Blogging | But I Smile Anyway...

The Santorini Writing Retreat by Eva Glyn #BlogTour #BookReview Plus a #Giveaway #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @JaneCable @0neMoreChapter_

25 May 2025 4 Comments

by Ritu in Blog Tours Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Book Tour, Eva Glyn, One More Chapter, Rachel's Random Resources

Today, I am thrilled to be on the blog tour for Eva Glyn’s The Santorini Writing Retreat.

The Blurb

Bestselling author Jessica Rose needs to escape from a terrible secret that’s robbed her of her creativity. Could leading a retreat on a gorgeous Greek island be just what she needs?

Coming home to Santorini was never in Zina’s plans, but now she’s determined to make her new business a success.

And then there’s Karmela, who just wants to write her book and make her mother proud.

In the heat of their Greek island paradise, these new friends find the courage to shape their own stories, and write endings they can all be proud of…

My Review

The Santorini Writing Retreat: Escape to Greece in 2025 with this joyful new novel about friendship, lost love and hidden stories! by Eva Glyn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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Her first is one for writers, hosted by a famous author who writes under a pen name and several unpublished writers looking to be tutored and guided by this person.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.

About the Author

Eva Glyn writes escapist relationship-driven fiction with a kernel of truth at its heart. She loves to travel and finds inspiration in beautiful places and the stories they hide.

Set mainly in Croatia, her contemporary stories are more about friendship than romance, the coming together of people through shared interests, and the opportunity to make fresh starts in their lives. Her latest book, The Santorini Writing Retreat, is her first set in Greece.

In addition Eva has written two Second World War dual timeline romances, An Island of Secrets and The Collaborator’s Daughter. All her books are published by One More Chapter, a division of Harper Collins.

Although she considers herself Welsh, Eva lives in Cornwall with the man she met and fell in love with more than thirty years ago. She also writes as Jane Cable.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvaGlynAuthor

Twitter: @JaneCable

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evaglynauthor/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/eva-glyn

Giveaway to Win a paperback copy of The Santorini Writing Retreat (Open INT)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494615/?

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide 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.

One Summer in Italy by Victoria Springfield #BlogTour #BookReview #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks @VictoriaSwrites

20 May 2025 4 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Boldwood Books, Book Tour, One Summer In Italy, Rachel's Random Resources, Victoria Springfield

I’m delighted to be on the blog tour for fellow RNA member, Victoria Springfield’s new release, One Summer in Italy.

The Blurb

A return to Venice. A friendship rekindled. A time for romance.

Natalie’s landed the opportunity of a lifetime hosting television show ‘Luxe Life Swap’, but she’s dreading going back to Venice, scene of the school trip that changed her life. The beauty of the floating city and handsome watch restorer Eraldo begin to win her over, however. But then glamorous contestant Cate arrives, the girl who was once plain, ordinary Cathy – the ex-best friend Natalie blames for the night that wrecked her life.

Cate’s swapping The Old Vicarage for two weeks in a Venetian palazzo, hoping she might pluck up the courage to go on the quest she’s been putting off for more than twenty years. Forced to spend time with Natalie, Cate hopes to rebuild their friendship – until Natalie makes a shocking accusation against Cate’s husband. Cate needs to find out the truth but how can she expect Phil to be honest when she’s keeping secrets of her own?

My Review

One Summer in Italy by Victoria Springfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you want a book to pull you to visit Venice, then you might need to read this!
Natalie works as a TV freelancer and is asked to present a programme in Venice. Sounds amazing. But she will have to step into the shoes of a famous presenter, which is no mean feat. And Venice… well, that’s another story. Nat has to face some pretty big demons to accept the job. But none bigger than what she finds out when she realises who she will be spending time with.
Cate and Phil are a well-to-do couple, with Phil owning a prestigious furniture business, and Cate living a fantastic life. They’ve been approached to be one couple on a house swap programme with a difference, both couples live lives of luxury, including where and how they live. They both have secrets linked to Venice that neither of them has ever discussed with the other.
What a brilliant story!
The way we are led into these secrets, some darker than others, is done so well, and how they entwine with one another intricately keeps us reading. Well, it kept me reading!
Beautiful descriptions of the various parts of Venice, both the tourist spots and those lesser-known areas. Food is spoken about so much, I’d want to reach out for some, but I wasn’t there!
There is romance, both new and rekindled, and mysteries solved, as well as friendships renewed.
I read this within a day and loved it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/SummerinItaly

About The Author

Victoria Springfield writes contemporary ‘wish you were here’ evocative women’s fiction set in Italy. Her feel-good books follow unforgettable characters of all ages as they deal with love, loss, friendship and family secrets. Readers can feel the sunshine!

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @VictoriaSpringfieldAuthor

Twitter: @VictoriaSwrites

Instagram: @victoriaswrites

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/VictoriaSpringfieldNews

Bookbub profile: @VictoriaSWrites

Love Forever Lindisfarne by Kimberly Adams – #CoverReveal @kim_adamsWriter @rararesources

18 May 2025 2 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Cover Reveal, Kimberly Adams, Lindisfarne, Rachel's Random Resources

Howdy, Peeps!

I’m popping in to participate in a cover reveal for Love Forever Lindisfarne, Kimberly Adams’s third book in the Lindisfarne series.

The Blurb

Take a summer break to stunning Northumberland via the pages of this feel-good romantic comedy by award winning writer Kimberley Adams. Full of love and laughter, it will leave you yearning to visit this iconic location in person!

When a stranger appears in the middle of a very important celebration, no one can foresee the island connections that will later come to light. Kittiwake Penaluna is drawn to the island at a sad time in her life; she’s broken, but it doesn’t take long for the islanders to rally round and take her under their wing.

Ellie and Zen are busier than they’ve ever been, jumping from task to task with little time for themselves. Will they ever find a moment together away from all the drama that constantly follows them around the island?

The forthcoming arrival of nine new mini animals puts even more pressure on the islanders, but Bert is resolute, and it’s all hands to the pump to prepare for their arrival. The Mini-Fest fundraiser gets off to a great start, until a despised face from the past appears and throws everything into chaos.

Full of heart, Love Forever Lindisfarne is a story steeped in love and community. You’ll reunite with beloved characters who feel like old friends and meet a few lively newcomers with big personalities! Each page will pull you deeper into island life and leave you with a wide smile and a warm glow!

Praise for Kimberley Adams taken from Amazon reviews:

‘Kimberley’s books often feel more like a chat between friends than reading a book, she has the knack of making the reader feel they are part of the action and at the heart of the story.’ Ginger Book Geek Reviewer.

‘The characters just jump off the page and charm you and are so well drawn you can almost see them.’ Amazon customer.

‘I want to visit Lindisfarne even more after reading Kim’s books.’ June, Australia.

‘Thank you for writing such a beautiful love letter to Northumberland.’ Kindle Customer.

‘Witty, great storytelling and a wonderful mix of characters that keep you engaged and invested.’ Orapps.

Pre-order Links

Publication Date: 26^th June 2025

About the Author

Kim writes heartwarming romantic comedies which are set in glorious Northumberland on the iconic Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Kim is an award-winning writer and her books are amongst the highest rated romcoms on Amazon. Kim’s beautiful book covers are bespoke artwork by a Northumbrian artist and a representation of a scene within the book!

FACEBOOK: Kimberley Adams-Writer or Love Lindisfarne

X : kim_adamsWriter

INSTAGRAM: love_lindisfarne

Not Moving Out by Jon Rance #BlogTour #BookReview #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @HeraBooks @JRance75

18 May 2025 2 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Book Tour, Hera Books, Jon Rance, Not Moving OUt, Rachel's Random Resources

Today, I am thrilled to be on the blog tour for Jon Rance’s Not Moving Out. I loved One Hundred Moments Of Us, and this one is wonderful, too!

The Blurb

Spouses Without Benefits – how can you move on without moving out?

Freya and Joe’s marriage has fizzled its way to the end, but for financial reasons, and to support their daughter in her final year of school, they decide they need to keep living together for six months.

They know it won’t be easy, but for Joe at least, it provides creative rewards: a struggling sitcom writer, he has found his new project. Why not write about his own situation? And the network loves it.

There is just one problem – Freya doesn’t know.

Can Freya and Joe navigate the six months together and might they find out something new about their relationship?

A relatable second-chance romcom perfect for fans of Mike Gayle and Beth O’Leary.

My Review

Not Moving Out: An uplifting second-chance romcom by Jon Rance
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was very excited to read an ARC of Jon Rance’s soon-to-be-released Not Moving Out, as I had loved his previous book, One Hundred Moments of Us.
A second chance, close proximity romance, disguised as a breakup, essentially, Not Moving Out centres around two characters in their 40s, married for almost two decades, and finding that their relationship has changed. There doesn’t seem to be that much romance or connection that was prevalent initially.
Joe is a comedy script writer, struggling to regain the successes from earlier in his career.
Freya is a paralegal secretary and a wannabe solicitor who gave up her initial dream of supporting her husband and giving more time to their daughter, Dolly.
After 18 tough months, they decide to separate, but they cannot live separately because of their finances.
Instead, they are stuck under the same roof, for their daughter’s sake, until she leaves for university six months later.
What a situation, eh?
That you can feel the love and affection that both characters still feel for one another, alongside how they have stagnated, is so realistic. I know relationships can become like this.
Joe’s (or his agent’s) idea for a new script was something I knew would implode from the moment it was mentioned!
Did I want to hit both characters’ heads together at several moments, and tell them to talk to one another? OMG, so many times!
But I enjoyed the whole story. An easy read with a bumpy journey that leads to a happy ending.

https://shorturl.at/L3P3j – Amazon UK

https://shorturl.at/nBE8E – Amazon US

https://shorturl.at/4KRU8 – Waterstones

https://shorturl.at/HfHHl – Apple books

https://shorturl.at/e19Lx – Kobo

About The Author

JON RANCE writes novels about love, family, relationships, and all the messy bits in between. His novels have been described as hilarious, romantic, and perfect for fans of Mike Gayle and Beth O’Leary. His first two books, This Thirtysomething Life and Happy Endings, were published by Hodder and Stoughton. Since then, he has written numerous novels including, Sunday Dinners, Dan And Nat Got Married, and The Worst Man. Jon signed a two-book deal with Hera in 2024 and the first novel, One Hundred Moments Of Us, was published in August 2024. The second book, Not Moving Out, a second chance rom com, will be published in May 2025.

Jon grew up in England and studied English Literature at Middlesex University, London, before travelling the world and meeting his American wife in Australia. He now lives in California with his wife, two kids, and a dog called Pickle, where he writes full-time and drinks far too much tea.

Social Media Links –

X – https://x.com/JRance75

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jonranceauthor/

Guest Post with Willow Willers and Dan Antion -Chatting about Co-Authoring Poetic Justice

14 May 2025 77 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Dan Antion, NEW Releaes, Willow Willers

I am so excited to hear that two of my good blogging friends and one who is a dear sister to me, Dan Antion and Willow Willers, have been collaborating and have co-authored a book! How exceptional is that? I had a quick catch-up with them both to find out how the process worked!

How was it, coauthoring? Wasn’t it hard?

Dan: The co-authoring experience is something I hoped would be an interesting topic to discuss. It was a first for me for anything longer than a short story. Willow’s role turned out to be quite different from what I imagined it would be, but I couldn’t be happier with how it worked out. At first, I thought I would write the poems, and I thought I knew what I wanted them to say. When I realised I wasn’t capable of doing that, I reached out to Willow. I expected she would provide poems-on-demand, for lack of a better term. In the very first poem, Willson Barcroft’s prayer card, Willow’s effort changed my mind. She gave the Poet an edge that I didn’t expect, and that changed the way I thought about the character, and it changed the book.

Willow: Well, I found it easy… I found I easily got what needed to be expressed in the poetry. I discovered we could easily discuss things and that the miles between us didn’t create barriers. Dan was clear and concise in what he wanted the poet to say. In fact, he made me feel involved in the running of the plot… and of course it helped that I loved the plot, which was so different from Dan’s previous books. I love all his books, and through reading them, I really felt I could suss out where Dan’s story was going. Plus, all the familiar characters were a great comfort. Then, after a short while, I felt I had become the poet… He got inside my head. I was worried that Dan might not like some of my poetry but to my surprise he did as much as I liked the plot …being able to be open and discuss everything was a great help.‌

Dan, why Willow?

Dan : “Why Willow?” At the point where I realised I needed the help of a poet, Willow had just completed her series on child abuse. I knew the poet I would work with had to be comfortable with dark topics. I wasn’t sure she’d be interested when I first asked her. Her reply made me so happy; I knew at that moment that this was going to work. I also knew that I wouldn’t complicate the process by trying to box Willow into any arrangement.

Willow, how long did it take you to decide to accept the co-authorship of the Book?

Willow : Aha! Well, Ritu it took me … 5 minutes!

Did either of you find this process difficult?

Dan : Not at all, not in the least.

Willow: Absolutely not.

Well, this all sounds amazing, and the book is due out on June 11th! Keep your eyes peeled for a review!

The Blurb

Trevor Barcroft is convinced that mystery/true crime author Brody Thompson wrote the scene in which Trevor’s father Wilson Barcroft was murdered. What should be a simple answer to this five-yer-old crime is one that neither the police nor the FBI want to uncover; and one Bernie Bouchard doesn’t want his young investigative reporter, Rascal Todd, digging into. Warned to stay away from the investigation.. Brody and Trevor begin a dangerous quest, led by the musings of a mysterious poet who has been hiding in plain sight for decades. What does the Poet know that keeps him in hiding? What did Wilson Barcroft know that got him killed? Why can’t Brody walk away from a meaningless and dangerous pursuit?

Author Bios

Dan Antion’s Bio

Dan is retired from a 42-year-long career in systems development and other technology and began writing his first book the next day. He’s married, the father of one child, and although there are no pets around today, he and his wife have had four Irish Setters and a handful of Tuxedo cats over time. Dan is the author of the Dreamer’s Alliance Series and the Rascal Todd Mysteries. When Dan isn’t writing, you might find him in his woodshop, working around the house, or walking around with a camera. He also might be having a beer with friends and some of those encounters have inspired the fictional bar stories on his popular blog—NoFacilities.com

Author page: http://relinks.me/DanielAntion

Blog: Https://noFacilities.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ptjdluuxckfau3dnaihh2sn5

DAntionYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNHXESp0LosdxjU-7elOu3g

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danantion

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dantion/

Willow Willers’s Bio

London born Willow Willers is retired and lives in Berkshire, Southern England. Along with her husband and a steady stream of foster dogs mainly Guide Dogs for the Blind. Willow is mother to three sons all grown and flown and two fast growing grandsons.Writing, poetry and prose have always been her passion in fact she wrote her first pieces before she was eight. After two life changing accidents Willow started writing in earnest and has found it a life saver. You can find willow at willowdot21.wordpress.com

Author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Willow-Willers/author/B0DZD1TNZX

Facebook page.https://www.facebook.com/share/16AwsHVCqk/

Blog at wordpress.https://willowdot21.wordpress.com