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Book and a Brew with Ritu – Do What You Love by @Marjorie_Mallon by #NewRelease #BookReview

25 Nov 2022 20 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, Do What You Love, Marjorie Mallon, New Release

I’m back with a second edition!

Today, I am thrilled to welcome an old blogging and writing friend who I have met in person. None other than the lovely Marjorie Mallon, one of my blogging sisters! She’s got an awesome poetry collection out TODAY, entitled Do What You Love.

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway again, Marje! First things first. What would you like to drink?

We have all the usuals, tea, coffee, masala chai, fancy coffee from the Nespresso machine, or green tea if you’d prefer. Lil Princess has been busy baking cookies for us, too!

Ah, I’ve put a bit of weight on recently, Ritu, so I better say green tea, but I’d love a cookie! Thanks, Lil Princess. 🙂

So, firstly, let’s set the scene. You recently left British shores and have moved abroad to Portugal. What a brave move! Tell us about it. How has it changed life for you since you are also a mother? And are you able to be more creative out there now?

Thank you so much, Ritu, for inviting me over to chat about my new book and for taking the time to read and review it. I appreciate it so much. We’re still swamped in the bureaucratic post covid process, Ritu.

Even though things are starting to move! At the moment, I’m spending over half of the year in the UK, mostly in Edinburgh and the rest in Portugal. As I have elderly parents and my daughters are both based in the UK, I see this time as a precious gift to be with them. I miss my daughters, family and friends in the UK.

But… we have had a lot of visitors! In truth, I find it more difficult to focus on writing here as there are so many distractions! I have to be disciplined and find the time! Yesterday (after a late night and a rock concert,) I began writing this interview on the train travelling from Faro back to Tavira.

You haven’t pigeonholed yourself as a writer, have you? YA fantasy fiction, and all sorts of poetry and cross-over poetic fiction books. What is your favourite type of creative writing?

No, I haven’t. I would try anything… I might even attempt to write a crime and/or romance novel one day. My favourite kind of writing is… perhaps poetry and short fiction as I find it the easiest to write. I love writing full-length novels too, but they are much more challenging, frustrating and time-consuming.

I’ve been wondering, how is your 2nd book progressing Ritu… Can’t wait to read it.

Currently, it is sitting with my editors at my publisher! So, not long. June 2023 is the pencilled-in publication date! Oh, they do take forever to write, don’t they, especially when you are working full time, too!

You know I’m a nosy soul. Where do you like to write? Is it a very different setup for you now you have moved?

Yes! We have downsized from a 5-bed family home with a large garden to a one-bed rented flat with a tiny balcony and no garden. I must be mad! I mainly write in said flat in Tavira – in the kitchen! My hubby bought me a nice table and chairs with a pretty view of the fields and trees nearby I used to have an office in our old house, but we are only renting at the moment, so I am making do! I am flexible that way… as long as I have a laptop, power and wifi, I am ready to go.

What about you Ritu where do you write?

I have my little reading and writing room. I loathed to call it an office because it then seems like work rather than the pleasure I find creating stories!

We’ve been friends for a LONG time now. And we’ve had the pleasure of meeting each other in person at the ABBA’s. (Remember them? I miss those opportunities to catch up with my blogily!) How do you feel your blogging career has evolved over the years?

Yes, we have been friends for a LONG time, and I value your dear friendship so much, Ritu. I miss those events and your lovely in-person company! I must admit to having downsized my blogging activity. I miss it, but something had to give! I focus mainly on writing reviews now, doing blog tours etc., which I love doing. I’ve started a bookstagram account mainly for this purpose: https://www.instagram.com/mjm_reviews/

Who knows where my future writing/blogging may take me.

I would love to write more about my travels…as I am a keen photographer. I’ve started drafting a story set in Tavira, so we shall see…it started off as a romantic idea but seems to be veering in another direction. So me!

You must find it so hard to find time Ritu with your work commitments… How do you manage? Oddly I find it even harder now I am retired from my day job. The opposite to what I expected!

I’m not actually sure how I manage, Marje! But, I feel that if you really want to do something, you will find the time for it, so that is how I manage. I don’t watch an awful lot of TV, so my spare time is all reading and writing and adding my regular posts to my blog!

I have been honoured to read most of your work as working copies, or arcs, over the years. What has been your favourite project so far?

You are a star and such a huge supporter of all my work! It’s a pleasure to read and an honour to be trusted with someone’s creativity!

I love your writing too and can’t wait to read more of The Rishtay series! (Blushing…) Thank you.

My favourite project… a difficult one to answer as I love them all.

Overall, it has to be my debut novel Bloodstone, in The Curse of Time series, as it was my first writing project, the 1st novel I’d ever written and published. It kickstarted it all, and I am very proud of all the positive and diverse reviews it has received. It now has 84 reviews on Goodreads… and counting, with an overall rating of 4.14.

Also, I met the inventor of the Corpus Christi Clock (one of the inspirations for the series,) Dr John C Taylor, and went out for lunch and a stroll with him, which was a huge highlight of my life. And Bloodstone is now available in audiobook which I love. We are currently working on the audiobook of book 2, Golden Healer. So excited about this!

I’ve just literally finished reading Do What You Love, your latest poetry collection with an eclectic mix of writing, where you revisit key moments in life and talk them through via the mediums of fictional conversations with the Three Sisters of Fate. Tell us how this idea came about.

I had a conversation with the sisters of fate, and they said to write this! Only joking. Like all of my writing projects, it evolved rather than was planned. It showcases poetry, prose and photographic images about my favourite places to live, emotional memories, happy times, amusing moments, and imagined discussions with the 3 three sisters of fate over a wide period of time. I suppose it is me having a soul-searching chat with myself about how my life is about to change and how perhaps I have to come to terms with that. Moving abroad is much more difficult than I first anticipated. I tend to jump and think later…

Since we’re sitting here with our drinks and cookies, and your book is about reminiscences, can you tell us a bit about a favourite food or snack and the memories it evokes?

My favourite food or snack has to be my mum’s beef rendang (Malaysian curry) or her Chinese duck, or sweet and sour pork – truly scrumptious, and her snacks…meat sate sticks, dim sum, homemade spring rolls.

My mum’s cooking evokes memories of family gatherings, and my hubby’s mouth-watering… he kept on coming to see me and ended up being spellbound by her fabulous cooking. Lol. Not joking. My mum is still a wonderful cook at age 80! She still gets up early every morning to cook. Bless her.

That all sounds delicious!

Now, to finish, can you tell us what to expect next? Will there be more from your YA series or other fiction? Or will you be concentrating on your poetry?

Next up is the final book in my YA fantasy series which will be set in The Land of Shadows. I also have several unfinished projects, some of which are short stories and as I mentioned earlier, the beginning of a story set in Tavira. Perhaps if I do write another poetry collection it will be set in Portugal… time will tell!

Oh, now exciting!

Thank you so much for visiting, Marje. It’s been a pleasure.

Thank you for inviting me, Ritu.

My pleasure 😊

Peeps, you heard that right, the last in Marje’s YA series is on its way, too!

Now, as I mentioned before, I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Do What You Love, so let me share the blurb and my review.

The Blurb

Do What You Love is a personal poetry collection celebrating how the fates may have a part in all that we do.

With special poems and short reflective moments inspired by family, flowers and nature, love, scrumptious morsels, places I’ve visited, lived and intend to live in, the friendships and hopes I have for the future.

The overarching theme is to live a life well lived… And to do what you love.

float along with me
create clouds of sweetest joy
to do what you love
hold fate’s hand as we venture
near and far on life’s journey

My Review

Do What You Love: Fragility of Your Flame Poems Photography & Flash Fiction by M.J. Mallon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh what a lovely book, filled with poetic gems and beautiful prose!
I enjoy reading MJ Mallon’s poetic fiction, where she ties poetry with prose, and have read several of her previous books written similarly.
Do What You Love is almost autobiographical in the sense that she has taken her memories and written them in poetic form. The fictional, almost fantastical element is where she meets the three sisters of fate through her journey of reminiscences, and they talk about her different memories.
It’s not linear, but no conversation ever is, is it? Memories jump from the more recent to the older ones as they come tumbling into your mind.
I felt a keen connection to the poems about her daughters and the autumn trees. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons.
A lovely book with a personal touch.

AMAZON – DO WHAT YOU LOVE

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BKLC9DYY/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/What-You-love-Fragility-Photography-ebook/dp/B0BKLC9DYY/

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/What-You-love-Fragility-Photography-ebook/dp/B0BKLC9DYY/

And here are some links about Marje and her other books.

I am thrilled to say that two of my poetry collections (Mr Sagittarius and Lockdown Innit) have been requested by prestigious libraries in the UK: The British Library, The Bodleian Library Oxford University, the Cambridge University Library, the National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales and Trinity College Dublin for Legal Deposit.

Add the book to your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63114445-do-what-you-love

The cover of the paperback and kindle have been designed by Colleen Chesebro who has a new service for authors which I can highly recommend. Colleen also designed the interior and cover of The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet.

https://unicorncatspubservices.wordpress.com/my-services

Blog: https://mjmallon.com

All links via: https://linktr.ee/mjmallonauthor

Portfolio:
https://unicorncatspubservices.wordpress.com/portfolio

https://wordcraftpoetry.com/unicorn-cats-publishing-services/

Other poetry/flash fiction collections:

Kyrosmagica Publishing

The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet

https://books2read.com/u/mv1OeV

Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose

http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius

Anthology – This Is Lockdown (poetry, diaries and flash fiction – kindle)

http://mybook.to/Thisislockdown

Poetry during Lockdown – Lockdown Innit

http://mybook.to/Lockdowninnit

Poetry also features in my highly acclaimed YA Fantasy series. Each chapter begins with a short poem. The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone and Book 2 Golden Healer are published by Next Chapter Publishing.

https://www.nextchapter.pub/books/bloodstone

https://www.nextchapter.pub/books/golden-healer

https://www.nextchapter.pub/authors/mj-mallon

About the Author

M J Mallon was born in Lion city Singapore, a passionate Scorpio with the Chinese Zodiac sign of a lucky rabbit. She spent her early childhood in Hong Kong. During her teen years, she returned to her father’s childhood home, Edinburgh where she spent many happy years, entertained and enthralled by her parents’ vivid stories of living and working abroad. Perhaps it was during these formative years that her love of storytelling began to be bolstered by these vivid raconteurs. She counts herself lucky to have travelled to many far-flung destinations, and this early wanderlust has fuelled her present desire to emigrate abroad. Until that wondrous moment, it’s rumoured that she lives sometimes in the UK and often times in Portugal. Her two enchanting daughters have flown the nest but often return with a cheery smile to greet her.

Her motto is to always do what you love, stay true to your heart’s desires, and inspire others to do so too.

Book and a Brew with Ritu – Snowfall over Halesmere House by Suzanne Snow@SnowProse @canelo_co @Katrina_Power #NewRelease #BookReview

20 Nov 2022 7 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, New Release, Suzanne Snow

I’m back with a second edition!

Today, I am hosting a new-to-me author, Suzanne Snow, as I read her most recent release, Snowfall Over Halesmere House, as part of a blog tour!

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

Thank you for hosting me, Ritu, I’m looking forward to answering your questions after our drink!

I do a mean Indian masala chai. However, I noticed that your main character, Ella, enjoyed coffee more, so if that is what you’d like I can offer that, or even a yummy hot chocolate. I have the whipped cream and marshmallows ready.

In the spirit of all things foodie, since Ella was a chef, I have some lovely fresh Indian snacks to go with the tea, samosas and pakoras, but an additional steamed dhokla, which originates from Gujarat, if you fancy a try!

I would love to try all of those, thank you, and I know they’re going to be delicious! I’d be very happy with the masala chai or a turmeric latte. I drink more tea than coffee, and I’m not a big fan of hot chocolate (sorry!).

We have something in common already. I am definitely a tea drinker rather than a coffee one!

Now, 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? I know the RNA played a massive part, too.

It really did. I began writing as a child, immersing myself in books which fired my imagination and took me to places I could picture perfectly in my mind. It wasn’t long before I knew I wanted to create my own and I probably have some awful short stories written by ten-year-old me in a box somewhere!

I was always drawn to romance, and I joined the RNA as a new writer in 2018 with two manuscripts already written. My first report was very positive and suggested some edits, which I did, and it also gave me the confidence to approach agents and publishers.

There were of course plenty of rejections along the way. I met my agent Susan Yearwood at the 2019 RNA conference, where I was pitching my second manuscript. In April 2020 I signed a 3-book deal with Canelo and both of those early manuscripts went on to be published as books one and two in the Welcome to Thorndale series.

I think many hours of work and perseverance played their part in getting published, along with opportunities for new writers to learn through the RNA. I can’t overstate the importance of the New Writers Scheme and connecting with people who share your love for the genre through the Association.

At present, you are a new-to-me author, as I mentioned, but you have several other books out there. Could you tell us a little about the inspiration behind your other series?

Welcome to Thorndale is a four-book series set in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. The village of Arncliffe, currently used for filming some scenes in All Creatures Great and Small, was my original inspiration for Thorndale. I visit the Dales quite regularly and I still half expect to see my characters going about their business when I’m there!

My inspiration to write comes from a love of landscape, romance and rural life, and I wanted to bring all of these together in the books. Each is a standalone story, but they are best read in order as characters from the first book return in all four.

I completed the series with A Country Village Christmas last year, but I have an idea for a fifth book at the back of my mind. Books one and four in the series have epilogues on my website, and it was so much fun to return to familiar characters and write them.

It’s funny how some characters don’t want to be put to bed. My first novel, Marriage Unarranged was a stand-alone. Still, the characters wouldn’t be quiet, so I have just finished book 2 and am starting the process for the third in that series, and even then, there are ideas for novellas and possibly sequels coming into my mind!

And do you have a favourite out of all your published books so far?

It’s very difficult to answer as they’re a little bit like favourite children! How do you choose! If I had to pick just one, it would be The Cottage of New Beginnings, as it’s the first book I had published, and that’s such a special moment for any author. Annie and Jon’s story was the beginning of my new career, and they’re definitely favourite characters, and I still wonder where they might be in their lives now. Each book was a joy to write, and I’m very grateful to be continuing into a second series with Canelo.

I’d agree with you, there. Our books are always our babies!

I always ask this one, 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 can write more or less anywhere, and if it’s going well, the noise around me will cease. I do most of my writing from around six am, and I’m at my best first thing. I write for three hours before a walk to work out what’s next. I have a lovely writing nook, and it’s very cosy with lots of books. My husband suggested the colour when we redecorated it as it’s described as a romantic grey-pink. He thought it would suit my room perfectly; he was right, and I love it!

That sounds ideal!

Have you ever written a book you feel will never see the light of day? I know I have a few half-written ideas, but nothing I finished completely, then set to one side!

I haven’t got a full-length manuscript in a drawer, but there are probably one or two terrible, unfinished ones from many years ago. They will never see the light of day, I’ll make sure of it! I mainly wrote short stories during my teenage years, and it was a good way to begin. I found some recently during a clear-out and couldn’t bring myself to shred them as they’re part of my own story as an author. I hope you finish yours, Ritu, and they do see the light of day, I’m sure they’re much better than mine!

Oh, gosh, no! We should never get rid of them, should we? You never know where that little fledgeling of an idea may flourish and form a part of a story you write in the future! And I highly doubt they are much better than yours! Probably different, but no less rushed and immature!

Now, I invited you over to have a little chat about your newest release, Snowfall over Halesmere House. Firstly, can I just say, I love that you have a Christmassy book and your surname is Snow! Where did the idea for the story of Ella and Max come from?

Thank you, I love the snow on the covers of my Christmas books. It’s very apt! I think I’ll have to keep on writing about Christmas!

I wanted to write a series set in the Lake District and had the idea for a holiday home and group of artists’ studios with characters coming and going. I love Cumbria and have spent lots of time there visiting studios and different areas of the county for inspiration.

Ella and Max are both familiar with loss in their lives, and I hope their story is an uplifting one rooted in a sense of place that helps them move on and look to the future. Prim, the English Pointer dog, was inspired by our own, and wonderful to write. Max’s children Lily and Arlo, and his mother Noelle all play their own part in a story of family and finding love.

Ella is a chef, as I mentioned earlier. Are you a dab hand in the kitchen? If so, what is your speciality? If not, who is the cook in your house?

I’m a good home cook, and we like to try new things along with the old favourites. I love making meals for family and friends, and a few years ago I made hundreds of individual portions of soup to sell for charity. My husband enjoys baking, and he makes a fabulous black cherry cheesecake.

I love that your husband bakes! I do love a bit of baking. My Hubby Dearest well, he is a dab hand at ordering takeaway, if you catch my drift! He can microwave meals like no one else, and can boil an egg…

My speciality would probably be a roast dinner, as my dad taught me and he still makes the best gravy. My son is also a good cook and always willing to help out if we’re busy. He’s more experimental than me and likes to create his own recipes.

Oh. I love roast dinners! Your son sounds like my brother. He’s a great cook and always knocking up different dishes!

I understand that Snowfall Over Halesmere House is the beginning of a new series for you called Love In The Lakes. Any sneaky clues as to who the next story may centre around?

The next book is due out in February, and it’s Lizzie and Cal’s second chance at first love. Until this one, I hadn’t written about a couple who’d known each other before, and I loved creating that first connection and writing about the summer they spent together twelve years earlier. They’re back at Halesmere for different reasons and creating their story, as they go in search of family and maybe a future, was brilliant.

That sounds fantastic, and. I can’t wait for book two in the series!

Thank you so much for visiting, Suzanne. It’s been a pleasure.

Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog, Ritu, I’ve loved answering your questions. I hope one day I’ll get to try those amazing samosas, pakoras and steamed dhokla. I wish you all the best with your unfinished work too, I look forward to them seeing daylight!

My pleasure 😊 And thank you for the good vibes! May we bring many books out between us!

So, you have a fantastic book to read, my Peeps, and a second one following it, soon, too!

Now, as I mentioned before, I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Snowfall At Halesmere House, so let me share the blurb and my review.

The Blurb

Welcome to Halesmere House, where romance might be just around the corner…

After years of living in the past, Ella is ready to start building a future. The perfect opportunity presents itself when she is offered a short-term role at Halesmere House in the Lake District, and tasked with kick-starting its artists’ residence. She can’t wait to start and explore a new career in an inspiring location.

But when Ella arrives at Halesmere, she wonders if she’s made a huge mistake after she clashes with Max, the new owner. Max has his own reasons to be unsettled by her presence, but despite his misgivings it seems everyone else loves having Ella around. As a single dad, it’s his children’s attachment to her that bothers him most. Who will pick up the pieces when Ella leaves?

What Max doesn’t know is that Ella is falling for more than just the Lake District and the community around her. Can her temporary job lead to a permanent happy ending?

A tender and uplifting Christmas romance for fans of Heidi Swain, Karen Swan and Sue Moorcroft.

My Review

I was lucky enough to be sent an ARC of Snowfall at Halesmere House to participate in a blog tour.
A lovely story about our main character, Ella, who has spent her whole life chasing a dream that wasn’t hers. She’s ready for a chance to think about what she wants in life.
A spot of a post on Instagram brings her to an idyllic but small village a fair distance from her home, where she encounters some interesting characters and plenty of challenges of her own.
I loved it.
Noelle, the woman who brought Elle to the Lake District, is a hoot, and her son, Max, and his children get under the skin of our MC pretty quickly.
There is an excellent cast of supporting characters and a certain woman who is the thorn in Ella’s side, but I don’t think she realises until quite far along in the story!
And the slow-burn romance that builds among the Christmas cheer is as welcome as a log fire on a cold winter’s night!
A great read!

Author Biography

Suzanne writes contemporary and uplifting fiction with a vibrant sense of setting and community connecting the lives of her characters. A horticulturist who lives with her family in Lancashire, her books are inspired by a love of landscape, romance and rural life.

Her first novel in the Thorndale series, The Cottage of New Beginnings, was a contender for the 2021 RNA Joan Hessayon Award and she is currently writing the Love in the Lakes series for Canelo. Suzanne is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors.

Check out Suzanne’s Website: https://www.suzannesnowauthor.com/

Follow Suzanne on Twitter

Follow Suzanne on Instagram

Book and a Brew with Ritu – The Christmas Trip by @sandybarker @OneMoreChapter_ #NewRelease #BookReview

10 Nov 2022 8 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, new beginnings, New Release, Sandy Barker, The Christmas Trip

What fun! We are on part three of Book and a Brew with Ritu!.

Today, I am beyond excited to have a fangirl moment as brilliant romance author Sandy Barker pops over for a visit! I’ll have you know it took a little time to align our body clocks and timings to work with the UK/Australian time difference, but we managed!

We’ll talk about her latest release, The Christmas Trip, a sequel to the fantastic The Christmas Swap. as well as plenty of other bookish and writerely things!

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Sandy! Let’s get you set with a drink, first. What wonderful warm drink can I interest you in?

I can offer you a typical English tea, or, if you fancy a little something different, I can always brew up some masala tea… or a coffee if you please? Or maybe it is mulled wine we should be sipping since we are talking all things Christmas with your new release out! Let me know. I have my usual samosas and pakoras, and I even baked some of my grandmother’s delicious three-ingredient butter shortbread biscuits, which I thought would be particularly fitting for our catch-up!

First, thank you so much for having me. It’s great that we can finally catch up. Now, normally I’d say a cup of tea – but mulled wine is on offer? I think I have to say yes to that, and I LOVE shortbread biscuits, so yes, please!

Now you’ve got your drink and a nibble, let’s get started.

I always love to find out more about where a fellow author’s journey started. Can you tell me a little bit about how you came to be published, Sandy? I ‘met’ you via the RNA. Were they part of your journey?

Absolutely, the RNA has been part of my journey. I self-published my first book back in December 2017, right as we were about to leave Australia for a one-year sabbatical. We moved to Bali first, and it was there I wrote book 2 in the series. By the time we got to the UK in August, I’d self-published book 2 and was writing book 3. That’s where I discovered the incredible writing community that centres around the RNA. I joined the New Writer’s Scheme for 2019 at the same time I was pitching to agents and publishers in the UK.

When we landed back in Australia in January 2019, I got a publication offer for my first self-published book – the one that became One Summer in Santorini. Off the back of that offer, I secure my brilliant agent, Lina Langlee, and we’ve been building my writing career ever since. I am very grateful for the support of the RNA community, particularly as I started my writing journey. It was a thrill to get to the 2022 conference this year and meet many of my contemporaries in person!

Sandy, you have managed to amass a total of 8 books released since 2019. I am in awe! (Considering it took me near enough twenty years to get my first finished and published…) Where do your ideas come from? I know you love travelling, and foreign shores feature heavily in all your books.

Travel is definitely a strong inspiration for my stories and often the starting point. With Bali, for example, I thought, ‘Who in the Holiday Romance series can I send to this incredible destination?’ That’s when I had the idea of giving a supporting character from That Night in Paris, Jaelee, her own story with most of it set in Bali.

With The Dating Game, which also features travel but is more focussed on the machinations of a reality TV dating show, I was writing recaps of The Bachelor for my colleagues – we were in a sweepstake together during the height of the COVID lockdowns and it was a fun way to connect with them. Those recaps sparked the idea of sending a recapper on the show undercover. That was a blast to write.

And what about you? Where do you get your ideas?

Thank you for asking! My writing tends to find its roots in my own, to be honest. I like to write about life, and situations that are often not openly discussed within our Indian community, with a twist that will engage readers from all backgrounds. It’s always fiction with an educational element, if you like, as many readers of my first novel, and some blog posts always comment on what they have learned about our culture, after reading.

Sandy, is there a favourite book out of the eight of yours that are out there?

I have a soft spot for book 5 in the Holiday Romance series as I got to bring everyone back together and write Tuscany! That was also during lockdown – Melbourne being the most locked down city in the world over the past few years – so it was great escapism to write about such a beautiful destination. But I think The Dating Game is my funniest book.

Do you have a fave of mine, Ritu?

That is a tough question, Sandy! I have enjoyed them all, but I think the Christmas Swap was a particular favourite, because who doesn’t love a bit of festive fun?

Now, I’m a nosy parker, you know. I like to see where others process their creative magic. Where do you like to write? (If I’m not mistaken, I am sure I saw you with a standing desk on one of your social media posts!)

I do have a standing desk, something necessitated by neck issues and headaches I’ve had for twenty plus years.

Ouch!

I typically get up between 5 and 6 in the morning and write or edit for a couple of hours before switching gears to my day job. A couple of years ago, I also went part-time – 4 days a week instead of 5 – and I treat Fridays as a workday – but for my author job. Sometimes, it’s fun to get out and take my laptop to a place with a view – the beach or a winery – and hole up there for a day of writing.

I have such trouble finding time during the term to write because my teaching job uses up all my reserves, and as I have a commute, driving around an hour every day, on top of my working hours, the holidays and weekends are my time to create, the way I want. Maybe one day, I might drop a day, too! But I think that is a while away, yet! (Because I do love my day job, too…)

Where’s your favourite place to write?

I love writing in my writing nook at home, but I’d love to be one of those authors who can camp out at a cafe, bashing out the words, while people-watching and finding even more inspiration! Alas, time and my other life as a teacher as well as a big family person mean that I have very little time for whimsical ideas like that… one day, though. I am scoping out local cafes to have a try!

I’ve read each one of your books, so far, Sandy, and loved them all. Have you ever written a manuscript that is sat, hiding on your desktop, or idling on a USB stick, that you haven’t had published, for whatever reason?

I think we all have at least one of those – hee hee. I do have a few story ideas that are ‘trapped’ in various notebooks and I have a short story (about 15k words) that I’d like to develop into a full-length novel one day. But it’s very different from the romcoms I write. And thank you for the kind words about my books. I’ve got Marriage Unarranged loaded up on my Kindle and can’t wait to get into it – it looks like such a fun read. Thank you so much, Sandy! I hope you enjoy it when you get around to reading it. If your TBR is anything like mine, I know it’s a slog to fit all that reading in around life and writing, too!

Before I warble on about all manner of other things, let’s bring it back to the book of the moment, The Christmas Trip, and top up that mulled wine! This is a sequel to the fantastic The Christmas Swap, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And, lucky me, I got to read an ARC of The Christmas Trip, which was equally wonderful. Did you always plan for a sequel, or was it something that was borne after seeing the way readers lapped up these characters?

I didn’t plan on a sequel when I wrote the first book, but a lot of readers who read The Christmas Swap wondered ‘what next?’ for the May Ladies – Chloe, Lucy and Jules – so I had a think and ended up writing The Christmas Trip, bringing them all back together. I also wanted to set it in a location that was unique to these characters. I love Hawaii and wrote about Maui in A Sunset in Sydney, so I decided to set this book on the island of Kauai.

Have you ever had Christmas in a warm part of the world?

I have! We celebrated in Kenya a few times, growing up, as my parents were both born there, so it would coincide with the odd visit. However, it was never Christmas as we knew it, since all the times we were out there at that time, we were celebrating another family wedding! At least four, I think, and turkey and all the trimmings were a distant dream! But Pops and Mum always bought our presents along, and we would have our Christmas dinner at home when we got back!

I must ask… are you a Christmas geek? And what is Christmas like, for you, Down Under? I know we rarely get a white Christmas over here, but it is even less likely for you!

I am a complete Christmas geek. The Christmas Swap actually came about because I wanted to write about some of the Christmases I’ve had in the past – including in England and Colorado. Here in Australia, it’s typically a hot day, so we sip champers and eat seafood. I always make a pavlova too. That sounds great! I have family in Perth. Maybe, one day, we can try an Aussie Christmas, with them!

What about you? What do you and your family do for the holidays?

If we are home, despite being Sikh, we always celebrate Christmas the traditional way. As a child with my parents, and now, either at my in-laws or at our home, with the turkey and full trimmings! I love getting the tree up on the 1st December, but have to station it in a place where Sonu Singh, our cat, cant chew off the branches, or bat off the baubles! There are less wrapped presents underneath too, nowadays, since the kids are teens and they prefer an envelope with cash!

Now, back to your bookish plans, Sandy…

I may be being cheeky here, but are there any plans for a part three? If not, what do we Sandy Barker-ites have to look forward to, from you, next? I hear there may even be a collaborative offering in the pipeline…

Not sure about a part 3 for the May Ladies – maybe one day. At the moment, Fiona Leitch and I are putting the finishing touches on a co-authored project we’ve been working on in between other books. We call it Big Little Lies meets Gone Girl. It’s a sexy suburban noir thriller set in contemporary Melbourne. I am also working on a labour of love – a dramedy set in Sydney called Tilly Finnegan, Begin Again. I’m about 1/3 of the way through that. And I have started a new rom-com series. I can’t say much about that at the moment, but it will be a lot of fun to explore a range of romantic tropes throughout the series.

So what are you working on next?

I’m currently editing book 2 in The Rishtay Series, due for release in June 2023, and working on the ideas for book 3! (Honestly, I can’t believe there is more than one book in me!)

Your collab with Fiona sounds amazing, and Tilly Finnegan, Begin Again, too. (I am now singing Michael Finnegan under my breath, I’ll have you know! Earworm!)

Now, much as I’d like to keep supping wine with you, I know you have a busy schedule, what with it being publication day, Sandy! Thank you so much for taking the time to pop over and visit! I can’t wait to do it again!

Thank you SO much. What fun questions!

Good luck with the release, Sandy! I loved reading The Christmas Trip, and I know others will love it, too!

So much to look forward to, from Sandy (and Fiona Leitch, too!). I can’t wait!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Christmas Trip so please find my review below, as well as the buy links and some more information about my fabulous guest, Sandy!

The Blurb

It’s a year on and our three May Ladies are all loved up but still living worlds apart.

Chloe has had a whirlwind year amongst the glitz, glamour (and demanding work) of Hollywood. She’s taken on the role of Assistant Producer on the film, ‘An Extraordinary Woman: The Eloise Capel Story’, Archer’s passion project and as Archer’s girlfriend, she’s now schmoozing with A-listers.

Jules is immersed in her Melbourne life, working for a non-profit and sharing an increasingly crowded flat on the waterfront with flatmate, Ash ― and their frequent visitors: Ash’s boyfriend, Davo, and Jules’ love, Matt, and his dog, Dexter. She’s considering moving out on her own, only Matt keeps hinting at Jules moving to his vineyard down south.

Lucy, meanwhile, is stuck in long-distance-relationship hell. While her career is flying high ― a promotion and frequent trips to the US for work ― her relationship with Will has stalled. She doesn’t want to be a part-time girlfriend, finding their time apart agonising, but Will seems perfectly content.

When Archer’s planned Parisian proposal at Christmastime is derailed by an ash cloud over Europe, he hatches a plan to bring all six of them together for a Christmas ― and a marriage proposal ― to remember. In Hawaii!

Join the May Ladies and their loves in the most beautiful destination yet for a Christmas filled with mayhem and misunderstandings, and rocking romance around the Christmas tree!

My Review

The Christmas Trip: A gorgeous Christmas romance to escape with in 2022 by Sandy Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always love a chance to revisit characters who made an impression the first time round, and knowing we were meeting the May Ladies again was a thrill in itself.
I love Sandy Barker’s stories. Modern romances with a bit of heat but a lot of love and plenty of hiccups along the way!
This time our ladies are firmly ensconced in their relationships, but so busy the year has flown by with not much chance to be together.
The effects of an ash cloud result in the three of them being together again, for Christmas, on a beautiful tropical island with their plus ones by their side.
Lucy, Chloe and Jules have plenty to keep them occupied, as each is weaving their way through the maze of long-term relationships. Still, we also meet some great new characters, like Leilani, the housekeeper, or Mama to all, and the immature but intriguing Audrey.
And there is always a little drama to keep the action going!
The descriptions of the idyllic Hawaiian island where they spend Christmas make me want to jet off on holiday too!
I really enjoyed the story, and I’d be more than happy to hear a little more about how they get on in the future!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

These are the buy links for #TheChristmasTrip

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon US

Kobo| iBooks | Nook | Google Play

And here’s a little about Sandy and her other books.

Sandy is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of her travel adventures have found homes in her novels. She’s also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob.

Sandy lives in Melbourne Australia with her partner, Ben, who she met while travelling in Greece. Their real-life love story inspired Sandy’s debut novel One Summer in Santorini, the first in the five-book Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.

The series continues in Paris, Sydney, and Bali with Tuscany the final destination in the series. Sandy’s novels The Christmas Swap and The Christmas Trip celebrate her favourite time of the year, and her romcom, The Dating Game, is set in the (fascinating) world of Reality TV.

Follow Sandy:

Tweets by sandybarker

https://www.facebook.com/sandybarkerauthor

https://sandybarker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sandybarkerauthor/

October 2022 Books #AmReading

31 Oct 2022 13 Comments

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

The autumnal month of October is upon us! How did that happen? Well, I’m still reading away, as my relaxing time, because I need that escape right now! Let’s see what I manage this month!

It was 16, in the end, and many of them were in my half term! We had a crazy term, but reading kept me going through some rough patches, and I hope you like the look of some of the books mentioned below!

Pop over on 10th November when Sandy is coming to visit as one of my Book and A Brew with Ritu guests! I’ll share the review, there.

Releasing 10th November, 2022

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

Maybe I just really needed something ‘feel-good’, today, but I read this in one go, on a rainy Sunday and absolutely loved it!
Zoe is a single mum in her 30s, having left a fantastic journalist career in London to raise her son back home in the North of England. She’s pootling along working for the local paper, not really feeling the challenge, but employed, nonetheless, until she isn’t. Redundancy strikes, which starts the chain of work; a son to feed, house and clothe, a mortgage to pay, bills and debts raising their heads…
After a confab with her two best friends, she ends up drunkenly committing to an idea which ends up changing lives of many in the community.
I thought this was excellently written. It’s true that you seem to just hear and read constant streams of bad news, when on social media and when watching the news. Zoe’s idea of writing a local paper that just shines the light on the positive in the community was a wonderful idea. You could see the Negative Nellies reading their heads, but she didn’t give up, at all.
The back stories of the other characters really gave good shape to the overall story and as a reader, I felt invested in her venture being a success, too!
And, obviously, there is a bit of romance, and I wasn’t sure which way her head wold turn… (yup, possibly two suitors…) but the end was a perfect, happy end for her, personally, as well as for the story!
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Releasing 25th November, 2022

The Things That We Lost by Jyoti Patel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nik is reeling from the loss of his grandfather, as is his mother, but the hole he has left in Nik’s life is trying to be filled with memories and information that he doesn’t have.
Avani, his mum, is keeping something big from him, and he doesn’t know how to get to the bottom of it, to help him heal his own grief.
Dealing with huge issues such as racism, mixed-race relationships, and grieving, this story is told in a beautiful manner.
I’m not Gujrati but understood many of the phrases used in the book, and felt an extra link with my parents both being from Kenya and moving here, too.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Releasing 12th January, 2023

Look out for a Blog Tour post on this one in a few days!

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

After reading the blurb, I was excited for a book that was going to make me laugh and maybe sympathise with the main character, Maggie, but I’m afraid I was left a bit flat.
Maybe I’m too old for it, but I found Maggie, a Canadian woman in her late twenties, who is going through a divorce, very self-centred.
It’s not a good situation for anyone to go through but come on, you have to realise the world doesn’t revolve around you, Maggie!
Plus, I found the way it was written quite tiring. There were no obvious chapter breaks and lots of rambling and random lists of internet search histories that I didn’t understand.
Some people may love this. I am just sorry I didn’t.
Many thanks to NetGalley and 4th Estate for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 19th January, 2023

Wishful Witness: The Wishing Tree Series Book 13 by Tonya Kappes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, I wasn’t expecting that! A murder? In Linden Falls?
Tonya Kappes has put her delightful spin on the tale of another small-town resident, Cheryl, who owns a yarn shop, Stitchen’ Post Yarn Shop.
She’s not one to gossip, but her knitting groups end up being the place to be to hear what is happening around the town.
When discord is high among many small business owners due to the opening of a new Artisan Market, there is all sorts being said. Cheryl tries to keep herself out of it all, but after hearing gunshots one day while at home, she becomes embroiled in a murder investigation that could implicate her. And all because of that Wishing Tree…
Yes, a different spin on the recent tales of the world of Linden Falls, but just as captivating. I read it in an hour!

The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Karen Swan, you did it again!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of love and loss and hope through adversity.
Natasha and Rob are back from a holiday that was kinda ‘make or break’ for them. their little girl Mabel somehow ends up leaving her precious stuffed cow toy, Moolah, behind in an Air BnB, and all hell ensues as she is unable to sleep settle or live without it.
An idea by one of Natasha’s friends to post a Lost Toy search on social media attracts the attention they need, and soon there is a reunion of sorts.
Only Moolah the cow has her own adventures to enjoy before she can return, as the person who found her is on his own life-changing trip.
The ensuing story filled with emails and pictures, or postcards as Natasha likes to call them, that wing their way to Natasha and Mabel, keeps you on your edge, especially as there is a past story thread running through the book which weaves its way into the present.
There are a couple of far-fetched conclusions to the story, however, they didn’t detract from the story,
I read it in a day.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 27th October, 2022

The Sh!te Before Christmas by Serena Terry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a craic, indeed!
I thoroughly enjoyed this festive giggle with Tara, dealing with the run-up to Christmas accompanied by a moody teen daughter, two gorgeous but hyperactive little boys, a husband who seems to be distancing himself, an absent mammy who suddenly makes a reappearance into her life, work sh!te going down, metamorphosing friends, and a school teacher who appears to judge all of her parenting decisions, all whilst being eight months pregnant!
I giggled throughout and loved it. An easy read with plenty to make you smile.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Releasing 10th November, 2022

The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, firstly, I will blame Priyanka Taslim for putting a certain Bollywood song in my head, all about how to say I Love You in various Indian languages, including Bengali! (IYKYK) Honestly, I’ve been singing that classic since I finished the book!
Secondly, I LOVED the book.
Being a person of colour myself and a writer of desi fiction, I am thrilled to read books that show characters from more relatable backgrounds. Even though I am not from Bangladesh or Muslim, there are plenty of parallels that can be made between the characters in The Love Match and the lives of your average Asian person.
A girl with aspirations that she already knows won’t ever be reached.
The responsibility of doing right by her family.
The reflection of her behaviour upon everyone else in her family.
Wanting to make her own choices but not being able to.
Zahra Khan is a fantastic main character, with all the above in her mind as she goes about her daily life, achieving excellent grades and working full time after high school to help her widowed mother make ends meet, as well as helping to look after her younger siblings. She has dreams of going to college, just like her best friends; however, that is not a financial priority right now. Neither is her passion for writing, which her mother and most of the adults around her don’t know about or wouldn’t understand.
Then throw into the mix the Aunties, who watch and know everything, passing comments on their WhatsApp groups.
Obviously, the answer to the family’s prayers is for her to be paired off with a boy from an affluent family, so she can live in comfort, and that comfort and respect can be passed on to her own family.
But when you have another interest in mind, these arranged things can go a bit awry.
And all this at eighteen!
I loved it. The story was peppered with Bengali phrases, which meant I learned more as I read, and added words like saa, meaning chai or tea, and shona (darling?) to my very tiny repertoire of Bengali, which previously consisted of hume tumake balo baashi, (I love you) from the lyrics of the afore-mentioned song!
Okay, I am off to go and sing again, but definitely, it’s one to read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Releasing 10th January 2023

A Snowflake in December: A Heart-warming, Uplifting, Christmas Tale About Loving and Sharing by Kiltie Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Aw, I loved this Christmas tale, filled with the hope of happiness after years of sadness.
Polly is not interested in Christmas at all. Still, a chance meeting with fashion designer Monty, and his not identical brother, Maxwell, sets her on a 24-day journey to rediscover her love of the festive season. Or an Advent-ure, as it is called.
After discovering why Polly doesn’t do Christmas, Maxwell makes it his aim to reignite that enjoyment.
I loved how this started as a simple friendship that blossoms into something more, but there is still the ‘will they-won’t they?’ element as little blips keep appearing in the way.
And what a great set of festive Advent-ures that Maxwell set up for Polly! I want to have a month of the same!
A wonderfully feel-good festive read that leaves you feeling all warm inside, rather like the hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows that the characters seemed to indulge in, rather a lot!

Looking Out For Love by Sophia Money-Coutts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another good read by Sophie Money-Coutts!
Stella Shakespeare is in her 30s, but unlike everyone else around her, she hasn’t got her life all sorted. No job, no man, no money. At least she has a flat, paid for by her father, though he’s cut off her money until she sorts herself out. And she has her best friend Billie.
Through a series of strangely unlinked events that end up coming together, she finds herself a job, a man, another admirer, an unexpected new friend, and a lot of new drama on her plate.
It was an easy read that I finished on a rainy Sunday afternoon. A bit of a giggle and a few moments of ‘Come on Stella, can’t you see!?!’
But it’s not all giggles, as there is the more serious topics of a life-threatening illness and infidelity explored within the story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 2nd February 2023

The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything by Kara Gnodde
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A story of two siblings, a brother and sister, who look out for one another and have only got each other after the untimely demise of both their parents.
Art is a keen mathematician with ideas and fixations that mean his sister, Mimi, feels she could never leave him alone. And he is on the edge of solving a specific mathematical problem that mathematicians worldwide are trying to solve. His work is like an obsession.
But, she wants more in life, including romantic love, which Art cannot understand, seeing as in his eyes and mind, there is a reason for everything and a fact to back it up.
She meets Frank at a Mathematics awards ceremony, and he seems perfect. Too perfect, according to Art, whose mathematical equation Frank hasn’t fallen in line with.
Okay, so I will admit this was a slow starter. There was a lot to unravel before things picked up and made me want to read more, but the book’s last quarter really pulled me in.
The siblings have a tragic past, shrouded in cover-ups and tales that need to be uncovered for them to move on in life truly. But it takes time for the reader to really understand what is going on and why they need to be invested.
I’m glad I finished it, but it was hard to get into. If you do read it, persevere. It gets better and easier to understand as you go on, promise!
Many thanks to Netgalley and PanMacmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Releasing 16th March 2023

Arthur And Teddy Are Coming Out by Ryan Love
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just the title and cover made me excited to read this debut by Ryan Love, and I am so glad I did!
Arthur is nearing octagenarian status, and he has made a bold decision; to come out to his family. He, along with his fifty-year-old wife, has kept it a secret.
He always knew it wouldn’t be easy, but the reactions from his children were mixed.
His daughter is furious and embarrassed. His son, perplexed.
But what happens when his grandson is in the same situation?
This was a remarkable story, with a feel-good ending, but interlaced with the tensions associated with homophobia, small-town thinking and not conforming to what they all think are the norms.
I loved the parallel storytelling, with the points of view of both Arthur and Teddy switching.
There were plenty of lovely moments in the story, along with ones that were realistic to the situation and not nearly as lovely.
But, a great read, nonetheless.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Releasing 13th April, 2023

The little cupcake shop by the sea: Return to the seaside with this gorgeous, wonderfully uplifting holiday romance by Lizzie Chantree
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love a sequel when you can settle back into familiar scenes with characters you already know before being introduced to others, and it was a pleasure to revisit the Little Shop By The Sea crew.
Fern is the focus this time, trying to settle into life after finding out that her past was built on some untruths and that she had a whole family that she had been unaware of.
She ends up moving to live nearer to the sister she’s only known about for a short while, Genie, and setting up shop there, complementing Genie’s ice cream shop.
While there she finds out more about herself and meets a highly disgruntled but rather hot neighbour, Jesse, who ends up being deeper and far more important to her than she would have thought.
Oh, and it wouldn’t be right without more family secrets being revealed!
I enjoyed this continuation and recommend you read the first one to have the back story straight. However, it can be read as a standalone.
I only wish I had a cupcake shop nearby so that I could sample Fern’s creations!
A lovely story with a few ups and downs and a whole lot of family love!

Review to follow in a Book and a Brew post with our very own Marje, next month!

Releasing 25th November, 2022

A Midlife Baby by Cary J. Hansson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading the first in this Trilogy, I was given a copy of A Midlife Baby as an ARC for an unbiased review.
I say this all the time, but it’s true. I love a series where you can slot straight back into the story, having known the characters previously.
We meet with the trio of friends; Caro, hoping have a baby at the end of the last book after going for treatment, secure in the knowledge that she was never going to have a child conventionally since she was too far along in her life to find that kind of relationship; Helen, who wants to have her life back, after slogging away for the past couple of decades as a wife and mother, to people who don’t seem grateful in the least; and Kay, a single parent to an adult child with his own needs, and a mother with dementia, and a father who doesn’t want to cause any issues.
Without giving away some of the surprises at the beginning and end of the book, I’ll say that it was good to see what was going on in their lives and how they were handling the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) changes that were occurring.
Caro needs to balance her life with the thought of possible motherhood as a middle-aged woman while holding down a powerful job, where news of pregnancy wouldn’t go down well.
Helen has to find a way to stand her ground with her husband and children if she is ever going to leave the marriage, which has left her feeling trapped and unappreciated for so many years.
Kay is dealing with anxiety, from the choices she is having to make for her parents and at the thought of her son gaining independence, as well as some awful goings on in her day job, as well as the awful effects of Perimenopause.
A sad story in some ways, but there are high points and so much that women of a certain age could relate to. I know I did!
Above all, a testament to true friendship. We can put our friends through the ringers, but only the real friends stay with you throughout.
And I can’t wait for book three!

Releasing 1st November, 2022

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

Book and a Brew with Ritu – The Gingerbread Cafe by @anita_faulkner_ #NewRelease #BookReview

27 Oct 2022 19 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Anita Faulkner, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, New Release, The Gingerbread Cafe

I’m back with a second edition!

Today, I am thrilled to welcome a relatively new but nonetheless amazing romance author, Anita Faulkner. Her second book, The Gingerbread Cafe, is out TODAY!

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Anita! Let’s get you set with a drink first. I know you are a fan of a cuppa. I see you with your mugs on your Chick Lit and Prosecco Wednesday catch-ups!

I can offer you an English brew, or, if you fancy a little something different, I can always brew up some masala tea… or a coffee if you please? Let me know. Snacks a plenty, too, from biscuits (yes, even gingerbread) to samosas.

Ooh, now I remember reading about masala tea in your fabulous novel, Marriage Unarranged. And as it’s deliciously full of ginger, cinnamon and spices it sounds perfect for our bookish chat about The Gingerbread Café. Let’s put a pot on!

And do pass the samosas …

So, a debut author only a matter of months ago, and already you have your second book out. How does that feel? Tell me a bit about your journey from aspiring writer to successful published author.

The journey has been long! But like many things in life, it has been worth the work and the wait.

I probably started writing my first novel the best part of ten years ago, back when I was still a bolshie solicitor. But little did I know, writing and editing a 100,000-word novel – and then trying to get it published – was no walk in the park!

That first novel (which I rewrote at least three times) will probably always live in a dusty drawer. It was rejected a million times over, but the feedback I got about it from the fabulous Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme taught me so much and enabled me to go on and write something so much better.

Then through the RNA, I met my fantastic publisher Little, Brown (Sphere) and award-winning agent Kate Nash. By some glorious miracle, they both loved A Colourful Country Escape, and it became my debut.

My festive romcom The Gingerbread Café is hot on its heels.

Do you feel a special affinity to either of the books you have written?

As I’m sure you’ll agree, wonderful Ritu, creating a novel is kind of like bringing a baby into the world. And much like children, each will hold a special place in your heart – for their own unique reasons.

Oh, I 100% agree, Anita! I always call them my Book Babies!

The Gingerbread Café is dedicated to my friend Gina, who sadly passed away unexpectedly – and far too young – whilst I was writing the story. Gina had plans to write her own book and even gave me some ideas for this one. (Look out for Cedric the Shih Tzu who wears crystals in his bandana.) So this story will always be dear to me, partly for that reason. I wrote it for Gina.

I am always curious as to where my authorly friends like to create their wonderful stories. Where do you like to write?

I bounce around, depending on my mood! Do you do that too, Ritu? Or are you always in that gorgeous writing space of yours? I’ve seen the pics!

I do love my little writing space! But some days I may be in my bed, or in the conservatory, too!

I have an upcycled writer’s bureau that I absolutely love. From there, I can look out onto the garden and daydream. (It also has cute little drawers for pretty paperclips and coloured post-its. My eight-year-old self is in heaven!) Gotta love a garden view!

In the winter, I like to cosy up on the sofa with a blanket and a candle. (Not too close together – that would probably end in a blazing disaster.) I even have a hot water bottle on my lap for extra cosy vibes!

But if I need to crack on without gawping at birds or faffing with mood lighting, I use my desk upstairs. Although I am planning to redecorate it with a peacock theme to tie in with Lexie’s adventures in A Colourful Country Escape …

I met you through your wonderful Facebook group Chick Lit & Prosecco, which is a hugely successful group filled with romance writers and readers, so I know romance is your passion. Why romance? Have you ever toyed with the idea of writing in a different genre?

Writing romance is such a joy, isn’t it? (In fact, even when I’m reading another genre, I’m rooting for someone to fall in love along the way.)

Gotta love a bit of romance, Anita!

My books always contain a storyline outside of the romantic bit. My heroines (and heroes) are fighting for something that will challenge them and shape their growth. In The Gingerbread Café Gretel needs to get over her grief for her mother and sister, and to shake off her unhealthy obsession with Christmas. And of course, she needs to take a giant leap out of her comfort zone to try to run the café she’s inherited – when she has never been sociable, and she seriously can’t bake!

But of course, I live for the love story too. As my characters push through their struggles and grow, they become ready to accept love – because they can finally accept themselves.

I wouldn’t know where to start with writing in a different genre, but I do love reading widely. I’ve been into a few cosy mysteries and psychological thrillers at the moment, and there’s a lot to be learned from those twisty plots and that page-turning pace.

Do you love a bit of murder too, Ritu?

I’m okay with reading psychological thrillers, but I have never felt the inclination to write them. I am not sure I could write murders, and the plots are so complex, I don’t think my brain works that way! Gosh!

I think we need more tea. Time for a top-up before we carry on, and maybe we could nibble on a gingerbread man, as we go!

Anita, I loved your debut, A Colourful Country Escape. Those peacocks were a hilarious addition. I have to say we have an orange vintage VW camper that is seen around our local area, and it now reminds me of Lexie! Was that the first novel you had ever completed, or had you written others before that haven’t been published?

Ha ha, we’re back to that dusty old drawer book! I think a few of us writers have those, and it always helped me as a budding author to hear about them. I went to a book talk once with an international bestselling debut author, and she admitted that she still had four dusty old rejects that had never been published.

Quite often those are the books that help us learn and grow. Whilst I don’t plan to go back to it any time soon (or indeed ever!) I’ll always have a soft spot for it.

(In fact – Secret Squirrel. If you’ve read Sky’s wedding scene in A Colourful Country Escape, you’ll have met Lexie’s friends Mia and Jake, who were the main characters in the aforementioned dusty tome. Ooh …)

Maybe it won’t stay in that drawer… it could get a little dust off and become a reader magnet for your newsletter… you know, sign up and receive a little extra something from me! Food for thought, my friend.

Now, let’s get back to the book of the moment, The Gingerbread Café. I was lucky enough to receive an arc, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Gretel and Lukas. What was your inspiration for this Christmas-themed story?

Since I came across so many fabulous authors in my Facebook group Chick Lit and Prosecco, I’ve become a little obsessed with Christmas novels. (Hello Jaimie Admans, Katie Ginger, Sandy Barker, Leonie Mack, Kitty Wilson … and so many more!)

Festive reads can be so enchanting, and I just wanted to play around with some of that Christmas magic. So I kind of thought ‘what’s the most Christmassy thing I can think of?’ And so perpetually Yule-addicted Gretel and her Christmas-themed gingerbread café were born! From there, I kept sprinkling on the Christmassy-ness.

Obviously, as the title suggests, gingerbread is a running theme through the book. Are you a baker? Or do your attempts mirror those of our lovely main character, Gretel?

Oh, I’m a definite Gretel-style baker! That’s to say if you’re brave enough to enter my kitchen after some baking has gone down, you’ll think there’s been an egg fight in a snowstorm. Think gunk on every surface, enough washing up to sink Santa’s sleigh, and a whole lot of burnt stuff.

Thank goodness we have your delicious samosas, Ritu! I should never be left in charge of the food.

I am thrilled you are enjoying them. Thank goodness for mums passing down recipes, eh!

I have told you this before, but you have found a proper fan in me with your two books so far. (Fan-girl moment that you are here on my blog!) Tell us, what is in the pipeline for the rest of your soon-to-be fans? Any sequels to your two stories, or are you branching out with some new characters in your next book?

I’m currently working on a brand new series which is set on a lavender farm. That may be subject to change, as it isn’t yet under contract. But in the meantime, I’m having a whole lot of fun with it, and in my wildest dreams, I can see it growing into something quirky but wonderful.

The main character in the first book of the series is Bea, who we meet in The Gingerbread Café. In Gingerbread she runs a shop called Lavender & Honey, where she sells produce from the farm. But I have some exciting new plans for her! And I’m hoping that you’ll see some of the characters from A Colourful Country Escape and The Gingerbread Café in that series too. But we’ll see! Fate will decide.

I love this, and cannot wait, Anita!

Do share the gossip on what you’re working on, Ritu. I need more of your fantastic stories in my life.

Aw, thank you so much for asking. Editing on book two in the Rishtay Series is going on, right now, since I had my alpha and sensitivity reader feedback, with a June 2023 release date, to coincide with Pride Month. (Big hint about the content in that release date, there!) And book three is taking shape in my mind and on paper, ready to start writing, soon!

Well, the teapot is almost empty. I am ready to brew another, Anita, but I know you have different places to visit, as your release date is today. I wish you and your beautiful story heaps of luck, and we will have to carry on this conversation when it’s time for the next release!

Thank you so much for visiting, Anita. It’s been a pleasure.

Thank you so much for these brilliantly fun questions and for inviting me on your blog.

My pleasure 😊

So, not only is there Anita’s newest release, but news on a new series to come! I can’t wait!

Now, as I mentioned before, I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Christmas At The Borrow A Bookshop, so let me share the blurb and my review.

The Blurb

Can Gretel find the recipe for the perfect Christmas?

The Gingerbread Café is always full of Christmas magic. Come rain or shine (or even a July heatwave), there’s always a hot chocolate bursting with cinnamon and marshmallows waiting for you. For introverted Gretel, it’s been the perfect escape from ‘real life’. The owner, Nell, is Gretel’s last link to her late mum, and hiding out at the café feels so much safer than making new friends.

So when Nell suddenly passes, Gretel is left heartbroken. Then she discovers that Nell has left the café to her – but there’s a catch. Gretel has to share the running of The Gingerbread Café with the least festive person ever: Nell’s nephew, Lukas. Head chef at the local fancy restaurant, Lukas makes it clear he has no time for the café, Gretel or even Christmas itself, and Gretel’s too busy struggling to save her burnt batches of gingerbread to work out why.

Gretel is determined to keep Christmas alive and make the café a success before Lukas hands the keys over to the scrooge-like developers. But she can’t do it alone; besides an over friendly ferret and a waitress with a secret, the only person she has now is Lukas. Will it take a Christmas miracle to get the pair to finally see eye to eye, or could the ice already be melting?

Packed full of sugar and spice, The Gingerbread Café will tick all the wishes off your Christmas list this festive period. Perfect for fans of Heidi Swain, Jo Thomas and Bella Osborne.

My Review

The Gingerbread Cafe by Anita Faulkner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and The Little Brown Book Co UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Anita Faulkner is a relatively new author on the block, but, having already read her debut, A Colourful Country Escape, I was brimming with excitement to read her soon-to-be-released The Gingerbread Cafe, and I was not disappointed one bit!
Gretel is stuck in a time warp, replaying all that is Christmas in her life every day because it’s the safest way. Memories she doesn’t want to forget about people she has lost, all attached to the festive season.
And what better place to be able to relive them than in the village’s all-year-round Christmas-themed coffee shop, The Gingerbread Cafe, run by Nell, a person who has been her surrogate mother for many years.
Then illness takes that one person who grounds her but leaves her with a gift she had never expected. the ownership of said cafe. Or rather, shared ownership with Nell’s grumpy nephew, Lukas, an up-and-coming head chef with aspersions much higher than a lowly cafe, themed around the season he hates the most. And worst of all, the Will conditions state that they are stuck with each other and the cafe for a while before they can be rid of one another.
I loved the way this story developed and how each main character found themselves, more and more as the pages were turned,
Gretel needed to learn that she could live in the now and that not all memories had to be lived constantly, and Lukas had to find a way to fulfil his real dreams, not those he was expected to have,
No story is complete with a decent cast of characters, and the village of Mistleton was not lacking, I tell you! The other shop owners of the village, as we came to get to know them, each brought much colour and wisdom to the journey Gretel found herself on, as well as Amber, the mysterious, sort-of waitress, with her strange uniform, and straight-up wisdom, even though her mouth needs to be reined in sometimes.
And then, our villain of the piece, Francesca Wimple, or Swingy Bob, is determined to strip all the local villages of their individuality and character by turning everywhere into franchise-run high streets.
The review wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention Angel Gabriel, Gretel’s pet ferret, who plays a starring role in the story with his little squeaks and quirks.
I feel all gooey inside after reading this. I finished it in a day, and now I really want to go to Mistleton, sample all the gingerbread goodies and hot chocolate in the cafe, and visit the other wonderful independent shops that line Green Tree Lane!
A wonderful second book by this author who is fast becoming an instant buy fave of mine!