It is blog tour time for another book! This time, A Shore Thing by Portia Macintosh
The Blurb
Lights. Camera…Showmance!
From the moment Cleo met Lockie, her infuriatingly charming co-casting producer on hit reality show Welcome to Singledom, he’s been getting under her skin. Their job? Casting singles for the ultimate island romance. Their problem? They can’t agree on anything.
Now, the cameras are ready to roll, and the contestants—well, most of them—are en route. But when the threat of a tropical storm delays half the cast, launch night turns into a total disaster. With no Plan B, Cleo and Lockie are forced to step in as contestants. Just for 24 hours until the real stars arrive.
Simple, right? Except tensions are sky-high and sparks are flying for all the wrong reasons! All they have to do is couple-up and get voted off – but there’s a storm coming, so leaving the island might not be so easy. Cleo’s used to pulling strings behind the scenes, not falling headfirst into the drama.
But when the cameras stop rolling, will their fake fling fade with the credits—or could it be Cleo’s most unexpected plot twist yet?
Portia MacIntosh’s books are a surefire light-hearted read, and I was excited to read A Shore Thing. Set in the world of Reality TV, we have our FMC, Cleo, who is a behind-the-scenes hero. She casts for a show that is waning in popularity, given the glut of reality TV. And she is introduced to the MMC, Lockie, in an unconventional manner, only to find out he will be working closely with her. Their chemistry is immediately palpable, and how Cleo tries to keep it all simmering, but not boiling over, is an art in itself, especially when their show goes a bit wrong, and she finds herself in an unexpected situation. There are hilarious moments, high tension, and a few scenes that you know might be spicy, but the reader can use their imagination instead of getting blow-by-blow accounts. I thoroughly enjoyed the read.
Purchase Link –
About the Author
Portia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 30 romantic comedy novels.
From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.
Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.
Today, I am on the blog tour for Dean Koontz’s newest novel, The Friend of the Family.
The Blurb
A girl liberated from a carnival sideshow discovers her mysterious purpose in a moving fable about family, sacrifice, and transcendent love by #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.
The human ‘oddities’ in the Museum of the Strange are less wondrous than the gawking rubes had been promised.
But Alida is something else. The real thing.
Traveling Depression-era America from carnival midways to speakeasies, Alida is resigned to an exploited and lonely life on the road as the museum’s golden ticket. Until she’s rescued by two compassionate strangers.
Franklin and Loretta Fairchild see in Alida a gifted and uncannily well-read girl in need of a loving touch and a family. With the openhearted couple and their three precociously imaginative children, Alida finds exactly that. Yet despite everyone’s overwhelming generosity and acceptance, Alida knows she is still a very different kind of girl.
Her dreams bear that out. They’re vivid, unsettling, and threatening. Alida fears that they’re also warnings. And that it’s the Fairchilds who may need rescue from a bad, bad world.
Alida will do anything to help those she now holds nearest and dearest.
Empowered with a purpose to vanquish evil, she will not fail her family.
I was introduced to Dean Koontz and his quirky books a couple of years ago, and I thought they wouldn’t be my cup of tea, but I must say I’m always pleasantly surprised by how drawn in I get to these stories. The Friend of the Family is my favourite one so far. Set in the years between the two World Wars, the story is told from the perspective of Alide, a young woman who is discovered by the showbiz couple Franklin and Loretta Fairchild at a speakeasy one night. Alide is an attraction in one of those travelling ‘freak’ shows. Born with an unfortunate disability, her ‘owner’ takes advantage of her, treating her as a commodity rather than a human. The couple are horrified, and something spurs them on to take Alide under their wing, adopting her and giving her all the love and family she has missed out on from her younger years. Alide becomes Adiel and is surrounded by people who either don’t know the full extent of her disability or don’t care. She flourishes, supporting her new family in so many ways over the years as she begins to understand her own reason for being in this world. I was so emotionally invested in this story, wanting our Alide/Adeil to be accepted for the amazing person she is, and I did cry at the end, I will admit. The entire tale is beautifully crafted, and really shows that there are some amazing people out there in this world, alongside the awful ones, and that we shouldn’t give up hope, ever.
About the Author
Dean Koontz won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition when he was a senior in college, and has been writing ever since. Fourteen of his novels have risen to number one on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list (One Door Away From Heaven, From the Corner of His Eye, Midnight, Cold Fire, The Bad Place, Hideaway, Dragon Tears, Intensity, Sole Survivor, The Husband, Odd Hours, Relentless, What the Night Knows, and 77 Shadow Street), making him one of only a dozen writers ever to have achieved that milestone. Sixteen of his books have risen to the number one position in paperback. His books have also been major bestsellers in countries as diverse as Japan and Sweden. Many of his books have been made into films.
The New York Times has called his writing “psychologically complex, masterly and satisfying”. The New Orleans Times-Picayune said Koontz is “at times lyrical without ever being naive or romantic. [He creates] a grotesque world, much like that of Flannery O’Conner or Walker Percy … scary, worthwhile reading.” Rolling Stone has hailed him as “America’s most popular suspense novelist”.
Dean Koontz was born and raised in Pennsylvania. He graduated from Shippensburg State College (now Shippensburg University), and his first job after graduation was with the Appalachian Poverty Program, where he was expected to counsel and tutor underprivileged children on a one-to-one basis. His first day on the job, he discovered that the previous occupier of his position had been beaten up by the very kids he had been trying to help and had landed in the hospital for several weeks. The following year was filled with challenge but also tension, and Koontz was more highly motivated than ever to build a career as a writer. He wrote nights and weekends, which he continued to do after leaving the poverty program and going to work as an English teacher in a suburban school district outside Harrisburg. After a year and a half in that position, his wife, Gerda, made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: “I’ll support you for five years,” she said, “and if you can’t make it as a writer in that time, you’ll never make it.” By the end of those five years, Gerda had quit her job to run the business end of her husband’s writing career.
Dean Koontz lives in Southern California with Gerda and their golden retriever, Elsa. Dean and Gerda share a deep love of dogs.
I’m back with another great blog tour review for my friend, Susan Buchanan and her latest release, Teh Boulangerie on the Corner.
The Blurb
🥖🥐🥖🥐 Grab your passport for the first in the European Escapes series 🥐🥖🥐🥖
No home. No job. No boyfriend.
When Lia loses her job straight after a break-up, she escapes to the Molins’ family-run boulangerie in Toulouse – the place she was last happy, far away from her cheating ex.
Sworn off men, she isn’t prepared for the spark she feels for charming cheesemaker Jean-Luc, nor for things heating up at the family’s country home in Gascony when handsome, self-assured vineyard-owner Théo asks her out.
Torn between the two and her connections to the Molins family, Lia has some tough decisions to make.
Lia loves being back in France with the people she cares about, helping in the boulangerie. On discovering it is under threat of closure, she is devastated and resolves to do everything in her power to help it stay open.
Will she succeed? And will she be able to choose between the two handsome Frenchmen and live her happily ever after?
For fans of Gillian Harvey, Rebecca Raisin, Jo Thomas and Veronica Henry.
I loved this beautiful story of hope, compassion and love. Lia is in a funk and ends up retracing her steps to where she felt happiest, only to find that her job is no more and her idiot of a boyfriend ups and leaves her. She finds herself in rural France, living with a family she spent time with as a youngster, and finally feels she belongs, especially when the family faces a huge personal hiccup. There is plenty of sizzle as Lia finds herself with a couple of rather hot locals to take her mind off the idiot she has left behind. And could there be a little love..? The hope and compassion come as she realises it may be in her hands to support the family; a family who mean more to her than she can explain. All I know is that I want to end up in a boulangerie, with the sweet smells of fresh-baked bread and other ‘chocolatines’ every day and beautiful people all around me!
About The Author
Susan Buchanan writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship and community.
She is the author of The Leap Year Proposal, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit, Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, The Dating Game and Sign of the Times.
As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it.
She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.
She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador.
When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.
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It’s been a strange month. Yes, school was crazy in those last few weeks, with festive fun happening, winding the children up. But my heart wasn’t as into it as it usually is. There was a big gap where my Brother-in-Law had sat, and his memory was everywhere. It was tough for us all.
Coupled with the fact that Pops has been unwell and needed an operation in the lead-up to Christmas, it’s all been a bit much. (He’s okay, thank goodness, and I got to spend a few days with my parents alone, which was an early present for me.)
But to top it off, I found out that my excellent publishers are closing in the new year! So that means I need to start thinking about how to relaunch my Rishtay Series, again. Do I look for a total rebranding with new covers, too, or just a tweak inside, and republish?
And I guess that means that I need to get writing again…
So I read and listened as best I could.
And as the year ends, I finished on over 167 (I think – though Goodreads thinks it’s 170!) books read or listened to, and books really were my saviour this year.
Book 4 in the Walsh Family saga, and this time, we are learning more about Anna Walsh, the fourth sister in the family. I guess there should be trigger warnings for this one, because although Keyes’s trademark humour is threaded through, we are looking at death, loss, and grieving in this story. Anna lives in New York with her husband, Aiden, and she finds herself back with her family after a horrific accident, but all she really wants is to get home to her hubby and the city she has come to call home. Through the story, she is searching for her husband, who appears to have disappeared, until the penny drops… This really highlighted how the brain works in times of grief, and how Anna’s mind shut off certain things to allow her to heal physically, before letting her return to reality, and navigate a loss she had forgotten. Anna’s tribulations with trying to contact Aiden were hilarious at times and heart-wrenching at others. I loved the little email asides from Mammy Walsh and Helen, the youngest sister, as their little side stories played out!
I have really enjoyed the Nell Ward series in its entirety, and was thrilled to read this seventh book. It may be read as a standalone, but I think the reader’s enjoyment will be further enhanced if they have read the previous ones, as there are many instances in the book where the past is mentioned. Certain relationships make more sense with that background. After being in Ireland for one story, this one takes us to India for the first part of the story as our favourite ecologist turned detective, Nell, finally ties the knot with the dashing Rav Kashyap, her partner at work, as well as romantically, and somehow he’s become her partner in uncovering crime too. Amid the celebrations, there is a death, which sparks a train of activity that leads to more death and mysterious activity once most of the wedding party reaches Finchmere, Nell’s family estate. This one held a special place in my heart for its connections to India and certain aspects that really hammer home the effects of colonialism, but the rest of the story was as gripping as always, and it is amazing how Nell’s ecological knowledge is used to uncover the culprit this time, too. Can’t wait for another instalment! Many thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for an ARC.
I loved this Thelma and Louise style adventure for our Golden Girls, Sadie and Bronagh, two sisters-in-law, who take off in a nephew’s canary yellow Ferrari, and leave Ireland for an impromptu trip to Devon! They really showed that age ain’t nothing but a number for having fun, and along the way they helped so many people and learned new things about themselves, too. The Irish contingency who end up in the sleepy village in Devon add another layer of fun, though it was sometimes, a bit crazy keeping up with what was happening where. Still, I enjoyed it thoroughly, and intend to be a Bronagh, living it up, being silly and truly enjoying the Golden years when they beckon, with the slight caution exercised by Sadie!
It’s always great to revisit old characters, and the Saga Louts have definitely found a soft spot in my reading heart! I’m increasingly likely to head for a book with more mature main characters because, well, they have so much substance, don’t they? This was a book with two dominant stories linked. The first centres on Beryl, one of the original Saga Louts. She’s an older lady and can be pretty demanding, but she has a deep sadness, and many gaps in the story of her son, who died far too young. Then there is the appearance of Vee, now in her fifties, but with a connection to Beryl’s son, and her own demons to face and overcome. Many loose ends are tied up in this fantastic adventure, as well as quite a few new romances started, and even though Eva Glyn says it’s possibly the last in the series, I can’t quite see those Saga Louts letting her go that easily! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
This is a January Blog Tour read for me, so come back to check the reviews!
The Italian Village in the Hills is an emotive story from the very talented Victoria Springfield, an author who makes me want to head off to Italy whenever I read her books! This story follows three families: two from the small village near Liguria in Italy with a chequered past linking them both together, and one from the UK, where a young lady, Amy, finds the courage to follow in the footsteps of her late grandfather, as she tries to trace the origins of a couple of intriguing objects he leaves behind. Stella finds herself back in her home village after many years of avoiding visiting, filled with shame from past misdeeds, Somehow, their paths cross, and, slowly as the story unfolds, discoveries are made, guilt assuaged, and links are forged. First loves, last loves, new loves, friendships repaired, and secrets laid to rest. A beautiful story. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
I always know I am going to be in for an emotional ride when I read an Amanda Prowse book, and feel many relatable things as I follow the story, and this gorgeous book was no different. One decision made at the tender age of ten sets in motion a particular trajectory of events in the lives of twins Remy and Ashleigh, and the book follows their story from that age to much later in life. There’s something to be said for the connection between twins, and this is explored so well: both women live very different lives, yet that decision all those years ago weighs so heavily on both of them. Parental pressures and expectations, dreams of the future, loves and family; we see them all develop, falter, finish, and continue. It’s hard to describe what I found relatable, but I felt extremely teary-eyed reading certain sections, and I raced through the book, hoping for a satisfying ending, which I got in spades. Get your tissues out! Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an ARC.
I’ve always loved Sandy Barker’s stories, and was very excited to read this new story. Ally is the ‘Divorced Diva’. Having been through the D-word three times, she is now an expert in all things related to moving on and coping without that messy man you’ve left behind. After all, she has managed to come out three times, unscathed! Then a call to action comes, and it is from one of her ex-husbands, Julian (#3), and the chance to partner with him on his exclusive island resort, with her becoming the influencer to support the promotion. The only thing is that once she arrives, she finds that another one of her exes, Tommy (#1), is also there, causing a flare-up of emotions and unresolved emotions that she really should not be having, as it is not brand-appropriate. I loved the descriptions of the locations, the food and drink, and all the scene setting. I think I want to visit, now too! And the story has not only shed loads of ‘will they-won’t they?’ moments, but also spicy sparks and a little mystery thrown in, which was a pleasant surprise. Another cracker from Sandy! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
TW: Depression, Mental Health and Suicidal Thoughts Book 5 in the Walsh Family series, and it was great dipping back into the family, finding out what madcap things were occurring. This time, the focus is on Helen, the youngest sister. She is a PI operating on her own and is commandeered to work a very high-profile case by someone she really didn’t want to deal with. It involves the disappearance of a celebrity, Wayne Diffnety, at a crucial point of the return tour of his band, Laddz. While there are the usual madcap situations, Marian Keyes has also delved into mental health and depression, showing something about the workings of a mind that may be addled with a darkness that they are trying to live with, and thoughts of suicide. I enjoyed listening to this story, as it has its crazy moments as well more serious aspects that are handled well.
Book 5.5 in the Walsh family series kept me company on a long drive today, and I listened to it in one sitting as it is a brief reminder/teaser of the rest of the series! Mammy Walsh is quite a character, and this little A-Z really delves into her wonderful world! I loved her take on some incidents, words and phrases we have heard much of in the main books, like ‘feathery strokers’ and the ‘jolly boys’, but there are some other classics, off on a tangent things like her thoughts on ‘vajazzling’, that had me laughing out loud as I drove. I am sure other drivers may have thought I was slightly loopy as a result! Her total non-PC persona was hilarious and refreshing, too, as it humorously reflects her generation and age.
A delightfully whimsical tale, with a character-driven plot, and a subtle, slow-burning romance that suddenly ups the spice levels! Into the Midnight Wood is a story about two men, housemates in the Midnight Cottage, which sits at the edge of the Midnight Wood. The Midnight Wood is an enchanted wood, and Meredith, one of our main characters, has a real affinity with all the mysterious folk who live in there. David, whose point of view the story is told from, is the long-suffering man who shares the house with this man-child who has wormed his way into David’s being, and not in a comfortable way. It took me a while to get into it, I will admit, but I am glad I stuck with it, as there was a real story behind Meri and his whimsy. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an ARC.
A January blog tour review coming for this quirky read by Dean Koontz
I have thoroughly enjoyed the Walsh series, and hearing Marian Keyes herself narrating the story was another treat. My Favourite Mistake follows Anna as she goes from being in a tentative relationship after losing her husband, Aidan, to finding herself alone again, without the support of her best friend Jackie, unfulfilled, perimenopausal, and back in Ireland. She ends up using her PR skills differently, supporting another friend with their new retreat, which the locals are not too pleased with, but she has to work with a blast from the past, Narky Joey, who is the reason she lost touch with her best friend. There is so much in this story to relate to, and love, with the Walsh clan turning up, as always, to cause their mischief, but also dealing with mental health, and of course, that biggie, Perimenopause. I was pleased with the ending, I have to say, and loved each chapter!
Another lovely book, which I will be on the blog tour for soon. 🙂
Oh, Gillian, you’ve done it again! Now, not only do I want to go and live in France, but I fancy a change of career to hospitality! Bella is living in a small village in France with her husband, living the dream. Or rather, her dream. She has, from a young age, wanted to run a B&B in France, after what was to her an idyllic school trip there, cementing her hopes for the future. And she has achieved that with her husband. But things are never as simple as that, are they? It’s not for him, after eight years, and he wants a clean break, if she isn’t prepared to up sticks and head back ‘home’ to the UK. What follows is Bella trying to live part of her dream and reinventing herself several times, unintentionally, as she moves to Versailles and gets herself a job in a Paris boutique hotel, under somewhat cloudy circumstances. (I won’t say false, as I am sure there are plenty out there who have slightly elaborated CVs to get interviews and jobs!) The characters she meets along the way, including the students she ends up house sharing with, and the elusive landlord, as well as her new boss, and a rather scary cantankerous old woman who lives at the hotel where she secures a job, all make for a fantastic supporting cast, to this story of second chances, and learning more about oneself in times of pressure. Oh, and of course there is romance, but it’s not always about the handsome French dude…! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
So, that was 15 books over the last month. Which one caught your eye?
It is blog tour time for another book! This post is dedicated to A Lot To Unpack by Portia Macintpsh
The Blurb
It’s going to be a bumpy ride… 👀
Liberty’s just landed her dream job. The catch? It’s at Matcher, the dating app that ruined her life. After catching her boyfriend sending intimate pictures to everyone in a twenty mile radius, Liberty is struggling to get back into the dating game. Every man gives her the ick sooner or later.
Still, she’s having a great time travelling the world for work, until she’s assigned a secret mission: Travel to New York with her handsome and charming boss Jordan and swap out a contract from under his nose. It should be easy, but the more time Liberty spends with Jordan, the more she realises he might not be the bad boy she thought he was. But it turns out they’ve both got a lot to unpack, and Liberty still needs to complete her mission if she wants to keep her job – which means not breaking the one golden rule: do not fall for the boss!
I do love Portia MacIntosh’s light-hearted rom coms, and was thrilled to read this one, A Lot To Unpack. Liberty finds her partner, Ben, has been sending inappropriate pics of himself to others, via a dating app, Matcher. After a rather dramatic relationship end, she finds herself with no boyfriend, no job and no home. An opportunity arises, though it seems too good to be true. Plus, it is working for Matcher, the app that ruined her life! I thoroughly enjoyed Liberty’s antics as she tries to ingratiate herself into the dating world with a LOT of caution, and the situation she finds herself in, during the last third of the story, is just brilliant! There is lust, kind of proximity, not quite enemy to lovers, but hot boss syndrome going on! And the ending was just fab! Came through in the end! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC. Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/ALottoUnpack
About the Author
Portia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 30 romantic comedy novels.
From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.
Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.
But I Smile Anyway... 