March 2022 Books #AmReading

01 Apr 2022 7 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Reviews, Goodreads, Netgalley

As March draws to a close, that means the first quarter of the year has flown by, and I will be starting my Easter break, soon, too! Yay! Honestly, I give up with not requesting arcs, because there are so many great books out there and I am resigned (but very happy) to have a long, long list of fantastic books in my TBR pile, sitting on my reading trolley, or on my Kindle!

My Covid-addled body had a bit more time than usual to read, this month, too. Usually March is filled with school-related stuff, so there are fewer books on my read list, but I think I haven’t done a bad job!

Anyway, what did I read this month?

Workout Wishes & Valentine Kisses: The Wishing Tree Series, Book 5 by Barbara Hinske
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The next book in the rolling series of the Wishing Tree was just as wonderful as the last.
Here, we meet Pam, properly. A divorcee who has returned to Linden Falls, with the magic of the Wishing Tree not shining as bright, in her eyes.
She is working in the local gym with her childhood friend, Steve.
Both have been burned in the romance stakes, and Steve has already pledged a No Date pledge. Pam is convinced to try a bit of online dating, against her will, but several local folks, even though there are some who are convinced the perfect pairing is already there, in front of her.
Pam is a feisty, independent woman, but it’s obvious she eventually wants that somebody, so it’s a lovely journey to see her finally find love.
And the way we see Steve battling with his feelings and his pledge is quite funny, but a little heart-tugging, too.
The way the stories all interweave makes my heart sing.
My only complaint is that I don’t want any of the stories to end!

A Parade of Wishes by Camille Di Maio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Liz Guidry’s visit to Linden Falls is short and sweet, yet her fleeting meeting with Neva Cabot, and the famous Wishing Tree is life-changing.
She is a successful artist in her own right, but there is a huge hole in her life, which she would love to fill with a family and child-sized piece.
A forgotten children’s wallet along with the wish of a young boy leads her to the town of Camden, en route to her final destination, where she meets Mark and Cameron.
Maybe it’s a twist of fate or a coincidence, but the appearance of Liz seems to be the missing piece of their own puzzle.
A beautifully easy to read addition to the Wishing Tree series, and it just goes to s show that the magic of that tree isn’t contained in Linden Falls, but is far more wide-reaching!
Bring on book 7!

Careful What You Wish by Ashley Farley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book 7 in The Wishing Tree series.
I love how this series has given me a chance to read books from bew to me authors.
Ashley Farley us one such author.
Her addition to the series brings a more fantastical twist to the stories.
As always we are brought to the famous tree in Linden Falls.
Mary May is a cleaner in the house of a rich socialite. Part employee, part friend, she’s been working there for 10 years.
A misjudgement of time means that she is found asleep wearing her employers clothes and jewellery, causing her to lose her job.
Where does the tree come into it?
Well, after wondering why the tree diesbt just grow money to solve peoples problems, strange things begin to happen in her own back yard.
Strange things that mean she is able to renovate her aging house, and begin to do more good for her community.
In doing so, she makes new friends, and is seeing the glimmer of happiness return to. Her life, when her former employer presses false theft charges upon her.
I won’t go into it, but the fantastical element I mentioned earlier is at work, ensuring the right decisions are made and that Mary finds a tribe of her own.
I’m sad I have to wait for more Linden Falls stories now!!

Releasing April 6th, 2022

We Move by Gurnaik Johal
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A set of shorts, loosely connected by characters whose stories loop together.
Johal has written stories with the South East Asian population in mind, from the immigrants to the first/second generation, detailing their experiences.
An easy read, but since the characters and stories are all intertwined, I do wish that there was more detail to really enhance the shorts.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 7th April, 2022

One Night With You by Laura Jane Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have loved reading Laura Jane Williams’s books since the first one and gobbled up her latest offering One Night With You, with as much anticipation and excitement as the rest.
Ruby and Nic are so similar but different.
Both are starting new chapters in their lives, and moving away, after events that changed the course of their lives.
There’s just one night, where they both collide, by pure coincidence, and the sparks that fly are undeniable to both themselves and Ruby’s housemates.
But the sparks are just not enough to keep one from changing their new plans.
Thing is, when you meet someone like that, they are pretty hard to forget.
Nic immerses his new life in London, making friends, and tentatively begins dating.
Ruby puts her whole self into her Masters up North, revelling in her Year of Me.
but neither of them can forget the other,
Add in the fantastic character, JP, the nonagenarian, with a love story that captures Ruby’s interest, and encourages her to think more deeply into what she really wants, and you have a pretty good read!
There are friendship politics here, as well as grief, passionate encounters and tearful partings. All in all, a whole lot of almosts.
Will almost ever be enough?
I enjoyed reading this because it wasn’t just some sort of simple romance, but a tale with a whole load of side stories to add spice to it,
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 26th May, 2022

Duckling by Eve Ainsworth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a rollercoaster of emotions I have just felt, reading this book today!
Lucy is a quiet, unassuming woman in her 30s. She’s a loner, in her little council flat, with no one but Boris for company, a few weekly visits to her elderly dad, and her job at the book shop.
She’s always kept herself to herself, even resisting the efforts of her older neighbour, Joy, to bring some light into her life.
When Joy passes away, it’s not long before Lucy has new neighbours and the little girl, Rubi, seeks her out.
What happens through this book is absolutely not what I was expecting, at all, but the way Lucy finally finds herself, through the support of a stranger’s daughter, her boss, Jimmy, her father and good old Columbo, is nothing short of genius!
I was gripped all the way through and though I hated what was happening, all I was doing was praying for the right things to happen!
Brilliant!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Penguin for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 26th May, 2022

The Last Summer by Karen Swan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very different book to the Karen Swan stories I have already read, but my was it a good un!
Effie Gillies is one of a group of thirty-six residents of St Kilda, a tiny island off the coast of the Highlands, It is the 1930s and many have begun to feel the strain of living the extreme rural life, and tempted by the lure of stories told of the Mainland by visiting tourists, they find themselves all moved off, to ‘civilisation.
Effie may be young, at eighteen, but she has been the backbone of her family, just her and her elderly father, ensuring that they never go without.
A chance meeting with an affluent Lord and his son, Sholto, as they visit the island, changes the course of her life indelibly.
New adventures mixed in with old skills, and a murder mystery thrown in, with romance, too, what more could you ask for?
Honestly, I really loved the whole book. The beginning started slowly, as the beauty of the island was described, and the way the islanders lived, showing Effie in her element, as the tomboy she was. It really picked up pace in the second half, as Effie attempted to get to grips with life as a mainlander, not being able to commune with nature the way she has, her whole life.
And the way it ended. Well, I now am going to wait impatiently until I can read more about the ex-residents of St Kilda!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 21st July, 2022

Ten Years by Pernille Hughes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A true Enemies to Lovers story, here with a bit of a twist.
Becca and Charlie know one another well. But that doesn’t mean they like each other.
They are only in contact because of the one person they have in common. Ally.
Becca’s best friend, and Charlie’s Fianceé.
Who tragically passes away, leaving them tied together via. bucket list of things she wants them to do, whilst scattering her ashes.
Over the course of ten years, we see the way their relationship changes, from that pure hate to questioning each other, revealing certain secrets, pushing each other away, while something stronger keeps pulling them together.
There are little twists along the way that give the story a little oomph, too,
This will be a good beach read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collines, One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Releasing 18th August, 2022

The Setup: An absolutely hilarious, feel-good rom-com from the author of The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was another fun read by Lizzy Dent.
Mara is forever basing her life decisions on her horoscopes. They feel like the only reliable thing in her life. And when a fortune-teller gives the details of her imminent future, she takes it all to heart.
But sometimes you have to learn to take life at face value.
Throughout the story, you could see how her personality develops and how she realised she was more worthy than she ever thought before.
She finds a niche for herself, and makes new, good friends, who help her to overcome a lifetime of self-doubt, and makes herself rather useful, too, with the local Lido, where she works.
The twist in who she would choose when it came to matters of the heart though… Joe, who she is apparently destined to be with, or Ash, who her heart is telling her to trust…
It was an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK – Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business, Viking for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing on 9th June, 2022

An Island Wedding by Jenny Colgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, there’s nothing more to say except I think I shall have to go back and read the first 4 in the series!
I have enjoyed a number of Jenny Colgan’s books but hadn’t ventured to the Isle of Mure before, and An Island Wedding was a wonderful way to be introduced.
Not having read the first few books didn’t hamper my enjoyment at all, but whet my appetite, as there were certain elements to the storyline which referred back to previous happenings which only raised my curiosity!
I love a huge cast of characters, and the different veins of the story all tied together in the end.
Flora and Joel and their ‘will it happen or won’t it’ wedding, Lorna and Saif’s heart-wrenching romance, Jan and Olivia’s relationship as sisters. So much happening, but written in a great way.
Yes. I’ll be sure to look up the rest of the series!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Publishing on 23rd June, 2022

Why Mummy’s Sloshed: The latest laugh-out-loud book by the Sunday Times Number One Bestselling Author by Gill Sims
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having kids of such ages, Gill Sims books have always resonated and made me really laugh.
This was no different, and knowing that my own two are navigating that near A-Levels time, and the hormones of teenagers, I could totally relate.
Hilarious recount of how a woman deals with life as a single mother, to two teens with two dogs and her chickens. With vast quantities of alcohol, a good set of friends, and an ex, who is learning how to be a better parent, too.

A Light Last Seen: When Jaynie Was… by Grace Greene
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jaynie Highsmigh is a girl with a lot of confused emotions and ideas swimming around in her head. With no on in her own house to rely on for emotional support, she ends up creating a special bond with her older neighbour Ruth.
All she wants to do is get away from her current life, and when she gets the opportunity, Jaynie leaves behind her mother, brother, the memory of Ruth, and her grandson Wayne and also, her name.
Change is overrated, though. As she navigates a new life, Jaynie, or Ruth, as she calls herself, finds other obstacles to her idea of a simple, happy life.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, as I have done with other Grace Greene books.
Jaynie has a lot to contend with, and it’s only coming back to her childhood home that helps her finally come to terms with the past, and be able to lay her demons to rest.

Well Matched by Jen DeLuca
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I truly love this series by Jen Deluca, and though it has been sitting on my kindle for a little while, I knew I would savour another trip to the Ren Faire!
This time the story centres around April Parker a single mother, who is dreading the whole Empty Nest syndrome which she is about to experience when her daughter Caitlyn graduates from school and disappears to college.
There will be plenty of time for her to get her life back, but there is also plenty that is happening that she might not want to change.
April gets talked into pretending to be her child’s Gym teacher, Mitch’s girlfriend, for a family dinner. Not a bad shout considering he is one of the hottest guys around, but things get a little sticky, as feelings begin to erupt. But that can’t be happening because he is much younger than her.
Added into the mix, she is planning on selling up her house and leaving, plus, he’s one of the Renaissance Faire’s main players. And April has no interest whatsoever… or does she?
As much as I wanted to savour it, I finished it in a day. Loved being back there, and even more excited to find out there is another instalment coming this year!

Sweet Memories by Steena Holmes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A short, sweet read about an estranged couple, brought together again at a family function.
Why did he leave? What had she done? Was it the right choice?
I’d happily read the next to see what happened.

Trey Releasing April 28th, 2022. Sirens Releasing 28th May, 2022

Now, these two, I shall keep the reviews until a little closer to the release date, but I can say I was blown away by our Sacha’s end to her first fiction series!

I have been eagerly awaiting Trey, and to get a bonus Novella, Sirens, too, was just a really cherry on the top of a fantastic YA iced bun!

Sixteen books I managed in the end, and there were still few arcs in there! How do I manage to end up with so many, despite managing to whittle my NetGalley requests down? Still, I regret none!

So which one caught your eye? Any good reads you can recommend to me?

February 2022 Books #AmReading

28 Feb 2022 11 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Arc Reader, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Blogger, Book Reviews, Goodreads, Netgalley, review

February is the month of Love and I do love a good book!

Grace by Victoria Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This second book from Victoria Scott is another amazing page-turner.
Told from the viewpoint of two women, both at different ends of the same struggle, with an additional view of the judge presiding over a very heart-wrenching child custody case.
Michelle is young and has suffered considerably in that short life, at the hands of an inadept social services team, who failed her, from the moment she was separated from her younger sister at the age of six. Fast forward to her late teens, and she has found herself pregnant, in a relationship with a man who has stood by her more than any of the so-called support workers she has had assigned to her. Even his questionable behaviour towards her doesn’t waiver her trust in him.
However, they’re broke, live in squalor, and she knows that is no place to bring up a baby, however much she is already attached to that little being.
Amelia is a woman, in a marriage tinged with sadness at the fact that they can’t have children, and the one time they thought their dream would come true ended up in the tragedy of stillbirth.
A solution to both of these women’s problems could be found, in the placement of little Grace, born to Michelle. She thinks her daughter would be better off in the care of someone who could give her everything.
And that someone could be Amelia, and her husband Piers, who are approached via the Foster to Adopt scheme.
The thing is, nothing is ever that simple.
It was, indeed a roller coaster of emotions as I read the story, following the feelings of a young woman who desperately wants to get her life, and daughter back, and a woman who knows her dream is on the cusp of becoming a reality, but everything balances on the decisions of a judge, after a drawn-out investigation.
All in all, the final conclusion was what I wanted to happen, but there was so much happening in the background, as you read, even if you are of a differing opinion, you would probably agree that it was for the best. People are not always what they seem, and this book demonstrated that, perfectly.
So emotional. But brilliant.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 7th July, 2022

The Wishing Tree (The Wishing Tree Series)

The Wishing Tree by Kay Bratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s always a true bonus when a series is introduced and it includes the writing of some of your favourite authors.
This introductory book to The Wishing Tree Series is exactly that, and I devoured it in one sitting at 5 am this morning, as I was unable to sleep.
A small, some may say, sleepy town, with some extremely interesting inhabitants, and one or two soon to be ones too, is home to a tree that those who live there say is magical.
A wishing tree.
Each of the authors has contributed to the building of the series with a taster, and introduction to the characters with stories of their own, soon to be blossoming into full-blown novels.
From the longstanding residents to those who might just be coming back home, to newcomers, there is something to interest everyone.
I am absolutely 100% excited about the following books! Each of the characters that have been focussed on has stories to tell. Stories that I want to read.

Rainbows End in Ferry Lane Market by Nicola May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ll just start by putting this out there. I am gutted this is the last in the series!
I thoroughly enjoyed the first twp books in the Ferry Lane series and eagerly awaited this third book, where we were able to catch up with old friends, as well as make some wonderful new ones.
This book centres around Glanna, Isaac and Oliver.
Glanna is a local girl by birth, but she disappeared to London as soon as she was able, wanting to spread her wings. She spreads them a bit too far, and ends up in a downward spiral of drink and high living, which ends up with her in rehab. On the cups of turning forty, with a wonderful relationship over, she heads back home, to her parents, and back to one of her first loves. Art.
Isaac is a local artist. A very famous reclusive artist. And somehow, Glanna ends p making his acquaintance, during a particularly awful storm. Could he be the one to nurse her heart back to happiness? With so many deep, dark secrets in his background, will he be up for romance?
Or is it Oliver, Glanna’s one perfect relationship, that soured, as she realised they both wanted different things. Him: marriage and a family. Her: love and a happy life, just the two of them.
The wonderful cast of colourful characters that accompany Glanna on her own journey of self-discovery, are a delight in themselves, with her father, and his rather brash new girlfriend, and her posh mother, who is always chasing the younger man. Not forgetting Banksy, Glanna’s gorgeous whippet! And we get to hear all about how marriage and motherhood are treating all the favourites from the past two books.
This was a wonderful read that I devoured in a day!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 14th April, 2022

The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Imagine being on the cusp of getting married, literally, then finding yourself jilted, but not quite at the altar, but in a broom cupboard?
That is where Freya finds herself, the day before her dream wedding.
Their wedding was meant to be the beginning of that special Wedding Season, when all those close friends and family, seem to settle down at the same time.
Luckily for Freya, she has a strong band of friends around her, and they help her navigate what could be an extremely tough few months, assembling a plan to help Freya cope with the weddings, hens and stens that are all part of the season.
Each event is assigned a task to help her get over Matthew. Tasks she would never have thought about even attempting had she been in her comfortable twelve-year relationship. And possibly a way to find someone to help her get back on that dating horse…
A funny, but touching ode to friendship, and finding love in the most unexpected places!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 14th April, 2022

The Wrong Suitcase by Laura Jane Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I saw this was out today, and I immediately clicked to buy, and read it in one sitting!
Two guests travelling abroad to attend the wedding of mutual friends. Two guests who have just come out of relationships.
Somehow, their suitcases, which are identical, are mixed up at the hotel, and what follows is a gigglesome journey to them finding their own cases, and each other.
I thoroughly enjoyed the short story, and only wish there was more to follow, to see what happens post wedding!

The Amazing Road Trip Home – England to India with Strangers by Apinder Sahni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is always good to read a story that resonates with you, and even better when you can put a face to a name.
Apinder Sahni has written a beautiful biographical tribute to two well-respected Sikh men, the Chhatwal brothers, Inder and Gurcharan, and their journey, not only in a car from England to India, but also their personal journey from India to now.
Filled with anecdotes, as well as factual information, Sahni creates that personal touch with the chapters that delve into the brothers’ background and past, as well as that fateful journey with Roy, Sarita and their son, in that Austin.
An educational, emotional read.

The Book Share by Phaedra Patrick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Do you know what?
I really loved this book!
Like really enjoyed it!
Liv is a middle-aged cleaner, pootling along with life. Her children are leaving the nest, her husband is deep in his own work worries, and Liv is just about coping. with her books by her side to keep her going
Until one of her cleaning clients changes her life, completely.
Essie Starling is a reclusive best-selling author, and somehow, she opens up to her cleaner, in the strangest of ways, leaving Liv with a mission and a half to complete, upon her death,
Sure, maybe it is a bit far-fetched, to imagine the situation she is propelled into, but what a situation to find yourself, eh?
Liv ends up on a journey of self-discovery that she never thought she needed to go on, and, in the process, awakes a passion for words that she had left dormant for far too long.
So many twists within the story kept me going and I finished it far too quickly for my liking.
As I said before, loved it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 31st March, 2022

The Girls by Bella Osborne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You’d be forgiven for thinking this might just be a frivolous rom-com about a bunch of girlfriends, off on a sun-soaked holiday, looking at the cover, but that’s where this old adage, “Never judge a book by its cover”, is most suitable.
The Girls is about a group of friends, and there is an element of being abroad, but, that’s where the frivolity ends.
These are four women, some may describe as, past their prime.
Pauline, Val, Jackie and Zara.
All in their later years, these four friends used to house share in the seventies, and now, somehow, fate, or rather, Zara, has brought them back together.
Pauline is in her own personal hell, alone after a long abusive marriage, with demons that won’t back down, and she’s on the brink of taking her life.
Val, alone, but strong. with a secret hidden so deep, that none of her girls knows about it.
Jackie, the most frivolous of the bunch, is still searching for her One, and even though she knows her options are lessening, due to her age, can’t help herself.
So, when they are all invited to a party to celebrate their old, now famous, friend, Sara’s 80th birthday, they meet with some trepidation, having not seen each other for many years.
Here’s where things get more serious.
Zara wants them all to recreate their 70s living arrangement, but in her villa in France, knowing that all her friends have nothing holding them to England, and with a somewhat selfish motive of her own,
However, her sudden demise plunges them into even more problems.
Lots of different issues are raised in this extremely good book.
Sure, maybe it is a little far fetched to think that someone would go to so much trouble to have their friends around them, but the ensuing story had me gripped.
And, the best thing?
They all learn something important about themselves through the journey.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 14th April, 2022

Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another Mhairi McFarlane book that I added to the top of my TBR ARC list as soon as it hit!
Harriet is a wedding photographer, who doesn’t really believe in marriage, for herself.
She has issues from the past that stop her from truly committing, even to her lovely boyfriend, Jon. A surprise proposal from him, in front of his family, pushes her over the edge and she pushes him away.
Without giving too much away, all I can say is that this book has dealt with some pretty harrowing issues, including emotional harassment, narcissism, and the role that Social Media can play in totally ruining someone’s life.
Harriet is lucky to have a good friend around her, Lorna, who, might I add is a character I would love to have in my corner! She ends up as a lodger in a house, where it turns out the landlord is a shady character she’d not think she would ever come face to face with, but sometimes shady isn’t actually bad, it’s more that you haven’t got to know someone properly.
I read this in literally a day, so yes, a good book, a great read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Releasing 14th April, 2022

I Wish… by Amanda Prowse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was absolutely intrigued by the opening set of short stories to introduce this series, The Wishing Tree, and dived straight into the first of the full-length stories, I Wish… by Amanda Prowse.
Linden Falls has a magical quality, and a rather special tree, too.
Verity and her daughter Sophie are unaware of this power, when Verity, on a spur of a moment decision, sticks a pin into a globe and finds herself travelling to this small Americal town, with her girl.
She needs a break, and to find herself, after being cruelly thrown aside by her famous chef husband, Sonny, for a younger model.
They plan a three-month circuit breaker trip to an unknown place and find themselves meeting new people, and forging new friendships, along with feeling a sort of magic that the Wishing Tree and Linden Falls bestows upon its inhabitants and visitors.
I felt for Verity.
One devotes themselves to the one they love, and the last thing you expect is to be thrown over for another. Through this story, you see her become more confident, and self-aware, and the relationship between mother and daughter is a beautiful thing to behold.
Sophie is a caring seventeen-year-old, who, instead of showing herself being torn between her two parents, chooses to help her mother, as well as keep her relationship with her father intact too.
And I loved how Verity was given that second chance she so wanted, even though it came in a guise different to what she expected.
Quite honestly, I wanted it to carry on, and on, so secretly I am glad that we will be revisiting Verity and her story in further books, later on!

Releasing March 3rd, 2022

Wish You Were Here by Kay Bratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful testament to friendship!
Neva Cabot is the keeper of the Inn in Linden Falls, and has, by default become Keeper of the Wishes hung on the Wishing Tree in the centre of the town. A calm and centred person, she quietly goes about her business, yet has a sixth sense about what someone may need, at any time.
Henry Harmon is struggling with his wife, Greta’s decline due to Alzheimer’s. But he knows she’s a proud woman, and he keeps the struggle of trying to care for her, to himself
Neva, Henry and Greta have an age-old bond that was severed, yet, somehow they overcome a huge hurdle in order for Neva to reach out to her long-estranged friends to help them.
She takes in Janie and her two daughters, a family that moved into a ramshackle property in the town not long ago, on the pretext of needing a housekeeper. But, there is something else, Janie is hiding.
Having constant company, and two wonderful girls to keep her on her feet, fills Neva with so much joy, it is a wonder to behold. Caley and Breeze are unique young ladies in their own right.
But, ultimately, like I mentioned at the beginning, this is a story of age-old friendship, and how it can be fractured, but equally, it shines a light on how that same friendship can be mended, and take on a different shape.
And I have to say that there are the two starring roles of Myster and his feline ladyfriend, to add to the fun!
Another wonderful addition to the series. I can’t wait to read the next one!

Little Boxes: Debut literary fiction from the Young People’s Laureate for London by Cecilia Knapp
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A heartwrenching debut novel about friendship.
Four friends with lives tied together in invisible knots, living in a block of flats on a run down old council estate, in the seaside town of Brighton.
Two in a damaging relationship, one with unrequited love and another with a secret he’s unable to talk to anyone about.
The death of one man brings about a tsunami of feelings and change, mainly for the better.
Leah is a girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders, helping her mum cope with life, since her dad left them, and coping with the aftermath effects that had on her older brother. Her relationship with Jay is coloured by her own experience of men and how they treat women,
Jay is a damaged soul in his own right, but unable to do anything to help himself.
Nathan is the product of a successful partnership, but what he wants in life seems just out of reach.
Matthew has his own secrets. Living with his grandfather, he has never been able to be open and honest about who he really is.
When Ron, his grandfather dies, unexpectedly, feelings rise up and take over, and many other untold stories come to light,
A touching, sometimes uncomfortable, read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 9th March, 2022

Wish Again by Tammy L. Grace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am loving these interconnected books in The Wishing Tree series by a whole host of fabulous authors!
Wish again is Tammy L. Grace’s input into the exploration of the residents of Linden Falls, and this time we are learning about Paige, who returned to her childhood home, after the awful death of her husband, to the comfort of her mother and the bookshop she runs.
More unfortunate events tear Paige up, but every cloud has a silver lining, as they say, and Linden Falls also has a Wishing Tree.
Even though Paige isn’t a believer, a wish happens upon her and she ends up making it come true for someone else, and with that as a catalyst, she ends up finding many new things to do with her time, as well as rediscovering old passions and a new found love for her illustrator job.
A wonderful addition to the series, and Gladys, her dog is just fabulous!

Releasing 16th March, 2022

So, I managed thirteen (Fourteen, if you include one I beta read!) this month! Which one sounds good to you? Tell me about a good book you have read.

Translated Fiction Blog Tour for Karitas Untitled by Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir @fmcmassosciates @amazonpub

28 Feb 2022 3 Comments

by Ritu in Blog Tours Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Karitas Untitled, New Release, Translated Fiction

I am over the moon to be able to launch the book tour for one of two newly translated releases by Amazon Crossing.

Today’s book is Karitas Untitled, by Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir.

Growing up on a farm in early twentieth-century rural Iceland, Karitas
Ólafsdóttir, one of six siblings, yearns for a new life. As an artist, Karitas
has a powerful calling and is determined to never let go of her true
unconventional self. But she is powerless against the fateful turns of real
life and all its expectations of women. Pulled back time and again by
design and by chance to the Icelandic countryside―as dutiful daughter,
loving mother, and fisherman’s wife―she struggles to thrive, to be what
she was meant to be.
Spanning decades and set against a breathtaking historical canvas,
Karitas Untitled, an award-winning classic of Icelandic literature, is a
complex and immersive portrait of an artist’s conflict with love, family,
nature, and a country unaccustomed to an untraditional woman―but
most of all, with herself and the creative instincts she has no choice but
to follow.

I am able to share a sneak peek chapter of the book for you to peruse at your leisure.

Untitled 1915
Pencil drawing
The morning is misty gray.
The colors of the sea, the mountain, and the valley have dulled, as if the thin strip of fog painted over a picture in haste before fleeing the bitter cold that crept into the bay in the small hours.
Over the heath, still white with snow despite it being Whitsuntide, goes a cart, pulled by sturdy workhorses. Men from the valley escort the widow to her ship.
She rides straight-backed, with Halldóra next to her, shoulders slumped. The two elder brothers follow the cart, listening to its every creak.
Among the trunks, knitting machine, and sacks huddle we two younger sisters, bundled in wool. Our youngest brother rests in the arms of Bjarghildur, who hums to him, while I sit scrunched between two trunks, watching the shoreline recede.
A horse-drawn cart on a white heath.
Anxiety at the trip over the heath has kept me from sleeping for many nights. I know that an evil spirit dwells here, luring travelers and dragging them to a deep bowl hidden among the steep, landslide-ridden slopes. I look bitterly at my siblings, who have never sensed the presence of trolls and monsters as I have, let alone perceived ghosts, and I regret not having stayed behind like the maid.
Over the white heath hangs a fog that is waiting to swallow us.
All around me in the cold stillness, I hear whispering.

The hold’s hatches and the opening to the staircase had both been shut after the sea worsened, and the sour smell of vomit hung over the prostrate passengers. The families had prepared makeshift beds on the floor, while two women not in the death grip of seasickness propped themselves on their elbows and entertained each other with birthing stories. Steinunn was speaking.
“Karitas came from the sea, but Bjarghildur from the ground like any old potato plant. I was home digging up potatoes when I began having contractions, and everyone else was out in the fields. At first, I ignored the disturbance because the potatoes needed harvesting no less than the hay, and I was convinced I had enough time as it had taken three days to bring my eldest daughter into the world. But when the pangs intensified and I thought I had better go inside, it was too late: all I could do was squat there in the potato patch and let nature take its course. Two years later, when I had my third daughter, it was the same story, but that time, I was down at the beach gathering seaweed when the contractions began. From my previous experience, I knew how things would go, so I went behind a big rock where I would have sand beneath my feet, but as I was delivering, the tide began coming in, and it was only by the grace of God that the child wasn’t swept away. After two births in nature, I didn’t dare venture far from the farmhouse the next times I was due, and because of that, it was soft bedclothes that received my three boys, not sea and soil.”
It was evident from the other passenger’s expression that she wasn’t certain whether Steinunn was telling her what really happened or a dream. Still, it being an excellent story, she decided not to ask, although she did peer at the sisters as if trying to guess which had come from where and which had come into the world the ordinary way. They lay sprawled over each other like kits in their den, deathly pale and helpless from nausea, but their brothers, apart from the youngest, sleeping in his mother’s lap, were no longer susceptible to seasickness and had stayed on deck with the crew.
Steinunn’s fellow passenger had no such stories of her own, having delivered all of her children indoors, but in order not to be outdone by the widow, she resorted to relating some unusual delivery stories that she’d heard. After chatting long enough to reach the point when conversants begin sharing their personal circumstances and plans, Steinunn told the woman briefly about her desire to provide her children with educations. The woman, astonished at Steinunn’s daring, rocked on her mattress and asked whether it wasn’t madness for the widow to rush off into the unknown with six children and an empty purse. Steinunn replied that in this case, having no money made no difference.
“In Iceland, no one who works dies.”
Her fellow passenger agreed, but said that she, poor commoner that she was, could never have imagined sending her children to school, and in any case, it was too late now, since they’d all grown up and moved away. Yet she couldn’t resist mentioning one of her sons, who was a highly distinguished person, “and a deckhand on the Gullfoss itself, neither more nor less, the new ship that arrived in the spring. On board, they dance and sing, I’m told; the ship is so big and steady that there’s hardly any rolling out on the open sea. The cabins are all first class, and when the ship glides into the ports of Europe, all of the passengers, most of whom are higher-ups, gather on deck and wave at the crowd waiting on the quay.” Steinunn, who’d had to settle for a place in the ship’s hold to spare expenditure and had little desire to hear about the luxuries of the upper class, thought for a moment before replying that she doubted that people waited on the quay in foreign lands—“at least not the men, because as far as I know, all of Europe is at war, and they’re most likely on the battlefield, and although I don’t doubt the magnificence of the ship, I can hardly imagine that women on the Continent have any more time than we do for loitering on the quay, even if a ship docks.” At this reminder of the war being fought on the Continent, Steinunn’s fellow passenger grew anxious about her son and didn’t hear it when Karitas asked quietly whether she had any idea what it cost to sail aboard such a fine ship. When no answer came, Karitas gave Bjarghildur a little nudge and whispered in her ear: “Do you think we’ll ever sail overseas aboard such a ship?” Bjarghildur responded crustily to the irritating whispering, waved Karitas off, and exhaled weakly, “Leave me alone; I have no home.” Karitas saw that there was little to be gained from her in the state she was in and turned to Halldóra to ask the same thing, but stopped when she saw her sister’s expression. It didn’t result from nausea alone, that much she knew, and she stroked her sister’s arm to express affection and sympathy. Her sister just lay there, curled up and miserable on her makeshift bed, although the suffering on her face did nothing to spoil her comeliness. She resembled an image of the Savior on the cross.
Gloom settled over the hold; they were out on the deep, and the rolling intensified. The vomiting worsened, the little ones wet themselves, and the sisters held their noses, tried to breathe through their mouths. Then they felt the ship slow down; the engines hiccupped and stopped. People propped themselves on their elbows and stared at the hatches. For several moments, neither a cough nor a groan was heard.
“Ice,” someone then groaned from one corner. “Damned ice.”
The hatches were torn open.
Freezing sea air streamed into the hold.

Purchase your copy, here!

Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir is one of Iceland’s most acclaimed writers and the
internationally bestselling author of numerous novels, including Karitas Untitled,
a Nordic Council Literature Prize nominee; Street of the Mothers; Chaos on
Canvas; and Seagull’s Laughter, which was adapted for the stage and also into
an award-winning film. She received her degree in 1991 from the University of
Iceland and has also worked as a teacher and a journalist. Among Kristín Marja’s
many honors are the Knight’s Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon for her
achievements in writing and her contributions to Icelandic literature, the Jónas
Hallgrímsson Prize, and the Fjöruverðlaun Women’s Literature Prize. Kristín Marja
lives in Reykjavík.
Philip Roughton is an award-winning translator of many of Iceland’s best-known
authors, including Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness, Jón Kalman Stefánsson,
Þórarinn Eldjárn, Bergsveinn Birgisson, and Steinunn Sigurðardóttir.

Golden Healer by @Marjorie_Mallon #BlogTour

09 Feb 2022 42 Comments

by Ritu in Blog Tours Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Marjorie Mallon

I am always excited to be able to feature a dear friend on my blog, and today is the turn of the lovely and most talented Marjorie Mallon!

Now, I have to tell you, I have waited a good few years for this sequel to Marje’s first book, Bloodstone, and thought I read an early first draft of the new book, I was extremely privileged to read the finished product, which continues the story of Amelina in her quest to break The Curse Of Time!

Golden Healer is The 2nd in The YA Paranormal Adventure Series – The Curse of Time.

I didn’t think my life could get any weirder, until the dreaded rollercoaster…

Amelina Scott’s destiny is to be a Krystallos: a magician of light, chosen to learn the ways of crystal magic on her 16th birthday. Located on a river pathway in a mysterious part of Cambridge, the Crystal Cottage is guarded by mythical beings.

Unfortunately, there are those who seek to harm this haven of light. Learning of Ryder – a Shadow Sorcerer with hypnotic powers – Amelina discovers that her own magic is now threatened, and that the Curse of Time might be unleashed again.

As secrets abound and the creatures of the Chronophage come alive, can Amelina become the true magician she needs to be?

A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal. NOTE: this book contains mention of self-harm, mental health issues and alludes to the potential dangers of sexual attraction, which may trigger younger/sensitive readers.

Buy Here!

The Series is inspired by:

The Corpus Christi Chronophage clock on King’s Parade, Cambridge. Find out more here:

http:// http://www.johnctaylor.com/the-chronophage/

https://mjmallon.com/2017/09/17/poetry-inspiredby-the-dragon-chronopage-colleens-weekly-poetrychallenge-no-50-haiku-tanka-haibun-voice-watch/

And Juniper Artland – artist Anya Gallaccio’s sculpture The Light pours out of Me. https://www.jupiterartland.org/art/anya-gallaccio-the-light-pours-out-of-me/

And the 2nd book Golden Healer mentions a popular old haunt of Cambridge which has since closed down – Clowns Cafe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheros!

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 bolstered by these two 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 in the UK, in the Venice of Cambridge with her six-foot hunk of a rock god husband. Her two enchanting daughters have flown the nest but often return with a cheery smile.

Her motto is to Do what Your Heart Desires.

And her favourite genre to write is fantasy/magical realism because life should always be sprinkled with a liberal dash of extraordinarily imaginative magic!

Accolades: M J is a finalist in the Fantasy category of N. N. Light’s Book Award for her novel Bloodstone and a finalist in the International author. She has also contributed best-selling short stories to Dan Alatorre’s Box Under The Bed anthologies.

Winner of the Blogger’s bash blogging prize with her flash fiction piece The Queen’s Dress Down Day. https://mjmallon.com/2018/03/21/the-bloggers-bash-blog-post-competition-2018-the-queens-dress-down-day/

Winner of Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Contest with her murderous piece: Mr. Blamey https://carrotranch.com/2017/12/19/winner-of-flash-fiction-contest-7/

January 2022 Books #AmReading

31 Jan 2022 13 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Arc Reader, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Blogger, Book Reviews, Goodreads, Netgalley, review

If you’re reading this, then that means the first month of the year 2022 has reached its end!

My intentions this year are to make sure I read what I already have, and minimalise the arcs I request, so I can be writing, too…

Well, last January, I dedicated myself to reading the Bridgerton series, so my challenge for myself this year was to read some of the series of books I have on my Kindle… I do love a good serial binge, reading as well as watching on TV.

How have I done, so far?

I read two series that I had, and I think I only have 2 arcs on my list,left!

Without A Hitch by Bettina Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Without A Hitch is another one of the many books I have had on my TBR for a while, now, and the few days before heading back to work seemed like a perfect time to dip into this lovely little read!
Three brides-to-be, whose journeys become interwoven via an online brides-to-be forum, all share their journey from proposal to the alter in this gigglesome book.
Each of the ladies, along with their partners, are all very different, with their own ideas of a dream wedding, but there is one thing they all want.
A perfect (for them) day.
Complete with a perfect dress, venue, catering and that all-important honeymoon.
If you have been on the journey to wedded bliss, you will recognise the stresses, suffer the agonies of not being able to get what you want, along with a sense of happiness and relief when that day is finally done!
I thoroughly enjoyed this fun, easy to read boo, and am looking forward to diving straight into the second one!

Without a Hitch on Honeymoon: (Short Story Sequel to Without a Hitch ) (Novella)

Without a Hitch on Honeymoon: (Short Story Sequel to Without a Hitch ) by Bettina Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved being able to plunge straight into the next story in Bettina Hunt’s series about the three brides, this time, following their adventures on honeymoon.
Well, not strictly all on honeymoon. Two managed to make it up the alter, and back down as married women, but one had a change of heart.
However, it was still great to continue all three stories, from Sienna and her Social Media influenced frenzy of a trip, to Bryony who was meant to be honeymooning on a shoestring budget, cut even shorter when she discovers her new hubby has a gambling addiction, then rescued with a competition win, and finally to Agnes, who left her ideal Jewish fiance standing at the alter, falling into the arms of her own angel, Gabriel.
Weddings… honeymoons… all stressful, but still the brides are tied together by that forum… and now, I just want to find out what happens next, when they enter the next of the site’s rooms… hopefully, there will be babies without a Hitch, too!

A Tempting Trio: A Romantic Comedy by Bettina Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I must admit to going on a bit of a Bettina Hunt binge, and though I started at the wrong end of her releases, it didn’t detract me from the enjoyment of her writing. In fact, I can see the way her style has developed from book to book.
A Tempting Trio is the story of Sarah, who has managed to find herself, unintentionally in a bit of a dating conundrum.
She’s been in a relationship with David, a married man, though she knows it’s wrong, and she should end in, when she meets a rather gorgeous stranger, Adam, in a coffee shop. He leaves his number. Maybe Adam will be the one who helps her kick her married man to the curb, and back to his wife…
Then she’s offered a job opportunity by her best friend, Alice, which introduces her to Tommy, an aristocratic romantic, who rather fancies our Sarah.
All three men have something about them.
But she’s not that greedy… is she?
There are some moments when you feel glad you’re not in her shoes. I mean, what are the chances of having all three of your men turning up in Paris, and confronting you while you are trying to enjoy a midnight visit to the Eiffel Tower?!
Again another easy to read, fun story, where you don’t quite know where Sarah and her dating future will lead her.

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors (The Rajes, #1)

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have loved Sonali Dev’s Bollywood inspired stories, and the Rajes series has been waiting for me to dive in, for a while now.
This first book, loosely based around some themes from Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, was a great read!
Trisha Raje is a surgeon with a plan. She also is part of an Indian royal family. She has ideas that might not always align with those of HRH, or her father. These issues have caused rifts between them.
DJ Caine is a British born man of mixed descent, who has seen a tough life, losing his parents, and other loved ones, as well as being threatened with the loss of his only surviving family member, Emma.
He’s also an incredibly talented chef who has been hired by Trisha’s sister, Nisha, to cater for events leading up to the hopeful beginnings of their brother Yash’s political career.
Secrets.
There are always secrets.
And being a part of a royal family, (even though the royal part doesn’t really exist, anymore), has its own share of burdens.
Trisha and DJ clash, but they both need each other, in order to help their family members, and there is a certain chemistry between them, that they are trying hard to deny.
Family drama, racial and class prejudices, high jinx briberies, and sizzling hot food, as well as chemistry… what more could you want?

Sapphires are a Guy’s Best Friend by Nicola Marsh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, ahem, I haven’t read anything racy for quite a while, so I was thankful for the heads up, on this one.
However a bit of raunch never deters me from reading a good book, and I had great fun reading this one!
Sapphire is trying to keep her family’s jewellery business afloat.
Patrick is trying his hardest to gain the approval of his parents, as he works to launch a collection for their successful couture fashion house, in Melbourne.
They both need each other, really, but there is history.
This relatively short, but snappy read details their interactions as they try to combine business with pleasure, and aim to bring both their companies to success.
An enjoyable, easy, but naughty in places, read!

A Sunrise Over Bali by Sandy Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a solid Sandy Barker fan and have devoured all her previous books, in a flash, so to know there was a fourth coming in her travel romance series, was just fantastic.
I love how each story is individual, but that there are links and characters that tie them all together. so, yes, it could be a stand-alone, but equally, it’s always fun to read books in a series, in order, to keep track of each character’s story.
This book centres on Jaelee Tan.
She’s a bigwig VP back in the US, and the daughter of a mother who doesn’t show much emotional involvement in her life but expects big things from her only child.
After bumping into her ex at her best friend’s party, and feeling her world unravel, Jaelee takes a sabbatical from work, which ends up being the catalyst for her leaving her job.
She moves to Bali to UROP, a place filled with ‘digital nomads’, where she hopes to ground herself.
Jae finds herself in paradise, with new friends, and ideas for a new future for her career.
As I was expecting, there was going to be romance, and it came in the form of Hot Scot, Alistair. An intense romance that gathers speed fast in this idyllic location.
But, romances are not meant to be smooth-sailing, are they?
There are exes involved, then families and their issues have to crop too…
So Jae swaps the beauty of Bali for the gloom of Scotland…
All in all, an easy, fun read, with lots of laughs, love and sizzles!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 11th February, 2022

Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think first off, if you are looking for a light-hearted, fluffy read, then this probably isn’t quite the read for you.
That doesn’t make it a no go, though.
Recipe for Persuasion is another Austen inspired book, the second in the Rajes series bu Sonali Dev, this time focussing on Ashna Raje, daughter of the younger of the Royal Raje brothers, who was uprooted from her life in the palace in India, to the US.
Struggling to keep the memory of her father alive, as she works hard to steer his restaurant, Curried Dreams, in the right direction, Ashna is confronted with a face from the past, as she swallows her nerves and ends up signing up to a reality cookery show.
Rico, a world-renowned soccer player, ends up as her partner on the show, but his reasons for being there are a little more calculated.
Yes, there is second chance romance within this story, obviously, with the above two characters, but the story is so much more. From the complex relationships between estranged mothers and daughters, marital expectations, rape, PTSD, Dev has explored so much within the pages of this novel.
I felt invested in the family, having read the first book, and though it wasn’t as easy a read as the first, Recipe for Persuasion was just as good.
Bring on book 3!

Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve become invested in the Rajes siblings and their dramatic lives, and Yash was definitely a character I was intrigued by, via the snippets I learned in the previous two books.
A romance at heart, with politics, racism and yoga as the sub interests.
Yash has been maintaining a facade for the last ten years, of a relationship with his friend, Naina, while they both chase their dreams, unencumbered by the pressures from family to settle down.
A horrific event at one of Yash’s political engagements throws both their worlds into further confusion, as she appears to have real feelings for him, while he is beginning to realise what he really wants, and needs, though it may not be the choice his family would make, on his behalf.
India tries her hardest to distance herself from the brother of some of her closest friends. Yash and she have a history, that no one else is aware of, though the tragic event stirs up feelings of concern that she thought she had finally left behind.
The story follows how their journey, almost a second chance romance, evolves, and the reactions of the families as truths are unearthed.
A great read!

The Emma Project by Sonali Dev
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed all of the previous three books and was excited to read this, the final book in the Rajes series.
This time Sonali Dev has taken the youngest of the sibling,s Vansh, as the main character, and oh, my, the twists, as his romantic interest is revealed!
There is extreme forbidden lust, as he finds himself drawn to his older brother’s (not really) ex, Naina.
Both are passionate characters with worthy causes they want to contribute towards, but with difficulties from their upbringings raising their heads constantly, the conflict gets juicy.
I was a little sad, as I really wanted to know more about Esha, and knowing this was the last book, I began the book thinking I was going to be missing something, once the series finished, but I was glad she got her own subplot in this final instalment, and that we can leave the Rajes clan with a happy heart!
Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyage for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 17th May, 2022

Brown Girl Like Me by Jaspreet Kaur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been following Jaspreet Kaur on Instagram for a couple of years, and seeing her upcoming release, Brown Girl Like Me, filled me with excitement.
I was over the moon to be able to read an advance copy.
Being a Brown Girl, and especially a British-born Brown Girl, it has always been hard to find ourselves out there, in anything other than stereotypical roles, via a novel, or on film and in TV series.
Brown Girl Like Me is a great attempt at pulling together all the feelings that we may have encountered through our lives, from the lack of strong role models to not being understood in myriad circumstances.
It is certainly not a quick and easy read. Something to sit, read, digest and savour.
Personally, for me, it made me realise that I am lucky. There were many instances Kaur wrote about situations that I hadn’t experienced, but there were so many of her personal stories that resonated with me.
I have always had a lot of support and openness within my family, where we were able to speak out about pretty much anything.
But yes, I will always be that Brown Girl, and I am bringing one up, too, who I hope will be a strong Brown Girl in herself, who knows there is a strong Brown Girl right behind her, too.
There is also cause to celebrate our culture, customs and backgrounds, and reasons to ensure we stay proud and remember that w might be Brown, but our heritage has more colour in it than many others.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Releasing 17th February, 2022

A Wedding in Provence: From the #1 bestselling author of uplifting feel-good fiction by Katie Fforde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Katie Fforde has accompanied me through my young adult years, all the way to the present, and I know that whenever I pick up one of her books, I will be engulfed in the story, immediately.
A Wedding in Provence is much the same.
Alexandra is en route to Switzerland, in Paris, enjoying her last moments of freedom, before she has to enrol in a finishing school, as expected by her relations.
Not very eager to take this route, she jumps at the chance to stay in gay Paree for a little longer when a temporary job offer comes up, but it ends up in Provence, as a nanny, rather than something more glamorous.
She finds herself in a chateau, looking after three children, unaided, two of which aren’t keen to have her there, with a grandmerè who doesn’t feel she is qualified, an estranged mother of said children, who wants to whisk the children away, and a friendly dog.
What’s more, she appears to have some feelings for the father, who just happens to be a Count.
Oh, it could just be straightforward, couldn’t it? The Nanny and the Count fall in love and the children have a ready-made happy family…
But where’s the fun in that?
We get to meet Alexandra’s friend David, who comes to help her tutor the children, and he also happens to be homosexual, something frowned upon in England during the setting of this story. He’s her best friend, but also like a surrogate father to her.
There are many interesting characters in this book, that help to add colour to the story, and the market scenes make me want to go and visit similar places, too!
Yes, the romance is there, absolutely, simmering, in the background, but I do wish there had been more of the build-up, as the inevitable conclusion is so sped up!
However, we do get to enjoy the development of the relationship between the young nanny and her charges, as they go from wary to not wanting her to ever go.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Releasing 17th February, 2022

So hot off the press, we don’t even have a cover, yet!

Last Time We Met: The must-read romantic comedy for summer 2022 by Emily Houghton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved Before I Saw You, and was thrilled to be asked to review the next release from Emily Houghton, Last Time We Met.
A kinda second chance romance, but with a whole lot of other circumstances to navigate through.
Eleanor and Finley have been best friends since they were dots, then life happened, and Fin disappeared from Eleanor’s life.
Fast forward to fifteen or so years later, and Eleanor is feebly trying to get over an awful break-up with her long-standing partner Oliver. No amounts of tea and sympathy from her mother, sister Freya, or even her best friend Sal are helping her get over him.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Fin is reeling from a phone call from England, telling him his mother is at the end of her life. A mother he left behind and hasn’t spoken to for many years. As well as many other people who were precious to him at one point. Oh, and he’s just ended his current relationship, too.
It’s inevitable, isn’t it, that the two former best friends end up meeting, and they haphazardly work their way through the difficulties they both faced, both at the end of their former friendship and over time they had no contact.
Oh, and did I forget to mention that when they were young and innocent, they signed a contract that if they were both singles at 35 years old, they would have to marry one another?
As it is, they are both 34, and not in relationships.
That would just segue into such a predictable ending for the story.
No. I shall not spoil it for you, and tell you that they live happily ever after, but I will say that I finished the book with a smile on my face, but not before shedding some tears, too.
So much covered, from alcoholism to estrangement, and how hiding your feelings can be the worst thing you could ever do.
I whizzed through this in a day and loved each moment of the book.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK and Transworld for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 12th May, 2022

Beach House Summer by Sarah Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another Sarah Morgan stunner!
This time we have a multi-POV story, from the eyes of Joanna, a woman who hears of her ex-husband’s death, Ashley, the girl who was with him at the time, and Mel, Joanna’s childhood friend.
Joanna lives a blessed life, apart from one thing. She has no privacy. Having been married to a famous TV chef, who often cheated, she has got used to a life spent with cameras following her every move, and even post-divorce, her life is not her own.
Ashley, is young, and pregnant, with something important to tell Cliff, the man driving the car they are travelling in, when a horrific accident happens.
Mel and Joanna were best friends for most of their young life, until Joanna upped and left, suddenly, at 16, supposedly breaking Mel’s twin brother, Nate’s, heart, and taking up with Cliff soon after.
The accident that took her ex-husband’s life affects Joanna more than she thought, as she ups sticks and leaves her beautiful home, which feels like a prison, and heads off, back to her home town, with young mum-to-be, Ashley in tow.
A great story, that shows how not everything is what it seems to be, all of the time. I enjoyed this read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 26th May, 2022

Golden Healer by M.J. Mallon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It feels like an age since I read the first book in The Curse of Time series, but it was great to pick up where we left off, with the continuing story of Amelina and her mystical powers.
This time, she is a little wiser and is aware of the powers given to her, and wary of certain individuals, such as Ryder, who has his own dark secrets.
There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout the story.
I felt so sorry for poor Esme, trapped in the mirror, and I wanted to shake Jade until she realised the error of her judgement.
But, I can feel another story coming as the ending was definitely not a Happily Ever After!

So, I managed fourteen books. What were your first reads of the year?