek food, descriptions of idyllic locations and fun. As soon as I saw that Sue Roberts had released a new novel I couldn't wait to jump on it and read it as soon as I could! The cover is so beautiful, with it's bright blue sky, pink flowers and pretty traditional Greek houses.

At first I wasn't sure what to make of Alice, yes she seemed lovely but at the same time she was constantly complaining about her wedding to Max being over the top, but then at the same time allowing him to do whatever he wanted! There were also constant references to how much Alice loved him and how much looking at him made her realise how much she adored him which got a little tedious after a while.

However, as soon as the friends jetted off to sunny Greece, I started enjoying the story a whole lot more. The friends all seemed like a laugh and I really liked reading about what they got up to on the island for Alice's hen do. Although, I will say I am a bit unsure as to Vangelis's (think that's how you spell it) involvement in the whole story, as it seemed he was only in the book for 5 minutes. Although I'm sure he has a key role in the overall story, it just seemed a bit rushed and a bit unbelievable to be honest.

Despite that, I really did enjoy this novel. It was summery and an easy read which is just what we need right now. I loved the setting, the descriptions as to what the friends get up to and the food of course! It was a nice ending and I look forward to what this author brings out next. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Saturday, 11 April 2020

Blog Tour: My Greek Island Summer by Mandy Baggot


My Greek Island Summer
Mandy Baggot
Rating: 5 stars

Two weeks. One unforgettable trip to Corfu. A chance to change her life.

Becky Rose has just landed her dream job house-sitting at a top-end villa on the island of Corfu. What could be better than two weeks laying by an infinity pool overlooking the gorgeous Ionian waters mending her broken heart.

Elias Mardas is travelling back to Corfu on business whilst dealing with his own personal demons. Late arriving in Athens, Becky and Elias have to spend a night in the Greek capital. When they have to emergency land in Kefalonia, Becky's got to decide whether to suck up the adventure and this gorgeous companion she seems to have been thrown together with or panic about when she's going to arrive at Corfu...

Finally reaching the beautiful island, Becky is happy to put Elias behind her and get on with her adventure. Until he turns up at the villa...

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Mandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer. The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK's Festival of Romance, her romantic comedy novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy's books have so far been translated into German, Italian, Czech and Hungarian. Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, white wine, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1's Who Dares Sings and The X Factor. Mandy is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and the Society of Authors and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two daughters.


Mandy
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Aria
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I do love a good Mandy Baggot novel. They're just so fun and inviting. They make you feel good and uplifted whilst you're reading them - and this one is no different from any of her others. If anything, it's better! I love the sunshiney cover, full of bright, pretty colours that remind you of summer and hot days. The little details show us a bit more about the story itself, with Athens being presented on the left of the cover and the little village on the right and of course with our main character Becky in the centre.

With regards to the story itself, it was perfect. The descriptions of the Greek food made my mouth water. I wanted to fly to Greece every time I read this book! Mandy makes every food sound so delicious and I always find myself hungry after! One other thing that Mandy does which I like is the use of reading about the male and female main characters. In this case the story followed Becky and Elias. Becky makes sandwiches for her sisters business and Elias is a divorce lawyer. Both completely different people but overall the same.

At the beginning I wasn't sure on Petra and was hoping that she wasn't going to be in the story the whole way through, but the more I read with her the more I liked her character and her traits. She's happy-go-lucky but she's hiding her hurtful past. I loved her by the end, she had been through so much. She's just full of energy and always looking for an adventure! Elias and Becky were great characters as well and I hoped that things would work out well for them. They deserved happiness after they had both been through quite a lot in their love lives.

 The location for this novel sounded absolutely idyllic. I promise you you will be wishing for a holiday on a Greek island by the end of this novel. It's fun, uplifting and overall a perfect summer novel. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel which I have reviewed honestly.

#MandyBaggot20

Sunday, 5 April 2020

The Secret Seaside Escape by Heidi Swain


The Secret Seaside Escape
Heidi Swain
Rating: 5 stars

Escape to the seaside with the brand new novel from Heidi Swain, the Sunday Times bestselling author of feel-good women's fiction!

Tess Tyler needs a break. Weighed down by her high-pressure job and her demanding father, she's left little time to take care of herself. But after a shocking discovery sends her spiralling, she flees to Wynmouth, the seaside town she fell in love with as a child, to escape it all.

With its sandy beaches, stunning rock pools and welcoming community, Tess feels like she can finally breathe again. And as she grows ever closer to local barman Sam, she dares to dream that she might never return to her real life. But when a familiar face returns to town, Tess realises that there are secrets in Wynmouth too, and that her own past may be about to catch up with her...

The Secret Seaside Escape is the perfect read this summer, promising sandy beaches, stunning rockpools and breath-taking romance. Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews and Sarah Morgan.

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I always look forward to a Heidi Swain novel and this one was high up on my reading list! The sunshiney cover screamed summer and the location looked so picturesque that I couldn't wait to delve in and read all about Tess and Sam!

At the beginning, I wasn't a massive fan of Tess believe it or not. She seemed quite self-centered and even though I knew she had been through a hard time she didn't seem quite like who I usually liked to read about as she was a workaholic and came across as quite a know-it-all when she was giving Chris a telling off! However, having said that, it appeared that as soon as she arrived in Wynmouth everything changed. She became nicer, more down-to-earth and understanding. She seemed more like a lovely person, exactly the type who I do enjoy reading about.

The location of this novel sounded so lovely. Imagine a cottage right on the beach, you can't think of anything better right?! Well I certainly can't anyway. I also loved the events that Tess, with the help of Hope, Sophie and Sam, put together. They sounded so community driven and sounded like a load of fun with so many friendly neighbours within the Wynmouth community. What I wished was included more was the storyline to do with Tess' mum and her diary. Simply because I was being nosy and wanted to learn more about what had happened!

I was pleasantly pleased with how this lovely sunshiney novel ended, and there was two twists which I really wasn't expecting! But having said that, they were twists for the better and this was a really lovely, happy and lighthearted novel to read. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.