But I Smile Anyway…

It’s a busy month, my birthday, and starting back at school. I am always shattered every evening, so it’ll be interesting to see how many books I manage to read this month… not many…

Christmas Sisters by Tammy L. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Christmas Sisters is a wonderful introduction to the characters due to star in a series to be released soon.
A woman filled with grief at losing her husband and child, opens her heart and home to a young girl who has been left with no carer, and as she comes to terms with having a new child in her life, she ends up with not one, but four new foster girls.
No links to one another, but connection that becomes so strong, they become soul sisters. Looking forward to reading the series, now!

Breathing Two Worlds by Ruchira Khanna
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Neena is an immigrant who has moved from her life and family in India to the hustle and bustle of modern USA.
This story charts a period in her life where the two cultures clash in many ways, when her father is taken ill, back home, and she has to rush back to support her parents.
How do you mesh two cultures together, keeping hold of your roots, as well as embracing the new one you now live in?
An interesting story.
My only sticking point was that some writing was a little clunky in places, possibly due to language differences, meaning there were moments when certain situations cot lost in translation.
However, if you look beyond this, the story has good potential, and makes good points.

One More for Christmas: A Novel by Sarah Morgan
5 star

I’ve always enjoyed Sarah Morgan’s Christmas inspired stories and this one was no different.
One More For Christmas explores the fractured nature of a mother’s relationship with her daughters, where her trying to do the best for them, ends up forcing them apart.
Then an accident brings them together, where secrets are unveiled, and in the midst of it all, a romance begins to blossom.
A great read for Christmas, with some touching moments,

Releasig 22nd October, 2020

To be published 15th October. I can’t actually put my review up yet, until the publication date… but it’ss GOOD!!

Life In Pieces by Dawn O’Porter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I loved Dawn O’Porter’s So Lucky, so jumped at the chance to read her take on the Lockdown of 2020, and was not disappointed, whatsoever.
There were many moments I was nodding my head, agreeing with her thoughts, times I was giggling at her antics, and then, especially as she discussed the loss of her good friend, Caroline Flack, there were moments of deep sadness.
Dawn’s experience, regardless of whether she is a celebrity or not, mirrors the emotions of many families, stuck at home, home schooling, dealing with being in a home with the same people for months on end.
A great read!

Releasing on October 1st, 2020

The Christmas Swap by Sandy Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve got to be honest with you. The last few weeks have seen me read less and less, not for want of trying, but because I am exhausted due to the trials and tribulations of this whole Covid-19 craziness.
Books that I would usually whizz through, are unable to keep me awake and reading,
However, for the first time in around four weeks, I found a book that kept me reading, and I finished it in two sittings.
And that book was The Christmas Swap by Sandy Barker.
OMG, I LOVED it!
It was just the level of lighthearted reading that I needed, with characters that I felt invested in from the beginning.
The May Ladies, or rather Jules, Lucy and Chloe, are a trio who met as youngsters and formed a true bond, despite living in totally different continents, America, Australia and England. Their friendship stays strong over the years, with them meeting up regularly.
This Christmas, however, they end up swapping their lives, with Jules, the Aussie, ending up in a small village in Oxfordshire, Lucy the English rose, in the snowy depths of America, and Chloe, the American, enjoying a warm Aussie Christmas in Melbourne.
A total departure for each of them, and who knew they might just meet some one special in their new Christmas abodes?
I loved how Sandy switched slang for the different characters, so you could tell the origins of each character. The chemistry that simmered between certain individuals as they tested their feelings out, and that hint of something physical, without too much graphic detail.
A really wonderful read, that promises to take you on a journey of discovery, and a whirlwind tour of the world!
Many thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Released 16th October, 202

See, it was a much quieter reading month for me, due to starting back to school. the first few weeks always drain me totally, and having the builders around doesn’t help! Still, I was always reading, whether it was a page a day, or a chapter.

Which book caught your fancy?

What are you reading?