Coming Home to Maple Cottage by Holly Martin

Coming Home to Maple Cottage

Holly Martin

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

This utterly addictive new novel from bestselling author Holly Martin will make you smile until your cheeks hurt, sob tears of pure joy and fall head over heels in love with a totally unforgettable romance...

Isla Rosewood is creating a new life for herself and her sweet nephew Elliot in their cosy, yellow-brick family cottage, brimming with special memories. Living with Sandcastle Bay was never part of Isla's plan but, after her brother Matthew's tragic accident, her whole world changed as she unexpectedly became a mother to the little boy she adores so much.

Leo Jackson was always known as Matthew's fun-loving and wild best friend. But now Matthew is gone, it's time to put his colourful past behind him. His role as Elliot's godfather is the most important thing to him. And even though Leo and Isla are two very different people, they both want to give Elliot the childhood he deserves.

As the three of them enjoy time together watching fireworks, baking cakes and collecting conkers, Isla begins to see a softer side to charming Leo, with his twinkling eyes and mischievous sense of humour. And, despite herself, she begins to fall for him.

But does Leo feel the same way? Isla knows their situation is complicated but is it too complicated for true love... or will the year end with a happy new beginning for them all?

A glorious, feel-good romance that will make you want to snuggle up under a warm blanket with a hot chocolate and the one you love. If you enjoy reading Sarah Morgan, Jenny Oliver and Lucy Diamond this book is for you.

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I cannot tell you enough how excited I was to read this book. I absolutely adore Autumn and whilst we have a lot of Christmas/Winter novels, we don't have a lot of novels set in Autumn out there. So when Holly Martin (one of my fave novelists) announced her next one was set in the season, I was delighted and could not wait. The mention of the fireworks, baking cakes etc got me excited and this book certainly sets your mood!

When I started getting into the book, it was like I had never left Sandcastle Bay. I simply adore all of the characters, and I was so eager to find out more about Isla and Leo's relationship. I also loved that Elliot was a part of this story, everything is better with children! I was loving reading about the acorn hunts, the halloween decorating - everything! When I got to about 50% I wished there was more of it! I really enjoyed the fact that we heard about some of the other characters in the series as well - seeing how their relationships were getting on was lovely.

Having said this, you could easily read this story as a standalone. You don't need to have read the others to understand what's going on because it's about completely different people essentially. One thing that made me smile in this book was the names of the cottages. Hot Chocolate Cottage was my favourite but then there was also Maple Cottage and Marshmallow Cottage (Elliot's treehouse), they all sounded lovely and homely!

Overall, another fabulous novel by Holly Martin. My favourite of hers is still Christmas at Mistletoe Cove, but this is a strong contender! Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

One in a Million by Lindsey Kelk

One in a Million

Lindsey Kelk

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Everyone wants that special someone...

Annie Higgins has given up on love: she's too busy trying to get her tiny business off the ground. Infuriated by the advertising agency across the hall making fun of her job, Annie accepts their crazy challenge - to make a random stranger Instagram-famous in just thirty days.

And even when they choose Dr Samuel Page PhD, historian and hater of social media, as her target, Annie's determined to win the bet - whether Sam likes it or not.

But getting to know Sam means getting to know more about herself. And before the thirty days are out, Annie has to make a decision about what's really important...

Funny, real and heart-meltingly romantic, Annie and Sam's story is My Fair Lady for the social media age - and the perfect feel-good read.

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My first read by Lindsey Kelk and certainly not my last. I was at the airport the other day with low battery on my Kindle (rookie mistake not charging it before I left!) and decided to take a browse at what was on offer. They were outrageously expensive (14 euros for this one!) but I knew I just had to buy one otherwise I'd be bored on the flight (4 hours with 6 screaming children within 2 rows of me was NOT the one let me tell you) so I settled on this one in the end.

I don't usually read novels surrounding the topic of social media as I tend to find them a bit boring - however this one was great and engaging - Lindsey Kelk's style of writing reminded me a bit of Sophie Kinsella, which I love and find hilarious! The story itself follows Annie, who owns a digital marketing company in London. The company itself is struggling, even though they have more work than what they can handle at the moment. Charlie, one of the lads which work in the same space as Annie, gives her a challenge one day - to make someone InstaFamous. Annie stupidly agrees and they agreed that whoever walked through the door next was their subject.

In walks Dr Samuel Page (with TWO PhD's!), his long hair and huge beard covering most of his face and wearing baggy clothes. Annie thinks she's doomed but doesn't give up on the bet. She is determined to win this! Over the course of the bet, their relationship changes and it was so nice to see Sam coming out of his shell, and Annie seeing that there's more to life than getting 20k followers and loads of likes on her posts. It was lovely to see that they change one another for the best.

Of course, this romance isn't plain sailing - there's heartbreak and tears but this book had such a happy and lighthearted feel to it, that once I got into it I just couldn't put it down. It's quite a hefty story (just over 400 pages) but it doesn't feel like the story dragged at all, it was a great read and I couldn't wait to see how it turned out for Annie and Sam. As well as those two main characters, I loved Miranda - she was funny and Brian was great! They all had such a great working relationship, and it had me dreaming of a career in digital marketing!

So, my overall opinion is that if you haven't read a novel by Lindsey Kelk before - that you do so immediately! Otherwise, quite frankly, you are missing out on her funny and engaging style of writing. It was fantastic and it certainly made my 4 hour flight with 6 screaming children that little bit more bearable.

The Little Book Cafe: Emma's Story by Georgia Hill

The Little Book Cafe: Emma's Story

Georgia Hill

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Escape to the seaside for a new three-part series for fans of The Canal Boat Cafe and Willow Cottage

When Emma discovers that Berecombe's fabulous book cafe is running a literary course for beginners, she is excited to give it a try. She's always wanted to study more, and it doesn't hurt that Joel, the suave and charming new teacher is pretty easy on the eye...

The more she learns, the more she starts to question whether she really wants the life she has built up. Her boyfriend of forever, Ollie, is constantly training with the RNLI, so they hardly get to see each other, and she is pretty sure Joel has a soft spot for her...

Will Joel sweep her off her feet? Or can Ollie make the most important rescue of his life?

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What a great way to go back to Berecombe again. I adored the first novella in this little series so I was really looking forward to going back again and reading more about the characters. Straight from the off there's drama and that just caught my attention immediately and I found the whole storyline so engaging. The cover is so cute and I love the colours, it just looks so inviting!

The story this time follows Emma, who works alongside Tash (who was the main character of the first novella) as an estate agent in the cute little seaside town of Berecombe. Emma feels lost in her life, decides to jump at the chance of joining a literary course in order to make her life feel a bit more exciting. Her family are constantly arguing and her home is a mad-house, she is currently saving every penny to move in with RNLI-mad boyfriend Ollie but is getting no where and she fancies the pants of her new teacher Joel.

Emma's life is anything but simple at the moment, and as the novella continues we learn a lot about Emma's character. At some parts Emma annoyed me. Yes, I'm sure Ollie talking about the RNLI is a tad boring, but why doesn't she voice this? Instead she makes Ollie feel worthless and I imagine that isn't a very nice feeling. I also felt for Emma's family, I'm sure it is mad at times but I feel Emma was quite horrible about her family sometimes - after all, family is family!

At other points, I really felt for Emma too and I was just hooked on Emma's story from the off. I read this in one day so it's the perfect novel to pick up and delve into whilst lounging by the pool if you're on holiday, or just lounging on the sofa with a snuggly throw and hot chocolate. It's entertaining, it's an easy read and I urge you to give this series a go. Overall, another great instalment by Georgia Hill. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Olive Branch by Jo Thomas

The Olive Branch

Jo Thomas

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Escape to Italy with The Olive Branch - the irresistible new novel from Jo Thomas, author of ebook bestseller The Oyster Catcher.

'It's time to let love grow.'

You can buy almost anything online these days. For Ruthie Collins, it was an Italian farmhouse.

Yet as she battles with a territorial goat and torrential rain just to get through the door of the new Italian home, the words of Ed, her ex, are ringing in her ears. She is daft, impetuous and irresponsible.

But Ruthie is determined to turn things around and live the dream.

First, though, she must win over fiery neighbour, Marco Bellanouvo, and his family... Then there's the small matter of running an olive farm. As the seasons change and new roots are put down, olives and romance might just flourish in the warmth of the Mediterranean sun.

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I've had this on my TBR pile for a while now but I never managed to get into it when deciding which book to read. However, since reading this - I have no idea what took me so long to read it! First up, I love the cover. It looks warm and inviting, the colours jumping out of the page and it looks very romantic. I will say that I knew I was going to love this novel from the very first page. It started off interesting, funny and just really exciting - I couldn't wait to see what happened!

From the off, there was humour and drama. It starts with Ruthie and her friend drunk and Ruthie buying something online. Cut to the next chapter we see Ruthie turning up to a farmhouse that she'd bought and having a bit of a standoff with a goat and a Kit-Kat. We then meet Marco and his family - and it just seems really manic! I warmed to Ruthie instantly and I really enjoy reading novels like this set in a farm or abroad like France and Italy.

I also love Jo Thomas' style of writing, The Oyster Catcher was one of the first Romance novels I read when I first started reading them and I absolutely loved it. This one was no different, I really wondered at points how it would turn out but I needn't have questioned it as I loved every page. It was just written so beautifully and I found it really engaging. With regards to main character Ruthie herself, I really felt for her. I could see that she was lonely and feeling quite down about the whole situation and I really started to feel sorry for her when nothing was going her way.

One character I found myself really disliking was Marco's mamma. She just seemed so cold and heartless and it was when I read about her treatment to Ruthie that I really didn't like her character! However, everything turns out for the best in the end and I was really happy with how it did end for Ruthie! After everything she had been through she deserved to have a happy ending. Overall, a perfect summer read. 10/10 would recommend.

Love in the City by the Sea by Lilac Mills

Love in the City by the Sea
Lilac Mills
Rating: 5 stars
Amazon

Tess Barton is stuck in a rut. She's working three jobs while trying to get her career as an artist off the ground... and now her sister wants her to run a marathon too?! No thank you!

But it's not just any marathon. It's the Barcelona marathon and they'd be running in memory of their late sister. She hops on a flight but when disaster strikes and Emma can't make it, Tess finds herself facing a new city and challenge all alone. That is, until an unexpected rendezvous in a little tapas bar with gorgeous Spaniard Roberto.

Facing the unknown Tess laces up her trainers, determined to master the marathon...and maybe find love in the city by the sea at the same time.

Perfect for fans of T.A. Williams, Samantha Tonge and Sue Roberts.

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This is my first time reading a novel by this author and I can 100% say that it won't be my last. I've seen several tweets and cover reveals on Lilac Mills novels, so when I saw this pop up on Netgalley I thought I'd give it a go. The cover was interesting (although not the best cover ever), and the storyline sounded good so I was pleased when I finally started reading it that it was easy to get into.

The story follows main character Tess, who is asked by her sister Emma to run in a marathon - but not just any marathon - Barcelona marathon! Of course, at first, Tess is apprehensive but Emma is so eager to do this for their sister who sadly passed away when they were younger that she maddeningly agrees to do it. I would say that most of the beginning of the book is taken up with running - training, running routes and Tess complaining about running. This wasn't a let down however, as it was humorous and it was great to see how quickly Tess got better and even started enjoying it.

There are a few side stories that I wasn't sure how they fit in to be honest, but this just added to the story I felt. One side story that you don't get to see how it ends was about Tess's friend Faye, and I was quite sad that I didn't get to see how it worked out for her. However, all of the other characters I really liked and I did think that Roberto was quite the gentleman. I will say though, that I had no idea what he was up to! I just could not put the book down until I knew what he was hiding!

Overall, a fantastic read that I couldn't put down. I'm now on the search for more novels by Lilac Mills! Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Little Paris Patisserie by Julie Caplin

The Little Paris Patisserie

Julie Caplin

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK

In a cosy corner in Paris, a delicious little patisserie is just waiting to be discovered. And romance might just be on the menu...

As the youngest of four, Nina Hadley has always had her big brothers telling her what to do. So, when she's given the chance to move to Paris and help run a patisserie course, she can't say au revoir quick enough!

There's just one problem: high-flying chef Sebastian Finlay is the owner of the patisserie. He's also her brother Nick's best friend - and the man she has secretly been in love with since forever.

Amongst the mouth-wateringly delicious eclairs and delicate macaroons, Nina's culinary creations aren't the only tempting thing she's working with...

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I've really loved this series and this one is no different. The descriptions of the food will have your mouth watering and will make you want to visit Paris right now! The cover is just beautiful and I adore all the pastel colours and the floral arrangement around the outside of the cover. The eiffel tower in the background makes the cover but I really love the cute little table and chairs in the centre with the delicious looking treats sitting on top. All in all, it's breathtaking and really catches your eye. If you judged books by it's cover then this is one you would certainly pick up!

On to the actual story, first of all I didn't really like Nina much at the start of the novel. I can understand where she's coming from that being in a big family could be overwhelming but she seemed a bit spoilt to start off with. However, as we got to know her more throughout the book she really started to shine and I really warmed to her character. However, I will say that I cannot believe she stayed with the way that Sebastian spoke to her! I would be out of that door and on a place home as quick as a flash - so I really admired her for sticking it out - because I wouldn't that's for sure!

The same goes for Sebastian, at the start when we first met him I really didn't like him. I found him to be rude, arrogant and so self-absorbed that I really didn't care much for him. Just like Nina however, as the book went on I found myself warming to him too and started to realise why he acted the way he did. As well as Nina and Sebastian, there were plenty of other characters to get to know. And I instantly liked Marcel and Marguerite (think I spelt that right!), I thought that Marcel was quite the character and quite funny and Marguerite just seemed so lovely.

If you add in the location, picturesque Paris, and the addition of the deliciously mouth watering pastries and patisserie, you'e got yourself a beautifully written and lighthearted novel. I really enjoyed this third novel in the series, and if what I've read is correct, I'm so happy this isn't the last one! I adore Julie Caplin's style of writing - it's captivating and just so enjoyable. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Love at the Northern Lights by Darcie Boleyn

Love at the Northern Lights

Darcie Boleyn

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

'Climbing out the window in her dress and tiara wasn't exactly how Frankie imagined her wedding day...'

Runaway bride Frankie Ashford hops on a place to Norway with one goal in mind - find her estranged mother and make peace with the past. But when a slip on the ice in Oslo lands her directly in Jonas Thorsen's viking-strong arms, her single-minded focus drifts away in the winter winds.

When it comes to romance Jonas knows that anything he and Frankie share has an expiration date - the British heiress has a life to return to in London that's a world away from his own. But his family is everything to Jonas and, as the one man who can help Frankie find the answers she's seeking, he'll do whatever it takes to help reunite with her mother.

Now, as Christmas draws closer and the northern lights work their magic Frankie and Jonas will have to make a choice...play it safe or risk heartbreak to take a chance on love.

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Words cannot describe just how much I LOVED this novel. It was romantic, it was adventurous and was just overall a really lovely, cosy novel. The cover is absolutely stunning - I love the colours of the sky, the snowy trees and the cute little buildings with the huge Christmas tree in the centre! Everything draws you in and automatically makes you want to read it.

The story itself was completely gripping - straight from the first page. I felt so sorry for Frankie and everything that she'd been through and I was so happy for her when she ran away from her own wedding! I was so pleased that she decided to get away from her awful relationship and I'll be honest I found myself getting so irritated with Frankie's grandmother! I just thought, how dare she speak to Frankie like that? That's why I was shocked when Frankie decided to go back to England - but to be fair, family is family in the end.

Jonas was an absolute dreamboat and I loved him! He was such a gentleman and I was so hoping that him and Frankie would work out their differences and be together! It was such a romantic setting, what with the snow, the northern lights and then Christmas. It was just such a great novel and I cannot praise it enough. Another part of the novel that I loved was Frankie and her mother, Freya's relationship. It was so lovely to see their relationship blooming and going from strength to strength. One of my favourite parts was when they were baking together. It just made me feel so warm inside and it was lovely to read.

Overall, I cannot recommend this novel enough. It deserves more than 5 stars and I urge you to read this. It was a perfect novel to cosy up with and Darcie Boleyn at her finest. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.