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Her Deadly Game by @robertdugoni #BlogTour #BookReview @FMcMAssociates #PoliceProcedural

02 Apr 2023 12 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Her Deadly Game

Something a bit different from me, today. I am on the blog tour for a Police Procedural/Crime Fiction novel by Robert Dugoni, Her Deadly Game

The Blurb

Keera Duggan was building a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecutor until her romantic relationship with a senior colleague ended badly. Now, returning to her family’s failing criminal defence law firm to work for her father is her only option. But with the right moves, maybe she can restore the family’s reputation, her relationship with her father, and her career.

Keera’s chance to establish herself comes when she’s retained by Vince LaRussa, an investment adviser accused of murdering his wealthy wife. There’s little hard evidence against him, but considering the couple’s impending and potentially nasty divorce, LaRussa faces life in prison. The prosecutor is equally challenging: Miller Ambrose, Keera’s former lover, is eager to destroy her in court on her first homicide defence. But as a competitive former chess prodigy, Keera is confident she can outmanoeuvre him.

As Keera and her team start digging, they uncover more than they bargained for. Keera is sure that LaRussa didn’t kill his wife, but she’s starting to suspect that he’s not an innocent man. With a duty to her client, her family’s legacy, and her own future to consider, she’s caught in a deadly game…

My Review

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I always say I’m not a crime fiction kind of gal, but then I pick up a book, like this one, part courtroom drama, part police procedural, with a whole load of family drama thrown in, and I find myself sucked in.
Her Deadly Game focuses on a lawyer, Keera, who, through no fault of her own, has to leave one job and go, tail between legs, to work with her father and sisters in their family law practice.
She becomes embroiled in one case that she ends up heading after being the after-hours lawyer on duty, which could make or break her.
A murder.
Someone with a motive, but many, many other aspects that don’t tie up, as well as an alcoholic father threatening to put the case in jeopardy and an ex who ends up causing her hell in the courtroom.
Keera’s old interest in playing chess also plays a part in the story. I’m not a chess player, so the different moves and names of pieces meant little to me, but I liked the parallel that was created between the tension in her working life and the online game she is playing.
All in all, I really enjoyed reading this. A definite page turner.

About the Author

Robert Dugoni is the critically acclaimed New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite series, which has sold more than eight million books worldwide. He is also the author of the bestselling Charles Jenkins series; the bestselling David Sloane series; the stand-alone novels The 7th Canon, Damage Control, The World Played Chess, and The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, for which Dugoni won an AudioFile Earphones Award for narration; and the nonfiction exposé The Cyanide Canary, a Washington Post best book of the year. He is the recipient of the Nancy Pearl Book Award for fiction and a three-time winner of the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award for best novel set in the Pacific Northwest. He is a two-time finalist for the Thriller Awards and the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, as well as a finalist for the Silver Falchion Award for mystery and the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Awards. His books are sold in more than twenty-five countries and have been translated into more than two dozen languages.

Visit his website at www.robertdugonibooks.com

The Woman Beyond The Sea by Sarit Yishai-Levy #BlogTour #BookReview @FMcMAssociates #TranslatedFiction

24 Mar 2023 Leave a comment

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blog Tour, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, The Woman Beyond The Sea, Translated Fiction

Today I am bringing you a beautiful story written by Sarit Yishay-Levy, and translated by Gilah Kahn-Hoffman.

The Blurb

A mesmerizing novel about three generations of women who have lost each
other—and the quest to weave them back into a family.
An immersive historical tale spanning the life stories of three women,
The Woman Beyond the Sea traces the paths of a daughter, mother, and
grandmother who lead entirely separate lives, until finally their stories and their
hearts are joined together.
Eliya thinks that she’s finally found true love and passion with her charismatic
and demanding husband, an aspiring novelist—until he ends their relationship
in a Paris café, spurring her suicide attempt. Seeking to heal herself, Eliya is
compelled to piece together the jagged shards of her life and history.
Eliya’s heart-wrenching journey leads her to a profound and unexpected
love, renewed family ties, and a reconciliation with her orphaned mother,
Lily. Together, the two women embark on a quest to discover the truth about
themselves and Lily’s own origins…and the unknown woman who set their
stories in motion one Christmas Eve.

My Review

The Woman Beyond the Sea by Sarit Yishai-Levi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Firstly, I want to say that translated fiction can be quite hard to read. Sometimes things literally get ‘lost in translation’. Phrases used commonly in the original language can sound strange when written to suit a different tongue.
However, despite taking a little time to get into it, The Woman Beyond The Sea was a beautiful story about a daughter, her mother, and their relationships.
Eliya finds herself in emotional turmoil after her marriage breaks, especially since she was warned against the union by her family.
She goes through several unstable phases, including suicidal thoughts, which are not helped by her mother, Lily, who can’t seem to find love or compassion for her only daughter,
Lily, herself, is a damaged creature with no stable foundations and far too much heartache, despite having the love of a good man forever behind her and beside her.
Ultimately this is a story of discovering one’s self, and in The Woman Beyond The Sea, Lily and Eliya go on a bumpy ride to find out why they feel the way they do about one another and those around them.
Sometimes there was repetition and more than one POV in a named POV chapter, but I was immersed in the story and spent an entire day in bed wanting to read more!

About the Author

Sarit Yishai-Levi is a renowned Israeli journalist and author. In 2016 she published her first book, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem. It immediately became a bestseller and garnered critical acclaim. The book sold more than three hundred thousand copies in Israel, was translated into ten languages, and was adapted into a TV series that won the Israeli TV award for best drama series. It also won the Publishers Association’s Gold, Platinum, and Diamond prizes; the Steimatzky Prize for bestselling book of the year in Israel; and the WIZO France Prize for best book translated into French.
Yishai-Levi’s second book, The Woman Beyond the Sea, was published in 2019. It won the Publishers Association’s Gold and Platinum prizes and was adapted for television by Netflix. Yishai-Levi was born in Jerusalem to a Sephardic family that has lived in the city for eight generations. She’s been living with her family in Tel Aviv since 1970.

About the Translator

Gilah Kahn-Hoffmann moved from Montreal to Jerusalem after studying theatre, literature, and communications at McGill University. Starting out as a freelance journalist, translator, writer, and editor, she became a feature writer at The Jerusalem Post and, subsequently, editor of the paper’s youth magazines. Later, during a stint as a writer at Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, she discovered how fulfilling it is to work for the benefit of others and moved to NGO work in East Jerusalem and the developing world. In recent years, she’s come full circle to her first loves and spends her best hours immersed in literary translation.

Book and a Brew with Ritu – Do What You Love by @Marjorie_Mallon by #NewRelease #BookReview

25 Nov 2022 20 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, Do What You Love, Marjorie Mallon, New Release

I’m back with a second edition!

Today, I am thrilled to welcome an old blogging and writing friend who I have met in person. None other than the lovely Marjorie Mallon, one of my blogging sisters! She’s got an awesome poetry collection out TODAY, entitled Do What You Love.

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway again, Marje! First things first. What would you like to drink?

We have all the usuals, tea, coffee, masala chai, fancy coffee from the Nespresso machine, or green tea if you’d prefer. Lil Princess has been busy baking cookies for us, too!

Ah, I’ve put a bit of weight on recently, Ritu, so I better say green tea, but I’d love a cookie! Thanks, Lil Princess. 🙂

So, firstly, let’s set the scene. You recently left British shores and have moved abroad to Portugal. What a brave move! Tell us about it. How has it changed life for you since you are also a mother? And are you able to be more creative out there now?

Thank you so much, Ritu, for inviting me over to chat about my new book and for taking the time to read and review it. I appreciate it so much. We’re still swamped in the bureaucratic post covid process, Ritu.

Even though things are starting to move! At the moment, I’m spending over half of the year in the UK, mostly in Edinburgh and the rest in Portugal. As I have elderly parents and my daughters are both based in the UK, I see this time as a precious gift to be with them. I miss my daughters, family and friends in the UK.

But… we have had a lot of visitors! In truth, I find it more difficult to focus on writing here as there are so many distractions! I have to be disciplined and find the time! Yesterday (after a late night and a rock concert,) I began writing this interview on the train travelling from Faro back to Tavira.

You haven’t pigeonholed yourself as a writer, have you? YA fantasy fiction, and all sorts of poetry and cross-over poetic fiction books. What is your favourite type of creative writing?

No, I haven’t. I would try anything… I might even attempt to write a crime and/or romance novel one day. My favourite kind of writing is… perhaps poetry and short fiction as I find it the easiest to write. I love writing full-length novels too, but they are much more challenging, frustrating and time-consuming.

I’ve been wondering, how is your 2nd book progressing Ritu… Can’t wait to read it.

Currently, it is sitting with my editors at my publisher! So, not long. June 2023 is the pencilled-in publication date! Oh, they do take forever to write, don’t they, especially when you are working full time, too!

You know I’m a nosy soul. Where do you like to write? Is it a very different setup for you now you have moved?

Yes! We have downsized from a 5-bed family home with a large garden to a one-bed rented flat with a tiny balcony and no garden. I must be mad! I mainly write in said flat in Tavira – in the kitchen! My hubby bought me a nice table and chairs with a pretty view of the fields and trees nearby I used to have an office in our old house, but we are only renting at the moment, so I am making do! I am flexible that way… as long as I have a laptop, power and wifi, I am ready to go.

What about you Ritu where do you write?

I have my little reading and writing room. I loathed to call it an office because it then seems like work rather than the pleasure I find creating stories!

We’ve been friends for a LONG time now. And we’ve had the pleasure of meeting each other in person at the ABBA’s. (Remember them? I miss those opportunities to catch up with my blogily!) How do you feel your blogging career has evolved over the years?

Yes, we have been friends for a LONG time, and I value your dear friendship so much, Ritu. I miss those events and your lovely in-person company! I must admit to having downsized my blogging activity. I miss it, but something had to give! I focus mainly on writing reviews now, doing blog tours etc., which I love doing. I’ve started a bookstagram account mainly for this purpose: https://www.instagram.com/mjm_reviews/

Who knows where my future writing/blogging may take me.

I would love to write more about my travels…as I am a keen photographer. I’ve started drafting a story set in Tavira, so we shall see…it started off as a romantic idea but seems to be veering in another direction. So me!

You must find it so hard to find time Ritu with your work commitments… How do you manage? Oddly I find it even harder now I am retired from my day job. The opposite to what I expected!

I’m not actually sure how I manage, Marje! But, I feel that if you really want to do something, you will find the time for it, so that is how I manage. I don’t watch an awful lot of TV, so my spare time is all reading and writing and adding my regular posts to my blog!

I have been honoured to read most of your work as working copies, or arcs, over the years. What has been your favourite project so far?

You are a star and such a huge supporter of all my work! It’s a pleasure to read and an honour to be trusted with someone’s creativity!

I love your writing too and can’t wait to read more of The Rishtay series! (Blushing…) Thank you.

My favourite project… a difficult one to answer as I love them all.

Overall, it has to be my debut novel Bloodstone, in The Curse of Time series, as it was my first writing project, the 1st novel I’d ever written and published. It kickstarted it all, and I am very proud of all the positive and diverse reviews it has received. It now has 84 reviews on Goodreads… and counting, with an overall rating of 4.14.

Also, I met the inventor of the Corpus Christi Clock (one of the inspirations for the series,) Dr John C Taylor, and went out for lunch and a stroll with him, which was a huge highlight of my life. And Bloodstone is now available in audiobook which I love. We are currently working on the audiobook of book 2, Golden Healer. So excited about this!

I’ve just literally finished reading Do What You Love, your latest poetry collection with an eclectic mix of writing, where you revisit key moments in life and talk them through via the mediums of fictional conversations with the Three Sisters of Fate. Tell us how this idea came about.

I had a conversation with the sisters of fate, and they said to write this! Only joking. Like all of my writing projects, it evolved rather than was planned. It showcases poetry, prose and photographic images about my favourite places to live, emotional memories, happy times, amusing moments, and imagined discussions with the 3 three sisters of fate over a wide period of time. I suppose it is me having a soul-searching chat with myself about how my life is about to change and how perhaps I have to come to terms with that. Moving abroad is much more difficult than I first anticipated. I tend to jump and think later…

Since we’re sitting here with our drinks and cookies, and your book is about reminiscences, can you tell us a bit about a favourite food or snack and the memories it evokes?

My favourite food or snack has to be my mum’s beef rendang (Malaysian curry) or her Chinese duck, or sweet and sour pork – truly scrumptious, and her snacks…meat sate sticks, dim sum, homemade spring rolls.

My mum’s cooking evokes memories of family gatherings, and my hubby’s mouth-watering… he kept on coming to see me and ended up being spellbound by her fabulous cooking. Lol. Not joking. My mum is still a wonderful cook at age 80! She still gets up early every morning to cook. Bless her.

That all sounds delicious!

Now, to finish, can you tell us what to expect next? Will there be more from your YA series or other fiction? Or will you be concentrating on your poetry?

Next up is the final book in my YA fantasy series which will be set in The Land of Shadows. I also have several unfinished projects, some of which are short stories and as I mentioned earlier, the beginning of a story set in Tavira. Perhaps if I do write another poetry collection it will be set in Portugal… time will tell!

Oh, now exciting!

Thank you so much for visiting, Marje. It’s been a pleasure.

Thank you for inviting me, Ritu.

My pleasure 😊

Peeps, you heard that right, the last in Marje’s YA series is on its way, too!

Now, as I mentioned before, I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Do What You Love, so let me share the blurb and my review.

The Blurb

Do What You Love is a personal poetry collection celebrating how the fates may have a part in all that we do.

With special poems and short reflective moments inspired by family, flowers and nature, love, scrumptious morsels, places I’ve visited, lived and intend to live in, the friendships and hopes I have for the future.

The overarching theme is to live a life well lived… And to do what you love.

float along with me
create clouds of sweetest joy
to do what you love
hold fate’s hand as we venture
near and far on life’s journey

My Review

Do What You Love: Fragility of Your Flame Poems Photography & Flash Fiction by M.J. Mallon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh what a lovely book, filled with poetic gems and beautiful prose!
I enjoy reading MJ Mallon’s poetic fiction, where she ties poetry with prose, and have read several of her previous books written similarly.
Do What You Love is almost autobiographical in the sense that she has taken her memories and written them in poetic form. The fictional, almost fantastical element is where she meets the three sisters of fate through her journey of reminiscences, and they talk about her different memories.
It’s not linear, but no conversation ever is, is it? Memories jump from the more recent to the older ones as they come tumbling into your mind.
I felt a keen connection to the poems about her daughters and the autumn trees. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons.
A lovely book with a personal touch.

AMAZON – DO WHAT YOU LOVE

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BKLC9DYY/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/What-You-love-Fragility-Photography-ebook/dp/B0BKLC9DYY/

Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/What-You-love-Fragility-Photography-ebook/dp/B0BKLC9DYY/

And here are some links about Marje and her other books.

I am thrilled to say that two of my poetry collections (Mr Sagittarius and Lockdown Innit) have been requested by prestigious libraries in the UK: The British Library, The Bodleian Library Oxford University, the Cambridge University Library, the National Library of Scotland, National Library of Wales and Trinity College Dublin for Legal Deposit.

Add the book to your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63114445-do-what-you-love

The cover of the paperback and kindle have been designed by Colleen Chesebro who has a new service for authors which I can highly recommend. Colleen also designed the interior and cover of The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet.

https://unicorncatspubservices.wordpress.com/my-services

Blog: https://mjmallon.com

All links via: https://linktr.ee/mjmallonauthor

Portfolio:
https://unicorncatspubservices.wordpress.com/portfolio

https://wordcraftpoetry.com/unicorn-cats-publishing-services/

Other poetry/flash fiction collections:

Kyrosmagica Publishing

The Hedge Witch And The Musical Poet

https://books2read.com/u/mv1OeV

Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose

http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius

Anthology – This Is Lockdown (poetry, diaries and flash fiction – kindle)

http://mybook.to/Thisislockdown

Poetry during Lockdown – Lockdown Innit

http://mybook.to/Lockdowninnit

Poetry also features in my highly acclaimed YA Fantasy series. Each chapter begins with a short poem. The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone and Book 2 Golden Healer are published by Next Chapter Publishing.

https://www.nextchapter.pub/books/bloodstone

https://www.nextchapter.pub/books/golden-healer

https://www.nextchapter.pub/authors/mj-mallon

About the Author

M J Mallon was born in Lion city Singapore, a passionate Scorpio with the Chinese Zodiac sign of a lucky rabbit. She spent her early childhood in Hong Kong. During her teen years, she returned to her father’s childhood home, Edinburgh where she spent many happy years, entertained and enthralled by her parents’ vivid stories of living and working abroad. Perhaps it was during these formative years that her love of storytelling began to be bolstered by these vivid raconteurs. She counts herself lucky to have travelled to many far-flung destinations, and this early wanderlust has fuelled her present desire to emigrate abroad. Until that wondrous moment, it’s rumoured that she lives sometimes in the UK and often times in Portugal. Her two enchanting daughters have flown the nest but often return with a cheery smile to greet her.

Her motto is to always do what you love, stay true to your heart’s desires, and inspire others to do so too.

Book and a Brew with Ritu – Snowfall over Halesmere House by Suzanne Snow@SnowProse @canelo_co @Katrina_Power #NewRelease #BookReview

20 Nov 2022 7 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, New Release, Suzanne Snow

I’m back with a second edition!

Today, I am hosting a new-to-me author, Suzanne Snow, as I read her most recent release, Snowfall Over Halesmere House, as part of a blog tour!

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Suzanne! Now, the first thing we do is get the drinks sorted.

Thank you for hosting me, Ritu, I’m looking forward to answering your questions after our drink!

I do a mean Indian masala chai. However, I noticed that your main character, Ella, enjoyed coffee more, so if that is what you’d like I can offer that, or even a yummy hot chocolate. I have the whipped cream and marshmallows ready.

In the spirit of all things foodie, since Ella was a chef, I have some lovely fresh Indian snacks to go with the tea, samosas and pakoras, but an additional steamed dhokla, which originates from Gujarat, if you fancy a try!

I would love to try all of those, thank you, and I know they’re going to be delicious! I’d be very happy with the masala chai or a turmeric latte. I drink more tea than coffee, and I’m not a big fan of hot chocolate (sorry!).

We have something in common already. I am definitely a tea drinker rather than a coffee one!

Now, I always love to find out more about where a fellow author’s journey started. When did you realise you wanted to write, and how was your journey to becoming a published author? I know the RNA played a massive part, too.

It really did. I began writing as a child, immersing myself in books which fired my imagination and took me to places I could picture perfectly in my mind. It wasn’t long before I knew I wanted to create my own and I probably have some awful short stories written by ten-year-old me in a box somewhere!

I was always drawn to romance, and I joined the RNA as a new writer in 2018 with two manuscripts already written. My first report was very positive and suggested some edits, which I did, and it also gave me the confidence to approach agents and publishers.

There were of course plenty of rejections along the way. I met my agent Susan Yearwood at the 2019 RNA conference, where I was pitching my second manuscript. In April 2020 I signed a 3-book deal with Canelo and both of those early manuscripts went on to be published as books one and two in the Welcome to Thorndale series.

I think many hours of work and perseverance played their part in getting published, along with opportunities for new writers to learn through the RNA. I can’t overstate the importance of the New Writers Scheme and connecting with people who share your love for the genre through the Association.

At present, you are a new-to-me author, as I mentioned, but you have several other books out there. Could you tell us a little about the inspiration behind your other series?

Welcome to Thorndale is a four-book series set in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. The village of Arncliffe, currently used for filming some scenes in All Creatures Great and Small, was my original inspiration for Thorndale. I visit the Dales quite regularly and I still half expect to see my characters going about their business when I’m there!

My inspiration to write comes from a love of landscape, romance and rural life, and I wanted to bring all of these together in the books. Each is a standalone story, but they are best read in order as characters from the first book return in all four.

I completed the series with A Country Village Christmas last year, but I have an idea for a fifth book at the back of my mind. Books one and four in the series have epilogues on my website, and it was so much fun to return to familiar characters and write them.

It’s funny how some characters don’t want to be put to bed. My first novel, Marriage Unarranged was a stand-alone. Still, the characters wouldn’t be quiet, so I have just finished book 2 and am starting the process for the third in that series, and even then, there are ideas for novellas and possibly sequels coming into my mind!

And do you have a favourite out of all your published books so far?

It’s very difficult to answer as they’re a little bit like favourite children! How do you choose! If I had to pick just one, it would be The Cottage of New Beginnings, as it’s the first book I had published, and that’s such a special moment for any author. Annie and Jon’s story was the beginning of my new career, and they’re definitely favourite characters, and I still wonder where they might be in their lives now. Each book was a joy to write, and I’m very grateful to be continuing into a second series with Canelo.

I’d agree with you, there. Our books are always our babies!

I always ask this one, but could you tell me where you like to write? Do you have a writing room/desk, or are you a writer who likes to take their laptop/notepad out and about?

I can write more or less anywhere, and if it’s going well, the noise around me will cease. I do most of my writing from around six am, and I’m at my best first thing. I write for three hours before a walk to work out what’s next. I have a lovely writing nook, and it’s very cosy with lots of books. My husband suggested the colour when we redecorated it as it’s described as a romantic grey-pink. He thought it would suit my room perfectly; he was right, and I love it!

That sounds ideal!

Have you ever written a book you feel will never see the light of day? I know I have a few half-written ideas, but nothing I finished completely, then set to one side!

I haven’t got a full-length manuscript in a drawer, but there are probably one or two terrible, unfinished ones from many years ago. They will never see the light of day, I’ll make sure of it! I mainly wrote short stories during my teenage years, and it was a good way to begin. I found some recently during a clear-out and couldn’t bring myself to shred them as they’re part of my own story as an author. I hope you finish yours, Ritu, and they do see the light of day, I’m sure they’re much better than mine!

Oh, gosh, no! We should never get rid of them, should we? You never know where that little fledgeling of an idea may flourish and form a part of a story you write in the future! And I highly doubt they are much better than yours! Probably different, but no less rushed and immature!

Now, I invited you over to have a little chat about your newest release, Snowfall over Halesmere House. Firstly, can I just say, I love that you have a Christmassy book and your surname is Snow! Where did the idea for the story of Ella and Max come from?

Thank you, I love the snow on the covers of my Christmas books. It’s very apt! I think I’ll have to keep on writing about Christmas!

I wanted to write a series set in the Lake District and had the idea for a holiday home and group of artists’ studios with characters coming and going. I love Cumbria and have spent lots of time there visiting studios and different areas of the county for inspiration.

Ella and Max are both familiar with loss in their lives, and I hope their story is an uplifting one rooted in a sense of place that helps them move on and look to the future. Prim, the English Pointer dog, was inspired by our own, and wonderful to write. Max’s children Lily and Arlo, and his mother Noelle all play their own part in a story of family and finding love.

Ella is a chef, as I mentioned earlier. Are you a dab hand in the kitchen? If so, what is your speciality? If not, who is the cook in your house?

I’m a good home cook, and we like to try new things along with the old favourites. I love making meals for family and friends, and a few years ago I made hundreds of individual portions of soup to sell for charity. My husband enjoys baking, and he makes a fabulous black cherry cheesecake.

I love that your husband bakes! I do love a bit of baking. My Hubby Dearest well, he is a dab hand at ordering takeaway, if you catch my drift! He can microwave meals like no one else, and can boil an egg…

My speciality would probably be a roast dinner, as my dad taught me and he still makes the best gravy. My son is also a good cook and always willing to help out if we’re busy. He’s more experimental than me and likes to create his own recipes.

Oh. I love roast dinners! Your son sounds like my brother. He’s a great cook and always knocking up different dishes!

I understand that Snowfall Over Halesmere House is the beginning of a new series for you called Love In The Lakes. Any sneaky clues as to who the next story may centre around?

The next book is due out in February, and it’s Lizzie and Cal’s second chance at first love. Until this one, I hadn’t written about a couple who’d known each other before, and I loved creating that first connection and writing about the summer they spent together twelve years earlier. They’re back at Halesmere for different reasons and creating their story, as they go in search of family and maybe a future, was brilliant.

That sounds fantastic, and. I can’t wait for book two in the series!

Thank you so much for visiting, Suzanne. It’s been a pleasure.

Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog, Ritu, I’ve loved answering your questions. I hope one day I’ll get to try those amazing samosas, pakoras and steamed dhokla. I wish you all the best with your unfinished work too, I look forward to them seeing daylight!

My pleasure 😊 And thank you for the good vibes! May we bring many books out between us!

So, you have a fantastic book to read, my Peeps, and a second one following it, soon, too!

Now, as I mentioned before, I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Snowfall At Halesmere House, so let me share the blurb and my review.

The Blurb

Welcome to Halesmere House, where romance might be just around the corner…

After years of living in the past, Ella is ready to start building a future. The perfect opportunity presents itself when she is offered a short-term role at Halesmere House in the Lake District, and tasked with kick-starting its artists’ residence. She can’t wait to start and explore a new career in an inspiring location.

But when Ella arrives at Halesmere, she wonders if she’s made a huge mistake after she clashes with Max, the new owner. Max has his own reasons to be unsettled by her presence, but despite his misgivings it seems everyone else loves having Ella around. As a single dad, it’s his children’s attachment to her that bothers him most. Who will pick up the pieces when Ella leaves?

What Max doesn’t know is that Ella is falling for more than just the Lake District and the community around her. Can her temporary job lead to a permanent happy ending?

A tender and uplifting Christmas romance for fans of Heidi Swain, Karen Swan and Sue Moorcroft.

My Review

I was lucky enough to be sent an ARC of Snowfall at Halesmere House to participate in a blog tour.
A lovely story about our main character, Ella, who has spent her whole life chasing a dream that wasn’t hers. She’s ready for a chance to think about what she wants in life.
A spot of a post on Instagram brings her to an idyllic but small village a fair distance from her home, where she encounters some interesting characters and plenty of challenges of her own.
I loved it.
Noelle, the woman who brought Elle to the Lake District, is a hoot, and her son, Max, and his children get under the skin of our MC pretty quickly.
There is an excellent cast of supporting characters and a certain woman who is the thorn in Ella’s side, but I don’t think she realises until quite far along in the story!
And the slow-burn romance that builds among the Christmas cheer is as welcome as a log fire on a cold winter’s night!
A great read!

Author Biography

Suzanne writes contemporary and uplifting fiction with a vibrant sense of setting and community connecting the lives of her characters. A horticulturist who lives with her family in Lancashire, her books are inspired by a love of landscape, romance and rural life.

Her first novel in the Thorndale series, The Cottage of New Beginnings, was a contender for the 2021 RNA Joan Hessayon Award and she is currently writing the Love in the Lakes series for Canelo. Suzanne is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors.

Check out Suzanne’s Website: https://www.suzannesnowauthor.com/

Follow Suzanne on Twitter

Follow Suzanne on Instagram

Book and a Brew with Ritu – The Christmas Trip by @sandybarker @OneMoreChapter_ #NewRelease #BookReview

10 Nov 2022 8 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, new beginnings, New Release, Sandy Barker, The Christmas Trip

What fun! We are on part three of Book and a Brew with Ritu!.

Today, I am beyond excited to have a fangirl moment as brilliant romance author Sandy Barker pops over for a visit! I’ll have you know it took a little time to align our body clocks and timings to work with the UK/Australian time difference, but we managed!

We’ll talk about her latest release, The Christmas Trip, a sequel to the fantastic The Christmas Swap. as well as plenty of other bookish and writerely things!

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Sandy! Let’s get you set with a drink, first. What wonderful warm drink can I interest you in?

I can offer you a typical English tea, or, if you fancy a little something different, I can always brew up some masala tea… or a coffee if you please? Or maybe it is mulled wine we should be sipping since we are talking all things Christmas with your new release out! Let me know. I have my usual samosas and pakoras, and I even baked some of my grandmother’s delicious three-ingredient butter shortbread biscuits, which I thought would be particularly fitting for our catch-up!

First, thank you so much for having me. It’s great that we can finally catch up. Now, normally I’d say a cup of tea – but mulled wine is on offer? I think I have to say yes to that, and I LOVE shortbread biscuits, so yes, please!

Now you’ve got your drink and a nibble, let’s get started.

I always love to find out more about where a fellow author’s journey started. Can you tell me a little bit about how you came to be published, Sandy? I ‘met’ you via the RNA. Were they part of your journey?

Absolutely, the RNA has been part of my journey. I self-published my first book back in December 2017, right as we were about to leave Australia for a one-year sabbatical. We moved to Bali first, and it was there I wrote book 2 in the series. By the time we got to the UK in August, I’d self-published book 2 and was writing book 3. That’s where I discovered the incredible writing community that centres around the RNA. I joined the New Writer’s Scheme for 2019 at the same time I was pitching to agents and publishers in the UK.

When we landed back in Australia in January 2019, I got a publication offer for my first self-published book – the one that became One Summer in Santorini. Off the back of that offer, I secure my brilliant agent, Lina Langlee, and we’ve been building my writing career ever since. I am very grateful for the support of the RNA community, particularly as I started my writing journey. It was a thrill to get to the 2022 conference this year and meet many of my contemporaries in person!

Sandy, you have managed to amass a total of 8 books released since 2019. I am in awe! (Considering it took me near enough twenty years to get my first finished and published…) Where do your ideas come from? I know you love travelling, and foreign shores feature heavily in all your books.

Travel is definitely a strong inspiration for my stories and often the starting point. With Bali, for example, I thought, ‘Who in the Holiday Romance series can I send to this incredible destination?’ That’s when I had the idea of giving a supporting character from That Night in Paris, Jaelee, her own story with most of it set in Bali.

With The Dating Game, which also features travel but is more focussed on the machinations of a reality TV dating show, I was writing recaps of The Bachelor for my colleagues – we were in a sweepstake together during the height of the COVID lockdowns and it was a fun way to connect with them. Those recaps sparked the idea of sending a recapper on the show undercover. That was a blast to write.

And what about you? Where do you get your ideas?

Thank you for asking! My writing tends to find its roots in my own, to be honest. I like to write about life, and situations that are often not openly discussed within our Indian community, with a twist that will engage readers from all backgrounds. It’s always fiction with an educational element, if you like, as many readers of my first novel, and some blog posts always comment on what they have learned about our culture, after reading.

Sandy, is there a favourite book out of the eight of yours that are out there?

I have a soft spot for book 5 in the Holiday Romance series as I got to bring everyone back together and write Tuscany! That was also during lockdown – Melbourne being the most locked down city in the world over the past few years – so it was great escapism to write about such a beautiful destination. But I think The Dating Game is my funniest book.

Do you have a fave of mine, Ritu?

That is a tough question, Sandy! I have enjoyed them all, but I think the Christmas Swap was a particular favourite, because who doesn’t love a bit of festive fun?

Now, I’m a nosy parker, you know. I like to see where others process their creative magic. Where do you like to write? (If I’m not mistaken, I am sure I saw you with a standing desk on one of your social media posts!)

I do have a standing desk, something necessitated by neck issues and headaches I’ve had for twenty plus years.

Ouch!

I typically get up between 5 and 6 in the morning and write or edit for a couple of hours before switching gears to my day job. A couple of years ago, I also went part-time – 4 days a week instead of 5 – and I treat Fridays as a workday – but for my author job. Sometimes, it’s fun to get out and take my laptop to a place with a view – the beach or a winery – and hole up there for a day of writing.

I have such trouble finding time during the term to write because my teaching job uses up all my reserves, and as I have a commute, driving around an hour every day, on top of my working hours, the holidays and weekends are my time to create, the way I want. Maybe one day, I might drop a day, too! But I think that is a while away, yet! (Because I do love my day job, too…)

Where’s your favourite place to write?

I love writing in my writing nook at home, but I’d love to be one of those authors who can camp out at a cafe, bashing out the words, while people-watching and finding even more inspiration! Alas, time and my other life as a teacher as well as a big family person mean that I have very little time for whimsical ideas like that… one day, though. I am scoping out local cafes to have a try!

I’ve read each one of your books, so far, Sandy, and loved them all. Have you ever written a manuscript that is sat, hiding on your desktop, or idling on a USB stick, that you haven’t had published, for whatever reason?

I think we all have at least one of those – hee hee. I do have a few story ideas that are ‘trapped’ in various notebooks and I have a short story (about 15k words) that I’d like to develop into a full-length novel one day. But it’s very different from the romcoms I write. And thank you for the kind words about my books. I’ve got Marriage Unarranged loaded up on my Kindle and can’t wait to get into it – it looks like such a fun read. Thank you so much, Sandy! I hope you enjoy it when you get around to reading it. If your TBR is anything like mine, I know it’s a slog to fit all that reading in around life and writing, too!

Before I warble on about all manner of other things, let’s bring it back to the book of the moment, The Christmas Trip, and top up that mulled wine! This is a sequel to the fantastic The Christmas Swap, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And, lucky me, I got to read an ARC of The Christmas Trip, which was equally wonderful. Did you always plan for a sequel, or was it something that was borne after seeing the way readers lapped up these characters?

I didn’t plan on a sequel when I wrote the first book, but a lot of readers who read The Christmas Swap wondered ‘what next?’ for the May Ladies – Chloe, Lucy and Jules – so I had a think and ended up writing The Christmas Trip, bringing them all back together. I also wanted to set it in a location that was unique to these characters. I love Hawaii and wrote about Maui in A Sunset in Sydney, so I decided to set this book on the island of Kauai.

Have you ever had Christmas in a warm part of the world?

I have! We celebrated in Kenya a few times, growing up, as my parents were both born there, so it would coincide with the odd visit. However, it was never Christmas as we knew it, since all the times we were out there at that time, we were celebrating another family wedding! At least four, I think, and turkey and all the trimmings were a distant dream! But Pops and Mum always bought our presents along, and we would have our Christmas dinner at home when we got back!

I must ask… are you a Christmas geek? And what is Christmas like, for you, Down Under? I know we rarely get a white Christmas over here, but it is even less likely for you!

I am a complete Christmas geek. The Christmas Swap actually came about because I wanted to write about some of the Christmases I’ve had in the past – including in England and Colorado. Here in Australia, it’s typically a hot day, so we sip champers and eat seafood. I always make a pavlova too. That sounds great! I have family in Perth. Maybe, one day, we can try an Aussie Christmas, with them!

What about you? What do you and your family do for the holidays?

If we are home, despite being Sikh, we always celebrate Christmas the traditional way. As a child with my parents, and now, either at my in-laws or at our home, with the turkey and full trimmings! I love getting the tree up on the 1st December, but have to station it in a place where Sonu Singh, our cat, cant chew off the branches, or bat off the baubles! There are less wrapped presents underneath too, nowadays, since the kids are teens and they prefer an envelope with cash!

Now, back to your bookish plans, Sandy…

I may be being cheeky here, but are there any plans for a part three? If not, what do we Sandy Barker-ites have to look forward to, from you, next? I hear there may even be a collaborative offering in the pipeline…

Not sure about a part 3 for the May Ladies – maybe one day. At the moment, Fiona Leitch and I are putting the finishing touches on a co-authored project we’ve been working on in between other books. We call it Big Little Lies meets Gone Girl. It’s a sexy suburban noir thriller set in contemporary Melbourne. I am also working on a labour of love – a dramedy set in Sydney called Tilly Finnegan, Begin Again. I’m about 1/3 of the way through that. And I have started a new rom-com series. I can’t say much about that at the moment, but it will be a lot of fun to explore a range of romantic tropes throughout the series.

So what are you working on next?

I’m currently editing book 2 in The Rishtay Series, due for release in June 2023, and working on the ideas for book 3! (Honestly, I can’t believe there is more than one book in me!)

Your collab with Fiona sounds amazing, and Tilly Finnegan, Begin Again, too. (I am now singing Michael Finnegan under my breath, I’ll have you know! Earworm!)

Now, much as I’d like to keep supping wine with you, I know you have a busy schedule, what with it being publication day, Sandy! Thank you so much for taking the time to pop over and visit! I can’t wait to do it again!

Thank you SO much. What fun questions!

Good luck with the release, Sandy! I loved reading The Christmas Trip, and I know others will love it, too!

So much to look forward to, from Sandy (and Fiona Leitch, too!). I can’t wait!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Christmas Trip so please find my review below, as well as the buy links and some more information about my fabulous guest, Sandy!

The Blurb

It’s a year on and our three May Ladies are all loved up but still living worlds apart.

Chloe has had a whirlwind year amongst the glitz, glamour (and demanding work) of Hollywood. She’s taken on the role of Assistant Producer on the film, ‘An Extraordinary Woman: The Eloise Capel Story’, Archer’s passion project and as Archer’s girlfriend, she’s now schmoozing with A-listers.

Jules is immersed in her Melbourne life, working for a non-profit and sharing an increasingly crowded flat on the waterfront with flatmate, Ash ― and their frequent visitors: Ash’s boyfriend, Davo, and Jules’ love, Matt, and his dog, Dexter. She’s considering moving out on her own, only Matt keeps hinting at Jules moving to his vineyard down south.

Lucy, meanwhile, is stuck in long-distance-relationship hell. While her career is flying high ― a promotion and frequent trips to the US for work ― her relationship with Will has stalled. She doesn’t want to be a part-time girlfriend, finding their time apart agonising, but Will seems perfectly content.

When Archer’s planned Parisian proposal at Christmastime is derailed by an ash cloud over Europe, he hatches a plan to bring all six of them together for a Christmas ― and a marriage proposal ― to remember. In Hawaii!

Join the May Ladies and their loves in the most beautiful destination yet for a Christmas filled with mayhem and misunderstandings, and rocking romance around the Christmas tree!

My Review

The Christmas Trip: A gorgeous Christmas romance to escape with in 2022 by Sandy Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always love a chance to revisit characters who made an impression the first time round, and knowing we were meeting the May Ladies again was a thrill in itself.
I love Sandy Barker’s stories. Modern romances with a bit of heat but a lot of love and plenty of hiccups along the way!
This time our ladies are firmly ensconced in their relationships, but so busy the year has flown by with not much chance to be together.
The effects of an ash cloud result in the three of them being together again, for Christmas, on a beautiful tropical island with their plus ones by their side.
Lucy, Chloe and Jules have plenty to keep them occupied, as each is weaving their way through the maze of long-term relationships. Still, we also meet some great new characters, like Leilani, the housekeeper, or Mama to all, and the immature but intriguing Audrey.
And there is always a little drama to keep the action going!
The descriptions of the idyllic Hawaiian island where they spend Christmas make me want to jet off on holiday too!
I really enjoyed the story, and I’d be more than happy to hear a little more about how they get on in the future!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

These are the buy links for #TheChristmasTrip

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon US

Kobo| iBooks | Nook | Google Play

And here’s a little about Sandy and her other books.

Sandy is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of her travel adventures have found homes in her novels. She’s also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob.

Sandy lives in Melbourne Australia with her partner, Ben, who she met while travelling in Greece. Their real-life love story inspired Sandy’s debut novel One Summer in Santorini, the first in the five-book Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.

The series continues in Paris, Sydney, and Bali with Tuscany the final destination in the series. Sandy’s novels The Christmas Swap and The Christmas Trip celebrate her favourite time of the year, and her romcom, The Dating Game, is set in the (fascinating) world of Reality TV.