Today we have the lovely Jo Lyon’s most recent book, Girls Just Want To Have Fun featuring on the blog!
The Blurb
She never expected to find herself in Benidorm. But when life gives you lemons, add a shot of tequila…
Connie’s singing career isn’t exactly going to plan. On a final warning from her agent and failing every big audition, she’s desperate for a fresh start. So when she lands a last-minute gig in Benidorm (of all places) she jumps at the chance – despite knowing she’s completely out of her depth.
Thrown into the wild world of the Dollz, a cocktail-fuelled girl group who love glitter as much as they love drama, Connie struggles to fit in. Then there’s Matteo – the brooding, annoyingly attractive local who seems to be everywhere she turns, throwing her further off course.
As she stumbles through a week of sun, surprises and absolute chaos, Connie has to decide: is this rock bottom, or can she find her own way to shine?
If you want a book that will have you giggling on the sunlounger while beside the pool, then I think you have found your holiday read! A rom-com that gives so much com that I found myself laughing out loud at several points! Connie is a singer, stuck in a rut. She’s still grieving the loss of her mother and desperately trying to fit into the hole her mother left in the singing world. but nothing is going right. Her manager, Nancy give a last chance opportunity to her, to travel to Benidorm for a week, replacing a popular tribute act, with the Dollz as her warm-up act. The moment we meet the Dollz, you know they aren’t going to let any part of this working break be boring! Their outlandish makeup and outfits, sudden group ‘slut drops’, and pure party girl mentality are a touch too far removed from Connie’s usual life. And the journey starts with explosive moments, including Connie making quite an impression on the passenger sitting next to her, and not in the most positive of manners! There is drama, some funny situations and plenty of twists as Connie seems to mess up all her opportunities, both with her career and potential lovelife. The Dollz; yeah, maybe a tad too over the top, but they certainly never let anything get boring… And Connie? She gets there, in the end! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
I am thrilled to have the President of the RNA, and fabulous author, Sue Moorcroft’s latest release, Over The Sea to Skye, on the blog today!
The Blurb
One summer on a beautiful island could change everything…
Valentina Taylor’s life has been upended. With her marriage over, and unsure of what her future holds, she heads to the Isle of Skye for the summer with her young son, Barnaby.
But the journey there sets her on a new path, when she meets Xander Courage on the train – a charming American, running from problems of his own. After sparks fly, they go their separate ways. But on this small island, they’re never far from one another…
Skye offers Valentina the refuge she needs as she whiles away the long summer days at her beachside cottage, enjoying visits from her sisters, Thea and Ezzie. But when bad news from home throws her Scottish idyll into turmoil, Valentina finds herself pulled away from the place – and people – that she loves.
Valentina knows she must confront her heart’s desires – but can she let go of the past and embrace the future she deserves?
Lose yourself in a heartfelt story of second chances, love, and self-discovery, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Isle of Skye. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Karen Swan.
I’ll start by saying that I haven’t read books 1 and 2 in the series yet, and though it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this story, I 100% will be going back to catch up on the backstories of the others. Over The Sea To Skye centres around Valentina Wynter, a newly single parent, on her way to Skye from Inverness with her son, Barnaby, for a hopefully relaxed summer, after a fraught few months following the break-up of her marriage. Well, that is the plan, but you know what they say about the best laid plans, and all that? Valentina is the oldest of three adopted sisters, and the only one with no link to her biological family. So, being in Skye, where her two sisters, Ess and Thea, live, is the closest she can get to being with people who love her. On the train journey, they end up seated with American tourists, Xander and his nephew Macdonald, who are here for some heritage searching and a bit of a break as well. What follows over the summer isn’t quite relaxing, but dealing with an unwell ex, needy, overbearing in-laws, a whole new branch of family, plus a sudden attraction to a certain Pittsburgher is undoubtedly worth it! I loved Xander. He showed a depth of feeling and emotion that is rare in men, and his relationship with his nephew is exemplary. Valentina and Xander are a partnership I was rooting for from the off! Yay for #ValeXander! Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC.
About The Author
Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her novels have been #1 on Kindle UK and Top 100 on Kindle US, Canada, Germany and Italy. She’s won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Novel of the Year, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award, two HOLT Medallions and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She’s the president of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.
Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Over The Sea to Skye, bookmark and pen (Open to UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Thrilled to be on the blog Tour for Judy Leigh’s lovely book, The Silver Ladies Seize The Day!
The Blurb
You’re never too old to fall in love…again!
Cecily Hamilton is months away from her ninety-second birthday. She’s lived life to the full, choosing work over romance, friendship over love. And now she has a host of silver-haired friends living nearby, ready to fill her time with picnic lunches, prosecco and cheer!
Cecily thought she was content. She thought her cup was full…
But when the granddaughter of Cecily’s first and only love arrives on her doorstep, claiming that her grandfather, Eddie, is still in love with Cecily after all these years, Cecily wonders if there might be room for a little romance after all. Especially since, one by one, her friends keep falling head over heels for old flames and new.
Can the oldest silver lady of the bunch really hope for her own second chance at love? Is it finally time for Cecily to seize the day?
What a fantastic story about women of a certain age, and more, as they grasp their second chances in love and life! Cecily Hamilton is a 91-year-old ex-teacher. She still lives in the village where she taught for her entire teaching career and has forged friendships with many of her former pupils. Even those whom she first taught are in their 70s, and they laughingly call themselves the Silver Ladies, as they meet regularly. And all of them have a story, and various barriers prevent them from thoroughly enjoying their lives. The key part of the story is Cecily rediscovering her one true love. I shan’t go into it more, as you need to read it. Still, I enjoyed the complete story, which follows all of the ladies and other residents of the village as they tackle a particular menace, come together as a hive mind to solve a couple of other village issues, and then the gentle romances that are blooming along the way. A beautiful read! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Judy Leigh is the bestselling author of Five French Hens, A Grand Old Time and The Age of Misadventure and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.
I am thrilled to be on the Blog Tour for Freya Kennedy’s Stuck In The MidLife With You!
The Blurb
Becca Burnside is going to make this the year she turns her forties around, and creates a life her 16-year-old self would be proud of…
A smidgen of romance wouldn’t go amiss either. And with a new job, and a blossoming friendship with handsome Conal, she’s off to a great start. Or at least, she was, until her youngest son dropped the mother of all bombshells: his girlfriend, who just happens to be the daughter of Becca’s best friend Niamh, is pregnant. Now Becca and Niamh find themselves not only facing the usual problems that come with being women of a certain age, they’re going to be grannies.
So when Becca’s new job invites them on a weekend retreat, it seems the perfect way to distract themselves from‘the Situation’. But will wild water swimming and yoga be enough to help the women face the biggest challenge of their adult lives? And can their friendship survive the chaos of a new baby?
Join the most fabulous club in town!
Perfect for fans of Serena Terry and Alexandra Potter.
I’ve come into this series having not read the first book, but this did not detract from my enjoyment. Three childhood friends now in their forties continue to go through experiences together, including menopause and impending grandparenthood. In this story, we have the POV of two of the three women, Niamh and Becca. Laura, the third, is with them throughout, but not a main character. Becca is a single parent, having brought her twin boys up to adulthood, and they have embarked upon the first step in independence by starting university. However, one of them is in a situation. His girlfriend is pregnant. She is Niamh’s daughter, who is also going through a tough time at work and handling her ever-changing hormones. This situation could break the fragile bond of friendship, but that is where this story shows the strength of such relationships. The ladies go on a special retreat, designed for women of a certain age, where they learn more about themselves and when to accept and stand up for themselves. I love a midlife story, being a woman of a similar age, and knowing that such strong friendships exist, it is great to read about them, too. Also, being aware that life doesn’t end just because you are in that midlife time, is key.
About The Author
Author Bio–Freya Kennedy is the alter ego for bestselling thriller author Claire Allan.
A former journalist from Derry, Northern Ireland, Claire has published eleven novels. Now, as Freya, she is writing warm, funny women’s fiction for Boldwood.
Hello, tail end of May! The time sure is flying, isn’t it?
Yup, it’s the end of May, and my Whitsun week half term, most of which has been taken up writing the end of year reports, as well as walking and reading.
Did I write? Nothing more than the reports, unfortunately…
Now, back to this month’s reads… I even started listening to Audio books as I walk, this month, and that has been a revelation! I realised that with such a huge list of ARCS to read, my physical TBR pile would never lessen, so I found some of the books on my shelf and listened.
In fact, I read 10 books and listened to 8 this month. Pretty productive, eh?
I have just listened to The Midnight Library as an audiobook, and this was the first book I have listened to, ever! Was it a good choice? Absolutely! I was immersed in the story about Nora, a woman who thinks her life is worth nothing. Taking an attempt to end it all spirals into a visit to The Midnight Library, aptly named because that is when she slips from consciousness. Instead of finding peace in her own The End, Nora is confronted with many, many choices. The chance to wipe her regrets away. It was both intriguing and uplifting by the end. You know how we end up thinking ‘what if?’ regarding certain situations? This is Nora’s chance to remedy some of those regrets. Nora’s character is battling with low self-esteem and what appears to be depression. But this brilliantly composed journey of hers shows that there is light at the end of most tunnels. I really enjoyed listening to this.
Having read the Dubrovnik Book Club last year, I was thrilled to read this book by Eva Glyn. And the added plus for me was that one character was someone I had met before! Set in Santorini, we meet Zina and Lambros, a young married couple who have shifted back to Zina’s family farm, away from Athens, to support her widowed mother and give Lambros a chance to balance his wellbeing and mental health. He busies himself with building the farm back to what it used to be, and Zina creates a luxurious space where retreats can be held. Her first is one for writers, hosted by a famous author who writes under a pen name and several unpublished writers looking to be tutored and guided by this person. A colourful group of people congregate for a month-long retreat, including Karmela, whom we met in a previous book. There are secrets, love stories, relationship difficulties, and much more tackled within the story, all set in a beautiful rural part of a country well-known for its tourism attraction beauty. I enjoyed this read and was fully invested in the story, wanting to know what would happen to all the characters at the end! Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for an ARC.
Well, what can I say, except Kay Bratt has done it again, with another brilliant book for the ever-growing Harts Ridge series! Two storylines work in parallel as we follow Taylor and her husband to Mexico to attend the wedding of her stepfather, Ellis’s daughter, and we are hot on the trail of Lucy, Taylor’s youngest sister, who has run away, again, leaving her son Johnny with her family. Though Taylor is supposed to be taking a break from anything crime-related, she ends up slap bang in the middle of a double kidnapping case, which is connected to the wedding they are there to attend. Meanwhile, Lucy is on the run, and ends up meeting folk, some kind, some unsavoury, and she ends up back in a place she thought she’d never return to. I won’t go into more detail, but the ending was more than satisfying for more than one character whom we, as readers, have come to love, and there is scope for more of these wonderful Harts Ridge stories!
I do love a book with a relatable FMC. Emily is a woman in her early 40s, recently single after being in a long-term relationship, and in need of a change. She quits her career in the air as a flight attendant, and embarks upon a lifelong dream – to become an actress. And why shouldn’t one aspire to make those dreams come true? Emily is lucky to have supportive friends, but her mother does not necessarily believe that Emily is doing what is right for a woman of her age. Emily meets some wonderful people who become a second family to her in a small Italian restaurant, where, like most jobbing actors, she has found a job to keep her head above water, until she lands the perfect role. And she also meets someone rather special too. Let me not regurgitate the story here, but in a nutshell, we have a lovely story of second chances in both love and life. Remember, it’s never too late!
Okay, hands up to being verrrrry late to this bookish party, but the book has been on my shelf for ages, and I decided to audiobook it as I walked. The following is Olive, a PhD student, who somehow accidentally finds herself ‘fake-dating’ Professor Adam Carlson, who is not only arrogant and moody but also hot! Olive is a bit of a nerdy character, not experienced in relationships and boy, does it show! But the fake dating allows her to build a friendship with her fake boyfriend, and in her head, it becomes more of a situationship than she intended. It was a lighthearted read, and as the story built up, I willed for them to come clean to one another about the obvious to everyone else chemistry that they oozed! Now, the steamy part… yes, it was built up slowly, but OMG when it hit, it was HOT! I enjoyed the book even more than I thought I would, as is often the case with books that have been hyped up so much. I totally got the hype this time! A slow burn stem romance with some real sizzle when it comes to the crunch!
My third audiobook so far, and this was a more serious listen. The story of Lale, the Slovakian Jew, captured in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, was harrowing, and that it was based on a true story makes it even more heart-wrenching to listen to. Lale was well-educated, with his wits about him in an incredibly tough situation. How he finds himself as the Tätowierer, or the master tattooist of Auschwitz, is a sad tale in itself, but how he uses his role to help his fellow prisoners is inspiring. Inside the camp, he meets a girl, Gita, and somehow they develop a relationship despite the restrictions. From the beginning, Lale shows a sense of positivity, even though terrible things are happening to him and around him. These two lovers don’t know if they will depart the camp alive or dead, together or apart, but that faith is forever there. I was so moved, listening to this beautiful account of a horribly ugly time in the world’s history.
I loved this story of Mickey Teasdale, who owns a shop selling curiosities on the wonderfully named Ever After Street. She’s determined to match her wonderfully odd collection of stock with the right person, and she always has a story behind each item, whether truth or fiction. Teenager Ava tumbles into her shop one day, followed by her father, Ren. An initial clash of personalities gives way to a friendship and the possibility of something more, especially as they discover a secret in one item that Mickey sells to Ren. A possible real diary of a mermaid piques their curiosity, as one person is desperate for it to be true, and the other is determined to disprove any thoughts of sea people being real. And the third, well, she’s just excited to be there for the ride! I loved that we met all three characters right from the beginning, and it was wonderful to read how their relationships developed, with all the ups and downs accompanying two damaged souls. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and then I realised it was a part of a series. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the book whatsoever. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
I’ll admit to not having read any of the other Little Duck Pond Cafe books, but after reading this one, I think I will be visiting again soon, to catch up! The Pop-Up Cake Shop can be easily read as a standalone. I loved this story which centred around Katya, a woman who finds herself single, after discovering that her partner is not the faithful man she believed. Ellie, her heavily pregnant boss and friend, brings her aboard on a new venture, a travelling cake van, where customers can buy lovely fresh cakes at reduced prices, to stop wastage from some of the local food businesses. Along the way, she meets some interesting people including several new singletons, and they form a little group. An early encounter with a stubborn bulldozer driver, Ivan, and his foreman boss, Caleb turns into something more, as the weeks pass by, and the visits to the surrounding villages become regular. I enjoyed meeting lots of characters who I suspect, if I go back to the beginning of the series, I would learn a lot about, but I was especially glad that Katya got the ending she deserved!
I have listened to this book on my journey to work and back, as well as while walking, and it blew me away, almost as much as The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Cilka’s Journey looks at the life of Cilka, to whom we were introduced in The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Cilka Klein was another prisoner in Auschwitz and played a part in Lale’s journey to freedom, but her own story was intriguing, so I was so grateful to Heather Morris for doing all the research to write this next book. The book is set in Russia, where Cilka ends up as a prisoner in a Russian camp, charged with crimes she hasn’t committed. It is horrific to know the degradation and rape that the women in these camps were subjected to, on top of poor living conditions, barely any sustenance, and the threat of death, any day. Cilka’s story shows how she managed to pull herself through this second round of horror, and in that time, bettered herself, and often the lives of the other prisoners who lived with her, even though she was still being subjected to horrific attacks regularly. It did warm my heart to hear the ending. Though it is based on many facts, there are fictional elements, as Morris could not talk to Cilka herself, because she had passed away at the time of the writing of this story. The thought of what that innocent 16-year-old was subjected to over many years doesn’t bear thinking about, but it is also important that the facts are laid out, so people like us know exactly what happened in these camps and prisons. Hopefully, this will breed some compassion into those reading or listening, given the world’s horrors.
Oh, I love these kinds of family-related stories! I thoroughly enjoyed the last Laura Pearson book I read, so was thrilled to read this newest title from her. Imagine getting to your 60s and suddenly being faced with a person who should have been in your life from day one? This is what happens to Debbie Jones and Ruth Waverly. Faced with one another, on one of Debbie’s routine door-knock visits as a part of her job, collecting donations and secular donors for a charity, the two women are shocked to see themselves. Two people who look almost identical. I don’t want to rehash the story, but this is the almost unbelievable story of twins, separated at a very young age, unaware of the existence of the other. How they go about finding out their beginnings, the reason for their separation, and how each woman grows, as if by finding the other, they have finally gained the confidence to take steps they never would have before, is written so beautifully. There is a cast of side characters that give both women extra layers to their personalities and characters. I really enjoyed this.
I enjoy a fake dating trope in my romance reads, and Lizzie Chantree has given me a wonderful one here. The Windsor Love Pact is the first in a new series, set in Windsor. Maya, a wonderfully talented jewellery designer and artist, recently moved back ‘home’ after an unpleasant break-up. A chance encounter with Noah Benedict, a handsome and famous actor who has moved in close by, changes her life’s path. Both characters have a lot on their plates, and the idea of fake dating seems like the perfect solution to the constant cries of ‘when will you find a partner?’ for both of them. I thoroughly enjoyed the build-up of chemistry between Maya and Noah and the meddling from specific individuals. There are secrets and little twists that are a fantastic surprise for readers as the end of the story comes into view. I loved all the different aspects of this book, from the colourful characters, whom I look forward to learning more about as the series progresses, to Bertha, the old ferry that Maya sometimes works on. The descriptions of the riverside views and the plants and flowers surrounding the area made me want to visit! I’m now getting impatient to read the next one! Roll on, August!
Continuing my Audiobook journey, I decided to choose this book, by an author I have already read and enjoyed. Breaking the Rules, the first in The Cornish Village School series was a fantastic listen as I strode each evening. I even laughed out loud at several scenes, so may now look like my local village madwoman as I walk and listen! The story centres around Rosie, the headteacher of the local school, which suddenly finds itself in danger of closure and amalgamation with other village schools, and Matt, her new rather hunky neighbour. There are comedic meet-cute moments. Not one, but several, that really kept me listening. Rosie has baggage of the emotional kind and she doesn’t feel ready for any sort of encounter with a male, however her body and one part of her mind insists on barraging her thoughts, filling them with Matt. We also have the POV of Matt, who has moved for a change, and also because of his job. He has his own reasons for trying hard to steer clear, but both his mind and the behaviour of his scruff of a dog keet bringing him back face to face with Rosie. There are some great characters introduced, who I am sure will feature in future books, and this was the epitome of a romcom!
Another audiobook down. Well, it was one I got free, and though it was entertaining, it wasn’t a taxing listen, and the story of two doctors who somehow become connected romantically was okay. There are lies, misunderstandings, and a theme of mental health, which I feel could have been explored more. The narration was pretty good, though, and made the book, as the characters’ Scottish, Irish, and English accents were brilliantly done!
There will be a Blog tour in the next few days for this one, with the full review!
Remind me not to listen to Lauren Blakely books while driving my car, with passengers in! This story of Monroe and Juliet is a steamy romance of the spiciest degree! Both MCs are hosts on a dating podcast, and they also know each other through Juliet’s brother. There’s a brief history there, and Munrow struggles to keep his feelings quiet. But that gets harder when an extremely satisfied listener gifts them a house which they intend to sell, and when visiting it, they discover it only has one bed…a double bunk bed. With mirrored ceilings! And, to top it off, Juliet asks him to be her dating coach as her life is filled with failed dates. The story is told through both Munroe and Juliet’s POV, and all I will say is that they definitely found out that they were physically compatible, as the pretend dates they went on morphed into something more. Phew! Grumpy sunshine/forced proximity at its spiciest!
Another June Blog tour for this one, so you will have to wait for the full review!
A beautiful, emotional story told by Phillipa Ashley. The story centres around two characters; Tammy, who has lived in Porthmellow all her life. She’s a sand artist and also helps at a local gallery. Having lost her father, she is a bit untethered and quite reluctant to forge relationships with people other than her most trusted friends. The second is Ruan. He’s a solicitor, recently moved to the area, but with connections to the village and surrounding area that become more and more apparent as the story goes on. You feel the connection between the two characters from the beginning, and feel the effects of past secrets coming out on that fragile start of something that could be so special. I loved the story, and the cast of side characters brought extra depth to the story, especially Davey and Polly.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an ARC.
An easy-to-listen-to/read of a book. Abbie finds out that she has inherited a property, not long after an embarrassing breakup, and finds herself in Corfu, where she becomes the owner of a small hotel inland. With her dreams of finding a small cottage in the countryside, with the proceeds of the sale of this unwanted hotel, she arrives in Corfu, with the aims of a quick visit, and finds herself sucked into the small community there, and ends up honouring one of the bookings made prior to her aunt’s death. She meets some characters, including a spiritual Aussie yoga instructor with a penchant for skintight lycra, a wonderful older woman who owns the local taverna and then there is Nikos. Nikos, a former Michelin-starred chef, owns the vineyard next to the hotel, is young, and somewhat handsome, as well as very helpful, rescuing Abbie from all sorts of scrapes. He’s also in a place because of necessity, rather than passion. There is romance, and lots of gigglesome moments along the way, but I cannot 5 star it as I didn’t gel with the narrator as much as I would have liked.
