But I Smile Anyway…

It’s always a very busy month, February, in our family. We have had all my in-laws’ birthdays, Hubby Dearest’s, and Lil Princess turned 18 this year, so I am now officially the mother of two adults! EEEK!

It was bittersweet, too, as we remembered my dear brother-in-law on what would have been his 51st birthday.

Then there was Valentine’s Day and half-term, so a lot of reading time…

And I have submitted my novels plus a couple of new ideas to someone… so I need to get writing on one of those ideas!

Oh, and excitingly, I have been working with a friend who is pretty amazing at redesigning the covers for my Ristay Series, so if things don’t pan out with republishing under another publisher, I will be ready to get them out there again with a new look! And FYI – the designs are looking amazing!

But I read and listened as best I could, and boy did I listen! There was some spice, thanks to Ruby Roe, aka Sacha Black, for those bloggers of the ABBA era, and some other listens from author friends I have got to know, which was great!

The Forever Home by Erica James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a brilliant read with some more mature characters, as three very different women move into a set of flats in a converted mansion.
Some just need a fresh start, some have a reason for choosing this place, specifically, and all have their own troubles individually, which, with the help of their new village around them, they can overcome.
Cassie and Nina are middle-aged, and Venitia is an older woman with some sass. There is loss, heartbreak, and suffering in all three characters’ lives, but they slowly get to know one another and find ways to support each other.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

House of Crimson Curses by Ruby Roe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

And so I hit the end of this incredibly naughty twister of a series and yes, as with the others, I had to be mindful of where I listened, but what a rollercoaster!
The journey of enemies to lovers, and lovers to enemies to lovers in one instance was just amazing, and the worldbuilding is incredibly intricate, to weave not only this series but the orld of another within it, too.
If you’re up for fantastical filth, well, then you’ve found your series!

House of Crimson Spice by Ruby Roe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A lovely bonus spicy epilogue to tie up any loose ends within the series, and yes… full of spice!

Love Ahoy! by Jo Lyons
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great read to warm you up when you are sitting in the soggy winter/spring of the UK!
Maddie is off to work for a holiday company in Turkey, a completely impulsive decision, only she gets there and finds that she isn’t starting in the Accounts-based position she was expecting. Thrown in at the deep end, literally, she becomes a holiday rep on a boat, with some really hard to warm to rep mates, and an extremely demanding family on board to cater for.
Then you throw in a hunky Australian into the mix, and Maddie is all aflutter in so many ways!
I love that this was set in the 90s and the references were so apt, and recognisable for this 50-year-old!
A little spice, a lot of confusion, laughter and fun!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Falling for a Star at Christmas: The Birchlea Heath Village series, Book 2 by Jodie Homer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read this book previously, but I was given a chance to listen to the audiobook, and it was very well narrated!
It was time to revisit Birchlea Heath Village, and this time we are with Naomi, a producer at a TV company, tasked with looking after the whims of Isaac, a contestant on the reality show, The Wow Factor.
He is already a minor celebrity, and his presence causes a stir in the community, as well as in Naomi’s life, as he somehow ends up staying at her home with her parents and becomes her fake boyfriend for the Paparazzi.
Along the way, he helps her realise that her life is not what she wants, and he helps her break down internal barriers, until something happens, causing both of them to question one another.
A sweet, easy read set in a quaint little village where everyone knows each other’s business, and a little bit in New York, where we also experience a little Christmas magic!

Under a Southern Sky: War and loss brought her to Australia. Will love make her stay? by Clare Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A beautiful story set during WW2.
Hannah Kidd is in Australia after tragically losing her husband in a war-related incident.
She is still grieving but finding her way around life without him present. Australia was his home, so she tries to find links to him while getting on with life.
There is a roller coaster of emotions as she dips into normality for a young woman, despite feeling anything but normal, and she finds herself in a predicament that she has no clue how to handle.
This is a story that doesn’t rely purely on romance to tell it, but on Hannah’s feelings and hurt, and it gives a glimpse into what were very different wartime experiences from those usually read about in the UK.
The ending came about very quickly but was most satisfying, given all Hannah went through.
This book is part of a series, but the books can be read as standalones.

The Fecking Fabulous Forties Club by Freya Kennedy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I went a bit back to front with this series, having read the second one first, but it didn’t detract from the pleasure of the story.
Listening to it as an audiobook was just an added pleasure as I do love the Irish lilt of the narrator.
The main character, Becca, is in that mid forties slump, with her more or less empty nest, as well as a broken marriage, and a sadly broken friendship with one of her best friends.
A tragic death brings Becca and Laura back together in a fragile reunion with the third Musketeer in their friendship, Niamh and they go about a few bumpy rides, discovering a time capsule they created as teens, as well as the joys of midlife for women as the threat of Perimenopause knocks.
I loved it… so relatable as well as funny as heck!

The Cottage at the Edge of the Woods by Jane Lovering
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Jane Lovering’s stories, and this was a beautiful, gentle love story with more than romance at the heart.
Libby is running, constantly hiding from her ex, worried that he will swoop in and take their beautiful toddler, Tilly, from her.
She is barely surviving, and an intriguing job opportunity puts her in a difficult position: she has to visit a rundown cottage and persuade the squatters living there to leave.
Facing phobias, meeting a mute older woman, as well as Ross, the strange but good-looking architect who has employed her, puts Libby in quite a position.
The characters were genuine, and I could really feel Libby’s fears, as well as really warm to Tilly, her two-year-old, who was cute and very much a toddler in their terrible twos!
This story has a little magic and a little intrigue, and it also addresses a few more serious topics, such as mental health and abusive relationships.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Escape to Seahaven Bay by Nicola May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You know that feeling, when you begin a book, and positively hum with happiness, knowing it is the first in a series and that you really want to read the next and the next?
That’s how I felt as I got into this new book by the amazing Nicola May.
Seahaven Bay is not far removed from Cockleberry Bay, but has its own cast of interesting characters.
In this first book, we get to know Rita Jory, a mid-forties widow still in the throes of grief, running a farm almost single-handedly while looking out for her eccentric mother-in-law, Hilda, and a group of animals with their own personalities.
Rita isn’t sure how long she can survive on the farm after being left with a lot of unexpected debt by her late husband, Archie.
A spark of an idea to host a retreat on the property brings her much happiness and a sense of purpose, and she brings together a wonderful, motley crew to support her.
But nothing is ever smooth sailing, is it? There is an old family secret gnawing at her, but not quite revealing itself, as well as many questions about Archie and what he may or may not have been hiding from her.
Everything about this story was perfect!
I felt for Rita so much, and it was wonderful to read about the support network around her, from old friends to new ones.
Hilda is a real character, and Jory, the ‘enemy’ neighbour, is definitely a bit of hot stuff!
And I cannot not mention Camilla. Yes, she’s a goat, but she has a lot to offer in the story, and though she cannot talk, her actions make sure she is noticed!
Oh, and if it were real, I would so want to join them all on the month-long retreats that Rita provides!

Do Not Disturb: Good Sex in Progress by Sherise Blackman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, so on my audiobook forays, I came across this on Audible and decided to give it a go.
Is it an audiobook? Or more of a listening series, a bit like The Archers on the radio? (Except, absolutely not like The Archers in content, lol!)
We have three black women, all long-term friends, talking about, well, s-e-x, really. A married woman with a worry ‘down there’; a single woman looking for that special someone; a woman with a devious ex sniffing around; and a woman who much prefers women but cannot get her mother to understand, so she is constantly being set up with new suitors from church.
It was great to hear different voices for each character, and I had a real giggle as I listened. Very down-to-earth and real, if you know what I mean!

Three Summers by Karen Swan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Karen Swan’s books have appealed to me from the first one I read, so getting this ARC was a blessing.
Three Summers is a story of love, loss and longing.
A group of friends who have grown up together, some in wealthier households than others, congregate in the summer in their Italian home village. What follows is a bittersweet love story in which two souls who aren’t expected to be together are destined, and life throws twists and turns that pull them apart and then bring them together, like the waves of the sea surrounding them.
The complete story mesmerised me; I was eager to see how it would end, and it was a most satisfactory conclusion.
Another of the author’s wonderful books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC.

Before You Say I Love You by Sarah Gate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am so glad I had already read the first in this series, because, although it could be a standalone, the depth of emotion felt was definitely stronger with some of the backstory.
Maddie Whittle is the main character in this, and she is busy trying to create a cancer retreat in her family’s ‘Big House’, in memory of her dear brother, Bowie.
She meets James, the MMC, in rather strange circumstances, involving a runaway pig.
From the off, she has her reservations about the guy, even though as the family get to know him, they warm to him, and his dog, Stevie Licks.
A slow-burning romance, with the thread of her other brother, Marley and his other half, Autumn’s continuing story, kept me listening till the end.

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kate Quinn’s books have been centred around historical fiction so far, so this was a bit of a departure, but a good one!
The Astral Library is fantasy – pure Bookish fantasy!
A world created in a library.
Every book lover’s dream!
And imagine being able to live within any book you like, as long as it is in the Public Domain, and not under copyright?
Oh, and there is a real Book Dragon!!
The central character, Alix, is in a rut. She is at a stage in life where she doesn’t know if there is anything worth continuing for, with no money, no decent job, and pretty much nowhere to live, until she finds herself in the Astral library. Just choosing a world to live in would be fun in itself, but Alix becomes embroiled in a disagreement with the powers that be and the librarian in charge of this fantastical place, and finds herself in and among so many adventures.
Alix is a plus-size heroine with so much going for her, even though she can’t see it herself, but she also has a lot in her past and present that blinds her. I loved that she had a friend throughout this who saw her for who she really was, helped her through much emotional turmoil, and was with her through to her own happy ending. The Librarian was a brilliant character, filled with wisdom and bookish advice.
This is one fantasy world I would love to step into, myself.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC.

The Island Retreat: An emotional new novel from the international #1 bestseller by Cathy Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cathy Kelly is one of my must-read authors. When I see one of her books anywhere, I know it is going to be good!
The Island Retreat was no different.
Set on one of the Greek isles, this story centres on a retreat run by a once-TV-famous therapist-guru type, Rose Talisman. This is her chance to get back into what she loves, without all the hype that surrounds the showbiz side.
Her first six guests are a motley crew comprising a famous female singer fresh out of rehab, a young man with relationship issues, an older couple with hidden secrets, a middle-aged woman with a rage she cannot contain and a younger woman who hoped this was a wellness retreat rather than something psychoanalysing her.
You have such beautiful surroundings described; it is hard not to want to visit the retreat yourself, but the guests have more than a pretty view to deal with. There are so many deeply rooted behaviours that are identified, isolated and unpicked among the six strangers, and Rose herself has to face up to her own deep, dark secret.
The story touched on so many issues, and you could feel allies being formed, and how these very different folk rallied around to support one another. Or almost all of them. There’s always one, isn’t there? But I’ll not tell you more. You need to read it yourself!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC.

A Girl Like Me by Bettina Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

UPDATE I just listened to the Audio version of this book, and it hit home just how good a story this is. Fantastically narrated, I was brought straight back to Olivia’s dyspraxic world and all her clumsiness.
I will start by gushing.
I LOVED this book!
Olivia, the main character, is as clumsy as they come. She is always tripping up, dropping things, missing her mouth… and always at inopportune moments.
Thankfully, she has some great friends and colleagues who help get her through some sticky situations, considering there are plenty of people out there, ready to undermine her for the same quirks.
Then a knight in shining armour saves her life after a particularly dramatic, clumsy episode.
I don’t want to go into all the details. Otherwise, what is the point of your reading the book? But it’s safe to say that there are characters readers will fall for.
I loved Devinder, her colleague and one who has known her for a long time. They get along like a house on fire, and he is one of her heroes, too (but not the romantic kind!)
She also has a supportive housemate, Russell, and another warrior of a best friend, Steph, in her corner.
Then there is Caspar. I loved Caspar. He is a breath of fresh air. An honest guy with a heart of gold and genuine feelings.
Bettina Hunt delves into a world of undiagnosed dyspraxia with sensitivity, lightness, and humour.

This is an early March blog tour for me, but I will tell you now it is another fantastic story!

Her Perfect Hero by Emma Bennet
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A simple, easy-to-read romance, where our FMC is torn between two charmers.
One is more conventional than the other – which one will she choose?
I’ll be honest, I kind of knew where this would go right from the beginning, but that is what you want sometimes, isn’t it? A good old-fashioned HEA, especially in the nightmare world surrounding us right now.

And here is another early March blog tour read! Kate’s books about more mature women are always a riot!

So, that was 18 books over the last month. Phew! Which one caught your eye?