Sunday 26 January 2020

A Year at Castle Court by Holly Hepburn


A Year at Castle Court
Holly Hepburn
Rating: 5 stars

The brand new novel from bestselling author Holly Hepburn, perfect for anyone who loves Jenny Colgan, Veronica Henry and Lucy Diamond. A Year at Castle Court is Holly Hepburn's four Castle Court e-novellas collected together as a novel for the first time.

Sadie is a single mum, nursing a broken heart. Her best friend from childhood, Cat, is burned out from working long hours as a chef in Paris. In need of a change, they decide to invest in their dream - running their own handmade biscuit shop in gorgeous Castle Court, a three-storey food court tucked away behind Chester's bustling streets.

They soon discover that Castle Court has its own community - a little haven of delight against the stresses of the outside world. But not everyone welcomes the new business; the patisserie owner is less than pleased by what she sees as direct competition and Greg, who runs the fancy bistro that dominates one end of the courtyard, doesn't think Sadie and Cat have the talent or the business acumen to succeed. Luckily, there's support in the form of the delectable Jaren, who owns the Dutch waffle house opposite Smart Cookies, and Swiss chocolate-shop owner, Elin. And if all else fails, the friends can drown their sorrows in Seb's cocktail bar on the third floor!

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Oh, what a delightful novel by Holly Hepburn. I haven't read a novel by this author in such a long time, and when I got sent this book I couldn't wait to give it a read. However, fast forward to now I've finally got round to reading it and I wonder to myself why I took so long to read it in the first place! The book is pretty hefty as it's four novella's joined together but it's such a great read. The cover is what drew me in at first, I love the pastel colours, the tree, the wooden beams above the shops. It just looks so pretty and inviting.

We get to know quite a bit about Sadie and Cat pretty quickly as it's clear they've both been through quite a lot. However, we do learn that Cat has a bit of a big secret that she's been hiding away and it comes to light when Greg puts it to her in front of the busy food court. Both characters are relatable in their own way and I enjoyed reading about both of their hectic lives.

I enjoyed Sadie's character a lot, she had a young child whilst also trying her best to get her business off the ground, being the artistic side to the business, she works long hours to get everything done and as a result she finds herself being worked to the ground and her social and family life being affected as a result. Cat is in a similar boat, she also works long hours - although it seems not as long as what she was doing in Paris beforehand - and has a lot of issues when it comes to men.

The two women have obviously been through a lot before they even decided to open their business, and what makes matters worse is all the things that go wrong when they do finally open. People are against them, and even Mother Nature is! The girls can't seem to catch a break, but luckily it all comes together for them in the end and I'm happy with how it ended. It was a happy ending which is exactly the type of book I enjoy reading.

Overall, a lovely heartwarming novel. I would definitely recommend you give Holly Hepburn's novels a read this Spring. You won't regret it.

Saturday 11 January 2020

Dreaming of Verona by T.A. Williams


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

Verona is the City of Love. But will Suzie find romance there or, like Romeo and Juliet, will it all end in tears?

When Suzie is hired to accompany spoiled, abrasive Lady Alexandra Tedburn on an all-expenses paid holiday to Italy, she fears the trip will be a disaster.

But she soon discovers there's more to Alex than shopping and tantrums, and she's determined to help her realise her potential - against Alex's authoritarian father's wishes.

As they settle in Verona, Suzie can't stop thinking about local artist Michael, who is still mourning the tragic death of his wife. With Suzie's future uncertain, and Michael's past holding him back, it seems there's no hope for romance in the city of star-crossed lovers... or is there?

A gorgeously uplifting and moving story, Dreaming of Verona is the perfect read for fans of Holly Martin, Tilly Tennant and Jenny Oliver.

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I was beginning to wonder when T.A. Williams was going to release another novel, and as soon as I saw this cover I immediately dropped what I was going to read next and decided to read this next! I adore T.A. Williams' style of writing. It's elegant, uplifting and draws you in. I love how all of his novels are gorgeously classy and gives you an insight to how the other half live!

This one in particular I enjoyed more due to the main character, Suzie. Suzie is an ordinary gal just like you and me and I think that's why I found her so endearing! She sees things for what they are and seemed so down-to-earth. Alexandra on the other hand took a little longer for me to warm to! She seemed exceptionally spoilt and quite snobbish that at first I was hoping that Suzie would turn down Lord Tedburn's offer. However, as the book progressed, I found that Alexandra was not all she seemed at first and I started to like her character a bit more, as well as feel slightly sorry for her.

Another character whom I felt sorry for was dear Michael. He had been through so much that I felt he definitely deserved some happiness. And I really hoped that Suzie would be the one to cause that happiness. I adored the setting of this novel, it sounded so idyllic and I loved the way T.A. Williams' described the food they ate. My mouth was watering on more than one occasion!

Overall, this was another really amazingly written story by the talented T.A. Williams. It was engaging, heartwarming and I struggled to put it down. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.