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Book and a Brew (Bubbles!) with Ritu – The Prosecco Pact by @KiltieJackson #NewRelease #BookReview

01 Aug 2023 6 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: A Month In Provence, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, Kiltie Jackson, New Release, The Prosecco Pact

Loving this series!

Today, Kiltie Jackson has returned to my blog to talk all about her latest release, The Prosecco Pact.

Hello, and welcome back to But I Smile Anyway, Kiltie! I’m sure you know the drill, but we need to get some drinks first!

Good day, thank you for having me back a second time to visit – you are very kind.

Now, we could start with the usual brews, but if you prefer, in honour of the book we could always pop open a bottle of Prosecco!

I think a couple of glasses of bubbles would go down very well.

A few weeks ago, I had prosecco catch up with another author, and was reliably informed that savoury goes well, so would you like pakoras, or samosas? If not, I can always heat up a pie, like the ladies in The Prosecco Pact!

While I love both pakora and samosas, they’re less fond of me and can make me feel a bit ick afterwards so, if it’s not too much trouble, a wee steak pie would be perfect.

I am sure I can rustle something up!

Since this is your second visit, I don’t want to be sending you the same old questions, so can you give us a glimpse of your life since we last met. How did the release for The Bay of Lost Souls fare?

Life has been busy with editing for the last few months and the release for The Bay of Lost Souls went very well, thank you. People have been enjoying their visits to the seaside without leaving the comfort of their armchairs.

Did you do any special events for the release?

Unfortunately, Bay of Lost Souls was released on a Thursday when I am busy with my day job so it was a bit low-key. It did enjoy a great blog tour the following week, however, which made up for that.

I also know you have had a new addition to the family, too. (Kiltie does love her cats. That’s why Sonu Singh is more than happy for her to be here. Kiltie, he’s not always this welcoming!) How is Rocky settling in with the rest of the Moggy Crew? And how did you come to have him join your family?

Hang on a minute… (Kiltie moves Sonu Singh into a more comfortable position on her lap) Claws! Right, that’s better. Rocky is settling in very well with most of the Moggy Posse. Unfortunately, Charlie, the Ginger Whinger, is still being a grump but as he’s like this with Henry after two years, we all just ignore him. Including Rocky! How he came to join our household is a mystery, even to us. One day, he appeared outside our kitchen door and more or less refused to leave. We’d never seen him before, we don’t know where he came from, if he had been abandoned or was lost. I put him on a website for lost pets in our area but no one claimed him. Finally, after a few months of mind games, he won, we took him to the vet and began the process of bringing him into the fold. He now has his paws firmly in the door and has taken ownership of my favourite footstool. He kindly allows me a small corner for my toes to rest upon. You are a true Kitty Lover, Kiltie!

Now, The Prosecco Pact is a bit different to The Bay of Lost Souls. Where did the inspiration for that come?

I genuinely do not know! I was lying awake in bed at silly o’clock in the morning, weird stuff going around my head as it’s inclined to do in the wee small hours and somehow the title ‘The Prosecco Pact’ popped up. I thought it sounded like a great title and proceeded to try and come up with a story line worthy of it.

Having been a member of your Facebook group, Kiltie Jackson – Books, Bits & Bobs, I know you lovingly referred to this one as The Screaming Banshee for a while! Care to elaborate??

Happy to! (lol) When I had the initial idea, it was November and I’d already written two books that year so the plan was to make notes and go back to write the book at a later date. Unfortunately, my brain / the story had other ideas and kept going around and around my head, coming up with more and more things to add. Now, normally, this kind of thing happens until I make my initial notes, consign them into the notebook and my brain will then rest until I return to it. In this case, however, it was having none of that and would not be quiet until eventually, I caved and began writing the story. It took four weeks to write, from beginning to end, and I have never written a book so quickly either before or since! This was a story screaming to come out hence it became fondly known as ‘The Screaming Banshee’!

Have you ever made a pact, like the ladies do in The Prosecco Pact?

Not that I can recall.

You tackle quite a few issues within this book, from domestic abuse and misogyny in relationships, to work-life balance, and even look at sizeism. That is a lot to cover, but it was done so well. Each of the characters has something they need to overcome. Do you identify with any of these women?

At different times in my life, I have but I think that can be said for most women. These are not unique situations and we’re all having to cope with at least one of them on a daily basis.

That is so true, Kiltie…

I’ve noticed that London appears in most of your books, in some way or another, are you fond of this city?

I’ll be honest, I LOVE London! I had my first proper visit there in 1984 and when I stepped off the coach, the vibe hit me immediately and I fell in love. I adore the long history of the city and it does appear in most of my books. I did have the pleasure of living there for thirteen years and only moved because I was growing out of my one-bed flat and couldn’t afford to move up the property ladder due to the expense. This is something I refer to in ‘The Prosecco Pact.’

This time you had a canine in the mix, Perfectly Frank. (Love the name!) Were the cats jealous at all, that they weren’t centre stage?

Not in the slightest. They’re happy with the ratio of more cats in my books than dogs so were happy to take a back seat on this occasion. 🙂

That is two releases in one year so far! Any more you are planning on popping out before year’s end? If not, what is there in store for Kiltie Jackson in the near future?

I am planning on re-releasing my novel from last year – Radio Ha Ha. It’s had a bit of a tidy-up, errors rectified and will hit the cyber bookshelves around October with a new title and cover. My next new release after that will be in January 2024 and is the second book in my ‘Since Forever…’ series.

I read Radio Ha Ha before and it was a great read, so excited for your re-release, too, and you still have so much more to come!

Thank you so much for popping over to chat books again, Kiltie! It was a pleasure to pop a cork with you to celebrate your newest release!

Thank you for having me, Ritu! 🙂

The Blurb

Three Women, Three Promises, One Pact!

Lydia Beaumont married the boy of her dreams but he has since become the man of her nightmares.
She needs to find a new life.

Grace Mitchell has dedicated her life to her career, losing friends along the way to her ambition.
She needs to get a life.

Debbie Stanford has been engaged for a year but is no closer to setting her wedding date.
She just wants to start married life.

On a cold, blustery January night, they each promise to change their lives and seal the deal over their glasses of Prosecco.

However, the best made pacts of mice and women have been known to go awry…

Buy Here!

My Review

The Prosecco Pact: The Must-Read Book of the Summer. by Kiltie Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just finished this, and I LOVED it!
I have to say that I love Kiltie Jackson’s versatility as an author, and having read three pretty different books, now, from her, I can say with conviction, that she is a fantastic storyteller, no matter what the story!
So, The Prosecco Pact.
Loved the title from the off.
Who doesn’t love those bubbles?
Now, this story revolves around three women who met at a course and kept in touch, meeting for Prosecco and Pie nights weekly, or as close to weekly as possible.
Each woman is fighting her own battles.
Lydia is a respected hairdresser with her own business, carrying on her grandmother’s salon as her own. But her home life leaves much to be desired, with a husband and adult son with views stuck in the past, filled with misogyny.
Debbie is a curvaceous woman, running a relatively successful vintage clothing business and eagerly waiting for her fiance to set a date for their wedding.
And Grace, the final of the three, a solicitor, is working hard to make a partner at her firm, often forfeiting her life to edge closer to a promotion.
All three are at a crossroads in their lives, and after a pretty disappointing Christmas, they make a vow, a Prosecco Pact, at their next gathering to make some serious changes in their lives.
Though they aren’t necessarily conventional, each woman alters their life paths in different ways, and their friendships flourish.
I loved the way these three women stuck up for one another in ways that meant something. They may have been friends at the beginning, but they became life-long soul sisters after the goings on in this book.
And what of romance? Oh, it is there, but slow-burning, and the build-up is worth it!
There are layers to this story, three stories tied together, that you keep on peeling to find more and more depth to the characters and their lives.
I read this in an afternoon, so engrossed was I in the story!

Author Bio

Kiltie Jackson spent her childhood years growing up in Scotland. Most of these early years were spent
in and around Glasgow although for a short period of time, she wreaked havoc at a boarding school in
the Highlands.
By the age of seventeen, she had her own flat which she shared with a couple of cats for a few years
while working as a waitress in a cocktail bar (she’s sure there’s a song in there somewhere!) and
serving customers in a fashionable clothing outlet before moving down to London to chalk up a
plethora of experience which is now finding its way into her writing.
Once she’d wrung the last bit of fun out of the smoky capital, she moved up to the Midlands and now
lives in Staffordshire with one grumpy husband and another six feisty felines.
Her little home is known as Moggy Towers even though, despite having plenty of moggies, there are
no towers! The cats kindly allow her and Mr Mogs to share their home as long as the mortgage
continues to be paid.
Since the age of three, Kiltie has been an avid reader although it was many years later before she
decided to put pen to paper – or fingers to keyboard – to begin giving life to the stories in her head.
Her debut novel was released in September 2017 and her fourth book was a US Amazon bestseller in
Time Travel Romance.
Kiltie loves to write fiery and feisty female characters and puts the blame for this firmly on the
doorsteps of Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables and George Kirrin from The Famous Five.
When asked what her best memories are, Kiltie will tell you:

Queuing up overnight outside the Glasgow Apollo to buy her Live-Aid ticket.
Being at Live-Aid.
Winning an MTV competition to meet Bon Jovi in Sweden.
(Although, if Mr Mogs is in earshot, the latter is changed to her wedding day.)
Her main motto in life used to be “Old enough to know better, young enough not to care!” but that has
since been replaced with “Too many stories, not a fast enough typist!”

And click below to find Kiltie on Social Media!

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kiltiejackson/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KiltieJackson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiltiejackson/
Website: https://www.kiltiejackson.com/

July 2023 Books #AmReading

31 Jul 2023 5 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Am Reading, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Reviews, Goodreads, Netgalley, reading

Can you believe we have hit the second half of the year? I have no clue what I will be reading or how much, given it is the end of term, but let’s go! I have definitely slowed down in my weekly reading, though. I am finding myself so tired at the moment, and maybe it’s end of term-itis… or that perimenopause thing, but I don’t like it, because it makes me lose precious time reading!

Well, eleven books isn’t too shabby, is it? And there are some stonkers in there, too! And, three make my Christmas in July complete, too!

More Confessions of a Forty-Something Fk Up: The WTF AM I DOING NOW follow up to the runaway bestseller by Alexandra Potter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After thoroughly enjoying Confessions of a 40-Year-Old F*Up, I was thrilled to hear there was a sequel.
picking up around 18 months after the end of the first book, we are reintroduced to Nell, who seems to be settling into life better than she was before,
She is engaged to Edward, they are living together, and she has her trusted friendships, as well as her new best friend, Cricket, the octagenarian who she met in the first book.
The thing is, no matter how settled you think you are, life always has alternative plans, and Nell’s life is no different.
From that late urge to want motherhood to dealing with the beginnings of Perimenopause, friendships becoming fragile as everyone is dealing with their own issues and realising you might not actually have it all together, despite being closer to 50 than before.
I loved getting back in touch with Nell and her life, and though our situations are different, there was still plenty I could relate to, as a woman of a similar age.
And I just LOVE Cricket! Her character develops in a brilliant way, too, showing us that age should never be a factor that writes you off.
Fantastic sequel!¨C11CMany thanks to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for an ARC.

Releasing 17th August 2023

The Gingerbread Christmas Village: A totally uplifting and romantic seasonal read by Kiley Dunbar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Lovely Kiley will be with me around release date for a Book and a Brew, again, so I will save my review until them, but it is a wonderful book!

Releasing 31st August, 2023

How (Not) To Have an Arranged Marriage by Amir Khan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been looking forward to diving into this since I saw it on several social media channels, and having read the blurb, it felt like a story right up my alley.
And I was not mistaken.
A fantastic story rooted in Pakistani British culture.
Yousef is the golden boy. Born to Pakistani-born parents, he has been brought up to live a certain way and schooled to study a certain career in order to have the best chances in life afforded by his parents.
Dilemmas strike when he is finally independent and at university, meeting different folk from other backgrounds. But he doesn’t expect romance to be a factor in his study of Medicine.
Meanwhile, his sister is feeling the pain of being a daughter and a bit of a burden on her family.
Both are of marriageable age and that is when plenty of problems can arise…
I don’t want to go into this too much, but I can definitely say I loved this book.
There was the multi-generational POV which, as a British Asian myself, I can see as being key to those from different backgrounds needing, so they can understand the dilemmas faced by British-born Asians and understand a little about the familial pressures put upon us as well.
I could relate to so many situations, despite not being from a Muslim background. There are some embarrassments that are universally Asian, not just belonging to a certain religious background.
The fear of what others will say, competing with the other families, parents wanting the best for their children, despite not really knowing what might be best for them, illicit relationships, falling in love after marriage, and the dreaded falling for someone outside of your cultural background… So much to take in, and so well written.
It was entertaining, educational and relatable.
Can’t wait for more fiction from the Dr.!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

Releasing 7th September, 2023

Better Left Unsaid by Tufayel Ahmed
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Now, you know me. I love a book centred around culture, and especially those books with Desi culture at its roots, so reading the blurb for Tufayel Ahmed’s Better Left Unsaid made me hit that ‘request’ button.
Three siblings, British Bangladeshi Muslims, and the fallout in their lives after losing both parents and suffering further upset after one of their own is targetted by a hate crime against women wearing a hijab.
Imran, Sumaya and Majid are brothers and sisters; however, all three have very different outlooks on life.
Imran, being the eldest, feels a sense of responsibility for his family since his parents died.
Sumaya broke the shackles of familial expectations and moved to a different country.
Majid is the youngest, seemingly unaffected by life and his family’s woes because he is so much younger.
The thing is, nothing is ever that simple.
Imran is in danger of losing his wife and job and already losing hold of the family left in his care.
Sumaya has been handed secrets and a huge promise to fulfil by her mother on her deathbed.
Majid – well, in many ways, he’s the only one living life as he should.
There is a lot to unpack in this novel. Cultural expectations, that ‘what will others say’ mentality that is embedded in the fabric of Asian society, gender-related expectations, the inability to just talk and be honest with one another…
I have to say I did not like Imran. But I am glad he had a change of heart by the end of the book.
Sumaya has her own difficulties, and yet, she does overcome them in a roundabout way.
I just feel that Majid needed more of a starring role. We don’t really get to know much about him until much later in the book, and considering I felt he was the catalyst for the shift in thinking, I wish we had learned more about him.
There is plenty of lamenting about being the one who had to look after parents and younger siblings by the older two, but there are so many other issues that could have held more importance.
Hidden sexualities, hate crimes, racism in workplaces.
It was a good read, though I feel there could have been a little more depth.
Many thanks to NetGAlley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC.

Releasing 5th September, 2023

The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved The Keeper of Stories, so was so excited to read this second book by Sally Page,
The Book of Beginnings is a story of friendship tied up in grief and hidden histories.
Jo, who the story centres around, finds herself in London, looking after a quaint shop owned by her unwell uncle. As she settles into her temporary job, she meets fascinating people, neighbouring business owners, and interesting customers, some of whom become trusted and treasured friends.
There were so many layers to this story, including a little love story or two that tugged at the heartstrings.
A great read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.

Releasing 28th September, 2023

Baby Does A Runner: The debut novel from Anita Rani by Anita Rani
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love any book with British Asian characters at the helm, so Anita Rani’s offering appealed straight away.
Baby Does A Runner is a brilliant story about Baby, or Simran; a British-born Sikh woman who is single, in her 30s and struggling a bit with not getting the same opportunities in life as her male counterparts at work, and with the loss of her father.
A secret revealed during a trip home sparks the interest in a fact-finding mission back to the motherland, though it is labelled as a bit of an Eat. Pray, Love type trip.
Baby learns so much about her own feelings as an Indian abroad, as well as one whose family lost so much during the partition. The reason for her trip bears fruit she wasn’t expecting in many forms, with truths being exposed, as well as the possibility of a little romance along the way.
So many things dealt with here, but Anita has joined the wave of authors, bringing the voice of British-Asians to the literary front, giving us characters and situations we can relate to.
I thoroughly enjoyed this!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for an ARC.

Released 20th July, 2023

Match Me If You Can by Sandy Barker

It’s so exclusive that I don’t even have a cover, but the wonderful Sandy will be joining me near publication date for another Book & A Brew so I will share more details there!

Witch You Weren’t Here by Emma Jackson

Another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ one I will be Book and Brewing with in October!

Love Me Do by Lindsey Kelk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gotta love a Lynsey Kelk! Who doesn’t?
Phoebe Chapman is another typical hapless character Kelk has brought to us, filled with the woes of a life that isn’t going anywhere, a failed romance, and a job that used to ignite passion, but is now just bringing feelings of… meh.
She goes on holiday to visit her hight-flying sister in Hollywood Hills, is left to her own devices for a few days as her sister has to work, and ends up getting an eyeful from a possible pervert next-door neighbour, who turns out to be much the opposite, as well as rather hot!
Then the whirlwind that is Bel arrives, forging an instant friendship and declaring her undying love for the abovementioned neighbour.
Oh, talking of neighbours, Myrna Moore. She’s a reclusive octagenarian ‘faded’ film star who is a total character and a half, bringing all manner of different joys into Phoebe’s previously sheltered life!
But that other neighbour… Ren. Now he is hot in oh, so many ways. Physically attractive but also a genuinely nice guy. Caring, sympathetic, and not fake.
What a great match he would be for Bel.
Unless someone else finds themselves falling for someone they shouldn’t.
I won’t give anything more away, but it is a fantastic read. Definitely one for the beach hols, this summer!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, UK for an ARC

Released 20th July, 2023

A Winter in New York by Josie Silver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful story! Josie Silver, you made me shed an emotional tear or two at the end!
The story centres around Iris, a woman who has fled an abusive relationship in the UK, to New York, where she hopes to rekindle memories of her late mother and her time as a singer in a band there in her youth,
She finds a surrogate family in the guise of Bobby and his partner when she takes a job in his noodle restaurant and ends up with a little home for herself just above her workplace.
She finds it hard to get out and about, the emotional scars from her previous relationship proving too deep to heal quickly, even though there are thousands of miles between them.
A visit out and about in New York with Bobby sparks a moment of recognition when she spots a familiar door that is the catalyst for so much. The possibility of new friendships and maybe even love, but it all ends up built on a couple of lies that grow bigger daily in her mind.
Geo is a kind-hearted man, still mourning the loss of his wife seven years ago. He is navigating another loss in the form of his uncle’s memory. Santo is the only one with the secret family recipe for the vanilla gelato that is sold in Belottis, their age-old family gelateria, which is renowned for this very ice cream.
Iris could solve his dilemma, but not without recounting a tragic story from many years ago, that could fracture a solid family.
Somehow she becomes involved in helping Geo try to recreate the recipe and inadvertently becomes involved in his family and with him, too.
I don’t really want to go into too much, because I really need you to go and read this beautiful story, which ends with such heart. I wasn’t joking when I said I cried at the end!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK – Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business, Penguin, for an ARC.

Releasing 12th October, 2023

This Christmas: The most romantic love story since The Holiday by Emma Heatherington
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two souls suffering their own losses, craving moments alone and thrown together in a random situation. What could happen?
Rose can’t celebrate Christmas anymore. Not after a tragedy that left her alone and full of blame on Christmas Eve. All she wants is a few days on her own to reset, with no one expecting her to be all festive.
Off she heads to an extra special cottage in the middle of nowhere.
Charlie is in turmoil. After losing his daughter to another country, with her mum and new stepdad, Christmas has lost its sparkle… He needs to get away to wallow in his own misery.
A break suggested by his good friend in a secluded cottage in the back of beyond is arranged.
But the real tragedy is the fact that they are double booked into the same idyllic, isolated cottage. In the snow, where there is only one bedroom and no way for one of them to leave…
A recipe for disaster?
Both have their faithful pups with them, Max and George, who immediately become best canine buds. But the same can’t be said of their human companions, who fight to stay as disconnected as possible.
This is a classic case of forced proximity, as Rose and Charlie learn snippets about the other and, in tiny ways, begin to change, but are those snippets enough?
I read it all in a day. Loved the story and the little twists that really had you guessing what was really going on in Rose and Charlie’s personal lives back home.
Christmas is a time for love; this book showed it in spades.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House, UK, Cornerstone for an ARC.

Releasing 26th October, 2023

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

Book and a Brew with Ritu – A Month In Provence by @GillPlusFive #NewRelease #BookReview @BoldwoodBooks

11 Jul 2023 4 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: A Month In Provence, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, Gillian Harvey, New Release

Loving this series!

Peeps, I am extremely excited to have another fabulous author and interweb friend come to visit and have a chat! Gillian Harvey is here to chat about all things writing, and her newest release, A Month In Provence!

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Gillian! Let’s get you set with a drink, first.

I have tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or masala chai, here. I must admit I am not the best coffee maker, so my trusty Tassimo will have to do!

Coffee, please!

And what would you like to nibble? I have all the usual, biscuits, carrot cake, and even samosas, but I did pop over to the supermarket to grab a few pastries, in case you preferred them!

Ooh, a bit of everything, thank you!

Gillian, I have read a few of your books now, and they have all been based in France. Tell me, did your writing journey start before you moved out there? What or who inspired you to start writing?

I always loved reading as a child, and can remember having the ambition to be an author when I was around five years old! I loved writing short stories and poems as a child – and still remember the thrill when a poem of mine was read out in assembly when I was about seven.

The Arctic

It’s big and cold,
With snow and ice,
I wouldn’t think
It’s very nice
Not much sun
Too much snow
I’m glad I’m not
An Eskimo

Despite having this ambition, I never really ‘believed’ I’d become a published author. It seemed to be the sort of thing that happened to other people. I finished my first book aged 24, but it was when I moved to France aged 31 that things really started to take off.

I had PND after having twins in 2012 (I have five children now, so busy times) and wanted to do something to engage my brain. I took a freelance writing course, not really expecting to get anything published.

A couple of years on, I had established a career as a freelance writer – and now regularly write for national publications. The course also helped me to understand more about my potential readers and shape my work accordingly.

I finally landed an agent in 2016, only for my first book to be published slap bang in the middle of the pandemic in May 2020. I released my second a year later.

But it was when I started to write for Boldwood last year that things really took off. ‘A Year at the French Farmhouse’ released in September 2022 has – to date – sold over 100,000 copies, and I’m so excited for what the future holds.

This is all so exciting, and inspirational!

I can tell that living in France has inspired your last few books, heavily. Do you go visiting all these place for research before you write?

I’ve lived in Limousin, France for over a decade now, and my first ‘French set’ book ‘A Year at the French Farmhouse’ was set in my local area. ‘One French Summer’ – my second read, was set close to Bordeaux – an area I’ve been on holiday a few times. So those ‘research’ journeys took place long before the books took shape!

Now I’m starting to explore areas of France to set my new novels, and I try to visit in person or set novels in places I’m familiar with from holidays or trips to give that authentic feel. Google Earth is also very helpful to refresh my memory!

God bless Google Earth!

I always ask this one, but do you have a special place where you write? An office, a writing nook? Or are you one of those writers who can grab their notebook or laptop and write pretty much anywhere?

I just need a bit of peace and quiet. Sadly, this can be a rarity! At the moment I write in my office in the eaves of our house. I used to have a lovely room downstairs set up, but as the children grew, I got shunted upstairs (my choice, but it doesn’t mean I don’t regret it sometimes!). I can sympathise, especially in the lats house we lived in!

Still, my little nook has become a haven for me to sit and think and write when I get the chance.

Do you have a favourite out of all your books written, so far? Do you have any finished manuscripts that you think would never see the light of day?

I find that each book I write I love more than the last. I never know whether that’s because my writing is improving and evolving all the time, or just because the latest one always seems exciting, shiny and new!

I have several manuscripts that almost made it but didn’t quite. I used to think I’d try again with them one day, but now I enjoy writing so much and feel my writing is better with each novel – I see them as part of the learning process. Although at the time, rejection was TOUGH!

Let’s get back to the book of the moment, A Month in Provence. Your main character, Nicky, has been through a lot, and sacrificed so much for the decade leading up to when we as readers, join her. What was your inspiration for her story?

I’m fascinated by the idea of second chances. When I first started writing for women’s magazines back in 2012, I was in my early 30s. At the time, like many people, I had rather fixed ideas of what women at ‘midlife’ were like. But interviewing so many people for real lives, I discovered so many women that changed my perceptions! Women seem to get a rebirth at this age – perhaps because kids have flown the nest, or there’s been a change in their lives.

It made me realise I had fixed ideas about this life stage.

When I started writing, it was all about women in their 30s, and I was even encouraged by one editor at a former publisher not to stray into the 40s. But I believe that the world needs to wake up to how brilliant these years can be. I don’t think I fully ‘knew’ myself until I was 40. Maybe the old adage that ‘life begins’ at this age is true. Being a woman of that certain age, too, and an avid reader, it makes my heart happy to have main characters I can relate to, so thank you!

Nicky is someone who’s ‘frozen’ in time after a trauma a decade before. Her world shrank as she focused solely on her children and making sure they had a good childhood. Now they’re independent adults, she hasn’t realised she’s still ‘stuck.’ It takes a chance offer from a friend to shake up her world and make her realise it’s time for a brand new life.

I loved the idea of her becoming a reality TV star! (I do love a bit of reality TV to help forget life, sometimes…) Is this something you have ever envisaged yourself getting involved in?

Like many people I’m fascinated by reality TV. I used to love it when it first became a ‘thing’ (Big Brother 2). But over the years I think some of it just plays for the ratings. And we all know now how much ‘reality’ TV is shaped and staged. There’s a bit of that in ‘A Year in Provence.’ Oh, gosh, yes. Loved the early Big Brother shows, but now I am being forced to watch Love Island with my daughter, and it is quite painful!

But I also love the fact that certain shows (Britain’s Got Talent, etc) can take someone from zero to hero – give someone a chance that maybe they’ve missed out on in life. ‘The Great B&B Rescue’ in ‘A Month in Provence’ is that kind of show – it forces Nicky out of her comfort zone and gets her to tap into her talents in a way she may not have done without the pressure of the cameras.

Robert was one of those slow-burn heroes who you begin to love more and more as you read the book, and peel away layers. He also needed that make over, along with his business. Did you enjoy writing his transformation?

I loved writing Robert. It was a challenge to make him a likeable character without giving too much away at the start. I used his dog, Buster, to give hints that he must be quite a nice guy. He’s always affectionate to the dog, and the dog is fiercely loyal. It’s just humans he struggles with at times.

His transformation in the book was great fun to write – and the makeover chapter is one of my favourites!

Another one of my standard questions… what is next on the horizon? Any tidbits you can share with my readers, about what is coming next, from you?

I’m just working on edits for my next novel – also set in France – about Mark and Emma, a couple who buy a chateau but bite off more than they can chew. They are also struggling with infertility (something I’ve been through myself). When Mark falls down the stairs and ends up in hospital all seems lost. Can Emma find the strength to save the chateau alone?

Another one I can’t wait to read when it’s ready! And, since the topic of my next book is infertility, I am extra interested!

Thank you so much for popping over for a visit, Gillian!

Thanks for having me, Ritu!

The Blurb

Interior designer Nicky always used to know how to make the best of things. Ever since she lost her husband though, things haven’t been easy. She’s had to raise her two daughters alone and she’s so proud to see them all grown up, and she knows that’s down to her. But she can’t help but feel like she doesn’t know what to do with her life now… But then her best friend begs her to help out. Jenny is a TV exec and her new renovation show is in peril. Only Nicky can help. The catch – Nicky needs to fly to Provence… tomorrow. To renovate a tumbledown B&B. Jenny doesn’t mention the fact that the grumpy B&B owner Robert seems to need a makeover too. Or that the budget is next to nothing… Will Nicky be able to turn the B&B’s fortunes around, save her friend’s job, and maybe even find some happiness for herself, under the blazing hot French sun this summer…? Totally gorgeous, escapist, uplifting fiction that lets you escape to sun-soaked Provence. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Jennifer Bohnet and Debbie Macomber

My Review

A Month in Provence by Gillian Harvey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gillian Harvey is fast becoming one of my must-read authors, so I snapped up the chance to read her latest release, A Month In Provence.
I always love it when characters are of a certain age, where I feel I can relate to them all the more, and our MCs are exactly that in this book.
Nicky is a woman who has been grieving for ten years, always putting her daughters first and never allowing them to feel the gap created when they lost their father. Her best friend offers her the opportunity of a lifetime. A way to reclaim some of the dreams she dared to dream before her world was rocked to the core.
She finds herself in Provence for a month as a business advisor and interior designer and, most importantly, a TV presenter, as she heads a reality TV style project to do up a floundering B & B Business.
Robert is the owner of said business. In the beginning, he is a bit grumpy and stand-offish, but with layers to peel, giving us a glimpse of a much more sensitive soul with a story as tragic as Nicky’s.
I loved how they built a tentative friendship over the month that she resides in his ailing B & B, and all the misdemeanours as they attempt to get things ship shape for the TV crew that keeps surprising them,
The cast of side characters is also a joy to get to know, from the local business owners to Nicky’s two daughters, and not forgetting Buster the dog!
Honestly, I loved this story so much. It is filled with hope, and there are emotional moments as well as some giggles, too. I read this within a few hours and wished there was more to come!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Author Bio

Writer  Journalist  Author

Freelance writer and author Gillian Harvey lives in France with husband, Ray and their five children. She regularly pens articles and short stories for UK magazines including Woman’s Weekly and People’s Friend. She also writes opinion pieces and has been published in Independent, Guardian, Metro.

Gillian started her career in the teaching profession working at secondary school level. After moving to France in 2009, she started freelance writing for publications in the UK, France and the US.

Gillian has written a monthly column in Writing Magazine since 2020. She has previously been columnist for Prima Baby and Living France magazines.

Gillian’s first novel ‘Everything is Fine’ was published worldwide with Orion in May 2020. Her second, ‘Perfect on Paper’ was published in UK May 2021. She has since moved to Boldwood Books where she published the best-selling ‘A Year at the French Farmhouse’ and, most recently ‘One French Summer.’

And click below to find Gillian on Social Media!

Social Media Links

https://linktr.ee/gillianharveyauthor

June 2023 Books #AmReading

30 Jun 2023 14 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Am Reading, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Reviews, Goodreads, Netgalley, reading

Not only was I reading this month, but also nervously awaiting reviews of my own book, number 2 in the Ristay Series, Straight As A Jalebi, out on June 1st! Heaven knows how I concentrated on other people’s books when I was so anxious about my own!

Coming Home by Smitha Vishwanath
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Coming Home is a book about self-discovery.
Shanaya is a woman in her late twenties, navigating life in Dubai with a great job in finance. Her life is turned upside down after the sudden death of her mother from cancer.
She returns to India to be with her father and sister and to find herself, too.
Is it a love story?
I’m not sure I would place it solely in the romance category, as the tale has more layers. But there definitely is a slow-burn romance in the offing, too.
Though she is independent, Shanaya has been instructed to meet Suresh, a doctor, who has been deemed a suitable proposal for her. But life in a different country means they have yet to meet. They do meet. But is that the romance which will change her life?
Or is there something more about Jay, an American Indian, heading a project she inadvertently becomes involved in?
I loved the ashram Shanaya visited. I’d love to go someplace like that!
Shanaya has some good friends throughout the story, who we meet, each with their own backstory that helps to give the story more depth.
An interesting story.

Begin Again: The most relatable book of 2023 by Helly Acton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don’t think anyone expects a kebab to be their final downfall, or at least not in how it affects Frankie Mackenzie.
She feels stuck in her life. Inn her job, relationship status, and location. Basically, adulthood sucks.
Then after what she feels is a disastrous first date, She meets with an untimely death.
But, lucky (or unlucky) for her, she’s granted a second chance at life, but with a twist.
She’s given the chance to revisit some major crossroads in her life, to see which change she should have made, and the opportunity to step back into her life with a possibly more positive outcome.
I guess we all have those moments of ‘what if?’ in our lives. Decisions we wish we had taken rather than the ones we did.
I loved how this story explored how the grass may look greener, but it isn’t always, and that we can make our lives what we want from whatever point we decide to make changes.
Frankie’s death by kebab incident allows her to reassess her life and what is important to her, and of course, there is the romantic side, too.
Is Toby really the ‘one that got away? Should she have stuck with rich playboy Callum? Or is nerdy Oli all that he seems, or more?
I romped through this on one sun-soaked day and enjoyed it immensely!

Releasing 6th July, 2023

Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had to giggle at the end of this when reading the acknowledgements, especially the line about aunties asking if it was like 50 Shades… As I read some steamier bits, I thought the EXACT same thing!
OMG. Does that mean I am an aunty now??
Okay, back to the book!
I only recently read Dating Dr Dil, so the cast of characters was fresh in my mind and Tastes Like Shakkar was another fantastic addition to the Shakespearean-styled series that Nisha Sharma has crafted.
This time we go Taming of the Shrew.
Bobbi is an event planner hoping to take the reins of the family business she has worked hard to support over the years. But things aren’t going as smoothly as planned, and she needs to prove herself to her uncle while planning her best friend Kareena’s wedding.
Bunty is trying everything he can to avoid becoming the successor to his family business – frozen naan bread. And not any old naan bread, but the best in the US! Instead, he wants to focus on his passion, cooking. Plus, he has to support his best friend through his wedding to the above-mentioned Kareena.
This means they need to be together a lot. And that is a problem because they really don’t get on.
Well, there is crazy hot chemistry, but it’s like a lust/hate relationship… or is it?
I loved the plus-sized heroine, Bobbi, and Bunty, the Punjabi chef/son of the Naan King!
Nisha Sharma touched on some great topics through this story, especially the expectations of society when it comes to looks and familial expectations.
And she took the spice factor to another level!
I am eagerly awaiting the third book, taking the story further with another possible couple within this friendship!
Many thanks to NetGalley and, Harper Voyage, Avon Books for an arc.

Releasing 1st August, 2023

The Women Who Wouldn’t Leave by Victoria Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another beautiful story from author Victoria Scott.
Connie has run away from her life in London, back to her mother’s house in a small village, away from prying eyes.
She grew up on the estate before leaving for the bright lights in the capital to live with her father.
She doesn’t know much about the people there, though she knows of them, and neither does she have any interest in getting to know them better.
Matilda has lived in her house on the estate since it was built. She has been there for decades, yet she still doesn’t know her neighbours and isn’t interested in getting to know them. She has her house, her memories and her animals.
Both women have secrets that they’d rather keep to themselves. However, an accident somehow builds a bridge of communication that becomes stronger as time goes on, especially when there is a fear of both women losing their safe spaces.
I loved this beautiful story of friendship and resilience.
Both these characters have a tragedy-filled story behind them, which is heartrending to read, and though they are polar opposites, I loved how they connected and the development of their relationship, despite being from such different generations.
The whole community on the estate is an interesting bunch, and the animals, though noisy, were what ultimately brought them together.
A fantastic read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for an ARC.

Releasing 3rd August, 2023

Join me near publication day, to have a catch up with Mandy when we meet for a Book & A Brew!

The book review will follow, there. Obviously it’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Releasing 15th August, 2023

The Stolen Hours by Karen Swan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was extremely excited to read this second book in Karen’s Swan’s series. The first showed what a departure it was from her usual stand-alone stories. However, the level of detail and evident research made that a compelling read.
The Stolen Hours was no different. Written at a parallel time to the first, we see events unfold through the eyes of the second of a trio of friends from St Kilda. The first was Effie’s view. This time we learned more about Mhaira.
The oldest daughter of the postmaster, and one of many children, it is high time for her to marry.
Since the island is small and there are scarce prospects, a man is suggested from one of the neighbouring isles.
She meets him and finds some attraction, but confusion sets in as certain feelings she experiences may not be appropriate, especially as they are not all for the man to be her intended.
Back on the isle, there are further problems, which we already know, as a reader, if the first book has been read. Mhaira has several more worries of her own on top of that.
I don’t want to spill the beans, as that would ruin it for a prospective reader.
The journey we started at the end of book one is extended further at the end of this book, with the mystery surrounding the factor’s death on the island, the day the inhabitants had to evacuate, which is left unsolved, obviously to be revealed during the next book, I guess, but we are given plenty more backstory for the characters we got to know in the first book, as well as more of a glimpse into their futures on the mainland.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and cannot wait for the next book!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

Releasing 20th July, 2023

Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a retelling of a classic Shakespearean play, Romeo and Juliet, with a twist.
Rosaline is a character mentioned briefly in the play, and this novel builds a whole other side to the story of the romance, which is Romeo and Juliet.
It’s like a twisted fairytale, as everything romantic and heartwrenching is proven to be incorrect and, in fact, tortured, horrific and incredibly sad in those versions of events.
We, as a reader, if we know the original play, are made to question so much. There is enough ambiguity within the play to make a lot of what happens in Fair Rosaline a distinct possibility.
The point is, do we want to believe that there could have been a more sinister plot at play behind the scenes?
I have studied different texts like this, for example, Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, by Tom Stoppard, based upon two characters mentioned in passing in Hamlet. and they create fascinating backstories which may not have been on our Bard’s mind but can add another level of depth to an already well-known story.
I have to say it did hook me and made me feel a bit upset at the thought of Romeo not being who we always thought he was!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books, Manilla Press, for an ARC.

Releasing 3rd August, 2023

The Dance Deception by Becky Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed a few books set in reality tv life, specifically using a dance competition as the base for the story, so I was excited to read this.
Kate, our main character, is in a funk at work, and having lost her boyfriend to a colleague, ends up entering a dance competition and leaving her job, with no prospects beyond the possibility of winning the £25,000 prize.
Enter a hot dance partner (or 2). There were ups and downs, followed by a decent conclusion.
Unfortunately, it left me a little flat on the storyline. I wasn’t really given a chance to know the characters. However, I was given plenty of detail when it came to their sexual activity!
You are mere paragraphs into the story before things become rater steamy, and this is more the flavour of the book. Open door scenes aplenty, but not so much substance.
It was an easy read but not necessarily something I would pick up again.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC.

Releasing 3rd August, 2023

Bad Men: The feminist serial killer you didn’t know you were waiting for by Julie Mae Cohen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve read a few thrillers recently with the whole #MeToo as its motive for women serial killers, so when I read the book blurb, I was intrigued, especially as there was an alternative dimension to this story, compared with the others.
Saffy is one of the protagonists. She is quite a contradiction in terms. A wealthy heiress, she would stoop at nothing to protect her younger sister. Having been wronged in the past, it feels like her mission to rid the world of as many Bad Men as she can. It’s not a pastime, like her charitable work, that she can add to any CV, but she is proud of what she does and the intricate planning involved in all her missions.
What she does feel a bit of a hypocrite about is her crush.
Jonathon is a real crime podcaster, specifically investigating serial killers, and an author, writing about cases he has investigated and, at times, even helped to solve when the police were hitting dead ends. He should be a mortal enemy. Someone able to read her like a book. Someone she should be steering clear of.
But she just can’t help herself.
I read it pretty fast as I turned the pages, learning how Saffy started on her #MeToo crusade before the hashtag even existed and then how their paths crossed and become intertwined.
Lots of twists and turns kept me reading!
I enjoyed it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books, Zaffre, for an ARC.

Releasing 20th July, 2023

Saving the Good News Gazette by Jessie Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read The Good News Gazette when I really needed something light-hearted and positive, and it was just the tonic, so I was extremely excited to get a chance to read this sequel to Saving the Good News Gazette.
I mean, who doesn’t want a feel-good paper and a lot of wonderful people in the community clubbing together to make things happen?
This time we enter the story with Zoe, our editor, a year or so into her journey of publishing her own little paper with her friend, Ollie.
There is a little worry about advertising and revenue, but they are hopeful. As with the last one, somehow, Zoe gets reeled into helping with another huge project to save the community’s cinema from being knocked down by a developer.
But she has other things on her mind, in the shape of her boyfriend, Sam, and his rival, and her now work colleague, Daniel…
Plus, there’s a movie being filmed in the village, and the local hooligans are threatening to sabotage any positive steps the community make with their project.
this is a review, not a synopsis, so let me stop there and say I loved this one every bit as much as the first. It was a joy to rekindle relationships with the characters and follow the simmering passions in Zoe’s life!
I have to say that the ending was a bit of a cliff-hanger, but at least that means I know more is coming!
Many thanks to NetGalley, and Harper Collins, UK One More Chapter for an arc.

Releasing 4th August, 2023

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

Book and a Brew with Ritu – What Would Jane Austen Do by @lcorbettaauthor #NewRelease #BookReview @0neMoreChapter_

20 Jun 2023 8 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, Linda Corbett, New Release, What Would Jane Austen Do?

Loving this series!

Today, I am thrilled to welcome Linda Corbett, a fantastic author, and writer friend of mine, to chat about her latest release, What Would Jane Austen do?

Today, I am thrilled to welcome a dear friend and relatively new to publishing author, Linda Corbett on my blog for a cuppa and a bit of a chat about all things bookish, but especially her latest release, What Would Jane Austen Do?

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Linda!! Let’s get you set with a drink, first. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or maybe a masala chai. I know our hero loved a coffee. I do have a Tassimo if you prefer a fancy coffee?

Thank you, Ritu, for inviting me to your blog! I’m one of those odd people that don’t do hot drinks even though I invented a coffee-drinking hero, so if you’ve got anything in the cold drinks line, that would be fabulous. Or is it too early for a celebratory glass of Prosecco as we both have books coming out in the same month?

I think that Prosecco may be in order in that case!

We can do some lovely homemade biscuits, or my daughter, Lil Princess made fairy cakes! If you’re feeling adventurous, I can get out the chevda, too. It’s a type or Bombay mix!

Homemade fairy cakes sound delicious, thank you!

Now, I know that your latest release brings you up to a tally of two (very good!) published books. Tell us more about your journey to become a published author.

It’s been rather a rollercoaster of a journey over the last ten years. I wrote my first (not very good) attempt at a novel back in 2012, and that’s definitely staying in the drawer! Two years later, I wrote another book that got one full request from an agent. Then another two books followed that got a couple of full requests in between all the rejections. The problem with getting lots of boilerplate rejections is that you have no idea where you’re going wrong: you don’t know what you don’t know. At one point, I paid for a manuscript appraisal – very informative but obviously a significant cost. I missed out on joining the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2017 but joined in 2018, and getting detailed critiques as part of the membership fee was enormously helpful. Then in 2020, I was awarded the Katie Fforde Bursary, which gave me a massive boost of confidence and the impetus to write what became book five. However, it was on the sixth attempt, after 221 rejections, I got that magic yes!

What a journey! That YES was absolutely magic!

Do you have a favourite out of the two that have been published? I know that with your love of guinea pigs, your first book, Love You From A to Z, must be extra special!

Ooh, that’s a tough question! As you know, I’m ever so slightly obsessed with guinea pigs and anything piggy-related, so of course, Love You From A-Z holds a special place in my heart, and it was also my debut novel. However, over the course of writing What Would Jane Austen Do? I’ve become very attached to those characters too, so I don’t think I could possibly choose. Do you have a favourite?

I think I’m a bit like you. It’s hard to choose one, isn’t it? I suppose, with my two so far being linked, I have lived with these characters for a long time, and writing book three too, means that they are all forever in my mind! But Marriage Unarranged is definitely special because that’s where it started!

I always like to ask about your writing space, if you have one. Is it somewhere peaceful, or are you overrun with your fur babies?

I’d love to tell you I had a cosy writing nook or a desk with a fabulous view of the countryside, but that would be a total fib! Being very short means that conventional desks are the wrong height, so I write on my laptop – usually on the sofa, occasionally in the garden. The guinea pigs are in another room, although I can still hear them squeaking when they think they need more treats or attention. Or every time the fridge door opens!

And, has romance always been your favourite genre to read, and write?

I like to read a variety of books – something that makes me laugh out loud is always a tonic, and I enjoy a good mystery or cosy crime, but I always come back to romance. In today’s world where the news is often full of unrest and bad news, you can’t beat a happy ever after, can you? As far as writing is concerned, other than a few short stories, my previous novel attempts are firmly in the romance genre. However, I’d love to have a go at writing a cosy crime one day. Possibly with guinea pigs in…

Now, that I would pay to read!!

Before I go off on more of a tangent, let’s have a catch-up about your latest release, What Would Jane Austen do? I was lucky enough to get an ARC and I loved it! Thank you! (Review below!) What made you want to write a book that ties with the legendary Jane Austen? I can see that Maddy, your main character, takes much solace from her words.

I am a Jane Austen fan, but I can’t claim any credit for the title – that was the brainchild of my lovely editor. She suggested it and asked what I thought. Around the same time, my friend was telling me about her visit to West Horsley Place where they filmed the BBC series Ghosts. Have you been there? It’s a fabulous place! Anyway, the house had been inherited by Bamber Gascoigne from his great-aunt, the Duchess of Roxburghe. It clearly sparked my imagination and these two strands combined. So… Maddy is a massive Jane Austen fan and out-of-the-blue, she inherits a house in the country. Even after she’s lost her job, she takes comfort from Jane Austen’s advice and is very protective of Ms Austen’s reputation. I had great fun dropping in little hints, references and quotes from the Austen canon, but have been assured by readers that you don’t need detailed knowledge of Ms Austen’s works in order to enjoy the book.

Do you think it would be easy living with a writer as moody as our fictional Crime fiction author Cameron Massey (or Luke to those who know him well!)? I loved the irony of his pen first name being an anagram for Romance, though he seems to detest the genre!

I think you’d have to be a strong character to live with Cameron Massey! He enjoys a bit of verbal sparring and detests lukewarm opinions, but luckily my heroine, Maddy, has strong opinions of her own, even though in the early part of the story, the two of them don’t always agree! And of course, she gets to know the real man behind the snarky author image.

And, what would you do if you were to inherit a sprawling mansion, as Maddy does? Would you happily move there for a year, or say no thank you?

As long as it wasn’t completely falling apart, I’d jump at the chance! I’m married to an IT and DIY Expert so he’d have the house sorted in no time. However, had I been living there by myself as Maddy is, I’m not sure I’d have been quite so keen. Luckily for Maddy, she makes lots of new friends so she’s not lonely for too long.

And I’m sure my readers would love to know… what do you have in the pipeline? Is there anything up your sleeves, already?

I am currently tinkering with the book I wrote before Love You From A-Z, but at the same time I’m finding it hard to leave behind the villagers of Cotlington. They’ve been in my head for so long now that they feel like real people! Do you find that as a writer? I’m also tempted to start something new as I’d really like to write another book with guinea pigs in. Decisions, decisions…

I can absolutely relate to that! When I finished Marriage Uarranged, the characters wouldn’t leave me alone. The next two books were never planned, but there you go! And, I do have a few other ideas, including another partly written story that I’d love to complete!

Now, I hope the Prosecco was chilled enough, Linda! I can’t believe we’ve finished a bottle!

Thank you for inviting me, Ritu.

My pleasure 😊

Peeps, I can’t wait to read whatever Linda brings out, next, and the idea of popping back to Cotlington is tempting!

Purchase links follow.

The Blurb

It’s a truth often acknowledged that when a journalist and Jane Austen fan girl ends up living next door to a cynical but handsome crime writer, romantic sparks will fly! When Maddy Shaw is told her Dear Jane column has been cancelled she has no choice but to look outside of London’s rental market. That is until she’s left an idyllic country home by the black sheep of the family, long-not-so-lost Cousin Nigel. But of course there’s a stipulation… and not only is Maddy made chair of the committee for the annual village literary festival, she also has to put up with bestselling crime author –and romance sceptic – Cameron Massey as her new neighbour. When Maddy challenges Cameron to write romantic fiction, which he claims is so easy to do, sparks fly both on and off the page…

Available in ebook & paperback

mybook.to/WhatWouldJaneAustenDo

My Review

What Would Jane Austen Do? by Linda Corbett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You know when you read a book and want to start it all over to feel all the feels?
Well, that was my reaction to What Would Jane Austen Do?
I loved Linda Corbett’s debut and was excited to get my teeth into this second novel, and I was not disappointed.
Maddy Shaw is reeling after losing her agony aunt column, Dear Jane, in a national magazine. She attends one last interview commitment, meeting an extremely moody crime writer with an extremely simple view of romance. (Topical since so many out there have been trying to rubbish our beloved romance genre!)
Life is not going her way, considering she may have to move out of her flatshare with her best friend in London since she has no income until an unexpected bequest in the will of a deceased relative leaves her with rather a lot more than she could ever have expected, considering she never met the infamous Cousin Nigel.
Armed with her meagre belongings, Maddy moves into Meadowhall, a large house, for the requisite twelve months, fully intending to sell up and leave when the year ends, but you know what? You never know what the future will hold…
I loved everything about this book, from the fantastically appropriate Jane Austen quotes that started each chapter to learning more about the lodger she ends up taking in to keep herself financially afloat. Luke has a lot more about him that I won’t mention. You need to read about that yourself!
As the story unfolds, Cousin Nigel is also a dark horse, revealing secret after secret posthumously.
There is the literary festival, which I loved, ghost hunting, and a gorgeous canine hero who will steal your heart!
Many thanks to NetGalley, and Harper Collins, One More Chapter for an ARC.

Author Bio

Linda Corbett lives in Surrey with her husband Andrew and three permanently hungry guinea pigs. As well as being an author, Linda is a member and former Treasurer of Shine Surrey – a volunteer-led charity that supports individuals and families living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. For many years she also wrote a regular column for Link, a disability magazine, illustrating the humorous aspects of life with a complex disability, and she is a passionate advocate of disability representation in fiction. When not writing, Linda can be found papercrafting, gardening, or cuddling guinea pigs. What Would Jane Austen Do is her second published novel.

Find Linda by clicking the following links!

Social Media Links

https://www.facebook.com/lindacorbettauthor

Tweets by lcorbettauthor

https://www.instagram.com/lindacorbettauthor