I’ve devoured the previous books in this series and this was no different! Our resident nosy parker, Jodie is all set for her dream wedding to Nathan, except it’s like cases seem to follow her wherever she goes, and a murder on the first night ends up with their wedding as a sideshow to an investigation, because, quite frankly neither Jodie, nor Nathan, can stop themselves! Another great read, though, and it’s always fun with a series , to be able to catch up with all the characters. There were certainly some twists and turns throughout the story, and there was lots packed into what was essentially just a few days in the story. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, One More Chapter, for an ARC.
I’ve loved Nina Kaye’s previous novels, so I was excited to read this new book of hers (and also rather pleased to know there was a second part to the story coming not long after. The story centres around Emma, a young woman embarking upon a celebration for her birthday, however circumstances change rather suddenly, leaving her without her boyfriend, and stuck in a convenience shop, trying to find a bottle opener to drink her sorrows away. What follows is a string of events that somehow lead to her winning a substantial prize on the Lottery. Oh, and not to mention Jamie, a certain young man who just pops up in all scenarios, annoying the heck out of Emma! How do you deal with a win of that magnitude after a real personal blow? Emma lives the life of a millionaire for a week, treating herself as well as her friends, before being sensible with her winnings, and all sorts happen in the short 5 days of the week. I loved all the characters in this story, from Emma herself to her friends Cat and the rather outspoken Amber! Emma has an older friend, Lottie, whom she trusts more than her own parents, and her interactions throughout the story were brilliant. I think we all need a Lottie in our lives. We don’t really get to know James that well, but the times he shows up, I got to know enough to warm to him, and I was urging Emma to open her mind and eyes to the great person he was! (Unlike the ex, Dave, who , lets fact it, is a right idiot) That ‘will they/won’t they?’ romance thread runs through the story, and the conclusion is perfect, though frustrating as it is right at the end, and now I have to wait to hear more about that part of the story. Impatiently waiting, Nina!
Released March 27th, 2025
Releasing 1st April and there will be a Blog Tour post!
What a lovely story filled with cake, castles and love! Bella and Adam are very different characters who meet in Spain under extraordinary circumstances. Their whirlwind romance leads to a quick proposal, and all seems terrific until they arrive back home in Scotland, where Adam learns some sad news about his father. The thing is, he’s not told his now fiance much about his life, and he is a Laird and has his own castle (that the whole family refers to as a house). The way Bella and Adam fall in love is cute, and how Bella, a free spirit, deals with the possibility of a future very different from anything she has ever imagined is a great story. There’s not one, but two Dowager Lady Lowbridges to contend with, as well as a small, tight-knit community in the village of Lowbridge, where Adam’s family lives. Bella tries her hardest to ingratiate herself into the day-to-day running of the castle, offering so much to help the family get out of a tight spot. It is great to see how her character deals with the future looking very different from what she ever thought. An excellent cast of characters, including Poppy, the castle ghost, brings more flavour to the story. Of course, there is plenty of mention of food and cakes in particular, which I always enjoy. Looking forward to reading what comes next!
Published 27th March, 2025
Blog Tour post on 4th April!
Blog tour and review on 7th April!
Blog Tour on 14th April!
So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!
Today, I am so happy to have a returning writer friend, Nina Kaye, visit my blog, to talk about writing and her newest release, Lucky Number.
Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway again, Nina! Let’s get you set with a drink, first. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or maybe a masala chai? I know there was planty of champagne in the book, so have some bubbles chilling in case you wanted to indulge!
If we’re going masala tea, I can offer you some homemade pakoras as I have recently mastered the art of frying the softest, yet crispiest ones, or a slice of Victoria sponge.
Hi Ritu, thanks so much for having me on your blog again. As it’s on offer, I’d love a glass of fizz. And maybe some freshly made pakoras too. I think that will make a delicious combination!
Savoury is definitely a good bet!
We spoke about how you became a published author the last time you visited, and that was very much all about your traditionally published route. This book, Lucky Number, and the sequel are being self-published. What made you go this route instead of submitting to other publishers? (I went in the opposite direction, going from self-published to a small, women-run indie press!)
Great question! It might seem like an odd move but it’s actually been a very deliberate one and I am by no means walking away from the traditionally published route. I guess if I were to put label on my situation, I’ve gone ‘hybrid’. Lucky Number was the first book I ever wrote. It’s also what I call ‘my rehab book’ because I started writing it as a way of rebuilding my cognitive capabilities after a significant health event in my life (it was basically ‘physio’ for my brain). So, it has great personal meaning to me and I always wanted it out in the world. I actually self-published it back in 2016 (or thereabouts) and then took it down from Amazon six weeks later because I was offered representation by a literary agent (I was also querying at the time). However, despite it being the book that got me an agent, it was never bought by a publisher because it didn’t sit cleanly within any genre. I did get great feedback on it though, and that spurred me on to write more books and eventually become successful in getting traditionally published. Anyway, what started out as one book – originally called As Luck Would Have it – has turned into a two-book series (Lucky Number and Another Lucky Number), and as these stories still don’t sit cleanly within a genre, I decided that I wanted to put them out there myself and have a proper stab at the indie publishing route this time. Though I love being traditionally published author and all the opportunities and learning that comes with that, I’m someone who enjoys being creative without boundaries and this independent approach allows me more of that. I’m also a doer and being in control of my own destiny quite suits me. I’ve enjoyed taking these stories in the direction I wanted them to go, managing the design of my covers and creating my promotional posts such as the one for my cover reveal. In fact,
I’m currently doing the same with a children’s book I’ve written, the main characters of which are based on a couple of clay models I also made during my ‘rehab’ period. I will self- publish that too, hopefully this spring. Ooh, that sounds interesting! I’ve got a couple of texts that I have written which Id love to be picture books, but am floundering with, as I am so not an illustrator!
Reading the acknowledgements and seeing when you wrote this book made me pause to think. Writing is so healing, and you call this your rehab book. Did you feel the positive effects on your mental health as you wrote? (Again, I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which is nothing compared to what you went through, but I really get the cathartic feeling you get from writing.)
I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis, Ritu. Living with chronic illness is tough and it can be quite isolating. I hope you are getting enough support. I’ll answer your question more generally rather than just honing in on that period in my life. Writing definitely helps with my mental wellbeing. I’m a pretty content person actually, despite my health challenges, and I think part of the reason for that is because I’ve found that creative outlet. I’ve spent a lot of time on understanding myself and what matters to me and I think it really helps that I’m living my life in alignment with that. Also, writing works as a distraction from the constant pain and unpleasant sensations in my body. Being totally honest – and I know I don’t just speak for myself when I say this – some aspects of being an author are actually detrimental to mental wellbeing, and I know there are a lot of writers out there who struggle. I think it’s important to acknowledge this. I found myself struggling at a point as well and wondering whether it was worth continuing. With my health situation, I need to be very careful about how much stress and other negative feelings/experiences I subject my already challenged body to. But I’ve managed to get on top of that (for now anyway) so at the moment,t ‘authoring’ is very much a positive and therapeutic process that I can lean into and gain the therapeutic benefits from. It’s about making sure the positive outweighs the negative.
And how is your health now?
It’s an ongoing battle, I won’t lie. Day to day, I live with chronic pain and fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues, an overreactive central nervous system… and lots more symptoms! There are still too many days when I have difficulty walking, I fall down or where I lose control of my body entirely and my muscles spasm so badly that I’m wailing in agony. But I’m in a much better place than I was ten years ago and I appreciate that every single day. I know it could be a lot worse because I’ve been there.
Right now, we need to talk about Lucky Number! Where did you come up with this idea of an unexpected win?
Gosh, I can’t remember now! It’s so long ago. I think it was just an idea that came to me and I ran with it. It’s not based on a personal experience sadly. Sorry to disappoint you. I think we all wish that could be something we were able to experience personally, lol!
Emma really had a run of bad luck at the beginning, and there were several mishaps throughout the book. Do you think your life’s ups and downs were reflected in that part of the story?
That’s an interesting question. No, I don’t think so. There wasn’t any clear inspiration from my own life in the way that there was with my chronic illness-themed book, Take A Moment. I was really just working with the age-old question of ‘can money buy happiness?’ and trying to portray that it obviously helps, but it doesn’t solve the difficult stuff. Basically, the things that you can’t use a bank card to fix. Emma, my main character, had to go through some lows initially for her win to be seen as the answer to her problems and then again later for that age-old question to be properly explored and answered with my interpretation of it.
Emma has a wonderful group of friends around her, from the calm and careful Cat to the firebrand Amber. Every girl needs friends like them! But my favourite had to be Lottie. I love the idea of having an older friend, and I have had several myself, whose wisdom was invaluable. Was Lottie based on anyone you know?
Oh, that’s a surprise! I adore Lottie, but I hadn’t expected her to be your favourite character. It’s a really nice surprise. What’s particularly interesting about it too is that Lottie wasn’t in the first iteration of the book. I introduced her during a structural edit after it was suggested to me that I could add some emotional depth to the story. She’s not based on anyone I know but I liked the idea of bringing in an elderly character because older people can too easily be overlooked and dismissed when they have so much to offer the world, in particular their wisdom. I wanted to show how a relationship like that – between an older and younger person – can be mutually beneficial. I think those people from the older generations have so much to give, and it’s up to us to spend time with them, chatting, and to encourage the younger generations to realise the value of their older relatives. 🙂
Even though romance wasn’t the only premise in the book, it was a thread that ran through in the form of James. I LOVED the little twist revealed at the end, regarding her lottery numbers! Who is the inspiration for James?
Ah, James. Yes, he’s quite the catch. I have my own James (my husband) and in the Acknowledgements I’ve made it clear that he’s not the inspiration for the love interest in Lucky Number who shares his name (not entirely anyway!). I got lucky in love not long before I became unwell and I’m grateful every day that the universe brought my James to me before all that happened. Otherwise, we might never have had the chance to meet and my life might be very different now (in a bad way). I think some of my husband’s positive qualities have come through in the character of James, but he’s definitely not a carbon copy. The reason they share a name is because my James was there for me through the most difficult time of my life. He was basically my hero. So I named my male main character in Lucky Number after him. I did wonder about changing the name at one point, especially as the male main character in One Night in Edinburgh is called Jamie, but the book has so much meaning for me that I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
And, I have to say that I am so looking forward to the second installment! You’ve left me truly wanting more! Can you let us know when to expect the next book, Another Lucky Number?
That I am so pleased to hear! And the good news is you don’t have long to wait. Another Lucky Number will be out in the summer, though I’m still to nail down the exact date.
I am ridiculously excited to read it, so I’ll try not to wish the time away too quickly, lol! But, Peeps it is a fantastic read, and I hope you do get clicking on the buy link down below!
Thank you so much for coming to visit, again, Nina!
Thanks, Ritu, I enjoyed answering these questions!
And so to the Blurb!
Her numbers have come up, but can money really buy her happiness?
Emma is stuck in a rut. Her boss is a bully, she’s missed out on a promotion at work and her partner is a sanctimonious git – not that she knows it until he heartlessly dumps her, leaving her homeless. In an unexpected twist of fate, Emma finds herself with a winning lottery ticket. She thinks a bulging bank balance will make all her problems disappear, and the first thing she’s going to do is have some fun by living like a millionaire for a week.
With romance off the agenda for the foreseeable future, a newly carefree Emma embarks on the experience of a lifetime. But between a series of run ins with a handsome yet irritating stranger and finding herself involved in one disaster after another, her life is soon unravelling again.
Will Emma realise that money doesn’t solve everything? And can she untangle herself enough from the mess she’s in to take a chance at real love?
Nina Kaye writes warm, witty and uplifting reads with a deeper edge. She has previously published Stand Up Guy, Just Like That, One Night in Edinburgh, Take A Moment and The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating. Nina lives in Edinburgh with her husband and much adored side-kick, James. In addition to writing, she enjoys swimming, gin and karaoke (preferably all together in a sunny, seaside destination).
I am thrilled to be on the blog tour for my dear friend Sandy Barker and her latest (and last) installment in the Ever After Agency series, I Knew You Were Trouble.
The BRAND NEW instalment in Sandy Barker’s gorgeously romantic Ever After Agency series. Don’t get mad. Get even.
Kate Whitaker has always believed in love, but when a stranger named Willem shows up on her doorstep, the news he has to share isn’t as exciting as his god-like looks might suggest. He’s come to tell her that Kate’s fiancé is also engaged to his sister.
Kate doesn’t know how she didn’t see the red Jon’s work as an airline pilot having him flying around the globe, the postponed dates, the huge rock of an engagement ring that isn’t her style at all.
Overcome with fury – and entranced by the Nordic god’s piercing blue eyes and quiet allure – Kate agrees to accompany Willem to his hometown of Amsterdam to help break the news to his sister. Yet what begins as a simple gesture of support soon twists into a deliciously devious plan to get back at Jon.
Kate is drawn into a world of retribution, revenge and – unexpectedly – romance. Because sometimes the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else…
A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about broken trust, sweet revenge, and the surprising places we find love. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Emily Henry.
😭😭😭 I’m not crying for any negative reason; it’s because this may be the last in the Ever After Agency Series, and I have become so invested in the characters that reappear, story after story! But let’s not dwell on my sadness. Let’s embrace the fun of the story! There’s a little twist in the tale this time, as Poppy, our favourite matchmaker from the Ever After Agency, engages in an activity for a client that is most definitely not matchmaking! Poppy’s client, Kate, is reeling from discovering that her fiancé, Jon, is a two (three?) timing serial fiancé. Having originally found him through a match with another agency, Kate contacts Poppy for some help with revenge! Oh, but the plot thickens. Kate finds she has feelings for the Thor-like Nordic Willem, who opens her eyes to the deception she has suffered. And he happens to be fiancé #2’s brother… I’m not saying any more about the plot because you need to read the book, but suffice to say it was so engaging that I read it in one sitting. We have a bit of travel, lots of ‘will they-won’t they?’ moments and some great side characters in the form of fiancé #2, almost fiancé 3, and Kate’s cousin Margot, who is hilarious! I love that though the story is about a particular client, we get constant updates about Poppy, a pivotal character in all the series books. And her life is about to take its own new turn… are you sure this will be the end, Sandy B? Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Sandy Barker is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic.
Sandy’s first novel, One Summer in Santorini, a romantic comedy set in Greece and inspired by her own real-life love story with her partner, Ben, was published in 2019 by One More Chapter (HarperCollins), launching the 5-book Holiday Romance series. Also with One More Chapter are her Christmas Romance series, celebrating her favourite time of year, and The Dating Game, a stand-alone romcom set in the world of Reality TV.
Sandy’s new 5-book romcom series with Boldwood Books is about the Ever After Agency, a bespoke matchmaking agency based in London, with a brilliant cast of characters and settings around the world.
Today’s blog tour offering is a spicy novella by Christy McKellan.
The Blurb
A flirty and spicy forbidden romance for fans of Tessa Bailey, Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood!
✧ Tropes & Themes ✨
✧ Breaking her rules 🔥
✧ Bad Boy Hero💖
✧ Forced Proximity 💗
✧Working together 💋
✧ Opposites attract 😬
✧ Temptation 💕
✧ All the spice 🌶️
Sometimes it’s fun to kiss and tell!
Sensible journalist Jess is not a rule breaker, especially where her career is involved. But trying to extract a tell-all interview from notorious artist and bad boy Xander Heaton is going to test her patience… and self-control. Because she must, at all costs remain professional, respectable and stay focused on the job at hand.
But it’s not long before Jess realizes that Xander spells trouble with a capital T and is living up to his tempting reputation! Trying to keep her distance, Jess decides that maybe she could break her golden rule, just this once to get Xander out of her system and her job back on track. But one night is never enough! And she learns that actually breaking her rules once in a while can lead to more fun than sticking to them!
A quick, spicy novella that could well have done with being a full length novel! Jess is a journalist at the beginning of her career. She’s not filled with confidence, but has many dreams. Faced with possible redundancy, she puts herself forward for a project so far removed from her comfort level that even she questions whether she will fulfil the job. This is an attempt to interview artist Xander Heaton, who is also hot, a bit of a playboy, and a notoriously closed book regarding his personal life. The story sees her kinda mess up, then she is given chance to redeem herself, by joining him in Italy for a few days to complete her interview, in return for her being his motel. Lots of sexual chemistry there, and a few touchy subjects approached, but none in enough detail for them to become a matter of care and concern for the reader. This is where I wanted ta full novel, to explore a bit more about both characters, so I could really understand them. The spice factor is pretty high, if you want a quick, sizzling read, though! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Author Bio
Formerly a Video and Radio Producer, Christy now spends her time writing provocative, passionate, seductive romance. When she’s not writing, she can be found enjoying life with her husband and three children, walking for pleasure and researching other people’s deepest secrets and desires.
Not a blog tour, not a review, no birthdays or anniversaries to celebrate, just me here to have a catch up.
Some of you have been here since the beginning of my blogging journey, which started nearly ten years ago. And over that time, aside from me discussing topical issues, sharing family and cat stories, poetry and my writing journey, I have also documented when I have tried, and often succeeded, then failed, to start a weight loss journey.
I was so good with Slimming World, losing around 2 stone before I stilled and it all piled back on, then I also had a go at Noom, on two separate occasions, reading articles, logging food intake and weighing in every day… which again worked for a while before we moved house, and life went a bit topsy turvy…
I started to think this was it for me. I’d be that slightly podgy, bellied, double-chinned Ritu forever, and I had to accept it. After all, I also now have fibromyalgia to deal with – who I have also named Frank.
Fibro Frank is like that annoying houseguest who turns up unannounced, causing a flare up, and can sometimes overstay his welcome. While he is here, he exhausts me, and can play havoc with my joints. I just try and deal with him and his stay as each day comes.
Then a friend of mine recommended something she had started, Slimpod. It’s not a diet. It’s not about controlling your food intake, it’s about talking to your subconscience. She is much younger than me and has had trouble with her own joints and needed something to help, so she tried a 10-day free trial, and felt there was some change in her approach to food. She was going to sign up for the full programme and recommended it.
Again, no specific diet. No calorie counting. Just a way of retraining your mind and how it things about food and eating.
What is it, then?
Basically I listen to a pod (a short audio clip around 10 mins long) every day, before bed or sometimes more often, and our friend Trevor speaks to our subconscience. There are two to start with, but the Slimpod you should listen to daily. After 5 weeks there will be another pod released. And there are videos to watch, which are not long, and you can either watch them in one go once a week, or watch them over the week, before the new ones are released.
It’s all about Neuroscience, and unpacking possibly decades of emotional eating triggers. (Stress is one of mine.)
Plus you are encouraged to write down three wins a day. And to not weigh yourself.
I know. That’s a bit mad. A weight loss thing but you don’t weigh? Well, I guess the long and short of it is that we get so reliant on the numbers that show up, sometimes we forget to remember the other plusses that have occured
And I won’t go into it because, let’s face it, I’m not the expert, but after my first ten days, I wanted to share what I am feeling.
So, within a couple of days I did notice that, aside from a really stressful day where I ate three chocolate bars, I have stopped automatically reaching for snacks in between meals, and if I fancy something, I’m bypassing most naughty treats, and going for fruit. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t stopped eating all things that give me pleasure, it’s just I can finally eat and stop before I finish a whole pack of something.
I’m eating three good meals a day, drinking more water, and snacking less. I’ve refused the takeaway that Hubby Dearest wants to order on most occasions, trying to cook from scratch more.
We aren’t meant to weigh in, but I did this morning, and I have lost 4lb in the ten days!
I’m trying to hit my step goals most days.
And I am starting to sleep better.
I’ve invested in a Snoozeband so I can fall asleep wearing it while listening to the pods as it is flat on the ears and I am a side sleeper. I am wearing it right now, as I type while listening to a podcast. So comfortable!
And I have realised that I don’t have to wear tent-like tops. I have worn a couple of outfits that cinch in at the waist, and usually I am paranoid because I feel conscious of my tummy, however people have made a point of saying how lovely they look on me. The tent-tops of which I have many, are comfortable for work, but they do make me look bigger because they hang in a certain way…
So, tomorrow, my free trial ends, and I am 100% going to be continuing. There are 3 monthly payment of £39 then the pods and videos are mine to keep and continue to listen to.
This isn’t me being paid to advertise. This is a genuine recommendation, that so far I am loving this! You can click below if you want to read more… You get 10% off if you use it!
But I Smile Anyway... 