My Blog Tour visit for Under One Sky By Zoe Folbigg.
From bestseller Zoë Folbigg comes this beautiful, romantic tale of finding love in the most unexpected places. Under the midnight sun of Arctic Norway, Cecilie goes online looking for friends, and stumbles across Hector Herrera. They start chatting and soon realise that they might have just fallen in love. But there’s a Hector lives thousands of miles away in Mexico. And he’s running from a tragic past.
Cecilie’s whole life has been anchored by sticking to what she knows and her job at the cafe in the town in which she grew up. Can she really make a leap of faith for someone she’s never met? And will Hector break free to change the path he’s on?
An unforgettable story about two people, living two very different lives under the same sky, and whether they can cross oceans, seas and fjords to give their love a chance.
Told from the viewpoint of three characters, this story is set in multiple locations, from Arctic Norway, Mexico and England. Cecilie is a young woman who has never veered further than the country she was born in, Norway. She leads a self-contained life and is happy not to be too involved in anyone else’s life. She strikes up an online friendship with Hector, known as The Mexican by many in Cecilie’s life, but this becomes something more profound. Then there is British Kate. A woman who is struggling in her marriage, with a man who doesn’t appreciate her, and with a tenuous connection to Hector. There is a lot of time hopping within the story which can get a little confusing, but essentially, we are following how Cecilie and Hector met in a chatroom, how their relationship developed and all that happened in between. Kate’s chapters did feel a little redundant, as she is not really involved in Cecilie and Hector’s story, per se, until the end of the book. Maybe she deserves her own story. Many thanks to Boldwood Books for an ARC.
About the Author
Zoë Folbigg is author of Amazon number-one bestseller The Note, based on the true story of how she met her husband on her daily commute and Amazon Prime’s biggest selling Kindle book of 2018. Zoë has written for magazines and newspapers in the UK and around the world; she wrote a weekly column in Fabulous magazine documenting her year-long round-the-world trip with ‘Train Man’ – and now lives with him, their sons and their cat Margot in Hertfordshire. Her seventh book Five Days is out 26th July 2024. You can follow her on Instagram @zoefolbigg
It’s World Book Day and usually I pop a post up about dressing up for school…
We did, but this year we did a PJ day so all children and staff came in pyjamas or loungewear to promote reading for rest and relaxation, and also to ease the burden on parents to buy the latest costumes out there…
We know. Home made wins, hands down, but not everyone has the talent or time.
The kids loved it, the staff were ready for naps, and it was an all round lovely day! But, what I often forget is that World Book Day is not just for kids.
I’m a prolific reader, and WBD means lots to me, as an adult. Books have saved me many times.
And I’m an author, too. (I’m told) my books are out there to give joy, tug at the heartstrings and raise a smile, too!
So, if you’re a little too old for picture books (never!), then have a taste of some Chickpea Curry Lit, and try The Rishtay Series. A cultural blend of love, friendship and relationships of all sorts 🩷🧡💙
Today, I am thrilled to be on the blog tour for The Ick by Holly Muculloch.
The Blurb
Girl meets boy. Girl gets the ick. Girl moves on.
Gem has a chronic case of the ick. Luckily for Gem, these icks are actually her intuition in disguise, warding her off of greater red flags which would surely develop later… or that’s Gem’s theory. Her best friend, Shanti, doesn’t buy it. In fact, in her training to become a Clinical Psychologist, Shanti decides to design her graduate study around Gem. To see if the ick is real, she challenges Gem to look past her intuition and date someone for an unimaginable six weeks, all for a fee of £5,000.
And who better to test the hypothesis than Atlas. He eats soup for lunch, wears a gigantic rucksack and winks at the end of cringy jokes – all impossible to look past. But, despite Gem’s best efforts, he’s also, she hates to admit it, quite funny, attentive, and kind (and not to mention extremely good looking). And whilst her gut shouts at her to run away, one date becomes, two, three, four, before she stops counting all together.
Can Gem do the impossible and start falling for Atlas? And what happens when he finds out she’s being paid to date him?
The Ick is a hilarious romance about the judgements we pass, the insecurities we harbour, and those relationships that force us to embrace vulnerability whole-heartedly.
Can I say that one thing this book didn’t give me was the Ick? It starts as a mild-mannered story, with Gem, our FMC, who finds it hard to commit because each time she meets a date, something inevitably puts her off, be it food, clothing, or a specific behaviour… also known as The Ick. She marks down the first date of the book… because he ate soup for lunch! Gem lives with her best friend, Shanti, who is training to be a clinical psychologist. She thinks there are commitment issues and that these ‘icks’ are more of an unconscious attempt to never say yes. And so, the central part of the story starts. Gem is signed up for a clinical study for Shanti’s thesis and has to date one person for a long time, despite ‘icks’ to see what happens. Enter Atlas. – Okay, so he entered earlier. He’s the soup eater. But what a wonderful character! He is that pure, gorgeous specimen, and you know he is just right for Gem. Only, can she get over the ‘ick’? And the side characters are just as great. Uncle Mick, who is like a surrogate father figure; Jay, the miserable corner shop owner who despite not uttering a word through the book, has his presence, and Shauna, the attitude-filled young footballer. I enjoyed reading this book because it goes deeper than the fundamental Ick issue. Gem’s background and her relationship with her mother all contribute to how she is right now.
Author Bio
As the fourth child in a busy household, Holly was often left to entertain herself. She wasn’t cool enough to hang out with her oldest siblings, and she wasn’t a good enough goalie to hang out with her younger sibling. Luckily, she quickly found the world of books and since then, she has never looked back. As a kid, Holly often went to sleep with at least four books underneath her pillow just in case she needed them. And she often did. Books have saved her time and time again.
After a stint working at a literary agency, then a stint working at a big four publisher, and then a stint working as a book buyer, Holly made the terrible decision to become a management consultant. After four years, and still no idea what the job actually entailed, books saved her once again. She wrote her first novel Just Friends (published by Transworld in 2020) when she needed to escape. Her second novel, The Mix-Up followed in 2021.
She is currently working as a freelance editor and writer, and lives in the outskirts of Oxford with her dog, who she lovingly named Schitthead (Ted) after the best TV programme known to man. She is fuelled by baked goods and a need to make people laugh.
If you want to get to know Holly (and Ted) better, follow her over on Instagram (@by.holly.mcculloch) where she mainly shares dog photos and curates memes.
February. That month, for me, of birthdays. Oh, so many birthdays, meals out and cake! And Romance, obviously. Plus the added bonus of our February half term where I read loads.
My plan was to, aside from any arcs, go for love stories in any form; cosy, spicy, second chance, whatever. It ended up being a whole load of ARCs, but all with some level of romance attached (apart from one).
So, I read 13 books – And most were arcs ready for blog tours!
I’ve loved previous Josie Silver books, so was excited to read this one, too. Slow Burn Summer is exactly that. A slow burn romance, that has us as readers simmering throughout, as well as the characters! Kate is reeling from a recent divorce and trying to find her feet again. Her daughter is at university, her ex living in what was their family home with his new partner, and Kate is in a flat belonging to her sister, attempting to make sense of her new life. She bites the bullet and contacts her old agent, from before she got married, twenty years ago, in the hope that she can rekindle her acting career as a means to an end, and finds herself with a most unexpected role. That of an author. Specifically, she is to act as the author of a book she hasn’t written because the actual author doesn’t want to have their already famous name associated with this particular story. Oh, and her agent? He’s not the person she started out with, two decades previously, the flamboyant Jojo Fernandes. Instead he is working with Charlie Fernandes, his son. And a rather lovely looking, decent kind of man! Without going into detail, Kate’s life is a rollercoaster as the publication day arrives and the popularity of the novel soars. She needs all the support she can get, and her sister is one amazing character, a real momma bear, who wonn’t let anyone hurt her sister. And, of course, Charlie… There’s a lot that goes on, and it makes for a very entertaining read, and the slow burn is brilliantly done. A fantastic summer read! Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC.
As a British-born Indian with Kenyan-born Indian parents, I am always drawn to stories that relate to my home country and the Commonwealth countries, and the premise of this novel really piqued my interest. I enjoy reading WW2-related stories, but I have never read one that focuses on Indians in Britain. This book shone a light on a part of the war era that I wasn’t even aware of. The story centres around Ruby, an air raid warden, and Kitty, a lawyer. Both have connections to India. Ruby is half Indian but has never made this public knowledge, and hasn’t had to as she favours her English mother in looks, rather than her Indian father. Hindu Kitty moved to England with her Muslim husband from Bombay after defying her family and marrying out of her religion. Their stories collide when Ruby finds herself drawn to the India Forum and begins attending meetings where Indians in England are supporting their home country by continuing to campaign for India’s independence from the British Empire. Kitty is already a member of the group, however she doesn’t trust the stranger in their midst, who doesn’t look like them. I know it is fictional, but it has highlighted a situation that I was unaware of, and I feel compelled to learn more. The occupation of India, and the subsequent independence and partition are such sore topics, right to this day, and the mode of story is just one way to educate those who don’t know. A passionately told story featuring prejudices, love, suspicion, trust, and the questioning of loyalties. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for an ARC.
Gotta love a YA psychological thriller! Sariyah, our FMC is a girl with a bit of a special power. Somehow she can sense the ‘needs’ of people around her, except those she is very close to. It can be deafening, hearing random things in her mind, as she walks around crowds. She does her best to help, but it can get overwhelming. She and her friends are suddenly caught up in a missing person case, when one of their friends disappears at a music festival. Sariyah’s life turns upside down as they try to find out what happened to Deja, especially as she lost her best friend, as a missing person, never found, a few years previously. What is interesting, on top of all the twists and turns, which are 100% page-turning, is the theme of how a white girl’s disappearance and a black girl’s disappearance are treated. Social media traction, hashtags, news going viral… And, I was NOT expecting that ending! Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC.
I’ve not read the first in this series and it did not detract from the enjoyment of the book, at all. The Love Hotel in Spain is a boutique affair where singletons apply and are matched to holiday with a person who should be their perfect partner. Jasmine is one of the guest relations managers, and very good at her job. Alejandro is the sous chef, who also happens to be rather gorgeous. One rule of the hotel is no relationships between co-workers. But there are sparks between these two that they both try hard to ignore. Until they get sent on a work trip to Jamaica! Sun, sand… you know what the menu holds. The story simmers throughout as both parties try their hardest to stay professional, but boy, when the sparks fly, they are HOT! Though, will what happens in paradise stay in paradise? Both characters are damaged in their own way and have to learn to overcome their own flaws (which may only be flaws in their eyes) to even accept that another person would be attracted to them. I really enjoyed this book. A light-hearted read with a huge heap of spice! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
A tragic love story. Lucy is still somewhat in mourning after losing her great love, Gabe, ten years previously. She finds a slip of paper in his things with an Italian address on it and finds herself on a trip of discovery to find out more about who lives there, why they were important to Gabe, and to finally put his ghost to rest, so she can get on with her life. Lucy meets Dr Dax in Italy and finds her self drawn to him and some deep sadness within him. There is the matter of being a divorced mum of 3, with a tremendous secret hanging over the family, that could make or break many relationships. Lucy has a lot to deal with, not least the fall out of that secret becoming known, as well as navigating whether she is ready to move on, somehow, or whether she doesn’t deserve any more happiness. It was heartbreaking but equally beautiful to read. I’ve not read the first book The Love We Lost, but I could read The Love We Found with no issue.s I do, however, now want to read the first book to understand a bit more about how the whole situation arose! Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Publishing for an ARC.
Releasing 18th March, 2025
Releasing 23rd March, 2025 – Blog Tour post to follow!
Releasing in April, and yes, another Blog Tour review from me then!
Every one of Emily Henry’s books captivates me in different ways, and Great Big Beautiful Life was just simply amazing! There is Grumpy/Sunshine in the mix, but so, SO much more in the story. Alice is a journalist who has finally been given a chance to stretch her writing muscles on a story that is close to her heart. Hayden is a Pulitzer prize willing writer looking to fill the gap he’s feeling after writing a biography that took his whole being to write. She’s full of the light of life, finding the silver linings in all situations. He’s – well – grump. Unapproachable, gruff, rude. And hot. The story finds both of them competing in a month-long interview to see who will be granted permission to write the biography for Margaret Ives, the infamous, reclusive heiress to the tabloid conglomerate built by the Ives family. The story is mostly told from Alice’s POV, with a subtle dual timeline that takes us back to Margaret’s past. We learn so much about all three main characters, and in between, the simmering chemistry between Alice and Hayden bubbles along in true Henry style. There is love, loss, grief, tragedy, scandal, and an unexpected twist at the end, which brings about pain and healing all at once. I LOVED this book. I think this might be her best, yet, and my favourite Emily Henry read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC.
I’ve not read any Fiona McIntosh books before, and I do love a bit of historical fiction. This story, set in Australia in the early 1900s was another first for me. Set in both the Outback and Flinders Range, as well as Adelaide, we start the story with a young 10 year old boy, Tom Catchlove, whose family lives among the sheep shearers. Suddenly losing his mum while she was in childbirth, and his father far away on a job, uncontactable, Tom is set on a fateful journey to Adelaide to her mother’s family, for a short while, where she meets a precocious young 8 year old, Fleur Appleby, the daughter of the undertaker looking after his mother. She leaves an indelible mark on his memory, which doesn’t dull as he gets older. As does he on hers. They meet, by chance, as adults, both in very different situations, and both orphans of a like. Tom is the wool classes he always said he would be, and Fleur is striving to be the best mortician in Australia, and one of the first female ones. What pursues is a love story that is achingly painful, and romantic, as well as a heart rending story as they fight the odds to be together. I sped through this book over one day. Beautifully written. Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC.
If you’re looking for a feel good, light summer read, then you won’t go wrong with a Heidi Swain story, and Best Summer Ever is a great choice. Daisy is back home after a breakup with her cheating partner. She’s looking forward to a chance to reset her batteries, but not looking forward to the grilling she’ll get from her parents, having lost yet another job, and now the boyfriend they thought was the bees knees. Before even getting home, she encounters Josh, a rather hot American tourist, several times in increasingly embarrassing situations as she reaches the Norfolk village of Wynmouth, near her childhood home. What follows is a series of events that eventually brings Daisy back to the job she always dreamed of, but was advised against, as well as a summer fling that may be so much more. Wynbrook Manor, the only home Daisy has ever known, is wonderfully picturesque. Its owner, Algy, is a wonderful character. He is Daisy’s surrogate grandfather, who only wants the best for her and hides his own grief. Daisy has a wonderful cast of side characters of her childhood friends, too, who help to carry the story along, as well as a little drama of their own to add a little more flavour. There are (not so) little secrets that all come together to a very satisfying ending, And I cannot forget little Luna the cat who has her own starring role! Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC.
I have followed this series with great interest over the last few years, and I was so thankful to receive this ARC. We are back to visit the characters of the Wild Isles series, and this time, the story begins with the POV of Jayne, a woman who can foresee certain events. She’s married to Norman, a nasty piece of work, but she doesn’t have the strength to fight back in any way. What she witnesses during her last night on St. Kilda is something she doesn’t realise will be significant until further on in the story. Through this book, we follow Effie, Mhairi, and Flora, key characters in the first three books, and each is left with loose ends that are slowly tied up through The Midnight Secret. As the book progresses, we visit Canada, different parts of the Highlands, and a return to St Kilda. The stories of the fictional St Kildan community leading up to the catalyst that finds them leaving their beloved island and all they know and following them as they try to settle on the Scottish Mainland were beautifully crafted. The entire series is just amazing. Karen Swan made me care about every character, and their stories unfolded unforgettably, so each addition to the series enhanced the previous book. I hope we will see more series in this vein from the author. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for an ARC.
Releasing 29th April, 2025
So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!
I am thrilled to be on the Blog Tour for Happily Ever After by Jane Lovering!
Andi Glover loves nothing more than a good book.
Any book in fact because when you’re raised by unconventional parents who think school’s for squares, alongside a deeply conventional sister who escapes home as soon as she can, fiction is eminently preferable to reality.
The only problem is that fiction isn’t the best way to learn about the real world. When Andi starts her new live-in job at Templewood Hall for the eccentric Lady Dawe and her enigmatic son Hugo, it’s tempting to think she’s fallen into the pages of one of her favourite gothic novels.
But the plot twists at Templewood Hall are stranger than fiction and it’s not long before Andi questions if she’s living in a romance novel or a whodunnit. Bumps in the night, a missing heir, ghostly apparitions and secrets that have been kept for generations – the mysteries mount up. Then there’s the inscrutable gardener who seems to appear when needed – is Andi right to hope for a happily-ever-after end to her story?
Happily Ever After is a Gothic-inspired mystery with a slow-burn romance that picks up pace towards the end. Andi arrives at Templewood Hall and is accosted by a rude gardener before she is interviewed for a position that she hopes she’ll get because she has no qualifications for anything else and nowhere else to go. She lived a pretty unconventional life with her parents, moving around regularly and living in a converted bus. An opportunity arises for her to have a more normal life, though I’m not sure her position at Templewood Hall is anything close to normal! Tasked with cataloguing the many books in Lady Tanith Dawe’s library, Andi lets her love of books create a whimsical dream of falling in love and marrying the rather gorgeous son and heir, Hugo. However, she is covertly given the real reason for Lady Dawes’ wanting the library organised, and it has a bit of a twist. Is there romance? Yes, there is, but it doesn’t pick up speed until the book’s latter pages. But Andi’s love of the classics is evident in her dreams of what might be, and the chapter headings are a great nod to those classics. Some may find Andi a difficult character to like. She doesn’t always appear to help herself, but things change as the story progresses, and she has the ending she deserves. I tell you what, that Lady Dawes – she is a piece of work! A bit deluded! For me, the hero of the book was the feline, called The Master (we never find out his real name!), who smells of fish and takes a real shine to Andi, being her shadow, trying to sleep in her bed, and even getting her out of some scrapes! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC. Purchase Link https://mybook.to/happilyever
Author Bio –
Jane Lovering is a bestselling and multi-award winning romantic comedy writer. Most recently Jane won the RNA Contemporary Romantic Novel Award in 2023 with A Cottage Full of Secrets. She lives in Yorkshire and has a cat and a bonkers terrier, as well as five children who have now left home.
But I Smile Anyway... 