Today, I am thrilled to be on the blog tour for The Ick by Holly Muculloch.
The Blurb
Girl meets boy. Girl gets the ick. Girl moves on.
Gem has a chronic case of the ick. Luckily for Gem, these icks are actually her intuition in disguise, warding her off of greater red flags which would surely develop later… or that’s Gem’s theory. Her best friend, Shanti, doesn’t buy it. In fact, in her training to become a Clinical Psychologist, Shanti decides to design her graduate study around Gem. To see if the ick is real, she challenges Gem to look past her intuition and date someone for an unimaginable six weeks, all for a fee of £5,000.
And who better to test the hypothesis than Atlas. He eats soup for lunch, wears a gigantic rucksack and winks at the end of cringy jokes – all impossible to look past. But, despite Gem’s best efforts, he’s also, she hates to admit it, quite funny, attentive, and kind (and not to mention extremely good looking). And whilst her gut shouts at her to run away, one date becomes, two, three, four, before she stops counting all together.
Can Gem do the impossible and start falling for Atlas? And what happens when he finds out she’s being paid to date him?
The Ick is a hilarious romance about the judgements we pass, the insecurities we harbour, and those relationships that force us to embrace vulnerability whole-heartedly.
Can I say that one thing this book didn’t give me was the Ick? It starts as a mild-mannered story, with Gem, our FMC, who finds it hard to commit because each time she meets a date, something inevitably puts her off, be it food, clothing, or a specific behaviour… also known as The Ick. She marks down the first date of the book… because he ate soup for lunch! Gem lives with her best friend, Shanti, who is training to be a clinical psychologist. She thinks there are commitment issues and that these ‘icks’ are more of an unconscious attempt to never say yes. And so, the central part of the story starts. Gem is signed up for a clinical study for Shanti’s thesis and has to date one person for a long time, despite ‘icks’ to see what happens. Enter Atlas. – Okay, so he entered earlier. He’s the soup eater. But what a wonderful character! He is that pure, gorgeous specimen, and you know he is just right for Gem. Only, can she get over the ‘ick’? And the side characters are just as great. Uncle Mick, who is like a surrogate father figure; Jay, the miserable corner shop owner who despite not uttering a word through the book, has his presence, and Shauna, the attitude-filled young footballer. I enjoyed reading this book because it goes deeper than the fundamental Ick issue. Gem’s background and her relationship with her mother all contribute to how she is right now.
Author Bio
As the fourth child in a busy household, Holly was often left to entertain herself. She wasn’t cool enough to hang out with her oldest siblings, and she wasn’t a good enough goalie to hang out with her younger sibling. Luckily, she quickly found the world of books and since then, she has never looked back. As a kid, Holly often went to sleep with at least four books underneath her pillow just in case she needed them. And she often did. Books have saved her time and time again.
After a stint working at a literary agency, then a stint working at a big four publisher, and then a stint working as a book buyer, Holly made the terrible decision to become a management consultant. After four years, and still no idea what the job actually entailed, books saved her once again. She wrote her first novel Just Friends (published by Transworld in 2020) when she needed to escape. Her second novel, The Mix-Up followed in 2021.
She is currently working as a freelance editor and writer, and lives in the outskirts of Oxford with her dog, who she lovingly named Schitthead (Ted) after the best TV programme known to man. She is fuelled by baked goods and a need to make people laugh.
If you want to get to know Holly (and Ted) better, follow her over on Instagram (@by.holly.mcculloch) where she mainly shares dog photos and curates memes.
February. That month, for me, of birthdays. Oh, so many birthdays, meals out and cake! And Romance, obviously. Plus the added bonus of our February half term where I read loads.
My plan was to, aside from any arcs, go for love stories in any form; cosy, spicy, second chance, whatever. It ended up being a whole load of ARCs, but all with some level of romance attached (apart from one).
So, I read 13 books – And most were arcs ready for blog tours!
I’ve loved previous Josie Silver books, so was excited to read this one, too. Slow Burn Summer is exactly that. A slow burn romance, that has us as readers simmering throughout, as well as the characters! Kate is reeling from a recent divorce and trying to find her feet again. Her daughter is at university, her ex living in what was their family home with his new partner, and Kate is in a flat belonging to her sister, attempting to make sense of her new life. She bites the bullet and contacts her old agent, from before she got married, twenty years ago, in the hope that she can rekindle her acting career as a means to an end, and finds herself with a most unexpected role. That of an author. Specifically, she is to act as the author of a book she hasn’t written because the actual author doesn’t want to have their already famous name associated with this particular story. Oh, and her agent? He’s not the person she started out with, two decades previously, the flamboyant Jojo Fernandes. Instead he is working with Charlie Fernandes, his son. And a rather lovely looking, decent kind of man! Without going into detail, Kate’s life is a rollercoaster as the publication day arrives and the popularity of the novel soars. She needs all the support she can get, and her sister is one amazing character, a real momma bear, who wonn’t let anyone hurt her sister. And, of course, Charlie… There’s a lot that goes on, and it makes for a very entertaining read, and the slow burn is brilliantly done. A fantastic summer read! Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC.
As a British-born Indian with Kenyan-born Indian parents, I am always drawn to stories that relate to my home country and the Commonwealth countries, and the premise of this novel really piqued my interest. I enjoy reading WW2-related stories, but I have never read one that focuses on Indians in Britain. This book shone a light on a part of the war era that I wasn’t even aware of. The story centres around Ruby, an air raid warden, and Kitty, a lawyer. Both have connections to India. Ruby is half Indian but has never made this public knowledge, and hasn’t had to as she favours her English mother in looks, rather than her Indian father. Hindu Kitty moved to England with her Muslim husband from Bombay after defying her family and marrying out of her religion. Their stories collide when Ruby finds herself drawn to the India Forum and begins attending meetings where Indians in England are supporting their home country by continuing to campaign for India’s independence from the British Empire. Kitty is already a member of the group, however she doesn’t trust the stranger in their midst, who doesn’t look like them. I know it is fictional, but it has highlighted a situation that I was unaware of, and I feel compelled to learn more. The occupation of India, and the subsequent independence and partition are such sore topics, right to this day, and the mode of story is just one way to educate those who don’t know. A passionately told story featuring prejudices, love, suspicion, trust, and the questioning of loyalties. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for an ARC.
Gotta love a YA psychological thriller! Sariyah, our FMC is a girl with a bit of a special power. Somehow she can sense the ‘needs’ of people around her, except those she is very close to. It can be deafening, hearing random things in her mind, as she walks around crowds. She does her best to help, but it can get overwhelming. She and her friends are suddenly caught up in a missing person case, when one of their friends disappears at a music festival. Sariyah’s life turns upside down as they try to find out what happened to Deja, especially as she lost her best friend, as a missing person, never found, a few years previously. What is interesting, on top of all the twists and turns, which are 100% page-turning, is the theme of how a white girl’s disappearance and a black girl’s disappearance are treated. Social media traction, hashtags, news going viral… And, I was NOT expecting that ending! Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC.
I’ve not read the first in this series and it did not detract from the enjoyment of the book, at all. The Love Hotel in Spain is a boutique affair where singletons apply and are matched to holiday with a person who should be their perfect partner. Jasmine is one of the guest relations managers, and very good at her job. Alejandro is the sous chef, who also happens to be rather gorgeous. One rule of the hotel is no relationships between co-workers. But there are sparks between these two that they both try hard to ignore. Until they get sent on a work trip to Jamaica! Sun, sand… you know what the menu holds. The story simmers throughout as both parties try their hardest to stay professional, but boy, when the sparks fly, they are HOT! Though, will what happens in paradise stay in paradise? Both characters are damaged in their own way and have to learn to overcome their own flaws (which may only be flaws in their eyes) to even accept that another person would be attracted to them. I really enjoyed this book. A light-hearted read with a huge heap of spice! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
A tragic love story. Lucy is still somewhat in mourning after losing her great love, Gabe, ten years previously. She finds a slip of paper in his things with an Italian address on it and finds herself on a trip of discovery to find out more about who lives there, why they were important to Gabe, and to finally put his ghost to rest, so she can get on with her life. Lucy meets Dr Dax in Italy and finds her self drawn to him and some deep sadness within him. There is the matter of being a divorced mum of 3, with a tremendous secret hanging over the family, that could make or break many relationships. Lucy has a lot to deal with, not least the fall out of that secret becoming known, as well as navigating whether she is ready to move on, somehow, or whether she doesn’t deserve any more happiness. It was heartbreaking but equally beautiful to read. I’ve not read the first book The Love We Lost, but I could read The Love We Found with no issue.s I do, however, now want to read the first book to understand a bit more about how the whole situation arose! Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Publishing for an ARC.
Releasing 18th March, 2025
Releasing 23rd March, 2025 – Blog Tour post to follow!
Releasing in April, and yes, another Blog Tour review from me then!
Every one of Emily Henry’s books captivates me in different ways, and Great Big Beautiful Life was just simply amazing! There is Grumpy/Sunshine in the mix, but so, SO much more in the story. Alice is a journalist who has finally been given a chance to stretch her writing muscles on a story that is close to her heart. Hayden is a Pulitzer prize willing writer looking to fill the gap he’s feeling after writing a biography that took his whole being to write. She’s full of the light of life, finding the silver linings in all situations. He’s – well – grump. Unapproachable, gruff, rude. And hot. The story finds both of them competing in a month-long interview to see who will be granted permission to write the biography for Margaret Ives, the infamous, reclusive heiress to the tabloid conglomerate built by the Ives family. The story is mostly told from Alice’s POV, with a subtle dual timeline that takes us back to Margaret’s past. We learn so much about all three main characters, and in between, the simmering chemistry between Alice and Hayden bubbles along in true Henry style. There is love, loss, grief, tragedy, scandal, and an unexpected twist at the end, which brings about pain and healing all at once. I LOVED this book. I think this might be her best, yet, and my favourite Emily Henry read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC.
I’ve not read any Fiona McIntosh books before, and I do love a bit of historical fiction. This story, set in Australia in the early 1900s was another first for me. Set in both the Outback and Flinders Range, as well as Adelaide, we start the story with a young 10 year old boy, Tom Catchlove, whose family lives among the sheep shearers. Suddenly losing his mum while she was in childbirth, and his father far away on a job, uncontactable, Tom is set on a fateful journey to Adelaide to her mother’s family, for a short while, where she meets a precocious young 8 year old, Fleur Appleby, the daughter of the undertaker looking after his mother. She leaves an indelible mark on his memory, which doesn’t dull as he gets older. As does he on hers. They meet, by chance, as adults, both in very different situations, and both orphans of a like. Tom is the wool classes he always said he would be, and Fleur is striving to be the best mortician in Australia, and one of the first female ones. What pursues is a love story that is achingly painful, and romantic, as well as a heart rending story as they fight the odds to be together. I sped through this book over one day. Beautifully written. Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC.
If you’re looking for a feel good, light summer read, then you won’t go wrong with a Heidi Swain story, and Best Summer Ever is a great choice. Daisy is back home after a breakup with her cheating partner. She’s looking forward to a chance to reset her batteries, but not looking forward to the grilling she’ll get from her parents, having lost yet another job, and now the boyfriend they thought was the bees knees. Before even getting home, she encounters Josh, a rather hot American tourist, several times in increasingly embarrassing situations as she reaches the Norfolk village of Wynmouth, near her childhood home. What follows is a series of events that eventually brings Daisy back to the job she always dreamed of, but was advised against, as well as a summer fling that may be so much more. Wynbrook Manor, the only home Daisy has ever known, is wonderfully picturesque. Its owner, Algy, is a wonderful character. He is Daisy’s surrogate grandfather, who only wants the best for her and hides his own grief. Daisy has a wonderful cast of side characters of her childhood friends, too, who help to carry the story along, as well as a little drama of their own to add a little more flavour. There are (not so) little secrets that all come together to a very satisfying ending, And I cannot forget little Luna the cat who has her own starring role! Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC.
I have followed this series with great interest over the last few years, and I was so thankful to receive this ARC. We are back to visit the characters of the Wild Isles series, and this time, the story begins with the POV of Jayne, a woman who can foresee certain events. She’s married to Norman, a nasty piece of work, but she doesn’t have the strength to fight back in any way. What she witnesses during her last night on St. Kilda is something she doesn’t realise will be significant until further on in the story. Through this book, we follow Effie, Mhairi, and Flora, key characters in the first three books, and each is left with loose ends that are slowly tied up through The Midnight Secret. As the book progresses, we visit Canada, different parts of the Highlands, and a return to St Kilda. The stories of the fictional St Kildan community leading up to the catalyst that finds them leaving their beloved island and all they know and following them as they try to settle on the Scottish Mainland were beautifully crafted. The entire series is just amazing. Karen Swan made me care about every character, and their stories unfolded unforgettably, so each addition to the series enhanced the previous book. I hope we will see more series in this vein from the author. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for an ARC.
Releasing 29th April, 2025
So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!
Please join me on the blog tour for Hook, Line and Single by Phoebe Macleod
Can the future be rewritten?
Ruby may be young, free and single… but she’s absolutely not ready to mingle.
Ruby is happily sworn off men. There’s nothing she needs that can’t get from her friends, cat or, frankly, the wonders of modern technology. So when her flatmate tricks her into going on a singles cruise, she’s furious.
Thankfully, Ruby isn’t the only one onboard under false pretences. Cameron also had no idea what he was letting himself in for. So after Ruby and Cameron strike up conversation, they agree to platonically pair off, to protect each other from the flirtatious advances of the other guests – not to mention the matchmaking efforts of Barry, the enthusiastic host.
There’s just one problem. Cameron isn’t just in the same boat as Ruby – he’s also good looking, kind and fun. As they explore the picturesque towns of the Mediterranean, Ruby finds herself enjoying his company much more than she’d intended.
Can Ruby keep her heart safe, or will she be in too deep by the time the boat docks at its final destination?
I’ve always wanted to go on a cruise, and I’m drawn to books that include cruises in their timelines, so this was a good choice. Ruby is perfectly happy living with her best friend, Sam, who is hopeless at dating but doesn’t give up, and their cat, Samson, the most handsome cat in Margate, and working in her bookshop with her friend Jono. There’s no need for a man, She’s sworn off them. When an opportunity arises for the two BFs to go on a cruise, she reluctantly agrees, only to find that Sam has signed them up for a cruise with a minor difference; they are part of a singles group, with the intent of ‘mingling’. Not best pleased, Ruby grudgingly gives it a go, with unexpected results. Cameron, the inevitable love interest, is a caring, considerate bloke, and, as a reader, I did find myself rooting for him. The side characters are all great, with members of Ruby’s family, like her sister, Em, who could probably do with her own novel outing. Samson the cat has his special appearances, and any story with a cat will reel me in. It’s a romance. Of course, there is a love story, but there is a darkness behind it, and Ruby’s reluctance to even consider a relationship is slowly revealed at the end, giving her a great character arc. An easy, enjoyable read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Phoebe MacLeod is the author of several popular laugh-out-loud romantic comedies. She mainly sets her books in her home county of Kent and her first new title for Boldwood will be published in November 2022.
Please join me on the blog tour for The One Before The One by Emma Cooper.
When Liv’s boyfriend Kit disappeared on a hike, seven years earlier, she thought her life was over. But with the help of their family and friends, she’s pushed her way through the grief, and now, miraculously, she’s found a way to love again.
Until the morning of her wedding, when Liv steps through a doorway, and finds herself, somehow, back at the flat she shared with seven years earlier, six days before he left. Now, Liv has a chance to live those six days over, and change everything. If she gets this right, she can find out why Kit leaves and stop him.
But can she save him? And if she does, how will she choose, between the man she loved then, and the one she loves now?
OMG, where do I start with this book? First, I want to review with no spoilers, but that will be sooo hard to squeal about the twists and turns without giving things away! So, can you imagine having the chance to go back to a ‘better’ time in the past and making some changes that could change the trajectory of your life? Liv finds herself in that same situation, except on the eve of her wedding. After losing her fiance, Kit, tragically, it has taken her years to come to terms with his disappearance finally. She has taken steps to move forward and seems happy until a freak moment takes her back seven years to the week before Kit’s disappearance. This is where the story takes off. There is a dual POV and a shifting timeline. Short chapters take us through Liv’s experiences as she relives a week where she is not sure she can change anything, but she learns a lot about her own life that she had no idea about. And the experiences of one who left in the days after his disappearance. I don’t want to be cryptic, but I can’t say too much other than I was gripped and confused in a good way. This romantic mystery, as I think it should be tagged, had many twists, which made me double-check things. It was so cleverly written that I didn’t know what was going on for a while! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Author Bio
Emma Cooper is the author of highly acclaimed book club fiction, including The Songs of Us, which was shortlisted for the RNA Contemporary Novel Award. Previously published by Headline PG, Emma will publish emotional book club novels with Boldwood.
Today, I am thrilled to welcome amazing author Susan Buchanan to my blog for a cuppa and a chat about all things writerly, especially her latest release, Leap Year Proposal.
Thank you so much for having me Ritu.
Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Susan! Let’s get you set with a drink first. Would you prefer a coffee, a cup of tea, or, to be brave, traditional homemade Indian masala tea?
Thanks for having me, Ritu. Lovely to be here. Normally, I’d go for a latte or even a hot chocolate (loaded, of course!), but I like to embrace my inner adventurer, so let’s have some of that homemade masala tea, please.
If we’re having masala tea, I can make samosas and pakoras (fried potato and vegetable fritters), but I also have homemade shortbread cookies!
You may have to win me over on having those with tea, to be honest, but I do like them – usually with a glass of milk on the side actually! And, c’mon, I’m Scottish. Of course, I like Shortbread! If I’m superb, can I have both?!
Absolutely!
Now, it’s so lovely to have you on my blog, Susan! And this visit hits a bit differently since we met in person at the 2024 RNA Conference last year. I don’t often get to say that I have sat alongside many of my Book and a Brew friends! How has writing life been treating you since August?
Yes, it was lovely to meet you and what a gorgeous location for the conference at Royal Holloway. Writing life has calmed down a little now as I switch my focus to the business side of writing given the launch of The Leap Year Proposal and the launch in a few months’ time of You Can’t Hurry Love. But when we last met, I hadn’t even decided to write A Little Christmas Spirit yet so September onwards was pretty intense, although mostly in a good way. I’m actually trying to carve out some time between launches to work on the next two books. I live in hope!
Where do you like to write? Do you have a writing room at home, or are you a nomadic writer, taking your notebook and pen or laptop to different places?
I think where I like to write and where I do write are not actually necessarily the same place! If I could, I’d be in a café (which I have done in the past) being supplied with copious amounts of hot chocolate and cheese toasties when needed, so I could simply focus on writing. (Idyllic!) However, when the kids are at school, I tend to write on my laptop on a lapdesk in my living room, on my recliner sofa, with my Labrador, Benji, taking up 90% of the sofa. When the kids are home, I either do the same and put headphones on (!) or I retire to my office. I don’t like writing in bed. I have to say I have, in the past done a lot of my writing in bed!
Are there any of your books with a special place in your heart? I know that is a toughie, as they are all our book babies, aren’t they?
Prior to this year, I’d have said no, as, as you rightly say, they are all our book babies. However, given the impact The Christmas Spirit and indeed the Christmas Spirit series has had on so many readers, and the amount of positive feedback I’ve had from readers about that book, telling me how it made them find their Christmas spirit when they weren’t feeling it, how they’d wanted to ignore Christmas this year, or how it just gave them a lift, I’d have to say The Christmas Spirit. What wonderful feedback to have had!
Correct me if I am wrong, but is this your tenth book now?
Yep, book 10. Kinda exciting, actually. It’s also funny how it wasn’t the tenth book I wrote. For various reasons, books aren’t always released in the order you write them! Apart from The Leap Year Proposal, I have two series and two other stand alones.
Let’s return to your latest release, Leap Year Proposal. I love romance, and you had three very different relationships within this book. How easy was it to weave the three stories together to make one book?
Well, to be honest, that’s what I love the most. And for anyone who has read my Christmas Spirit books, they’ll know that having multiple points of view is something I enjoy writing. However, this book has had so many permutations – a couple of publishers asked for quite major changes. Some I made, some I didn’t. But the one thing I would not back down on was the three female protagonists. To do otherwise would have been a different book.
I have to admit that I am one who loves to both read and write multi-POV stories. My series all have at least three POVs, and it really helped me create the characters which my readers then develop feelings for, and they want to know more. I think it’s why the first book became a series, because I had so many people asking me about the other characters!
I may well release chapters of the original to my subscribers at some point as I cut/changed a lot of the original book. Secondary characters were cut, locations were changed and even occupations. I loved the original book too, but I do love this version.
What was the inspiration for the whole leap-year proposal idea? It seems archaic, now, for women to wait for 4 years before they can officially propose to a man!
Ha! Now there’s a story, so I’ll give you the short version. Years ago, I remember hearing of it and thinking it was romantic. Nine years ago, I remember hearing it on the radio and thinking, ‘Aw, that’s nice.’ Fast-forward 4 hours and I’d proposed! My proposal and our story has nothing to do with the book, but it gave me the germ of the idea for the story. And of course, women can propose whenever they like, but I think 29 February is a special day, simply because that day only exists once every four years!
What a brilliant story! I love it! You old romantic, you!
Jess being a dog walker, I also got my fair share of furry buddies being mentioned! Do you have a pet, at all? I love animals, and we have two cats here who are equal parts love and mischief!
Yes, the crazy Labrador, Benji. He’s actually part polar bear. He’s enormous. But a big teddy! And greedy as heck!
Gorgeous! We have big cat and little cat, Sonu Singh, who is 11 and Minnie Kaur aka The Minx, who is one next month!
I must tell you I devoured your latest offering in pretty much a day, because I really enjoyed the premise of the story. Plus it was based in Scotland! I’ve never been before. Are all your stories set there?
Aw, thank you. I’m so glad you liked it. I can’t believe you’ve never been to Scotland. Get up here! No, in actual fact, my first book, Sign of the Times, is set in Scotland, Switzerland and Italy; my second book, The Dating Game, is set in Scotland and Spain (Barcelona, where I used to live); two of my Just One Day series books are set in Scotland, and Italy and Spain (Bergamo and Madrid) and the other two are set solely in Scotland, and two of my Christmas Spirit series are set in Scotland. The Leap Year Proposal has a section in Italy, and my next book is set in Costa Rica, and the one after that in France. Did I mention I love travelling?! Readers can also expect many more books set in European and faraway locations!
Well, I’m going to have to get up there, somehow, aren’t I? And yes, I can definitely tell you love your travel!
And what is next for Susan Buchanan?
Ah, that’s what I get for jumping the gun – see above! My next book will be out on 6th May, the one in Costa Rica. It’s set in a sloth sanctuary – which I visited and loved, many years ago. The title is You Can’t Hurry Love, which appealed to my sense of humour since sloths are not known for their speed on land! There will be another Christmas Spirit book in 2025 and possibly A N Other book, but I haven’t decided which yet, or indeed if I can manage the timescales. Suffice to say, there will be at least 3 books from me in 2025!
That sounds amazing! You are one busy lady!
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful writing world with us, Susan!
Thank you so much for having me today. 😊
Good luck with your latest release!
The Blurb
Three women. One crazy hen weekend. A life-changing decision.
When three women meet on a mutual friend’s hen weekend on the Scottish island of Arran, they get more than they bargained for when one of them has the genius idea of proposing on 29 February, like the age-old Irish tradition.
High-flying businesswoman Anouska and boyfriend Zach are deliriously happy and madly in love. If only they had more time together. But now she’s pregnant and doesn’t know how to tell him since having kids hadn’t featured in their plans.
Dog walker Jess lives with her childhood sweetheart, but they’re already like an old married couple, without the romance, or the wedding, or the ring. When Mark doesn’t propose on New Year’s Eve, Jess is gutted and decides to take matters into her own hands.
Ellie and Scott still live apart after six years, and his lack of commitment is a sore point. She’s up for a huge promotion which involves moving country. It’s make-or-break time. She needs to know he’s worth turning down the job for.
The women meet weekly, helping each other with decisions big and small, becoming each other’s support system in the run-up to ‘the big ask’.
Will love conquer all or will their hopes and dreams come crashing down around them?
I love romance, and it’s a treat to have three tied into one book, along with a little tradition that they decide to see through. Three women, strangers to one another, all in relationships but very different situations, meet at a mutual friend’s hen weekend and, for whatever reason, decide that they will all propose to their partners on February 29th, as it is a Leap Year, and the woman proposing on that day is an age-old tradition. Split into three POVs, the story follows Anouska, Jess, and Ellie over a couple of months as they build their friendship and experience the trials of planning secret proposals. The thing is, nothing is going to go smoothly, is it? Especially when there are little secrets, doubts and confusion in the mix! I read this story in about one day, thoroughly enjoying each woman’s story. I also loved the blossoming friendships that developed throughout the book. Another Scottish-based book makes me want to visit all the more! Many thanks to the Author and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing an ARC
About the Author
Susan Buchanan writes romantic comedy, contemporary romance and women’s fiction, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas!
Her books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit and Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn.
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.
Giveaway to Win a signed paperback of The Leap Year Proposal (Open to UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
But I Smile Anyway... 