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Once Upon A Thyme by Jane Lovering #BookTour #Blog Tour @rararesources @janelovering @BoldwoodBooks

25 Jun 2025 2 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Posg, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Boldwood Books, Book Review, Book Tour, Jane Lovering, Once Upon A Thyme, Rachel's Random Resources

Thrilled to welcome Jane Lovering and her latest book, Once Upon a Thyme, to the blog!

The Blurb

All her life, Natalie Fisher has been taught not to ask questions. Why risk uncovering uncomfortable truths, when you can stay in the safety of blissful denial?

Since taking over the family herb farm, Natalie has stuck with what she knows, rarely venturing much further than the nearby village where her invalid mother now lives. But then, one day, everything changes with the arrival of unexpected visitors.

First comes Zeb, employed by Natalie’s mother to help with the business but soon hinting at other motives. Then comes Simon with the famous band he manages, wanting to film in Natalie’s beautiful garden. The band causes chaos and the attitude of one particular member throws Natalie’s ordered life into confusion.

Over one magical summer of revelations and of uncovering secrets, Natalie starts to blossom and by the time autumn arrives she knows nothing will ever be the same again. Will she finally get an answer to the mystery of her childhood? And can she embrace the fresh start she so deserves – but which means she’ll have to take one enormous and brave leap of faith?

An uplifting novel about fresh starts, family secrets and finding love when you least expect it.

My Review

Once Upon a Thyme by Jane Lovering
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tally is a woman in her late twenties who runs a herb farm. It has always been a part of her family, first belonging to her grandma, then her mother, before Tally buys it outright from her mum.
It’s a tough gig, especially as she has caring responsibilities for her mother, unwell with an unknown illness, but she loves being with the plants, and her guinea pigs, and especially Big Pig, her sow.
She ends up with Zeb, a marketing consultant appointed by her mother, tagging along as she goes about her life.
A chance visit from an up-and-coming band who want to use the farm to shoot videos gives Tally the chance of some more income, much-needed funds to continue her small, struggling business, and under the guidance of Zeb, she hesitantly agrees.
But there are lots of things going on, with thinking about a certain band member, as well as looking out for her mother, and trying to quell feelings that are building about someone else.
It’s a slow-rumbling romance, with a slightly darker moment when secrets are uncovered; however, it’s a lovely summer read.
A gorgeous story filled with love, a twist of mystery and a lot of hope.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

About The Author

Jane Lovering is the bestselling and award-winning romantic comedy writer who 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.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @jane.lovering

Twitter: @janelovering

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

Bookbub profile: @janelovering

The Silver Ladies Seize The Day by Judy Leigh #BookTour #Blog Tour @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks @JudyLeighWriter

04 Jun 2025 10 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Boldwood Books, Book Tour, Judy Leigh, Rachel's Random Resources, The Silver Ladies Seize The Day

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?

My Review

The Silver Ladies Seize the Day by Judy Leigh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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.

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

About the Author

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.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @judyleighuk

Twitter: @JudyLeighWriter

Instagram: @judyrleigh

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

Bookbub profile: @judyrleigh

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

The Cornish Cottage By The Sea by Kim Nash #BlogTour #BookReview #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks @KimTheBookworm

12 May 2025 4 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Boldwood Books, Book Tour, Kim Nash, Rachel's Random Resources, review, The Cornish Cottage By The Sea

Very happy to be a part of the book tour for my friend, Kim Nash, and her newest release, The Cornish Cottage By The Sea.

The Blurb

A gorgeous, uplifting, romantic read from the author of the Cornish Cove series, Kim Nash A new start by the sea…

For Jo Jenkins, life has always been about putting others first. But with her children grown and her ex-husband as rotten as ever, she knows it’s time to put herself at the heart of the story. So, when she inherits a beautiful beachside cottage in Cornwall, she grabs the chance to start over.

The crumbling old cottage needs a little love, but so does Jo. And with the help of her new friends – a kind-hearted jeweller, a no-nonsense businesswoman, and a local Jack of all trades with a past of his own – Jo begins to rebuild more than just bricks and mortar.

But tucked away inside the cottage is a secret that could change everything. As the waves roll in and the sea air clears her mind, Jo must decide if she’s ready to let go of the past. Will she finally learn to embrace the life she truly deserves?

My Review

The Cornish Cottage by the Sea by Kim Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Kim Nash’s books. Always a focus on a slightly older FMC and second chances.
In The Cornish Cottage By The Sea, Jo Jenkins is a divorcee and mother to two grown-up daughters. She’s stagnating in her little flat, in a place that only holds sad memories, staying there in case her family wants to come ‘home’.
An inheritance she never expected leaves her as the owner of a Cornish cottage owned by her ex-husband’s aunt, which she coveted when she first. It’s a big move. The cottage is not quite what she remembered, but the place is still beautiful with idyllic surroundings and views she could stare at forever. Knowing there are members of her family who weren’t on board with the move, Jo carries on, hoping for the best, but doubting she will perform miracles.
I loved that Jo found terrific, supportive friends from the beginning, conquering her reluctance to talk to people she doesn’t know, after advice from her mum, and beginning every friendship with simple conversations.
The way she builds her new gang of ‘people’ is lovely. It gives hope that there is a way to move forward positively even when everything you lived for has changed.
Jo meets Seamus, a local handyman, through his father, and one of her new “I am brave’ conversations with strangers. He is friendly, helpful, and somewhat handsome, but Jo is so used to seeing herself as the frumpy middle-aged mother figure that she can’t believe he would be interested in her.
Her new friends help to build her self-confidence back up to where it should be, and they even form a Friday Club, which sounds like a blast, and support others around them.
A mystery that she didn’t even know she wanted to solve also presents its solution to her towards the end.
Such a wonderful story. I read it in a day!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

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

About The Author

Kim Nash is an author of uplifting, romantic, feel-good fiction, having wanted to write books since she was a little girl. She works as both Digital Publicity Director for publisher Bookouture. She lives in Staffordshire with her son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni. When she’s not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog and reading, as well as running a book club in Staffordshire and organising local and national reader/author events.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kim.nash.10

Twitter https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm

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

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

Bookbub profile: Kim Nash Books – BookBub

The Dolce Vita Divas by Maddie Please #BlogTour #BookReview #RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks

01 May 2025 Leave a comment

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Boldwood Books, Book Tour, Maddie please, Rachel's Random Resources, The Dolce Vita Divas

I do love a romantic story with a more mature FMC, and was pleased to be asked to join the blog tour for Maddie Please’s The Dolce Vita Divas!

The Blurb

Sunshine, Sisterhood, and Second Chances

At the ripe (and fabulous) age of 64, Joanna Dawson finds herself feeling ever so slightly… meh. Her husband, Greg, has run off with a TBT (thin, blonde, trollop, obviously), her kids have flown the nest, and her social calendar is emptier than her wine rack.

As Jo’s 65th birthday looms, she’s left wondering: Is this it?

Enter Susie, her best friend, with an offer Jo can’t quite refuse: an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy to honour their late friend Ellen. Jo’s not sure she wants to go all the way to Italy, but with nothing else to do and if only to make Susie happy, she agrees. A holiday is a holiday after all.

Capri is even more gorgeous than Jo imagined and soon she and Susie are having the time of their life, especially as Jo is reunited with her dashing first love, Paulo. The one who, most definitely, got away…

Things might have fizzled with Paulo decades ago, but in the land of sun, pasta, and far too much wine, Jo begins to wonder: Could this be her second chance at life…and amore?

Pack your bags for a heartwarming, fun, and sun-drenched adventure as Jo discovers that life after 64 might just be the most exciting chapter yet.

My Review

The Dolce Vita Divas by Maddie Please
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed some of Maddie Please’s previous books with older FMCs and seeing as that is where I am in life, it is great to read feel-good fiction targeted at that age.
Joanne is a retired woman, about to celebrate a key birthday and reflecting on her life.
She’s going to hit 65, divorced, with an ex-husband shacked up with his secretary, three grown-up children, two granddaughters and has recently, reluctantly, welcomed her son back home while he mops up his life after a breakup.
A short birthday break with one of her best friends, Susie, gives her reason to want to stretch her wings a little further, out of the comfort of her staid life.
They find themselves in Capri, to celebrate the life of one of their friends, Ellen, who passed away, and Jo faces a person she classes as her first love. Paulo.
I’m not going to detail what what happens, but there is plenty of wine, pasta, and humour. The side cast of characters, including the indomitable Contessa, mother of Paulo, and little Eric, Paulo’s 5-year-old grandson, bring much enjoyment to the tale, and ultimately, seeing a woman grab her life back when others are saying “What? At your age?”, is just inspirational!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

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

About The Author

Maddie Please is the author of bestselling joyous tales of older women. She has had a career as a dentist and now lives in rural Herefordshire where she enjoys box sets, red wine and Christmas.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @maddieplease

Twitter: @MaddiePlease1

Instagram: @maddieplease1

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

Bookbub profile: @MaddiePlease