I am thrilled to host my dear friend Jodie Homer as she publishes the second in the Birch Lea Village series, Falling For A Star At Christmas
Blurb Isaac is a contestant on The Wow Factor, and Naomi is assigned to look after him. As they spend more time together, their feelings for each other deepen. Isaac trusts Naomi with his biggest secret, but it finds its way onto national TV and forces them apart. Using her ornament making hobby as a distraction, Naomi escapes the pain of what’s happened by flying across the pond to New York whilst Isaac is in the UK. But when Isaac suddenly quits the show and returns home, staying away isn’t an easy task. Can Isaac forgive and forget in one of the biggest cities in the world or will fate bring them back together?
It was time to revisit Birchlea Heath Village, and this time we are with Naomi, a producer at a TV company, tasked with looking after the whims of Isaac, a contestant on the reality show, The Wow Factor. He is already a minor celebrity, and his presence causes a stir in the community, as well as in Naomi’s life, as he somehow ends up staying at her home with her parents and becomes her fake boyfriend for the Paparazzi. Along the way, he helps her realise that her life is not what she wants, and he helps her break down internal barriers, until something happens, causing both of them to question one another. A sweet, easy read set in a quaint little village where everyone knows each other’s business, and a little bit in New York, where we also experience a little Christmas magic!
Author bio Jodie lives in a small village in Solihull with her husband and two children. She loves nothing more than dancing around embarrassingly to 90s music and eating mint chocolate. Jodie enjoys reading and writing books full of romance and swoon-worthy fictional men.
I am thrilled to have the President of the RNA, and fabulous author, Sue Moorcroft’s latest release, A Christmas Gift, on the blog today!
The Blurb
Can the happiest time of year heal the most broken of hearts?
Georgine loves Christmas. The festive season always brings the little village of Middledip to life. But since her ex-boyfriend walked out, leaving her with crippling debts, Georgine’s struggled to make ends meet.
To keep her mind off her worries, she throws herself into organising the Christmas show at the local school. And when handsome Joe Blackthorn becomes her assistant, Georgine’s grateful for the help. But there’s something about Joe she can’t quite put her finger on. Could there be more to him than meets the eye?
Georgine’s past is going to catch up with her in ways she never expected. But can the help of friends old and new make this a Christmas to remember after all?
It’s definitely the time of year to be getting into festive stories, and this lovely tale by the talented Sue Moorcroft was so good I finished it in one day Georgine works in an Arts Further Eductaion facility and takes great pride in her job, supporting young people with their creative dreams. Stuck in a scary situation involving bailiffs looking for her ex constantly, brings back reminders of a past she longs to forget. Joe has his own bleak past that he cannot escape, but being at the same facility as Georgine has its own healing qualities, though he is not sure how to explain his own situation to her. There are so many hidden layers to this story, as well as to the main characters, it kept me turning page after page until I reached the end, where after plenty of drama, there was an ending to make my heart sing (kinda like some of the students in the Christmas performance that is featured through the whole story!) A heartfelt story about no one really knowing what another’s life is like, as well as bonds of friendship, and long lasting love. A true Christmas gift!
Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her novels have been #1 on Kindle UK and Top 100 on Kindle US, Canada, Germany and Italy. She’s won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Novel of the Year, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award, two HOLT Medallions and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She’s the president of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.
Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Over The Sea to Skye, bookmark and pen (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.
I do love a romantic story with a more mature FMC, and was pleased to be asked to join the blog tour for Maddie Please’s Old Girls Go Greek!
The Blurb
At 64, Meg Foster is ready to paint outside the lines
Newly divorced from overbearing husband Malcom and with only reruns of Bergerac and an irascible black cat called Ivan for company, Meg decides it’s time to add a little colour back into her life. So when she spots a flyer for a local art class at the Lower Begley community centre, she grabs a brush — despite her only painting experience being a half-hearted coat of magnolia in the downstairs loo.
Surrounded by a motley crew of charming amateur artists, Meg slowly begins to rediscover her spark with the help of the other old girls…and the only male in the group Derek. And when someone suggests a painting holiday to sun-soaked Santorini, Meg doesn’t hesitate to sign up. Whitewashed walls, turquoise seas and possibly even a Grecian god or two? Yes please!
As the sun sets over the Aegean, Meg starts to realise that life — like art — is all about perspective. Could this trip be more than just a wash of watercolour fun? Could friendship, freedom and a second-chance romance be just a sketch away?
Full of heart, humour and hues of every shade, relax with another joyful story from Maddie Please celebrating the power of reinvention, female friendship, and living boldly — no matter your age.
I’ve read a few of Maddie Please’s romantic-themed books featuring more mature ladies, and this was another fun read to add to her already splendid books. The story is about Meg, a divorcee in her 60s, getting to grips with her newfound single life, and she happens upon a local art club where she meets some real characters. Some of these characters will be ones you have met before if you have read Maddie’s other books, namely the Old Ducks – a group of older ladies determined to make the most of life, regardless of age. They end up at an art-themed holiday on the beautiful island of Santorini, where several members of the art group travel together, and they find another person has joined their group upon arrival. It is a new, handsome male member of the group, and so of course, there is a spark, as well as some recognition from Meg and a bit of a connection which they begin to explore… The rest, you need to read to find out! The descriptions of the scenery, the food, the cute kittens and Meg’s cat, back home. A lovely, easy read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.
Maddie Please is the author of bestselling joyous tales of older women. She has had a career as a dentist and now lives in rural Herefordshire where she enjoys box sets, red wine and Christmas.
I apologise for not posting this sooner, but better late than never, eh!
I’m bringing to you a book with a psychological thriller twist, all with a sprinkling of Indian Masala!
Rupa Mahadevan has written a brilliant book, Nine Dolls, which I was honoured to read.
The Blurb
When a group of friends reunite to celebrate the Hindu Dolls festival in a Scottish manor in Oban, they’re hit by more than just the storm. Dolls move, and secrets are revealed. But which secret is worth killing for?
Nine nights.
Nine secrets.
And one unforgettable name…
NINE DOLLS – an award-winning psychological thriller – is almost here.
Dark. Addictive. Chilling to the core.
Every day unveils another secret.
Every lie pulls you deeper into the nightmare.
Every doll hides a truth you’re not ready to face…
Nine days that will change everything.
Nine Dolls.
I asked Rupa about the inspiration for her fantastic debut, and this is what she told me:
Golu (which translates to “display”), the dolls we set up during Navaratri, have always been a big part of my childhood. Navaratri is my favourite festival, even more than Diwali, which is far more popular. There’s something so visual and colourful about it—a way of storytelling that really captured my imagination. Growing up, my sister and I used to compete over whose side of the dolls told a better story.
Thinking back, that is where my love of stories started. I’ve always been passionate about crime stories. I practically grew up with Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie, as well as legendary writers in Tamil (my mother tongue) like Kalki. You’d think it would be a no-brainer to combine the two. The nine nights of Navaratri, with its theme of good versus evil, naturally lend themselves to the structure of a crime thriller.
But it wasn’t until a writer friend, Angela Nurse, asked if I’d ever thought of weaving it into a story that the idea truly clicked. The rest, as they say, is history!
Okay, so I have just finished this, Nine Dolls by Rupa Mahadevan and OMG, what a ride! I’m all for any books with anything Southeast Asian within the covers, and Nine Dolls has that in spades, as well as being a compelling psychological thriller. Ten people, some friends and some new to the group, end up in a house in Oban on a holiday that coincides with the Hindu festival of Navratri. Leela, wife of one of the original friend group members, is newly married and also religious, so she wishes to observe the holy festival while they are away. Part of this involves displaying nine dolls in a particular manner to honour different goddesses. The dolls on display are a little different to the traditional ones; however, once everyone has consented to take part, she happily sets up her display and makes plans for the nine-day festival. However, things go awry when she discovers that her display has been tampered with, and in the following days, more and more strange things happen to the dolls, as equally strange things occur in the house to different people, all while the Beast from the East takes effect. I was hooked on this book from the start, and it had so many twists and turns, with the reader trying to work out what was going on and who was responsible for all these awful things… Fantastic read!
About The Author
Rupa Mahadevan is a passionate story-teller of character led and page turning thrillers that keeps you guessing till the last chapter. Her books aims to be an alluring mixture crime and culture.
Another wonderful blog tour stop this time for Karen King and her fab book, The Old Gals Bucket List.
The Blurb
The Approval of Sheep
Gordon Slee fears he was never meant to be born. Anxious since childhood after hearing he was an accident, the forty-two-year-old is still struggling to escape the shadow of his high-achieving family.
But a glimmer of hope is on the horizon – a huge promotion within his hotel group is up for grabs, and he is sure that his time has come to make a mark on the world.
However, within his own department, redundancies are afoot. He may lose his job before he gets the chance. Until he learns of a historic covenant that preserves the right for sheep to run through the company’s top London hotel. Could he convince his boss that he’s the man to save the hotel from catastrophe?
Up in Bryn Nefyn, North Wales, live the descendants of the covenant owner. The elderly sheep farmer and his aging hippy brother could use the money the hotel might offer. But along with their strong-willed American shepherdess, they laugh at Gordon’s attempts to negotiate a deal. Surely, they couldn’t use a covenant that’s been forgotten about for over a hundred years.
Or could they?
For lovers of upmarket commercial fiction with a touch of romance and comedy, The Approval of Sheep is an uplifting story about family and love, overcoming adversity and discovering our reason for our place in this world.
This debut novel by Karen Storey was a wonderfully well written tale with it’s heart based on a true covenant. I’ve heard of sheep in London and covenants about them being allowed to run through certain areas according to these ancient covenants, so to have this book’s core being about a similar covenant, was intriguing. Gordon, our MC is in a bit of a bind at his job, in that due to possible redundancies, he may be out of a job, on top of a failed marriage proposal. He’s feeling quite useless, compared to his heigh flying siblings. Then with the knowledge of a covenant involving sheep being allowed to run throught the hotel he works at, he tries to bargain for a promotion. He finds himself in Wales in order to negotiate with the owner of the covenant, and finds himself stuch with some stubborn, untrusting folk and a lot of sheep. The whole story was highly entertaining, and there were some lovely emotional elements that made Gordon appear more human as the story progressed, and I was more than satisfied with the ending. A little romance, a lot of self discovery and a shedload of sheep!
About The Author
Karen Storey is an award winning fiction writer and has been featured on the acclaimed book podcast, The Bestseller Experiment. As well as a novelist, she is a prolific short story writer. Her stories have been published in various anthologies and placed in several international competitions. Her memoir pieces have also been published within the New York Times bestselling book series, Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Originally from New York City, Karen lives in Warwickshire, England and has written articles for American in Britain magazine. She lives with her husband, whose surname Storey was the perfect wedding gift. They share their home with a snarky cat who writes Karen’s monthly author newsletters and a crazy little Bichon Frise dog who barks at his own reflection. You can visit her website and subscribe to her newsletter at http://www.karenstoreyauthor.com
Giveaway To Win a signed copy of The Approval of Sheep and a luxury Welsh chocolate bar featuring a sheep by the award winning Welsh chocolatier, Sarah Bunton. (Open to UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Gleam box below. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam 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.
in a Scottish manor 
in Oban, they’re hit by more than just the storm. Dolls move, and secrets are revealed. But which secret is worth killing for? 
NINE DOLLS – an award-winning psychological thriller – is almost here.
Every day unveils another secret.
But I Smile Anyway... 