Dreaming of Italy by T.A. Williams

Dreaming of Italy

T.A. Williams

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

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.

As Greek as It Gets by Sue Roberts

As Greek as It Gets

Sue Roberts

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

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.

Blog Tour: My Greek Island Summer by Mandy Baggot

My Greek Island Summer

Mandy Baggot

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

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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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

The Secret Seaside Escape by Heidi Swain

The Secret Seaside Escape

Heidi Swain

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

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.

The Cornish Confetti Agency by Daisy James

The Cornish Confetti Agency

Daisy James

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

The first in a new sun-filled series from the author of the Villa Limoncello trilogy.

Welcome to The Cornish Confetti Agency!

When the grand finale of Lexie Harrington's catwalk show ends with a disastrous twist on the 'ice bucket challenge', she knew her highly-strung boss would fire her on the spot. What she wasn't expecting was to bump into her fiance cosied up with an attractive blonde in the restaurant opposite their apartment!

Desperate to escape her heartbreak, Lexie flees to her childhood home of St Ives to hold the fort at The Cornish Confetti Agency for her best friend Freya, leader of the yummy mummy network and firm believer in 'happily ever afters'. Little did she know that delivering a Caribbean-themed wedding in sunny Cornwall would rival the fashion industry for drama, tantrums and mysterious goings on.

Who is responsible for dousing the bridesmaid's dress with tomato ketchup? Or hiding the bride's beloved Jimmy Choos? Or attaching googly eyes to everything in sight?

The perfect Cornish wedding? Is there such a thing for The Cornish Confetti Agency?

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I do love a novel by Daisy James. They're full of glitz and glamour and SO. MUCH. DRAMA! I am here for all the drama in her books. They make such fun, easy reads. I particularly loved this one due to it's setting, the characters and the fun storyline. The cover is so pretty and colourful and draws you in, making you want to read it.

The story follows Lexie, who is the main character in this novel. She's just been fired from her job AND found out that her fiance was cheating on her just weeks before their wedding. So, Lexie decides that it's best if she goes down to Cornwall to help out her best friend with her wedding business. She then has to become a fully fledged wedding planner and put together a Caribbean themed wedding, which as you might have guessed, has some mysterious goings on.

I really liked the character of Lexie, she seemed down to earth and had a lovely personality. I also really liked Theo, he seemed so sweet and helpful and they had a beautiful friendship, but you could tell from the way they were with one another that there was something deeper there. The location to the story sounded so glamorous and gals like me could only dream about having a wedding quite like the one that Zara had.

This novel was a fun, easy and lighthearted story that is perfect to while away a few hours, especially with all that is going on in the world right now. I really hope that we read more about these characters! Thank you to Daisy James for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Spring Tides at Swallowtail Bay by Katie Ginger

Spring Tides at Swallowtail Bay

Katie Ginger

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Escape to the cosy seaside town of Swallowtail Bay, the perfect place for a fresh start - but is Stella's new beginning over before it's begun?

Licking her wounds from her divorce, Stella impulsively buys a gift shop and two holiday lets in glorious Swallowtail Bay, hoping for a fresh start with her King Charles Spaniel Frank.

When the neighbours meet her with a warm welcome, Stella knows she's found the home she was looking for. Even gorgeous but grumpy local Miles can't take the shine off things. But then her ex-husband announces he's getting married again, and someone in the village starts gossiping about Stella...

Is Stella's dream over already? Or, with her new friends behind her, can Stella fight back and save her new life - and find the happy ever after she's been waiting for?

Fans of Cathy Bramley, Debbie Johnson and Jenny Colgan will fall in love with Swallowtail Bay!

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How have I never read a Katie Ginger novel before!? Wow, I was blown away by this story. It was such an enjoyable and happy read that I was gutted when it came to an end and I started quickly looking at what other novels she's written just so I could read more of her books! There is no way I could have given this less than 5 stars. The location, the characters, the storyline, everything just worked together so well and I was so hooked from start to finish.

There are 3 main characters in this novel; Stella, Lexi and Miles. Stella has just moved to Swallowtail Bay after a recent divorce and is hoping for a fresh start. Lexi is a single mum who is struggling to make ends meet and Miles is a local to the town but is having troubles with his fiance. Every character was relatable, I really liked each of their separate storylines. Stella was probably my favourite however as I wished I was as brave as her! Moving to a new town and taking on a new business all on her own.

The setting of this novel sounded so idyllic and beautiful. I loved the scenes where they're on the beach, or where the tourists are exploring around the town. It made me reminisce on similar holidays and gave me the urge to go on another one to a location similar to this! I loved when they all went to the pub with all the locals, the cafe with its friendly workers. It was all so lovely and I couldn't put it down. I think the storyline was well thought out and ended up working out really lovely (even though some parts *about Vivien in particular* made me feel quite emotional!).

Overall, a really brilliantly written and heartwarming story about friendship, new starts and new relationships. It was fabulous from start to finish and I really recommend you give this book (or maybe other novels from Katie Ginger!) a read. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Summer We Ran Away by Jenny Oliver

The Summer We Ran Away

Jenny Oliver

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

It was meant to be the party of the summer...

In Cedar Road, everyone is preparing for Lexi's 'White Hot' summer party. For one night, parking squabbles and petitions are put aside as neighbours sip Prosecco under the fairy lights and gather by the hot tub to marvel at Lexi's effortlessly glamorous life with Hot Hamish.

For Julia, it's a chance to coax husband Charlie out of his potting shed and into a shirt so they can have a welcome break from the hellish house renovation they've been wrestling with. And it's a chance for Julia to pretend - just for a night - that her life is as perfect as Lexi's.

But when, during the party, one of Julia's WhatsApp messages falls into the wrong hands and reveals her most intimate thoughts, things reach boiling point...

And when all the neighbours know exactly what you're thinking, there's only one thing to do.

Run away.

It's going to be a summer Julia will never forget.

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I loved this novel. It was sophisticated, well written and I really struggled to put it down! The cover is simple but I love the design, the swimsuit with all mini pictures around it that give you an idea what the novel is about. It's colourful and summery and I love it.

The story itself mainly focuses on Julia and then nearer the middle of the book looks into Amber's life too. I liked both characters, although both of them had characteristics that were a little annoying. Like for example Julia was basically walked all over but Amber was the complete opposite. I loved their road trip, it was exciting and I loved reading about all the antiques at the market. It was just a really enjoyable novel and I really liked reading about the two women who were basically polar opposites.

It was a great, unique plot and I'm glad with how it finished. I love a book with a happy ending! This novel is a fun, summer novel and I urge you to give it a read. The location sounded idyllic and I loved the plot. There's a fun aspect to this novel but it also has a more serious note to it too which I quite enjoyed.

Overall, a nice, easy read. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.