Reviews | But I Smile Anyway...

April 2023 Books #AmReading

30 Apr 2023 14 Comments

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

I don’t think I will even comment on what ARCs I have because whenever I think I get to the end of my pile, another arrives! Still, I am not complaining. It means I have all the more books to share with you! But I hope you will be proud of me. I have also managed to read some already released books, too!

Her Fixer Upper: A brand new friends-to-lovers romance for 2023 by Emily Kerr
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, I LOVED this! I have read some other Emily Kerr books, so I knew I would enjoy this, but I sped through it, wanting to read every last word and to know exactly how things ended!
Freya and Charlie are childhood friends who have lost touch but meet again, by chance, in a pub.
And their fateful meeting couldn’t come at a better time, as both are trying to get on the property ladder, but neither is having any luck, what with the economy, and the state of most people’s finances, right now.
One thing leads to another, and the two friends find themselves celebrating their renewed friendship with the added golden handshake of a joint mortgage on a doozy of a fixer-upper!
I love property renovation, and I pictured Oak Tree Cottage as they gently rid it of its debris and began to make it a house worthy of living in.
And, more than the conversion of the house, I loved how the friendship between the two main characters began to morph, too.
Aided brilliantly by Arthur, Freya’s Grandfather, and her best friend, Leila, and not forgetting Ted, Aarthur’s dog, who ends up with them for a while, it was a pleasure to read the developments!
Hutch and Humph for life!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, One More Chapter for an ARC.

Releasing 19th May, 2023

I Love You, Always, Forever by Charlie Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, what a rollercoaster of emotion this book put me through!
Not least because there is sensitive subject matter but because of all the reminiscing I could do, thanks to the book’s timeframe.
The story is set in the now, as an adult Charlie, the main character, is coming to terms with life as a middle-aged woman, and dealing with all that comes with it, including dealing with loss and illnesses of loved ones, as well as a dual timeline of the 90s when she is a student in 6th form (like me), shy, exploring different elements of her personality, and experimenting with a very special relationship.
I loved it because I lived with so many of these experiences as a teenager. The nostalgia I felt was unreal. And then the additional relatability of life as a middle-aged woman. It was just wonderfully written!
There is romance, budding and established, friendships, family and the awakening of sexual feelings. A bit steamy in places too, but honestly, I got all the feels, in a good way!

The one that he wants: A gorgeous and exciting, enemies to lovers romance to escape with. by Lizzie Chantree
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was absolutely into Cherry Blossom Lane with book 1, so I couldn’t wait to be reunited with the characters and learn more about what was happening with Sasha this time!
And Lizzie Chantree did not disappoint.
It was wonderful to see Poppy again, follow the lead-up to her wedding, and watch with intrigue the development of Sasha’s self-confidence and her romantic life.
Ollie is the Taylor brother in the picture this time round, and he is certainly a complex character.
There were plenty of ‘Will they? Won’t they?’ moments as different characters introduced themselves as prospective spanners in the works!
I love how the intrigue has been built for the next book… And cannot wait for it to be out!

Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s been a while since I stepped into the gorgeous worlds created by Kim Nash and her characters, and I truly enjoyed this foray to the Cornish coast!
Meredith made a bit of a drunken decision to purchase a lighthouse, miles away from the rest of her life, to have a fresh start, a project and to put some distance between her and her old life that, apart from her best friend, seemed to have begun to stagnate.
Well, what can I say? There are always dubious purchases made with the aid of alcohol when you aren’t feeling yourself, and when she arrives at her new, unviewed, apart from some stylised photos, home, she is in for a shock.
And the shocks don’t start there, but at the local supermarket, where she encounters rude locals that get her back up from the off.
I will not go into the story, as what would be the point of you reading it if I was just to regurgitate it here, but I will say that you won’t want to put it down once you start reading!
Meredith is a character who will resonate with many women, especially those of a certain age. She had a fire in her belly that was dampened by her previous life, but the sea and sea air might have just reignited it rather than put it out completely!
There are many characters to keep you wanting to read, not least Vi, who I think is an amazing woman. What a character! And her dog, Gladys, is just adorable!
Meredith has old friends, but the new ones she makes as she begins what feels like a thankless task of renovating and restoring her purchase are a choice bunch.
But there are always that core of locals who ‘hate’ newcomers. She has her work cut out, I’ll tell you.
And, of course, there’s Clem… A brooding, moody man who ends up rather helpful in many ways. But will he be the one who helps her realise she is not just a middle-aged woman undeserving of a fresh start romantically as well as generally?
The restoration of the lighthouse was fascinating to read about, too, and just reading the descriptions makes me want to go and stay in one right now!
A wonderful read from start to finish!

A Summer on the Riviera: a gorgeously heartwarming and escapist summer read of friendship, forbidden love and family secrets by Rachel Barnett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Definitely, an easy read for the coming summer!
Bella, the MC, has found herself the perfect summer job, as the first stewardess on a super yacht, using all the hospitality skills she has learned over the years working in hotels and restaurants, except she forgot that it is on a boat for the whole summer. And she gets travel sick! Oops!
First hurdle.
The second one is her roomie for the duration, who seems rather miffed at this newbie coming in and taking the position on the boat that she had hoped for.
Third, the first guests she has to host include a famous actress and her extremely tasty nephew.
And she CANNOT get involved… Can she?
This was an easy book to get into, with a good solid boy-meets-girl romance and several twists and turns along the way.
I can tell you that there was a moment towards the end before the climax when I literally held my breath, thinking that things might not work out…
So good!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for an ARC.

Releasing 2nd May, 2023

Borrowed Time by Kay Bratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kay Bratt has wowed me again with this fantastic addition to the Hart’s Ridge series!
We meet Taylor Grey again in her role as a small-town cop, dealing with another heinous crime, this time against a very close friend of hers, Sissy, who has gone missing.
Aside from the investigation, we get to meet another of Taylor’s sisters, Anna, in more detail. Anna is the one who has remained rather aloof through the series, having married well and living in an affluent part of the town, with an Instagram-perfect kind of life.
Until it begins to crumble.
The sisters continue to build their support network together, and it is a joy to read about how their mother, Cate, is faring.
Obviously, there is Diesel, the dog, and several others that join the cast, sure to have starring roles in future stories!
So much happens in this book, and Kay touches upon many topics, such as suicidal thoughts and IDV, sensitively.
There are plenty of twists and turns throughout the book, which I have come to expect from the Hart’s Ridge Series, and the hint of what is to come in book 5, Instant Karma, makes me even more impatient as I wait for its release!
Thank you to Kay Bratt and the publishers for an ARC.

The Bay of Lost Souls: A Beautiful, Uplifting, Perfect Summer Read. by Kiltie Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, Kiltie Jackson. Well, you’ve done it again, haven’t you?
This is the third of your books I have read so far, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Each one I have read has a slightly different genre, and each has its own beauty.The Bay of Lost Souls centres around Perrie, a woman who is running from something to the isolated Broatiescombe Bay to be alone and come to terms with her life.
Morgan is a single father to one gorgeous little girl, Daisy, who has his own tragedy to overcome.
Fate rolls them into one another (literally), and the beauty of the bay, and a little girl obsessed with Disney princess Merida, try their hardest to seal the deal.
Thing is, nothing is ever what it seems.
I loved the bay and the little cottage Perrie moves into for her stay and her cats, Timothy and George. What a pair of characters!
All the book’s characters are believable, real souls to whom you can relate.
Daisy was a firm favourite, too, as a feisty little pre-schooler who knows what she wants.
The secret Perrie carries is a big twist and causes all manner of drama, as it should, but everything is revealed and handled in an extremely sensitive manner.
A love story with secrets, twists and turns, and adventure, too.
Definitely worth a read.

The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After reading and thoroughly enjoying Ask Again, Yes, by Mary Beth Keane, I was excited to delve into another of her books.
The Half Moon centres around a bar named The Half Moon and a short period of time during which the owners, Malcolm and Jess, are going through their own marital struggles.
It’s that time-old tragedy of the threat of infertility taking its toll on a relationship.
Coupled with a little disappearing person case.
I found it a little tough to get into if I am honest. The same emotions that I felt reading Ask weren’t awakened.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Michael Joseph and Penguin Randon House for an ARC.

Releasing 13th July, 2023

Wish Upon a Cornish Moon by Amanda James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, What a beautiful story!
I will probably end up gushing about this story to more than one person because I loved it that much!
This story spans several eras through two families, but they are all connected by a thread: the power of the moon and a belief in magic.
During and after WW2, Lamorna, and later on, her sister Morwenna, follow an old folk tale known in their community, harnessing the magic of the moon and a particular cove near where they live, in Cornwall, to launch their wishes for a love of their own, using a short incantation, and a message in a bottle.
In the present day, Merrin is not very easily adjusting to her life as a newly divorced mother to a teenager who is due to spread her wings and leave the family nest, too.
Fate brings her in touch with Morwenna, a lonely elderly lady who lives locally and shares the moon’s secret with her.
And the way everything falls into place is just beautifully planned.
I don’t want to go too far into it, but I can say that it is a gorgeous story filled with – fate, or maybe it really is magic.
I loved all the characters, and honestly, if I weren’t happily settled down, I’d be ready to rush to that cove and take a punt on a message in a bottle, helping me with my own future!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, One More Chapter for an ARC.

Releasing 5th May, 2023

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, what a gorgeous read!
Mukesh is grieving the loss of his wife.
Aleisha is stuck in a dead-end summer job before returning to Sixth Form in September.
Neither of them enjoys reading.
Then, a twist of fate, and a certain list, throw them together to forge an unlikely friendship as they learn to love books and the messages they can give.
I was invested from the off with the elderly Mukesh. His unexpected transformation regarding reading is sparked by his trying to keep a closeness to Naina, his wife, who loved her books, and the library.
And Aleisha, as a young adult, just needs a simple job since she is helping her brother care for her mother. Books take on a different meaning, allowing her to accept life and see situations through different eyes.
Of course, the selection of books on that reading list was brilliant, too.
A must-read for book lovers and one for non-readers, too. Who knows, it might spur you on to read something different.

Poetry Treasures 3: Passions by Kaye Lynne Booth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another beautiful poetry anthology featuring some familiar names and some new-to-me poets.
Kaye Lynne Booth has collated a fantastic selection of poems centring around Passions, and some of these verses really tug at your heartstrings.
Robbie Cheadle, with her verses relating to family and illnesses and Willow Willers, exploring her passions and the feelings passion can encourage, had me speeding through the book.
Colleen Chesebro and D. Wallace Peach also feature in this fantastic collection, with examples of their evocative poetry.

The Twilight Garden: Escape with the life-affirming, uplifting new novel for 2023 from acclaimed author of The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved The Reading List, so when I heard that there was a second book from Sara Nisha Adams, I was thrilled, and, having read it, I was not disappointed at all.
Winston lives in a rented house with his partner Lewis. They have a huge garden that is shared with their neighbouring house, which has been empty since they lived there. The garden is overgrown but a solace to him as he ponders his life, not quite what his parents envisaged when they sent him to London from India.
Then one day, they have new neighbours: Beatrice and her young son, Seb. Beatrice is a recently divorced woman, who wants the best for her child and is excited to have this home with a large garden for her child, only she isn’t quite sure of the shared part.
Animosity brews, and then a set of anonymous letters start to arrive, first for Winston, then for Beatrice, which causes a chain reaction that changes their lives in a huge way.
There is a dual timeline, showing the house’s history, with the POV of the previous residents, Maya and Alma, which gives the story a solid background.
I loved learning about Maya and her start in England and Alma, the grumpy neighbour who becomes family to Maya, her husband, Prem and their daughter.
The anonymous list/letter seems to be a device in both Adams’ books, and it has also been used well this time.
A crew of flawed characters who you come to care about.
A good read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.

Releasing 8th June, 2023

Review to follow in a Book & A Brew post, soon! But, it’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Releasing 1st May, 2023 Blog Tour post to follow!

The Coach Trip by Izzy Bromley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this read about a couple of younger women who end up on a coach trip, typically for the more mature holidaymaker.
Emma wants to give her best friend, Mel, a birthday to remember, but double books herself when she promises to go with her grandmother on a coach trip, originally booked as an anniversary present for her husband. Sadly, Grandad passed away before the trip, but Emma wants to make her grandma happy.
Emma and Mel end up on this coach trip with many preconceived ideas about older people, and it is a pleasure to see how these misconceptions are sh=mashed as the week-long trip progresses.
Getting old isn’t fun in many ways. It is often hard for the younger generation to sympathise with that old lady who takes so long to walk or the man who is holding up the supermarket checkout line…
This is a book that makes you rethink your ideas, and it definitely reinforced my already strong respect for the elderly.
And… Mel did have a great birthday too!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC.

Releasing 10th May, 2023

Releasing 23rd May, 2023 – Look out for my review and a Book & A Brew with Ritu Post around publication date! But, again, another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read!

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

Where Waters Meet by Zhang Ling #BlogTour #BookReview @FMcMAssociates @AmazonPub #InternationalFiction

30 Apr 2023 5 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, The Woman Beyond The Sea, Translated Fiction

Today I am bringing you a beautiful story written byZhang Ling, Where Waters Meet.

The Blurb

A daughter discovers the dramatic history that shaped her mother’s secret life in an emotional and immersive novel by Zhang Ling, the bestselling author of A Single Swallow.
There was rarely a time when Phoenix Yuan-Whyller’s mother, Rain, didn’t live with her. Even when Phoenix got married, Rain, who followed her from China to Toronto, came to share Phoenix’s life. Now at the age of eighty-three, Rain’s unexpected death ushers in a heartrending separation.
Struggling with the loss, Phoenix comes across her mother’s suitcase—a memory box Rain had brought from home. Inside, Phoenix finds two old photographs and a decorative bottle holding a crystallized powder. Her auntie Mei tells her these missing pieces of her mother’s early life can only be explained when they meet, and so, clutching her mother’s ashes, Phoenix boards a plane for China. What at first seems like a daughter’s quest to uncover a mother’s secrets becomes a startling journey of self-discovery.

Told across decades and continents, Zhang Ling’s exquisite novel is a tale
of extraordinary courage and survival. It illuminates the resilience of humanity, the brutalities of life, the secrets
we keep and those we share, and the driving forces it takes to survive.

My Review

Where Waters Meet by Zhang Ling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where Waters Meet is a heartwrenching story about a daughter and her journey to discovering the truth about her mother’s life after her death.
Phoenix, or Yuan Feng, travels from Canada to China in search of answers and peace for her mother, Rain, or Chunyu, from the only living relative left on her mother’s side, her mother’s sister.
The novel is told in a bit of a disjointed manner, moving back and forward from the present to various times in the past.
It took me a while to realise that the ‘past’ chapters were based on a manuscript that Phoenix is writing and sending back to her husband, George, in Canada, about her mother’s life and her own.
Once I got into the swing of it, I was intrigued.
I wanted to know the secrets of Chunyu. I felt the trauma of a young woman during the war-torn era in China, with the communist regime, facing famine, with a young daughter and a husband who couldn’t help due to injuries while in service.
I feel like I wanted to know more from Phoenix about how she felt when hearing about the most shocking parts of her mother’s past, which is not revealed until the final quarter of the book, as it is not something any child would expect to hear.
But I was invested in the story and felt the raw emotion of adult Phoenix and the young Chunyu before she could leave China with her daughter.

About the Author

Zhang Ling is the award-winning author of nine novels and numerous collections of
novellas and short stories, including A Single Swallow, translated by Shelly Bryant;
Gold Mountain Blues; and Aftershock, which was adapted into China’s first IMAX
movie with unprecedented box-office success.
Born in China, she moved to Canada in 1986 and, in the mid-1990s, began to write
and publish fiction in Chinese while working as a clinical audiologist. Since then, she
has won the Chinese Media Literature Award for Author of the Year, the Grand Prize
of Overseas Chinese Literary Award, and China Times’s Open Book Award. Where
Waters Meet is her first novel written in English.

Book and a Brew with Ritu – A Girl Like Me by Bettina Hunt @BeautySwot #NewRelease #BookReview #Book&ABrew

28 Apr 2023 10 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: A Girl Like Me, Bettina Hunt, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, New Release

Busy week with my Book & A Brew posts!

Today, I am thrilled to welcome a dear friend and romance author, Bettina Hunt, to my blog for a cuppa and a bit of a chat about all things writerly, especially her newest release, A Girl Like Me.

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Bettina! Let’s get you set with a drink, first. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or maybe a masala chai?

Hello Ritu, thank you so much for having me today!

I would love a chai, please 😊

If we’re going with masala tea, I can offer you some homemade pakoras, but I also have some chocolate chip cookies, freshly baked by my daughter! What’s your preference?

Ooh, now pakoras would be lovely, yum! Thank you.

Fantastic! Here we are. I’ve got the chutneys ready, too!

Now, I know you have already published a few books, and your latest comes after a little break. Tell us more about your journey to becoming a published author.

I’ve always wanted to be an author but I’ve always loved to write and so whether it’s been poetry or setting up a school magazine in secondary school, I’ve always been writing in one way or another. At university, I had a website which had restaurant reviews and bizarrely my job application journey, but it disappeared overnight when Geocities was taken over by Yahoo. Years later I started a successful beauty and afternoon tea blog but I still loved creative writing, so on a Friday I would write a poem or a short story to share on what I called The Friday Column. One of those stories became my first published book A Tempting Trio. Since then I’ve written part of a series (2 of the books are out already with another two books planned) and another standalone story set in two locations – High Heels on the Beach.

And, is there a favourite out of all the books you have written, so far?

Isn’t this like asking a parent which is their favourite child?!

It is! I’m sorry! But, I still like to ask… 🫣

Ha ha. But, if I had to choose, I would say my latest A Girl Like Me, because it’s so personal to me and is written from the heart.

I think those are the books that will always have a special place…

I see you making all your home improvements regularly, on Instagram, but is there a special writing space you have in your house, or is there somewhere else you prefer to write?

I write anywhere I can, but my favourite place is the office in our house. I love it because the ambience is perfect, It’s so calming and is a great workspace. I find I’m always so productive when I’m working in there. Unfortunately, I have to share it with my husband so don’t have access to it when he’s working from home.

Boo! But, at least you have a part-time space!

I am a huge lover of romantic novels of all sorts. What pulled you towards that genre?

For me, I love a happy ever after and the idea that out there someone perfect for you exists. I love romantic comedy films. I like to laugh and have that heart-warming feeling when I finish watching them and the same applies to books in that genre. I love romance mixed with comedy so for me romcoms are a natural fit for my character. And I love reading books in the same genre.

Ah, me too! And, what with the way the world is, right now, we could all do with a bit of a warm, fuzzy feeling from our reading, at least!

Now, let’s come back to your new release, A Girl Like Me. First off, I loved it! (Review below!) It’s fiction, but also a very personal book, given what our main character Olivia discovers about herself. What made you want to write about Dyspraxia?

Oh, I’m so pleased you loved it! That makes me so happy!

I wanted to write about a character with Dyspraxia because I have this condition, but I only made this discovery when I turned forty! Now my life makes sense. It has explained a lot!

I thought the basis would make a good fictional story and Olivia would make a great character. I wanted to create a character who was dealing with similar challenges to the ones I faced, but who was able to find her own way and thrive despite them.

I think that comedy can be a really powerful tool for addressing serious topics in a way that’s relatable and engaging for audiences. For me, the key was to strike a balance between the funny moments and the more serious ones – to make sure that the comedy never felt like it was making light of the challenges that the character was facing. I also tried to draw on my own experiences and those of others with dyspraxia to make sure that the humour felt authentic and true to life.

I totally get that. It’s why I write what I do, and why. It’s taking a serious but almost ‘taboo’ subject and bringing it out f hiding, for people to begin talking, and understanding.

I hope that people will come away from the book with a greater understanding of what it’s like to live with dyspraxia, and with a sense of empathy and compassion for those dealing with similar challenges. But I also hope that they’ll see that it’s possible to overcome those challenges and live a fulfilling and happy life.

I hope that the story will be inspiring and uplifting for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t quite fit in, or like they were struggling to find their place in the world.

I think it will. 😊

I loved Caspar, her knight in shining armour. If A Girl Like Me was made into a film, who would play your main characters?

Gosh, that is a hard question because I don’t write with actors in mind although I did imagine the book as a film whilst writing it… So I think Olivia would have to be Emilia Clarke as I saw her in Last Christmas and knew that she would be perfect for the role.

For Caspar I would quite like to screen-test Henry Cavill for the role – He’s played Superman and Olivia likens Caspar to Superman so it would be fun to have him playing the part!

Yes! I can picture them in these roles! Perfect casting.

Do you think you would write any sort of follow-up to Olivia and Caspar’s story, as she rides the wave of success in her career, and juggles living with Dyspraxia?

Funny you should say that. I am toying with the idea of a sequel or two. I may or may not have the titles already so watch this space.

And that’s how my series was born, too! I always thought I’d write that story, then I’d be done, but so many thoughts came into play after writing it, and then the questions from reader feedback made me think of the next two books… and if things work out, there might be at least another three books and/or novellas that could come after… but, let me finish writing the third, first!

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

Well as mentioned I have the sequels in the Without a Hitch series to write, I did start writing them, but life got in the way, as it tends to do. I also have the framework of an idea for a Christmas story which was shortlisted in a Penguin novel competition and another romance book which I’ve already created the cover for! I have a book that I wrote a few years back that needs editing – so that might be my next one. It’s a fun story with female friendship at its heart.

I know all about life getting in the way, my friend, as you are well aware! 😳

But, wow! Lots of lovely Bettina Hunt books in the pipeline! I am extremely happy to hear that! Peeps, you should really get these downloaded. They are wonderful reads!

Thank you so much for popping over, Bettina! I hope the chai wasn’t too strong, and the pakoras were crispy enough for you! 😊

And thank you for inviting me, Ritu.

My pleasure 😊

Peeps, you can read the blurb for A Girl Like Me and my review below!

Purchase links follow.

The Blurb

Cute and clumsy bumps into train man in a meet-cute that readers have described as ‘brilliant.’

She’s been asking the question, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ He holds the answer, but will knowing the truth change anything?

When perennially clumsy thirty-something, Olivia, falls into the arms of a stranger, she thinks nothing of it, after all, this sort of thing happens to her all the time. You see ordinary, everyday, tasks that other people seem to manage with ease have always been a struggle for Olivia so over the years she’s developed coping strategies. And, if they don’t work, well she can always rely on her friendly support network to help her out, right?

But when a new boss arrives at the advertising agency where she works, Olivia’s forced out of her comfort zone and fighting to prove herself.

And when Caspar, the mysterious and perfectly together stranger who saved her life, begins appearing everywhere she goes, she can’t help wondering, could she also be falling in love?

Not your (neuro) typical boy meets girl story.

A Girl Like Me is a romantic comedy that celebrates the power of love, the beauty of differences and the courage to be yourself, flaws and all.

Find A Girl Like Me HERE and all Bettina’s other books here!

My Review

A Girl Like Me: The most uplifting and heartwarming romantic comedy you’ll read this year by Bettina Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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 you reading the book? But it’s safe to say that there are characters readers will fall for.
I loved Devinder, her work 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 in a sensitive manner, with lightness and humour.

Author Bio

Bettina Hunt lives in the East of England with her husband and two young sons. She writes uplifting romantic comedies and women’s fiction with fun and relatable heroines.

An avid reader from a very young age, she wrote her first story whilst in primary school and was invited to take it into Reception and read it to the class. The positive feedback she received that day made her aspire to be an author and that childhood dream is now a reality.

Bettina loves comedy, cocktails and afternoon tea. She can’t dance but loves to sing. She does all her own stunts but rarely intentionally. She has Dyspraxia and is on a mission to raise awareness of what it’s like to have this condition, starting with her latest fiction novel – A Girl Like Me.

You will find her on all the usual social media channels where she’d love to hear from you.

Social media links

Twitter - @BeautySwot

Facebook - BettinaHuntAuthor

Instagram - @beautyswot

TikTok - bettinahuntauthor

Book and a Brew with Ritu – The Bay Of Lost Souls by @KiltieJackson #NewRelease #BookReview #Book&ABrew

25 Apr 2023 2 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, Kiltie Jackson, New Release, The Bay of Lost Souls

On to the next guest!

Today, I am thrilled to welcome Kiltie Jackson, a fellow author at Spellbound Books and a great writerly friend, to chat about her newest release, The Bay Of Lost Souls.

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway Kiltie! Now, the first thing we do is get the drinks sorted.

Hi, thank you for having me. A drink sounds lovely.

Thanks to that trusty Tassimo, there’s tea and coffee, but I can make you a masala chai if you prefer!

I’m mostly a coffee drinker, but I would love to try a masala chai if it’s not too much trouble. Thank you.

No trouble at all. I love converting people to the magic of masala chai!

And, seeing as your main character Perrie, was such a whizz with her baking, I could offer you some Victoria sponge that Lil Princess made, or I have some delicious Kenyan chevda (it’s like a Bombay mix, but this one is synonymous with the Kenyan Indians!)

I’ve never been able to decline a piece of cake, and today is not that day, either.

A woman after my own heart! Okay, so let’s get started!

I always love to find out more about where a fellow author’s journey started. When did you realise you wanted to write, and how was your journey to becoming a published author?

Unlike many authors, I didn’t grow up with a burning desire to write. I was too busy enjoying the labours of others, although was often asked why I didn’t write a book of my own, to which I’d reply it would impede my reading time, which, I can confirm it absolutely does! Lol Over the years, I dibbled and dabbled with writing bits here and there but never with the intention of doing it seriously. Finally, in October 2016, I had the lightbulb moment to actually put some effort into this writing malarky and in January 2017, I returned to one of the dabbles – it seemed a shame to waste the 17 chapters I’d already written – and it became my debut novel, ‘A Rock ‘n’ Roll Lovestyle’.

I like to ask this one, because I’m a nosy so and so, but could you tell me where you like to write? Do you have a writing room/desk, or are you a writer who likes to take their laptop/notepad out and about?

I have a study which is all mine, and it’s where all my creations are created. It needs to be completely quiet when I write so I’d be no use in a café environment which some writers prefer.

What a beautiful space! It is wonderful to have that area that you have cultivated just for your creativity. I love my writing room!

Have you ever written a book that you feel will never see the light of day?

My usual writing genre is ladies’ fiction, but I have written a psychological / revenge thriller. The 2^nd draft has been completed, and it’s waiting for the first edit. After that, I will ask a few of my most trusted readers, who also like their thrillers, to read it and to feedback their thoughts. Their opinions will decide what happens to it after that.

Now that sounds rather juicy!

Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written so far?

Of my works currently published, my fourth book, ‘A Timeless Lovestyle’ is my favourite. I love the historical aspect of it and it was quite enlightening trying to view the 21^st century through the eyes of a woman from the 19^th century. I do, however, have a new publication coming out in July 2023 and that is my overall favourite. I can’t say too much yet but it was a book that wrote itself and took only four weeks to create from start to finish.

Oh, to have a book that writes itself in such a short time… actually I just dream of a solid block of time that is mine, alone, to write!

I have read a couple of your other books too, and each is a slightly different genre. Which do you prefer writing in?

I don’t have a preference – I simply write the stories that come into my head. I never think about genre or where they might fit on the bookshelf, I just write them as they present themselves to me.

That is very much my process, too. I don’t write to market so to say, more what my heart wants.

Now, I invited you over to have a little chat about The Bay of Lost Souls. Yet another type of book, with a bit of a serious undertone, when you look at the issues covered in Perrie’s secret. What inspired this story?

In my standalone novel, ‘Radio Haha’ I have a fictional seaside town, Broatiescombe Bay, which I fell in love with. When that novel was completed, I wasn’t ready to let it go and, the next thing I knew, I had a new story brewing in my brain which was based in the Bay. So, in this instance, I was my own inspiration! Lol!

Ha ha! I love it! And I’m glad you did, because it was a great story.

I loved the feline characters, Timothy and George. I know you are a cat lover, like me. Do you have an outdoor run at your place that could rival the one that Perrie has for them in her cottage garden?

We would love to have a cat run for the Moggy Posse but I have a shared access garden which means we are unable to create something attached directly to the house. If we only had a couple of felines, like Perrie, a detached run would be okay, but when you have seven… well, you’ve heard the expression, “like herding cats”!

Seven! Well, I find it hard enough to deal with the two kids, hubby and our one feline, so I don’t know how you cope!

And, since we have bonded over our drinks and snacks, any sneak peaks at what is coming from Kiltie Jackson in the future?

I’ve already touched on the new standalone being released on the 29^th July, and which is very different from Bay of Lost Souls – it’s set in London, so no seaside. After that, the second book in my ‘Since Forever…’ series will be launched in January 2024 with another new series being thrust into the world in June 2024. So, it’s a little busy for the next eighteen months.

A lot coming our way from you. Kiltie! You heard it here, Peeps! I highly recommend you go and check out the lovely Kiltie’s books. I have enjoyed all the ones I have read so far!

I hope you enjoyed your masala chai and cake, Kiltie. It’s been lovely having you here. 😊

Thank you for inviting me, Ritu.

My pleasure 😊

Peeps, you can read the blurb for The Bay Of Lost Souls and my review below!

Purchase links follow.

The Blurb

Can you move on from the darkness in your past, or will it always lurk in the shadows?

Perrie Lacey arrives in the quaint seaside town of Broatiescombe Bay laden with luggage, two cats and a desire for six months of solitude. The remote cottage she’s rented up on the cliff-top should guarantee her that.

Morgan Daniels, and his five-year-old daughter, Daisy, have been managing just fine since the death of his wife and her mother two years before. He’s content with being a twosome and has no intention of changing that any time soon.

When Perrie and Morgan bang into each other, quite literally, within an hour of her arrival, the plans she had for a quiet existence go out the window and as the weeks pass, they find themselves drawn to each other despite their efforts to push against the invisible force pulling them together.

Perrie, however, is carrying a secret she cannot share for doing so will put her new-found happiness at risk.

How big can a secret be before it tears you apart?

Find The Bay of Lost Souls and all Kiltie’s other books here!

My Review

The Bay of Lost Souls: A Beautiful, Uplifting, Perfect Summer Read. by Kiltie Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, Kiltie Jackson. Well, you’ve done it again, haven’t you?
This is the third of your books I have read so far, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Each one I have read has a slightly different genre, and each has its own beauty.
The Bay of Lost Souls centres around Perrie, a woman who is running from something to the isolated Broatiescombe Bay to be alone and come to terms with her life.
Morgan is a single father to one gorgeous little girl, Daisy, who has his own tragedy to overcome.
Fate rolls them into one another (literally), and the beauty of the bay, and a little girl obsessed with Disney princess Merida, try their hardest to seal the deal.
The thing is, nothing is ever what it seems.
I loved the bay and the little cottage Perrie moves into for her stay and her cats, Timothy and George. What a pair of characters!
All the book’s characters are believable, real souls to whom you can relate.
Daisy was a firm favourite, too, as a feisty little pre-schooler who knows what she wants.
The secret Perrie carries is a big twist and causes all manner of drama, as it should, but everything is revealed and handled in an extremely sensitive manner.
A love story with secrets, twists and turns, and adventure, too.
Definitely worth a read.

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

Connect with Kiltie on Social Media here:

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

Book and a Brew with Ritu – Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove by @KimTheBookworm #NewRelease #BookReview @BoldwoodBooks

18 Apr 2023 8 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove, Kim Nash, New Release

Loving this series!

Today, I am thrilled to welcome Kim Nash, a fantastic author, and writer friend of mine, to chat about her latest release, Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove.

Today, I am thrilled to welcome amazing author Kim Nash to my blog for a cuppa and a bit of a chat about all things writerly, especially her latest release, Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove.

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Kim! Let’s get you set with a drink, first. Now would you prefer a coffee of some sort? Or maybe a cup of tea, or would you like to be brave and have a traditional homemade Indian masala tea?

If we’re going masala tea, then I can bust out the samosas and pakoras (fried potato and vegetable fritters), but I do have biscuits, and cake. (Might not be as delicious as Gemma’s offerings, but I can try!

Let’s go with masala tea then. I’ve never tried it, but hey, life is about trying new things – yes? I do love a coffee, but you got me with samosas and pakoras. Although I’m a sucker for biscuits and cake, too (especially lemon drizzle!)

I promise I’ll ease you in gently, with a mild masala chai, then!

Right. So, let’s get started! You’ve been a busy bee, over the last few years, with your writing. No less than six published novels under your belt! And all pretty much amazing books, from what I have read. (Three down, three on my Kindle waiting for me to read!) I know you have a love for Women’s Fiction. What drove you to write in that direction?

Women’s Fiction is my favourite genre. Those books with humour, too, even more so. I grew up reading Shirley Conran’s Lace (I’ve never looked at goldfish in the same way!), (Oh my goodness, me too! 😳 ) Jilly Cooper books (wow!) and Danielle Steele which were a lot less racy but so very emotional. My mom often came into me in the middle of the night to tell me off for reading late and then ended up having to give me a hug because I was sobbing my heart out. Then I really found my place with books by Carole Matthews, Jill Mansell, Katie Fforde, Jane Green, Lisa Jewell, Isabel Wolfe etc. That was when I realised that was the sort of book that, if ever got round to writing one, would be what I would choose to write.

How bout you Ritu?

Well, for a start, I think I grew up with a lot of the same authors as you. My mum was a Barbara Taylor Bradford and Virginia Andrews fan, too, and an aunt who lived with us was a Danielle Steele fan, who left many of her books with us! And I carried on reading, many of those same authors as you, as I grew up, too. As for my writing genre, I struggle to pigeon hole it, to be honest, as there is contemporary there, rom com, cultural, or desi fiction, issues that would be more women’s fiction, as well as moral issues that a writer friend of mine described as literary. All I know is that there is lots to find, in my stories, but why I write them? Because I wanted to be able to read stories with more characterss like me, too. Stories that I could relate to, as a British Indian woman, but something that anyone could read, as entertainment, and also maybe a little educational, too.

Have you ever wanted to try and write in a different genre? I know it scares the bejesus out of me! (Even though I seem to be stretching myself in single books, instead!)

Oh me too! I couldn’t write historical fiction because I don’t have the time or the patience for all the research, although I LOVE to read them. I couldn’t write a crime or psychological thriller because I’d scare myself to death. I couldn’t write erotic stories because when I read them I find myself pulling funny faces and concentrating too much about what body bits are going where (like a game of Twister!) I have considered writing a cosy crime which I might try at some point but I’m rubbish at working out a whodunnit so maybe the crime would never get solved. I do like uplifting feel-good fiction that I write now, so I’m not planning to move out of my comfort zone yet. I’m trying masala tea, that’s enough of something new for me. LOL!

Well, that’s a start, at least, Kim!

Where do you like to write? Do you have a writing room at home, or are you a nomadic writer, taking your notebook and pen, or laptop to different places?

I’m a bit rubbish at writing from home. There’s always something else to do that distracts me and I’m the Queen of Procrastination! I do have a writing area set up in my garden room. (That sounds posher than it is but it does overlook the garden!) I have candles and fairy lights and try to make it feel different from my working space. I work from home too, so it’s quite difficult to separate the two for me. And when your fifteen-year-old is standing next to you trying really hard to do as many keepy-uppies as possible and the dog launching himself at the window because he’s seen a squirrel or barking excessively when someone has the audacity to walk down the street, it’s not easy when you are trying to be creative.

I love to get away from home (wonder why! See above!) For instance, as I write this, I’m staying in my friend’s house in Wales and I’m looking over the bay and am actually drifting off quite a bit just staring into the distance. I love a writing retreat with writing pals. A lodge in the countryside, overlooking water if possible, is perfect for me.

Where’s your favourite writing spot?

The writing retreat sounds idyllic, Kim! But, right now, it is tough for me to be away from home, due to more personal reasons. Thaat being said, I have my own writing room/reading nook in our house, which is so cosy, and in the summer, I can set up in the conservatorywhere I get a lovely view of our garden, as long as the sun is out! I’m blessed to be in the heart of a village in Kent, so the peace is wonderful.

Is there any one of your books that has a special place in your heart? I know that is a toughie as they are all our book babies, aren’t they?

It is really tough. Amazing Grace, my debut, I suppose is the most special because I wrote it after my Mom died so there’s a lot of me in it. It’s about a woman who is grieving the loss of her Mom. Can you see where the inspiration came from? LOL! Mom was a huge reader and I would have loved her to see her daughter become an author. I hope she’d be proud. (I didn’t know your mum, Kim, but I can guarantee she would bee proud of all you have achieved. 🤗)

I have loved all my books in their own way though. The two Muddleford books because they’re based on Mudeford where I spent a lot of my childhood holidays, and Sunshine and Second Chances because it’s about women of a *ahem* certain age going on holiday together and inspiring each other to be the best versions of themselves that they can be and finding their own happy. And finally Escape to Giddywell Grange which is about redundancy and how it can affect you both mentally as well as physically.

I always think that those ‘hard to talk about’ issues, are great to use in our books, because there are plenty of people ot there probably in similar situations, and even if they cannot talk about it, they can read, and recognise situations, making them feel less alone. And the book can be a great vehicle for opening conversations about difficult topics.

Let’s get back to your latest release, Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove. Meredith, your main character is someone I feel many women could relate to. A certain age, with some responsibilities diminishing, and other problems raising their heads. But her impromptu purchase… now, that was a biggie! Have you ever done something like that?

Not really anything like that, but I am quite impulsive. I’m very black and white in my thinking. You either want something or you don’t, so I not really a ditherer. My ex for instance used to spend hours and hours researching for a new car. I’d ask what colour they were and pick the one that was my favourite colour. That’s my sort of decision making.

Oh, my goodness. Kim, were we cut from the same cloth? My decision process iss pretty much like that, too, while my husband can take three months to decide which restaurant he wants to go to! 😂

Many of your books are set in beautifully picturesque settings. Are they all places you have visited yourself?

They are although I haven’t been to Cornwall for years. It’s just so flipping far from where I live (Staffordshire) and the thought of ~~wasting,~~ I mean spending five hours at least in a car driving somewhere gives me the heebie-jeebies. Think of how much other stuff I could do in that time. Sunshine and Second Chances is set in The Algarve which is somewhere I adore. And Mudeford, where Muddleford is based on, has a very special place in my heart from childhood.

In this book we had Gladys, the gorgeous Labrador belonging to Vi. I do love a pet in a book. Do you have a furry muse at home, who helps you with your writing?

I do have a hairy hound at home, but I’m not sure he’s my muse! But he is gorgeous and I adore him. Roni is an English Setter who was rescued from Greece by a charity and we adopted him about 5 years ago. He just sighs a lot when I ask him to help me with a plot hole and he’s not really that up for helping with promotion either, as you can see from the photo here!

Oh, such a cutie!

I must tell you I devoured your latest offering in pretty much a day, because it was a story filled with hope and positivity. Will there be any more from Meredith and the gang, or is your next project something totally different?

I’m currently away editing Book 2 in the Driftwood Bay series, which follows Hopeful Hearts in the Cornish Cove. It will be out in October and will be Gemma’s story. Then Book 3 will be out next Spring and will be the story from someone else that you’ve already met, but I’m not ready to divulge who yet!

Care to guess Ritu? Or is there anyone you’d like to read more about?

Meredith’s mother, possibly? Well, now I am all excited at the thought of two more books to follow this!

Now, I hope you enjoyed the masala chai, and pakoras, Kim! And, thank you for popping over for a chat with me, it’s been a blast!

Thank you for inviting me, Ritu.

My pleasure 😊

Peeps, you can read the blurb for Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove, and my review, below!

Purchase links follow.

The Blurb

A perfect new start in Cornwall…

Meredith’s life is at a standstill. She’s stuck in a dead-end job, approaching fifty, and her dating life is a string of disasters. But one evening, while browsing the internet, she sees an ad for a lighthouse, and in a moment of impulsiveness, she makes a ridiculous bid for it.

With the help of local handyman Clem, she sets about renovating. And as they work together, a bond begins to form. But when Meredith finds out that Clem is keeping a secret from her, it changes everything. Will they find a way to build something more meaningful together?

A delightful story about community, friendship and having the courage to start over, perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Milly Johnson and Lucy Dillon

Available in ebook, paperback and audiobook

UK: https://amzn.to/3Yr7Q7u

US: https://amzn.to/3RMdPSb

My Review

Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s been a while since I stepped into the gorgeous worlds created by Kim Nash and her characters, and I truly enjoyed this foray to the Cornish coast!
Meredith made a bit of a drunken decision to purchase a lighthouse, miles away from the rest of her life, to have a fresh start, a project, and to put some distance between her and her old life that, apart from her best friend, seemed to have begun to stagnate.
Well, what can I say? There are always dubious purchases made with the aid of alcohol when you aren’t feeling yourself, and when she arrives at her new, unviewed, apart from some stylised photos, home, she is in for a shock.
And the shocks don’t start there, but at the local supermarket, where she encounters rude locals that get her back up from the off.
I will not go into the story, as what would be the point of you reading it if I was just to regurgitate it here, but I will say that you won’t want to put it down once you start reading!
Meredith is a character who will resonate with many women, especially those of a certain age. She had a fire in her belly that was dampened by her previous life, but the sea and sea air might have just reignited it rather than put it out completely!
There are many characters to keep you wanting to read, not least Vi, who I think is an amazing woman. What a character! And her dog, Gladys, is just adorable!
Meredith has old friends, but the new ones she makes as she begins what feels like a thankless task of renovating and restoring her purchase are a choice bunch.
But there are always that core of locals who ‘hate’ newcomers. She has her work cut out, I’ll tell you.
And, of course, there’s Clem… A brooding, moody man who ends up rather helpful in many ways. But will he be the one who helps her realise she is not just a middle-aged woman undeserving of a fresh start romantically as well as generally?
The restoration of the lighthouse was fascinating to read about, too, and just reading the descriptions makes me want to go and stay in one right now!
A wonderful read from start to finish!

CANNOCK COPYRIGHT SHROPSHIRE STAR STEVE LEATH 23/03/2023 Heather feature with author: Kim Nash, from Hednesford. Kim is pictured with her new book, with a selection of her books, and at her writing desk with a card featuring a Lighthouse that was given to her. The card sits on her writing desk and ended up being an inspiration for her book.

Author Bio

Kim Nash is an author of uplifting, funny, heartwarming, romantic, feel-good fiction and has wanted to write books since she was a little girl. She has recently signed a 3-book deal with Boldwood Books and Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove is the first book in a series of books set in the fictional seaside village of Driftwood Bay in Cornwall.

She lives in Staffordshire with her son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni, is Digital Publicity Director for publisher Bookouture (a division of Hachette UK) and is a book blogger at www.kimthebookworm.co.uk.

When she’s not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog at Cannock Chase, reading, writing and binge-watching box sets on the TV. She’s also quite partial to a spa day and a gin and tonic (not at the same time!) Kim also runs a book club in Staffordshire and organises local and national reader/author events.

Connect with Kim on Social Media here:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBookWorm/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/Kim_the_bookworm

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@kimthebookworm