But I Smile Anyway…

Yes, it is the end of October. Really? How did that happen?

So, somehow, the ARCS kept coming… However I did read a couple of books I already had, and at the last minute, I gave myself another series challenge! This time, it was Tammy L. Grace’s Sisters of the Heart series. She will be a guest on my Book & a Brew with Ritu series soon, so I dived into this wonderfully cosy series!

The Twat Files by Dawn French
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had to giggle when I read the title of this book, and when I was offered a promotional copy. I jumped at the chance.
What a brilliant set of recollections by Dawn French, as well as a reminder that we all have our moments of tw@tiness!
Absolutely loved it and devoured it in a day!

Released 12th October, 2023

The Little Board Game Cafe by Jennifer Page
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I think of board games, it is the traditional ones, like Snakes and Ladders and Monopoly, that come to mind. I forget about all the other types that many people obsess over…
What a delight of a book by Jennifer Page.
Emily, the MC, is trying to rebuild her life after losing her job and fiance within a few days of one another.
She’s always had a dream, a shared dream with her mother, of opening a cafe and serving customers delicious cakes and meals in a homely environment.
An opportunity arises, and she has the money, but she’s unsure if she can do this alone.
It’s amazing how you can build a community around yourself, even when you doubt yourself.
Emily has an extra supportive best friend, Kate, and her father, though he struggles with grief. Even though they are apart, her ex-fiance is still a support of some sort, and then you have caring, board-game-obsessed GP Ludek, who comes into her life in a very unorthodox way.
The cast of side characters is delightful, and the idea of a cafe with the delights of board games as an addition to having a sweet or savoury delight sounds amazing. I would visit!
A wonderful, feel-good read, and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

A Game of Deceit and Desire by Ruby Roe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, my girl, Ruby Roe, has done it again, hasn’t she?
Another steamy sapphic addition to the girl games trilogy, and what a cracker!
Each book has focussed on a different character from the original group we were introduced to in book one, and this, the final instalment, allowed us into the lives of Remy and Bella, rivals in their field but with a history filled with love/hate experiences.
Of course, they need to solve/compete over something huge, and plenty of suspicion is being thrown around. There is also the HUGE steam factor running through the whole series. This time, we have a true slow-burn element that can get extremely hot as things begin to sizzle!
A great end to the series, and I love the hint of a new story that may just be coming out in the future…

Released 26th October, 2023

Releasing 20th November, 2023

Review to follow in Blog tour post near release day!

Love Letters on Hazel Lane by Jennifer Page
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Having recently read and thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Page’s debut, I was excited to jump into Love Letters on Hazel Lane.
Jo finds it tough settling into a new area with no friends, a job she is not sure she enjoys, and a hidden passion for Scrabble that she feels no one will ever understand. She’s tentatively hopped on the dating app wheel, but that isn’t giving her many positive experiences.
Then she meets a new friend, Kate (who happens to be one of the side characters from the first book), who encourages her to take some chances and suddenly pushes her into directions she didn’t think she would ever take.
One minute, she feels unwanted and unloved, then things change, and she begins to look at life differently, with some interesting dates, and then the start of her association with the local Scrabble club. It is run by quirky local GP Ras, who happens to be one of her previous ‘disaster’ dates.
Jo’s organisational skills are not left unnoticed, and she finds herself in charge of arranging a Scrabble festival, as well as getting her own life into gear.
This time, the story still had all the cosy feels, with a will they/won’t they romance and being able to revisit some of the lovely characters from The Little Board Game Cafe. However, there was an added, more serious thread to it, exploring childhood bullying, merging into workplace bullying, toxic relationships, and coercive control.
Ultimately, the biggest bonus in this story was the theme of self-love, and the author has done very well.
Recommended read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC.

Releasing 4th January, 2024

The French Chateau Escape by Gillian Harvey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gillian Harvey is fast becoming one of my must-read authors because her protagonists are always so relatable,
This time, we have Emma, a middle-aged woman, married to Mark, a man a little older than her. they take a step to change their lives by buying a chateau in France to ‘do up’, with the hope of creating business opportunities with a venue for weddings and events and living a more relaxed lifestyle once all the renovations are done.
However, it’s unlikely to ever be so easy, especially when there are renovations to do, little spare cash, an overenthusiastic husband with limited capabilities, the language barrier as well and trying to start a family.
An unfortunate accident leaves Mark unable to work on the property and feeling like they should just give up, and Emma goes from feeling despondent to turning around her way of thinking.
I like that this was not a ‘fluffy’ book. Harvey has dealt with real issues, here, from that feeling of insecurity when you move locations, all the anxieties about being somewhere where you don’t really understand anyone, learning to build your independence, the stresses these changes can put upon a marriage, as well as the threat of infertility as age creeps up on you.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and loved the character development of Emma.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Releasing 8th November, 2023

The Old Ducks’ Hen Do: A BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud, feel good read from #1 bestselling author Maddie Please for 2023 by Maddie Please
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve not read the linked first book to this; however, it was easily read as a stand-alone.
Denny is hitting a certain age and is welcomed into her older stepsister Juliette’s group of Old Duck friends when a hen do is planned for her wedding.
The group of women end up in Mallorca, where Denny slowly learns to embrace her recent retirement and begins to think about whether she is happy alone or whether it would be good to meet someone to share her upcoming twilight years with.
It is a lovely read, where second-chance romances are discovered, and the author has rightly shown that you can have a good time at any age and dreams can come true!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Releasing 16th November, 2023

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A simple tale of relationships and connections, all-encompassing building a love of books and reading.
Takako is a young woman floundering after discovering her boyfriend is marrying someone else.
She responds to a request from her uncle to come to his second-hand bookshop to stay and help out for a while as she gets to grips with her life again.
Translated fiction is always a chance you take. This was an interesting story, but I felt it was sometimes a little disjointed. Still, a short, entertaining read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for an ARC.

Hello Goodbye by Kay Bratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ll say it now, and I’ll repeat it. Kay Bratt, you might need to keep going with these wonderful Hart’s Ridge books. I fear eight won’t be enough!
We are back in Hart’s Ridge with our favourite Deputy, Taylor Grey, who is again embroiled in a dark investigation regarding a double murder.
As usual, plenty of things are going on in her personal life, too, which take up a lot of her headspace.
Newly engaged, she’s trying to support her fiance with some unexpected news and dealing with a much more personal investigation that, if solved, will make her future feel more secure.
The twists and turns throughout this story take your breath away, and Bratt’s story-telling is fantastic, as always.
I cannot wait to read the next (hopefully not the last) instalment when it is out!

Releasing 16th November, 2023

Greetings from Lavender Valley by Tammy L. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a stunning introduction to a new series by Tammy L. Grace, which I admit to downloading immediately after reading.
The book shares journal entries from a wonderful woman, Jewel, a foster mum with her husband, Clive.
Through her years of being there for different children, she also, alongside Clive, ran a dog and animal sanctuary, as well as a Lavender farm.
We are given a glimpse into her experiences with five specific young wards who stayed with them throughout a couple of decades, and we also learn a little about their lives after they leave the safety of Jewel’s care.
This lays a brilliant base for the journey the rest of the series will take us on as the five women come together, never having met one another as their times with Jewel never crossed.
I can’t wait to get into this series!

Pathway to Lavender Valley by Tammy L. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am so glad I downloaded the rest of this series, knowing I would want to keep reading, after each instalment finishes.
After reading Jewel’s journal entries in the first book, I couldn’t wait to learn more about the five girls she had fostered long-term.
Harriet McKenzie, better known as Harry, has just retired after thirty years in the Salem Police Department. Her job has been all-consuming, leaving little to no time for a personal life. Her only comforts are Chief, the dog she inherited after her long-term police partner passed away, and the letters and phone calls from Jewel, her precious foster mother.
Fresh from packing away her desk, she is confronted with a letter containing news she never wanted to hear. Jewel was no more. But more than that, she left Harry as the executor of a slightly complex legacy. The hardest part was to contact four other women whom Jewel had fostered, whom Harry had never met, and to pack up her life in Salem and head back to her childhood home in Lavender Valley to try and complete Jewel’s other requests.
Certain jobs never leave you alone, and Policing is one of them. While there, she finds herself at the heart of a local investigation, helping the sheriff and community.
This was a moving story of a more mature woman coming to terms with some huge changes in her life and dealing with a loss greater than she could have expected. Along the way, she finds a tribe who could be her people and new friends, a renewed sense of belief in love and quite possibly a new vocation!
Wonderfully written with a rue moreish quality. So moreish that I am diving into the third right away!

Sanctuary at Lavender Valley by Tammy L. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Did I mention how much I am enjoying this series?
Tammy L. Grace has a beautiful way with words, and this little town she has created with such caring folk… well, I want to live there, too!
The next Sister of the Heart who we meet is Olivia. Foster parents Jewel and Chuck helped her navigate out of a tough childhood, which left her with scars, both internal and external.
Her love of animals is credited to the caring nature of Jewel who, along with her canine friend, Willow, helped Olivia to come out of the darkness.
When she arrives, Olivia is reeling from losing her son, Simon, and a divorce. She’s apprehensive but finds that she feels Jewel at every turn once she is at Lavender Valley Farm.
Restarting the animal rescue centre that Jewel and Chuck started when she was living with them is just the tonic for her, and getting to know her new ‘sister’, Harry, as well as her new neighbours and the local folk, especially Duke, the vet, helps to build Olivia’s self-esteem back up.
A beautifully crafted story, and I am about to dive into the next one right now!

Blossoms at Lavender Valley by Tammy L. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You know when you’ve worked out the formula for a series of stories, and the familiarity of how things pan out feels comforting? That is how I feel with the Sisters of the Heart Series right now! Almost as comforting and soothing as the scent of lavender…
Book 4 concentrates on the third ‘sister’ story, Micki. She’s also floundering in life, and it seems like her foster mother, Jewel, even in death, knows exactly what her special girls need. When Micki was living at the farm, she was the one who helped Jewel and Chuck set up the lavender fields and more on top, so she was the perfect person to help get ready for the Lavender Festival.
Micki arrives to a heap of affection from her new ‘sisters’, Harry and Olivia, but has a few nasty surprises in the form of her estranged real sister.
All this, along with problems with her relationship with her daughter, Meg, cause heartache, but with the aid of her new ‘sisters’, as well as a newfound friend, Buck, Jewel’s attorney, and the serenity gained from working with the earth, again, prove to be the formula for a peaceful, fulfilled future.
Sometimes, you need happy endings. I love that each book dives into the separate sisters, giving us readers plenty to form our bonds with the characters and the development of relationships, proving that you can still find happiness, no matter your age.
Also, I still want to visit this make-believe place!
On to book 5!

Comfort in Lavender Valley by Tammy L. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had thought this next book would have been about Georgia, the oldest of the Sisters of the Heart since Harry had been unable to find Lydia, but the epilogue in book 4 had me informed that the prodigal sister was on her way back.
And her story didn’t disappoint!
Lydia has been running away for most of her adult life. The brief five-year stint with Jewel in her teens was the best time in her life, but since then, even though she enjoyed many successes with her cooking and love of food, her experiences with men left a bad taste in her mouth.
When she arrives at Lavender Valley, she comes to fulfil the last wish of her beloved Jewel, intending on heading off, as soon as she is able, frightened of something catching up with her.
What she doesn’t expect is that feeling of home that engulfs her and how every person she encounters in the small town welcomes her with open arms.
Still, secrets that haunt don’t stay silent forever, and she has her fair share of drama that her new-found sisters and friends help her navigate. That chance of a future settled in one place becomes a distinct possibility.
This is another wonderful addition to the series, and I cannot wait to learn more about the final sister, Georgia, in the last book, which is loaded up and ready to read!

Reunion in Lavender Valley by Tammy L. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I feel rather sad now that I’ve read the last of the Sisters of the Heart books…
This last story focused on the oldest of the foster sisters, Georgia. She arrived late because of an injury sustained just as she was preparing to leave for Lavender Valley.
Another soul tormented by loss recently, Georgia arrives hoping that, like before, the farm and Jewel’s memories will help her.
And it does.
The lavender festival brings so much joy to everyone, and she even manages to meet someone she never thought she would see again. Someone with whom she could possibly enjoy the rest of her life.
Each story was so well rounded off within this book that readers were happy they all got the happiness they deserved.
And I must admit speaking to the Hubby about a dream of getting a dog one day…
Tammy L. Grace, I blame you!

No. 23 Burlington Square by Jenni Keer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I do love a bit of early 20th century-based fiction and this truly did the job!
Agnes Humphries is looking for a new lodger to fill the void after the sudden death of one of her long-standing paying guests, and she is stuck deciding between three candidates: Clara, her niece; Stephen, a respectable bank clerk; and Mercy, a young widow.
The book has a wonderful parallel timeline as we learn plenty about each of these prospective lodgers. The three stories intertwine beautifully, to bring more and more about the characters and the current lodgers in the house, as well as about Agnes, her past, and how she came to be alone in this large house in the middle of London.
I loved learning all the different stories, and absolutely loved the ending!
A great set of characters with plenty to hide, and a wonderful MC, Agnes, whose habit of speaking what she thinks all the time isn’t a bad thing at all!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Published 31st October, 2023

So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!