Can you believe we are one month away from another year?
Okay, so I got through all the arcs I had been sent by November 5th… Will I have managed to not say yes to anymore? Will that TBR pile get any smaller? BEcause I need to be writing my own book, too!
This is a simple, sweet addition to the Soul Sisters collection, where we focus on Leslie and the rekindling of her romance with her ex-husband Eric. It can’t be easy, living in the same small town and avoiding one another, but somehow she has managed for three years, then fate takes charge, and she ends up with a Christmas wish come true, as well as helping to make the wish of another a reality too. Sweet story.
We are all flawed. We, our parents, and our children will be too. The thing is, some of our flaws will inevitably hurt those we love, even if that is not the desired effect. Back To Her Future is a deep story of culture, identity and the need to conform. Meryam is estranged from her whole family, yet on his deathbed, her father calls for her. He imparts a secret buried thirty-odd years previously that impacts everything Meryam’s adult life was built on. I don’t want to go into detail. Still, the story deals with the sometimes stifling expectations of certain cultures, the necessity of conforming when moving to different countries, and the need to maintain one’s culture. She’s been through hell as she grew up, but Meryam is unaware of certain reasons behind the decisions that shaped her future. As she goes on a journey of discovery, she rekindles friendships lost many decades before and learns some upsetting truths. Sensitively done.
Another fantastic Cathy Kelly story. Lou’s life turns upside down on her fiftieth birthday as her mother reveals a huge secret. Together with her sister, Toni, Lou heads off in search of the truth, as well as to find herself and build an inner strength that she had lost. There were plenty of twists within this tale, but the character development was fantastic. There could have been a simple HEA, but the way Kelly took the story meant the characters and we, the readers, must work for it. Lou is there for everyone. She helps to keep her whole family on an been keel, from her husband to her mother, as well as being the organised brain behind the company she works for. Tori is that confident woman who appears to have it all. Both sisters learn disturbing facts about their families and lives, which means they end up on a trip to Sicily to find out what the truth is. Their mother, Lillian, is a nasty piece of work, though. So many women out there end up like Lou, taken for granted. The ones who keep everyone else going, anticipating all needs, and dropping everything at the drop of a hat to make life easier for others. I love that this ends with Lou finding herself and realising she can still be there for others without losing herself. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the Cherry Blossom Lane series and was eager for this third instalment, where the story develops between the third friend in the group, Demi, and the third of the brothers, Miles. Right from the previous stories, I have wanted to shake Demi. Her relationship with her long-term boyfriend appears a bit toxic, and we see the extent through this book. Miles’ unrequited love for his best friend, Demi, has been noted throughout the last two books, and his friends are aware, too. Pretty much everyone can see, apart from Demi. It was great to see Demi’s character develop over this story, and we visibly see her backbone gaining strength as she navigates a breakup, leaving the one job she thought she would do forever and begins to understand the feelings of her best friend and the fact that she may just feel the same way. Miles is a great character. He’s been touted as the playboy kind, but he has a heart of gold. The best thing about a series is that you get to revisit some of the characters from past stories, and though this can be read as a stand-alone, it’s always great to find out what is going on with other favourites! Exactly the HEA we all want, with a few spanners thrown in, because it can’t be that easy, can it? I don’t know if there is scope for any more books in this series, but there are a few side characters who deserve a happy ending, too! (Hit hint, Lizzie Chantree!)
A lovely, easy read about a single mum who finds herself lost in this new world of not being a traditional family unit. Having lost contact with the ‘friends’ she had with her ex-husband, Steph is struggling. A chance encounter with a neighbour she barely passes time with starts a chain of events that lead to them starting their own little book club, which, over the story increases in size as they find more and more women whom it will help. Along the way, Steph finds herself and a new love interest, too! I enjoyed reading this. It cheered me up no end.
Stand Up Guy: The most uplifting romance you’ll read this year by Nina Kaye My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Nina will be on a blog tour stop in January when I will share my review, and possibly a Book & A Brew, too!
A-Z of Warwick: Places-People-History is a fascinating alphabetical collection of facts about Warwick. I have always enjoyed SCSkillman’s Warwick-related books as I grew up not far from there, and many places she mentions are places I have visited. It is an interesting read, where we learn many facts about the important people of Warwick, little tidbits of information about historical aspects and some wonderful stories about key locations. I always enjoy reading about Warwick Castle as we visited there many times as a family. It’s an interesting read with plenty to enchant you! https://www.amberley-books.com/az-of-warwick.html
Releasing 7th December, 2023
Blog Tour post will include the review in December.
Charlie Brown is an in-demand make-up artist with fantastic friends, a home of her own, Mabel the cat, and the perfect partner she is off to visit in New York right after her current job ends. Only, when she gets there, do things start to go wrong. Stranded in New York, Charlie ends up on a strange journey, meeting handsome strangers, discovering horrifying secrets, and leaving there even more confused than before. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I won’t say it was a light-hearted read, as there are some more delicate matters within, but it was a good read, and I have to say I loved Pete and his family. Charlie’s support network in London and at home with her parents is awesome, and Mabel the cat is just wonderful.
Enemies to Lovers gives the game away with the title from the off. Yes, this is a story, and the trope is exactly that. Enemies to Lovers. Two people who have an age-old vendetta against one another, Lara and Sonny, work together as journalists in the same role, but for two separate magazines. There is plenty of one-upmanship going on all the time. One such occurrence goes a step too far and their editors decide to send them off on a secret mission, where they will need to spend a lot of time together, which is not something either of them want to do. The concept is there. It’s an easy read. They hate each other, then they fall in lust/love. With a job to complete on the side! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Releasing 4th January, 2023
Releasing 23rd January, 2024
Blog tour appearance in January will contain my review.
Wait for January when Jeevani is visiting my blog for a Book and a Brew. I’ll share my review, then!
Releasing 11th January, 2024
So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!
I hope you are well. Sorry I haven’t been around much, but I have some bigger, tough things to deal with now, and regular blogging hasn’t been at the forefront of my mind. However, today, a little thing popped up on my notifications.
Nine years!
I mean, wow!
That time has flown. I remember starting this little blog, not knowing what a blog was, slowly building my Blogily, and making some lifelong friends along the way.
I have got to know so many people. You have shared so much of my life journey with me, too.
When I started, I never thought I would become a ‘writer’ let alone a published Poet and Author!
And, yet, here we are.
So, I hope I can be back more often soon, to share lots of joy with you, but for now, thank you for being on this journey with me, interacting with me, and letting me be a part of your lives, too.
Yes, it is the end of October. Really? How did that happen?
So, somehow, the ARCS kept coming… However I did read a couple of books I already had, and at the last minute, I gave myself another series challenge! This time, it was Tammy L. Grace’s Sisters of the Heart series. She will be a guest on my Book & a Brew with Ritu series soon, so I dived into this wonderfully cosy series!
I had to giggle when I read the title of this book, and when I was offered a promotional copy. I jumped at the chance. What a brilliant set of recollections by Dawn French, as well as a reminder that we all have our moments of tw@tiness! Absolutely loved it and devoured it in a day!
When I think of board games, it is the traditional ones, like Snakes and Ladders and Monopoly, that come to mind. I forget about all the other types that many people obsess over… What a delight of a book by Jennifer Page. Emily, the MC, is trying to rebuild her life after losing her job and fiance within a few days of one another. She’s always had a dream, a shared dream with her mother, of opening a cafe and serving customers delicious cakes and meals in a homely environment. An opportunity arises, and she has the money, but she’s unsure if she can do this alone. It’s amazing how you can build a community around yourself, even when you doubt yourself. Emily has an extra supportive best friend, Kate, and her father, though he struggles with grief. Even though they are apart, her ex-fiance is still a support of some sort, and then you have caring, board-game-obsessed GP Ludek, who comes into her life in a very unorthodox way. The cast of side characters is delightful, and the idea of a cafe with the delights of board games as an addition to having a sweet or savoury delight sounds amazing. I would visit! A wonderful, feel-good read, and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
Well, my girl, Ruby Roe, has done it again, hasn’t she? Another steamy sapphic addition to the girl games trilogy, and what a cracker! Each book has focussed on a different character from the original group we were introduced to in book one, and this, the final instalment, allowed us into the lives of Remy and Bella, rivals in their field but with a history filled with love/hate experiences. Of course, they need to solve/compete over something huge, and plenty of suspicion is being thrown around. There is also the HUGE steam factor running through the whole series. This time, we have a true slow-burn element that can get extremely hot as things begin to sizzle! A great end to the series, and I love the hint of a new story that may just be coming out in the future…
Released 26th October, 2023
Releasing 20th November, 2023
Review to follow in Blog tour post near release day!
Having recently read and thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Page’s debut, I was excited to jump into Love Letters on Hazel Lane. Jo finds it tough settling into a new area with no friends, a job she is not sure she enjoys, and a hidden passion for Scrabble that she feels no one will ever understand. She’s tentatively hopped on the dating app wheel, but that isn’t giving her many positive experiences. Then she meets a new friend, Kate (who happens to be one of the side characters from the first book), who encourages her to take some chances and suddenly pushes her into directions she didn’t think she would ever take. One minute, she feels unwanted and unloved, then things change, and she begins to look at life differently, with some interesting dates, and then the start of her association with the local Scrabble club. It is run by quirky local GP Ras, who happens to be one of her previous ‘disaster’ dates. Jo’s organisational skills are not left unnoticed, and she finds herself in charge of arranging a Scrabble festival, as well as getting her own life into gear. This time, the story still had all the cosy feels, with a will they/won’t they romance and being able to revisit some of the lovely characters from The Little Board Game Cafe. However, there was an added, more serious thread to it, exploring childhood bullying, merging into workplace bullying, toxic relationships, and coercive control. Ultimately, the biggest bonus in this story was the theme of self-love, and the author has done very well. Recommended read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC.
Gillian Harvey is fast becoming one of my must-read authors because her protagonists are always so relatable, This time, we have Emma, a middle-aged woman, married to Mark, a man a little older than her. they take a step to change their lives by buying a chateau in France to ‘do up’, with the hope of creating business opportunities with a venue for weddings and events and living a more relaxed lifestyle once all the renovations are done. However, it’s unlikely to ever be so easy, especially when there are renovations to do, little spare cash, an overenthusiastic husband with limited capabilities, the language barrier as well and trying to start a family. An unfortunate accident leaves Mark unable to work on the property and feeling like they should just give up, and Emma goes from feeling despondent to turning around her way of thinking. I like that this was not a ‘fluffy’ book. Harvey has dealt with real issues, here, from that feeling of insecurity when you move locations, all the anxieties about being somewhere where you don’t really understand anyone, learning to build your independence, the stresses these changes can put upon a marriage, as well as the threat of infertility as age creeps up on you. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and loved the character development of Emma. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
I’ve not read the linked first book to this; however, it was easily read as a stand-alone. Denny is hitting a certain age and is welcomed into her older stepsister Juliette’s group of Old Duck friends when a hen do is planned for her wedding. The group of women end up in Mallorca, where Denny slowly learns to embrace her recent retirement and begins to think about whether she is happy alone or whether it would be good to meet someone to share her upcoming twilight years with. It is a lovely read, where second-chance romances are discovered, and the author has rightly shown that you can have a good time at any age and dreams can come true! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
A simple tale of relationships and connections, all-encompassing building a love of books and reading. Takako is a young woman floundering after discovering her boyfriend is marrying someone else. She responds to a request from her uncle to come to his second-hand bookshop to stay and help out for a while as she gets to grips with her life again. Translated fiction is always a chance you take. This was an interesting story, but I felt it was sometimes a little disjointed. Still, a short, entertaining read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for an ARC.
I’ll say it now, and I’ll repeat it. Kay Bratt, you might need to keep going with these wonderful Hart’s Ridge books. I fear eight won’t be enough! We are back in Hart’s Ridge with our favourite Deputy, Taylor Grey, who is again embroiled in a dark investigation regarding a double murder. As usual, plenty of things are going on in her personal life, too, which take up a lot of her headspace. Newly engaged, she’s trying to support her fiance with some unexpected news and dealing with a much more personal investigation that, if solved, will make her future feel more secure. The twists and turns throughout this story take your breath away, and Bratt’s story-telling is fantastic, as always. I cannot wait to read the next (hopefully not the last) instalment when it is out!
This is a stunning introduction to a new series by Tammy L. Grace, which I admit to downloading immediately after reading. The book shares journal entries from a wonderful woman, Jewel, a foster mum with her husband, Clive. Through her years of being there for different children, she also, alongside Clive, ran a dog and animal sanctuary, as well as a Lavender farm. We are given a glimpse into her experiences with five specific young wards who stayed with them throughout a couple of decades, and we also learn a little about their lives after they leave the safety of Jewel’s care. This lays a brilliant base for the journey the rest of the series will take us on as the five women come together, never having met one another as their times with Jewel never crossed. I can’t wait to get into this series!
I am so glad I downloaded the rest of this series, knowing I would want to keep reading, after each instalment finishes. After reading Jewel’s journal entries in the first book, I couldn’t wait to learn more about the five girls she had fostered long-term. Harriet McKenzie, better known as Harry, has just retired after thirty years in the Salem Police Department. Her job has been all-consuming, leaving little to no time for a personal life. Her only comforts are Chief, the dog she inherited after her long-term police partner passed away, and the letters and phone calls from Jewel, her precious foster mother. Fresh from packing away her desk, she is confronted with a letter containing news she never wanted to hear. Jewel was no more. But more than that, she left Harry as the executor of a slightly complex legacy. The hardest part was to contact four other women whom Jewel had fostered, whom Harry had never met, and to pack up her life in Salem and head back to her childhood home in Lavender Valley to try and complete Jewel’s other requests. Certain jobs never leave you alone, and Policing is one of them. While there, she finds herself at the heart of a local investigation, helping the sheriff and community. This was a moving story of a more mature woman coming to terms with some huge changes in her life and dealing with a loss greater than she could have expected. Along the way, she finds a tribe who could be her people and new friends, a renewed sense of belief in love and quite possibly a new vocation! Wonderfully written with a rue moreish quality. So moreish that I am diving into the third right away!
Did I mention how much I am enjoying this series? Tammy L. Grace has a beautiful way with words, and this little town she has created with such caring folk… well, I want to live there, too! The next Sister of the Heart who we meet is Olivia. Foster parents Jewel and Chuck helped her navigate out of a tough childhood, which left her with scars, both internal and external. Her love of animals is credited to the caring nature of Jewel who, along with her canine friend, Willow, helped Olivia to come out of the darkness. When she arrives, Olivia is reeling from losing her son, Simon, and a divorce. She’s apprehensive but finds that she feels Jewel at every turn once she is at Lavender Valley Farm. Restarting the animal rescue centre that Jewel and Chuck started when she was living with them is just the tonic for her, and getting to know her new ‘sister’, Harry, as well as her new neighbours and the local folk, especially Duke, the vet, helps to build Olivia’s self-esteem back up. A beautifully crafted story, and I am about to dive into the next one right now!
You know when you’ve worked out the formula for a series of stories, and the familiarity of how things pan out feels comforting? That is how I feel with the Sisters of the Heart Series right now! Almost as comforting and soothing as the scent of lavender… Book 4 concentrates on the third ‘sister’ story, Micki. She’s also floundering in life, and it seems like her foster mother, Jewel, even in death, knows exactly what her special girls need. When Micki was living at the farm, she was the one who helped Jewel and Chuck set up the lavender fields and more on top, so she was the perfect person to help get ready for the Lavender Festival. Micki arrives to a heap of affection from her new ‘sisters’, Harry and Olivia, but has a few nasty surprises in the form of her estranged real sister. All this, along with problems with her relationship with her daughter, Meg, cause heartache, but with the aid of her new ‘sisters’, as well as a newfound friend, Buck, Jewel’s attorney, and the serenity gained from working with the earth, again, prove to be the formula for a peaceful, fulfilled future. Sometimes, you need happy endings. I love that each book dives into the separate sisters, giving us readers plenty to form our bonds with the characters and the development of relationships, proving that you can still find happiness, no matter your age. Also, I still want to visit this make-believe place! On to book 5!
I had thought this next book would have been about Georgia, the oldest of the Sisters of the Heart since Harry had been unable to find Lydia, but the epilogue in book 4 had me informed that the prodigal sister was on her way back. And her story didn’t disappoint! Lydia has been running away for most of her adult life. The brief five-year stint with Jewel in her teens was the best time in her life, but since then, even though she enjoyed many successes with her cooking and love of food, her experiences with men left a bad taste in her mouth. When she arrives at Lavender Valley, she comes to fulfil the last wish of her beloved Jewel, intending on heading off, as soon as she is able, frightened of something catching up with her. What she doesn’t expect is that feeling of home that engulfs her and how every person she encounters in the small town welcomes her with open arms. Still, secrets that haunt don’t stay silent forever, and she has her fair share of drama that her new-found sisters and friends help her navigate. That chance of a future settled in one place becomes a distinct possibility. This is another wonderful addition to the series, and I cannot wait to learn more about the final sister, Georgia, in the last book, which is loaded up and ready to read!
I feel rather sad now that I’ve read the last of the Sisters of the Heart books… This last story focused on the oldest of the foster sisters, Georgia. She arrived late because of an injury sustained just as she was preparing to leave for Lavender Valley. Another soul tormented by loss recently, Georgia arrives hoping that, like before, the farm and Jewel’s memories will help her. And it does. The lavender festival brings so much joy to everyone, and she even manages to meet someone she never thought she would see again. Someone with whom she could possibly enjoy the rest of her life. Each story was so well rounded off within this book that readers were happy they all got the happiness they deserved. And I must admit speaking to the Hubby about a dream of getting a dog one day… Tammy L. Grace, I blame you!
I do love a bit of early 20th century-based fiction and this truly did the job! Agnes Humphries is looking for a new lodger to fill the void after the sudden death of one of her long-standing paying guests, and she is stuck deciding between three candidates: Clara, her niece; Stephen, a respectable bank clerk; and Mercy, a young widow. The book has a wonderful parallel timeline as we learn plenty about each of these prospective lodgers. The three stories intertwine beautifully, to bring more and more about the characters and the current lodgers in the house, as well as about Agnes, her past, and how she came to be alone in this large house in the middle of London. I loved learning all the different stories, and absolutely loved the ending! A great set of characters with plenty to hide, and a wonderful MC, Agnes, whose habit of speaking what she thinks all the time isn’t a bad thing at all! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Published 31st October, 2023
So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!
The first month of school! I had plenty to keep me busy, so what time did I have for reading?
Well, I can tell you honestly that I started the month with NO ARCS on my list! That is a little less pressure since it is the beginning of the school year.
By the end… There were a couple or more, but no pressure to read… though I did! And I created my own little Series reading challenge, too, which I completed before the 10th September! (Fiona Leitch will be a guest on Book & a Brew with Ritu, soon, too!
15 books read, as well as being unwell, and battling schoo stuff, too… not bad, eh!
An engaging story about two people who end up sharing a bed in a flat at different times, but they somehow build a friendship through post-it note messages until, eventually, they meet. I enjoyed this story,and it dealt with some important issues around emotional abuse within relationships, as well as giving people a chance. How the two POVs were written helped mould the readers’ understanding of the two main characters.
I have wanted to read this series for a while and finally started book one, The Cornish Wedding Murder, yesterday. And what can I say? I LOVED it! Jodie (Nosey) Parker is an ex-police officer. She moves back to her old home town in Cornwall with her daughter, Daisy, after one too many close calls working in the London Met makes her give up for her daughter’s sake. A relatively unassuming, risk-free job as a caterer takes a turn for the murderous. Jodie cannot stop her instincts and get involved in the investigation, not least because she knows the people involved. Jodie battles with herself internally, as she knows she shouldn’t be getting involved, and outwardly, with the Detective Inspector assigned to the case, who also happens to be rather handsome and insists upon coming to different conclusions from her. I loved meeting all the different characters and look forward to learning more as I read the rest of the series. (Yes, I enjoyed it so much that I already downloaded the rest!) This cozy mystery has twists and turns, humour and that dash of romance to keep readers hooked. Roll on, book 2!
I enjoyed the first book so much that I got straight on to the second and was glad I did. Back in the world of Nosey Parker, aka Jodie, the ex-police officer turned caterer who can’t keep her nose out of local crimes and mysteries. This time, as she innocently caters at a local event, she catches the eye of the celebrity guest at the (not) fete, artist Duncan Stovall. But he is married. And his wife is there. An altercation at the event, followed by the suspicious death of another of the event’s guests, means Jodie and her instincts are piqued. She is joined by the crew we met in the first book, including her daughter, Daisy, and mother, as well as her best friend, Tony, and the rather dishy DCI, Nathan. A whole host of will they/won’t they with more than one coupling and plenty of twists and turns as Jodie assists Nathan on another befuddling mystery. I loved every minute of it, and I can’t wait to dive into the third one now!
I have loved the Nosey Parker Mystery series! I read this in one day, on my birthday, and loved it! We are with Jodie Parker, again, and this time, she ends up embroiled in an investigation on a movie set, where filming is taking place. There are the twists of the actual mystery, as well as a romantic will-they/won’t-they situation, too. Love, love love it! I hopped straight onto Book 4!
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed that festive addition to the Nosey Parker series! Jodie Parker is off to cater a special Christmas party for some children at a fancy stately home. A perfectly innocent event. There should be nothing untoward happening. She goes with her mother, daughter and friend, who have been roped in to help. The weather takes a turn for the wintery worst, and they have to stay over, along with others who are stuck. A little inconvenient, but nothing too bad. Until they wake in the morning and find one of the guests dead… in a rather compromising situation. It’s winter. They are snowed in. The Police are having trouble getting there. Who else will step in and begin investigations, though she really ought not to get involved? Well, you know who it will be. Our Jodie, who can’t seem to shake the detective out of her! I loved it. It’s another tale filled with twists and turns, giving you hints but not letting you figure out the true series of events until the end! Fantastic!
Another wonderful addition to the Nosey Parker series by Fiona Leitch! I do love a bit of GBBO, and this time, we are taken to a similar style of reality baking competition, where, surprise, surprise, the lovely Jodie Parker has been selected as a contestant. She is loved up with DCI Nathan Withers, the catering business is doing well, and she seems to have kept her nose out of any extra-curricular police work so far. But you know that isn’t going to last that long! There are a few characters on set, from some of her fellow contestants to the drag queen presenter of the show, and after noticing friction (she can’t help it. It’s in her blood…) one evening, she begins to put two and two together, when a body is discovered, connected to the production team. Cogs begin whirring, and she ends up helping out her boyfriend and trying her hardest to juggle the requirements of the competition. This was a great story, filled with the twists and turns I have come to expect in the Nosey Parker books, and the cast of characters feels like part of my own family now, so it is wonderful to revisit them all! Great read!
I can’t believe I have finished the series! (Or at least what is available to read! Thank goodness there is another one to get excited about next year…) Our Nosey Parker, Jodie, is now officially a part of the Police force, albeit in an ad-hoc position, so she doesn’t feel so bad, sticking her nose into the investigations her now firm partner, DCI Nathan Withers, is involved in. She’s still going strong with her catering business, which is going from strength to strength; however, in this book, we really feel her feeling the stretch of her time and capabilities: Police duty, work commitments, as well as being there for Daisy, her teenage daughter, her mother, and her dog, let alone keeping a relationship afloat. The community are readying themselves for the annual mermaid festival, and as Jodie waddles around in a particularly unflattering siren mermaid costume, another murder is brought to their attention. Of course, being part of the official investigations eats away at her time for everything else in her life. Still, she tries to balance all the calls on her attention, helping to solve the mystery as well. This book in the series felt a little more serious, given the dilemmas Jodie found herself in, but that didn’t detract from the read at all. Another brilliantly thrilling story.
I enjoyed this very much with an interesting storyline that kept you guessing, made you think you knew what would happen, and ended with a different but still pleasant note. Daisy Settle is celebrating her 40th birthday at a huge party thrown by her partner. All is well in her life. Business is fantastic, she’s in a secure relationship, they have great financial prospects, and it’s finally time to start trying for that baby… But apart from her business, a rather unpleasant surprise gift leaves her with none of the above. She is a woman who has a dream: becoming a mother. And through her grief, she wades through her options after making a Fk It! list, and with the support of her friends and some of her family, she embarks upon a journey to become a solo parent. IVF, anonymous sperm donors, trawling sites and clinics to find the right one… We are with her for it all. Along with an interesting friendship that starts so negatively but ends up being something she will cherish forever. Daisy is that midlife character we women of a certain age need to read about. Life doesn’t stop once you hit a certain number. Opportunities still come knocking, and dreams most definitely can still come true. Loved it from start to finish! I only wish I didn’t have work as I read it because I could have read it quicker!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC.
What a beautiful book by fabulous author Milly Johnson. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to reinvent yourself, especially when things go wrong? Polly Potter is not in the best place. Stuck in a job filled with misogynistic management, a relationship where she is not appreciated and feeling unfulfilled in general, she has a plan to get out. Then something else happens. A twist of fate, which means she can live the life of Serena, who is essentially a character she was writing about in her creative writing group previously, I shan’t go into too much detail, but I was rooting for Polly throughout, gasping in shock at a particular moment which became the catalyst for her change, and then rooting for Serena, too! Romance? Yes, both failed and new chances. There are plenty of obstacles to overcome and a great cast of characters. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC.
Maya is about to get married. She’s not had the best of luck in life. She attributes every bit of misfortune to a curse she is convinced was put on her as a child. She’s off to Pakistan, alone, to meet the rest of her family and fiance, who are already there, waiting for her arrival so they can start the celebrations. What could go wrong? All she has to do is get there… The thing is, no one can account for who you end up sitting next to. And who ever knows what the weather is going to do? A fourteen-hour plane trip, followed by a planned seventeen-hour bus ride to her destination, takes nearly ten days, and she finds herself with an unlikely travel companion. Throughout the book, we are invited to learn about Maya’s Laws of Love… She’s had things tough, and it feels like every turn of her life, especially in the romantic sense, is tainted. But no one knows what the future holds. This was a fantastic Desi Fiction book, with characters from a Pakistani Muslim background and well-defined East/West cultural clashes. Wanting to fit in, but knowing there were certain things you couldn’t do or say as a Pakistani woman, albeit one brought up in Canada. Maya was torn throughout the book, but Khawaja portrayed her well as a young woman with dilemmas she needed to face. As she mentions in the Author’s notes at the beginning of this book, the story is not halal… This equates to not a clean romance. There are some slightly risque scenes, but nothing that would hit a spice factor on the ratings. But this shows the consideration of Khawaja in her honesty. After all, a woman is a woman, and regardless of religion or culture, we all have base feelings and desires. This story embraces the dilemmas Maya has to work through. However, some readers of the Islamic persuasion would rather not read books with anything considered ‘haram’. I loved reading this story. It is good to have characters and cultures I can relate to. I may not be Muslim, but I have grown up with close Muslim friends, and some South Asian traditions span most cultures regardless of religion. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC.
This has been sitting on my Kindle for a while, and I finally decided to read it. It is a story of jaded relationships, feeling underappreciated, and dreaming of an alternative life, which isn’t always what it’s made to look like. Marnie is a SAHM with a part-time reporting job. It’s a far cry from her pre-mummy day job as a full-time reporter. Right now, she is writing nothing of substance, and even that, she can’t seem to get right. And her husband is slowly slipping away. She’s put on weight, hasn’t got time to look after herself and feels like a pile of the proverbial. Then she finds out he’s been playing away… The story ensues, with her making a stand in her own way, and what happens fulfils some fantasies, but, are fantasies always as good as we thought they’d be? It was an easy read, but POVs did jump a bit, meaning I had to keep checking who I was reading about!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of a woman at a crossroads in her life. Filled with her own grief, Sophie Potter has made a career of helping others clear the lives and memories of lost loved ones, but she can still not process her own loss. A slightly different job arises, meaning a lovely place to stay and a chance to centre herself again, but she doesn’t expect to find all that she does when she arrives at Riverbend. What a wonderful story, filled with sadness, love, friendship, and dogs! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
I feel like I have been on my little winter escape, reading this despite never having been a skier! Luna is on a journey of discovery. After a mystery windfall, she is determined to find out why a stranger left her a large sum of money before spending it. She ends up in Chamonix, and her trip starts with drama as she runs out of petrol. A chance meeting with a gendarme who leaves his mark on her after that short encounter seems to pave the way for a trip willed with many revelations, including her learning many secrets about her mother and father and the fact that she can ski, given a chance! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Another heartwarming tale by Christmas feel-good story queen Sarah Morgan! When three friends end up at a tine country inn for their usual summer book club week, in the run-up to Christmas, none of them are prepared for the revelations that hit them one after another. And the same goes for the owner, too. Erica, Claudia and Anna have been friends for a long time, and though life commitments mean they can’t be together all the time, they always make time for their annual meet-up. This time it was delayed, and they ended up meeting at Christmas. Erica is a successful career woman who has learned to live independently. She doesn’t need anyone to help her live. Her friends are there for her and are the people she chooses to let into her life. Anna is happily married and a mother to two teens, who are almost ready for college. Empty nest syndrome is hitting hard. Claudia is floundering after a terrible breakup. She’s the reason their summer meet ends up in the winter. Hattie owns the Maple Sugar Inn. She runs it alone and looks after her young daughter, having been widowed a couple of years earlier. Life has dealt all these women interesting hands, and they are all at a point where changes are afoot. What is beautifully done in this tale of friendship and support, as well as family, is how the story unfolds, bringing all four of these women together in an irreversible way. Everyone deserves love, and love comes in many forms. I felt that throughout this book. Lovely read!
Releasing 26th October, 2023
Review to follow in a future Book & a Brew with Ritu Post!
But it’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ !
Releasing 24th October, 2023
So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!
But I Smile Anyway... 