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The Dolce Vita Divas by Maddie Please #BlogTour #BookReview #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks

01 May 2025 Leave a comment

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Boldwood Books, Book Tour, Maddie please, Rachel's Random Resources, The Dolce Vita Divas

I do love a romantic story with a more mature FMC, and was pleased to be asked to join the blog tour for Maddie Please’s The Dolce Vita Divas!

The Blurb

Sunshine, Sisterhood, and Second Chances

At the ripe (and fabulous) age of 64, Joanna Dawson finds herself feeling ever so slightly… meh. Her husband, Greg, has run off with a TBT (thin, blonde, trollop, obviously), her kids have flown the nest, and her social calendar is emptier than her wine rack.

As Jo’s 65th birthday looms, she’s left wondering: Is this it?

Enter Susie, her best friend, with an offer Jo can’t quite refuse: an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy to honour their late friend Ellen. Jo’s not sure she wants to go all the way to Italy, but with nothing else to do and if only to make Susie happy, she agrees. A holiday is a holiday after all.

Capri is even more gorgeous than Jo imagined and soon she and Susie are having the time of their life, especially as Jo is reunited with her dashing first love, Paulo. The one who, most definitely, got away…

Things might have fizzled with Paulo decades ago, but in the land of sun, pasta, and far too much wine, Jo begins to wonder: Could this be her second chance at life…and amore?

Pack your bags for a heartwarming, fun, and sun-drenched adventure as Jo discovers that life after 64 might just be the most exciting chapter yet.

My Review

The Dolce Vita Divas by Maddie Please
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed some of Maddie Please’s previous books with older FMCs and seeing as that is where I am in life, it is great to read feel-good fiction targeted at that age.
Joanne is a retired woman, about to celebrate a key birthday and reflecting on her life.
She’s going to hit 65, divorced, with an ex-husband shacked up with his secretary, three grown-up children, two granddaughters and has recently, reluctantly, welcomed her son back home while he mops up his life after a breakup.
A short birthday break with one of her best friends, Susie, gives her reason to want to stretch her wings a little further, out of the comfort of her staid life.
They find themselves in Capri, to celebrate the life of one of their friends, Ellen, who passed away, and Jo faces a person she classes as her first love. Paulo.
I’m not going to detail what what happens, but there is plenty of wine, pasta, and humour. The side cast of characters, including the indomitable Contessa, mother of Paulo, and little Eric, Paulo’s 5-year-old grandson, bring much enjoyment to the tale, and ultimately, seeing a woman grab her life back when others are saying “What? At your age?”, is just inspirational!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/dolcevitadivas

About The Author

Maddie Please is the author of bestselling joyous tales of older women. She has had a career as a dentist and now lives in rural Herefordshire where she enjoys box sets, red wine and Christmas.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @maddieplease

Twitter: @MaddiePlease1

Instagram: @maddieplease1

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/MaddiePleaseNews

Bookbub profile: @MaddiePlease

The House Of Lost Whispers by Jenni Keer #BlogTour #BookReview #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks @JenniKeer

28 Apr 2025 7 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Boldwood Books, Book Tour, Jenni Keer, Rachel's Random Resources, Reviews

Absolutely thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for Jenni’s newest release, The House Of Lost Whispers!

The Blurb

On 15^th April 1912, RMS Titanic sank and Olivia’s life changed forever… but what if a world existed where it hadn’t?

When the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic leaves thirteen-year-old Olivia Davenport orphaned, she’s sent to live with her guardians, the Fairchilds, in their huge Jacobean mansion – Merriford Manor. But the Fairchilds have more to worry about than a grieving young girl – with war in Europe imminent and four sons to protect.

Olivia feels alone and friendless. That is, until she hears a voice from behind the wall in her tower bedroom. A voice from a man called Seth. Convinced he’s merely a product of her grieving imagination, she learns to live with him but it’s not until after the heartbreak of the war that Olivia, now a young woman of twenty, discovers that he exists in an overlapping world that is just a shudder in time away from her own. A world where the Titanic never sank… And everything since has been just slightly… different.

All Olivia wants is to find a way into his reality. And not just to see the faces of her beloved parents once again. But also to meet Seth. Who might just be the love of her life…

An utterly unforgettable reading group historical novel, that is part romance, part gripping mystery, and part completely heartbreaking First World War historical fiction. Perfect for fans of Titanic, In Memoriam and Lucinda Riley.

My Review

The House of Lost Whispers by Jenni Keer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The moment I saw this book up for review, I jumped at the chance because I have enjoyed every one of Jenni Keer’s novels, and I love the way historical aspects are woven into her fantastic fiction.
The House of Lost Whispers is no different. I think it is one of my favourite Jenni Keer books!
There is a dual timeline, with a difference. Olivia Davenport, the FMC and daughter of a famous author, is grieving after losing her parents tragically as passengers on the ill-fated Titanic.
Olivia is taken to the village of Merriford Lode to live with her legal guardian and her father’s best friend, Sir Hugo, in his large manor house. Olivia loses herself in the fantasy world created in her mind until she is reintroduced to four sons of the family, one younger, one a similar age, and two much older.
She finds herself drawn to a particular wing of the house and requests that she be allowed to stay there, displacing a young gardener.
The dual timeline bit comes here, where Olivia finds someone else here, not a ghost, but someone who appears to live in the same place, but in a different dimension.
He’s the same gardener she displaced, Seth Tanner, and as they go through time, they build an unlikely friendship that sees them through personal ups and downs and the First World War. They never see each other but are strangely able to hear one another.
Like the movie The Butterfly Effect, one difference in their lives at a key moment garners different effects to their lives.
You have a bit of history, along with fiction, a bit of a murder mystery and a little paranormal romance thrown in.
I was hooked from the beginning and loved it.
I’m sure I won’t be the only one hoping and wishing for a secret portal to open up, allowing these two very different individuals to meet…
I’m not saying anything else. Don’t want to ruin the story for anyone, but it was pure magic!
Can’t wait for whatever comes next, Jenni!

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/HouseLostWhispers

About the Author

Jenni Keer lives in the glorious Suffolk countryside with her four grown up children, three demanding cats, but just the one husband. She is often frustrated by their inability to appreciate that when she’s staring into space, she’s actually working, and that watching television counts as research. Much younger in her head than she is on paper, she adores any excuse for fancy-dress and is part of a disco formation dance team.

Keer has written two contemporary rom coms and five quirky historicals, with two more due out in 2025.

The best-selling No. 23 Burlington Square (her 1920s sliding doors mystery) has now sold over 100,000 copies.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @jenni.keer

Twitter: @JenniKeer

Instagram: @JenniKeer

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JenniKeerNews

Bookbub profile: @jennikeer

The Best Days Of Our Lives by Helen Rolfe #BlogTour #BookReview #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks

18 Apr 2025 2 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Book Tour, Helen Rolfe, Rachel's Random Resources, The Best Days Of Our Lives

Today, I am thrilled to be on the blog Tour for Helen Rolfe’s The Best Days Of Our Lives.

The Blurb

When Mallory receives life-shattering news, she decides to use this summer to make sure her family and friends are prepared for whatever might come.

But Mallory has a challenge when it comes to her mother, Gigi. Following the loss of her husband, Gigi is lonely. So when Mallory makes a shocking discovery that shows a new side to Gigi’s relationship with her estranged sister Rose, she decides to intervene and make a last attempt to reunite them.

Returning to her mother’s quiet hometown, Mallory and her cousin Penny try to get to the bottom of a dispute that has lasted more than sixty years, involving a lost wedding dress and a heartbreaking secret. But with Rose and Gigi determined to ignore their daughters’ efforts, will Mallory be able to put her affairs in order before it’s too late?

My Review

The Best Days of Our Lives: A gorgeous, uplifting, romantic read from Helen Rolfe by Helen Rolfe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, what a beautiful, sad, yet heartwarming story!
Mallory receives some devastating news and just knows that she has to ‘get her ducks in a row’ as her father used to say, before life for her and those she loves the most implodes.
There are two stories entwined within this book; one following two sisters, Rose and Gigi, who become estranged after a misunderstanding, and one, thirty years later, of Mallory, and her cousin Penny as they try hard to bring their mothers back together, using a special wedding dress.
for Mallory, this is a chance to not only get her mother, Gigi, and her aunt, Rose, back in touch, but to finally tell them her awful news.
I was hooked from the beginning.
The story covers a few topics, such as racism, loss, grief, but we also have more than one second chance romance touched upon, too.
There is such sadness within the story, but it is filled with light-hearted humour as well.
The situation Mallory is in is one no mother would ever want to be put in, and that made my heart bleed for her. I feared for an ending that would have me in tears, but instead, hope and positivity shone through.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/bestdaysofourlives

About the Author

Helen Rolfe writes contemporary women’s fiction and romantic fiction. She enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and relationships. Characters often face challenges and must fight to overcome them, but above all, Helen’s stories always have a happy ending.

Helen loves creating village settings or places with a small-town feel and a big sense of community. Location has always been a big part of the adventure in Helen’s books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries around the world. So far, locations have included Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Connecticut, Bath, Paris and the Cotswolds.

Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia where she eventually turned her attentions back to the career she’d dreamt of since she was fourteen. She studied writing and journalism and wrote articles for women’s health and fitness magazines. Helen began writing fiction in 2011 and hasn’t missed the I.T. world one little bit… in fact she may just have found her dream job!

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @HelenRolfeAuthor

Instagram: @helen_j_rolfe

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/HelenRolfeNews

Bookbub profile: @helenrolfe

How To Fix A Broken Heart by @nicolamay1 #BlogTour #BookReview @Stormbooks_co @rararesources

16 Apr 2025 6 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Book Tour, How To Fix A Broken Heart, Nicola May, Rachel's Random Resources

I am thrilled to be on the Blog Tour for the lovely Nicola May today, with an extremely brilliant, sensitive book, How To Fix a Broken Heart.

The Blurb

A heart-wrenching and life-affirming story of love and loss from number one bestselling author Nicola May

Gracie Davies is at an all-time low. After a devastating loss, the last thing she needs is a colleague hinting over coffee that it’s time to lose her baby weight. Then her boyfriend betrays her, and her world totally falls apart.

Rebuilding her life from scratch – with the support of her free-spirited sister, an unorthodox therapist, and a feisty new friend – Gracie finally begins to get her mojo back. Add in a passionate fling with handsome landscaper Ed, a fairytale encounter with a Hollywood film star and the persistence of her adulterous ex, and life is anything but predictable…

Soon she finds that community, purpose, and perhaps even new love might be the perfect prescription for a broken heart.

But can a heart that’s been so utterly shattered ever trust again?

My Review

How to Fix a Broken Heart by Nicola May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

TW: Miscarriage/Loss/Grief/Rape
Oh, what an emotional read!
I’m used to slightly more lighthearted small village stories by Nicola May, but this one still had a community feel and a deeper thread.
Gracie, the FMC, is reeling from a tremendous loss and feels that she doesn’t have the support of her partner, Lewis. A betrayal from him is the last straw, and she starts from scratch in her 30s.
I don’t want to sit here and regurgitate the story, but it is a beautifully sad story with an uplifting ending.
Gracie is going through such a tough time, and it resonated with me, as I expect it will with many other women out there who have suffered a miscarriage. The grief from that can take a long time to overcome. She became a character who supported other women in a similar situation and hammered home the message that miscarriage, whether an early loss or a later one, hits hard for all.
Throughout the story, she meets several people, and one is Ed, whom she begins to date. His situation is precarious. (Again, I’m not saying anything because – SPOILERS!) But he is a person who helps build her back up again.
We also have a parallel story of Maya and her psychiatrist lover, which weaves in and out of Gracie’s with ease as hidden connections are revealed.
All in all it was a great read, and I championed Gracie from the off!

Purchase Link – geni.us/980-cr-two-am

About The Author

Nicola May is a bestselling rom-com sensation, with over a million copies sold. The author of eighteen romantic comedies, her books have been translated into fifteen languages and consistently appear in the Kindle bestseller charts. She made a remarkable achievement by reaching number one on Amazon twice as a self-published author and has been a vocal advocate for indie authors, campaigning for their own chart in The Bookseller magazine.

When she’s not writing, Nicola can be found enjoying cream teas in her favourite Devon spots, hiking in nature, or placing a bet at the races.

Social Media Links –

www.nicolamay.com

i:author_nicola

X: @nicolamay1

f: NicolaMayAuthor

Meet Me Under The Clock by Jo Lovett #BlogTour #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks @JoLovettWrites

15 Apr 2025 2 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Boldwood Books, Book Tour, Jo Lovett, Meet Me Under The Clock, Rachel's Random Resources

Today’s blog tour introduces Meet Me Under The Clock by Jo Lovett.

The Blurb

The BRAND NEW gorgeous, uplifting romance from Jo Lovett

Sometimes love happens when you least expect it…

When Nadia and Tom are both unceremoniously stood up by their dates under the clock at Waterloo Station, fate throws them together in the most unusual of circumstances.

What starts as a brilliant story for future dinner parties soon turns into a wonderful friendship, and both Tom and Nadia realise they’ve found the perfect partner in crime.

Tired of dating but always needing a plus one for weddings, parties, and the like, they agree to fake date each other. But as their pretend relationship starts to feel more real, Nadia and Tom begin to wonder if there’s more to their connection than convenience.

Could the relationship they’ve been faking be the one they’ve been waiting for all along?

A heartwarming fake dating rom com, perfect for fans of Beth O’Leary and Sophie Kinsella.

My Review

Meet Me Under the Clock by Jo Lovett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love it when a coincidental meeting sparks a bit of fake dating and plenty of confused feelings!
Five people are coincidentally under the clock at Waterloo Station when a lockdown occurs. Two are celebrating an engagement. One is reeling from finding out her husband was cheating on her. And the other two… both stood up by their prospective dates.
Nadia and Tom end up with a friendship that takes on a different guise as they both find themselves unhappy with their current situations.
Step forward the friends and their fake dating idea. Never the best idea, though!
As with any good romance, it was clear from the off to the reader, but not to the MCs, that they were going to be perfect for each other, but the journey they took to get to that end point was very entertaining. There was an obvious chemistry between Nadia and Tom, and I was willing it to finally spark from the beginning!
Plenty of laughs out loud awkward moments as well as those ‘will they? won’t they’ ones to keep you on your reading toes, and a lovely bunch of supporting characters.
I enjoyed this light-hearted story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/undertheclock

About The Author

Jo Lovett writes heart-warming, feel-good romcoms. Her latest book, We Were On a Break, published by Boldwood, will be released on 29 July 2024.

Jo lives in London with her family. She started writing romantic comedy when she realised that she was regularly begging her oldest son to let her do his English homework but she wasn’t actually that interested in haunted houses or Macbeth. When she can escape her laundry mountain, she enjoys reading, tennis and wine.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @Jo Lovett Author

Twitter: @JoLovettWrites

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JoLovettNews