March 2024 Books #AmReading

March ending means we have passed a quarter of the year. I am not quite sure where the time is flying…

I guess the big question is, what did I read, and did I continue to get words down?

I started the month with 5 NetGalley ARCs and around another 30K to write on book three…

I barely wrote anything. Life was hard this month, with a very busy work schedule.

I read not as much as I hoped.

And I ended up with eleven Netgalley ARCS still to read! I need to control this urge to say yes to everything!

Maybe, Perhaps, Possibly by Joanna Glen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Maybe, Perhaps, Possibly is a slow moving, but deep story about two unique individuals; Addie and Sol.
Both have been sheltered from a lot of reality by their families. Both have very different, strange family dynamics, and it takes their courage to step away from the expectations piled upon them to find one another.
I don’t quite know how to describe the story, but it takes a while, then digs deeper into your soul as you read, and become more and more immersed in the ‘puffin-esque’ (is that even a word!) of their developing relationship.
A beautiful story about two misfits, and how they end up fitting one another perfectly.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC.

Releasing 20th June, 2024

Finding Family at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another gorgeous read from Kim Nash, with book two in the Driftwood Series.
I always enjoy being able to revisit characters and settings in a good series, and this was no different, with the first book’s mc, Meredith, featuring within book two, but fear not! It can be read as a stand alone, too.
In Finding Family at the Cornish Cove, we get to know more about Gemma, the local cafe owner. She’s embarking on a huge change in her life, renovating the much loved cafe that her mother had started, many years ago. Having had a tumultuous few years in her own life, losing her beloved mother, then the breakdown of her marriage, this new direction is both exciting and scary.
Along the way, she meets Occy, a feisty teen, who has gaps in her own family, and Occy’s fireman father, Jude, who quite possibly could be something more, but the both of them are once bitten twice shy, and they embark upon a friendship that they both need, too.
I loved learning more about the community, and the characters I had met before, as well as delving into Gemma’s life more. Learning about her sister, Lucy, their close relationship, and how they navigated the loss of their mother, and how she impacted upon their life was beautiful.
The developing relationship between Gemma and Occy is also a joy to read. Kim has really delved into the complexities of modern family life, and shone a light on the impact of one person shouldering the responsibility of being a parent, and how that can affect people in different ways.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and can’t wait to delve into the third book, so I can visit Driftwood Bay, and imagine myself back in this beautiful Cornish village.

Making Memories at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not content with getting us all obsessed with lighthouses, now Kim Nash has turned our heads to dancing!
I have thoroughly enjoyed the last two books in the Cornish Cove series, and this third was a wonderful addition. In Makin Memories, we focus on Lydia, the mother of the first Cove main character, Meredith.
Lydia is a woman of a certain age. In her seventies, she has been divorced several times and finally wants to put herself first. She is sent a box of old belongings that starts a cascade of memories from when she fell pregnant with Mere, and feelings arise once it starts.
Lydia loved dancing competitively, though no one knew this. An opportunity to take part in a competition brings many thoughts back to the forefront of her mind, including how she could improve her relationship with her daughter and whether, at 71, she is too old for romance.
What a lovely story! Easy to read and such fun, with plenty of revisits to the characters from the first two books, but enough in them for you to read as a stand-alone.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Releasing 17th April, 2024

Silent Tears: A Female led Charity Anthology on the cultural struggles of women worldwide. by Faiqa Mansab
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not just saying this because I feature, but I read the other stories within this anthology and, what an impact, showing strong and fearless women, dealing with everyday situations!
Some beautiful words, and I was struck, especially by certain lines within the story by Faiqa Mansab.
A brilliant read, for a most worthy cause.
Please, if you get a chance, order this book, as all proceeds go to charity.

𝟭𝟬𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 via Anuera 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗴𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝘇𝗮 (𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 1.2 Million ).

𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 , 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲.

“𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙫𝙪𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩.
𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙖 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚, 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝.”

Order here: rb.gy/c2x57e

The Typo by Emily Kerr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed some of Emily Kerr’s books already, so I was looking forward to reading The Typo.
A simple typo that could have been ignored ends up connecting two individuals who are unknown to one another.
Amy thinks she is a failed violinist, trudging along in her life as a marketing manager for an Edinburgh theatre that is possibly about to close.
An email that lands in her inbox because of a typo means she somehow ends up searching for the person who should have received it.
Cameron is on a boat in the Antarctic when he receives a message from a stranger who forwards an amazing opportunity to him.
I enjoyed the story and how the two strangers built a relationship via email despite not knowing one another.
Their being strangers ends up being a significant factor in their character development, as their closeness develops and they realise they aren’t being true to themselves or the other, which spurs them on to do different things with their lives that they have been too afraid to try and do.
Could there have been more romance?
Probably.
They didn’t finally meet until very late in the book, so we don’t get a chance to see their relationship develop in the same way that we see their friendship begin to blossom, but a cute ending.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Fiction for an ARC.

Releasing May 3rd, 2024

Love Letters at the Borrow a Bookshop by Kiley Dunbar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I won’t share my full review here as lovely Kiley is popping over for a Book and a Brew around release date to chat about her newest book, so I will keep it for then!

Releasing April 25th 2024

Absolute 5-stars from me, but you will have to wait for my review, as I have the lovely Lucy on my Blog for a Book & a Brew soon, to chat about the book.

Releasing 23rd April, 2024

The Suite Life by Portia MacIntosh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is probably the second of Portia Macintosh’s books that I have read, and it was as easy and entertaining as the first.
Gigi is in a bit of a bind. She has a beautiful opportunity to visit Maui, where her sister is getting married in a proper destination wedding, complete with a venue and hotel that costs an arm and a leg, and possibly a lot more besides.
However, she will have to contend with her ex being there, with his new influencer girlfriend, as he is her brother-in-law’s best friend and best man. And she has no date of her own.
Instead of owning her single status, Gigi announces that she has a surprise plus-one joining her there and then finds herself in a bind as she tries to procure an impressive date with only a few days until she flies out.
Hilarity ensues as she suffers some horrendous dates, and then she opts to find someone in Maui.
While there, she gets an upgrade to her room, which is more than a kingsize bed. She finds herself in a suite suitable for a billionaire, with everyone waiting hand on foot for her and the undying adoration of far too many males around her.
She makes one friend, Donnie, who seems to be the only average person around, and the story develops as she continues her search for the perfect date.
There are some funny moments throughout the story, and it’s a quick, easy holiday read that made me want to go to Maui to see the gorgeous views and maybe experience some of that billionaire suite life!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Releasing 16th April, 2024

The Winner Bakes It All by Jeevani Charika
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another wonderful romance by Jeevani Charika, which has a dash of culture, and a sprinkle of health knowledge and a pinch of hate-to-love!
The Winner Bakes It All is a great example of rivalry to love, where our FMC, Elodie, is desperately trying to make her business venture a success. She’s a talented baker and cake decorator and has a small unit in the arcade of shops in her small town. An opportunity arises for expansion, and she is excited. Finally, wanting to be able to prove her family wrong, she waits to sign a new lease.
Then Mal happens.
Mal is a man bun-toting gym bro with a penchant for all things Keto. He’s appeared on the scene with a signed lease for the very space Elodie has been waiting for.
The story unfolds with a lot of negativity, and to top it off, a battle for an exclusive catering contract is thrown into the mix (-ing bowl? Sorry!)
I love cake, baking, and admiring those who can create amazing edible art through cake decorating. So, loving Elodie was going to be easy, wasn’t it? I felt for her as she strives to make those around her believe that her dream isn’t just a fad or a placeholder until something better or ‘proper’ comes along.
And Mal… what a sweetheart in muscly disguise! Here’s me, the antithesis of anything healthy. (I’m Sitting here eating a coconut and raspberry sponge for breakfast!) Yet, somehow, I found myself sympathising with a gym-bro, lol! Thanks, Jeevani!
I also learned something about the Ketogenic diet, referred to throughout the story. I have tried it as a weight loss aid, but I didn’t realise there were medical conditions that could be controlled, too!
An exciting cast of side characters, including Elodies’ right-hand man, Marty, her not-too-nice brother, Travis, Mal’s business partner and best friend, Jake, and a high-maintenance influencer, Saffron, added another layer of depth to the story.
Oh, and I didn’t like Leon!
If you love cake, healthy eating, and drama, this book is for you!
Oh, and I am now humming ABBA tunes. Thanks again, Jeevani!
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an ARC.