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Book and a Brew with Ritu – Midnight In Paris by @GillPlusFive #NewRelease #BookReview @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources

19 Jan 2025 5 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Book Review, Gillian Harvey, Mdnight In Paris, New Release, Rachel's Random Resources

Loving this series!

Today, I am incredibly excited to have a fantastic author and interweb friend of mine, Gillian Harvey, over for the second time, this time to talk about her latest release, Midnight in Paris

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Gillian! Let’s get you set with a drink, first.

What would you like to drink? All the hot beverages are available to you, as well as my trusty masala tea!

A coffee please, Ritu.

And what would you like to eat? I’ve been making fairy cakes and cookies, but also fried up some fresh pakoras, too!

I’ll try a bit of everything!‘Midnight in Paris’ has one foot in France and the other in the UK (Cambridge), which has created a nice balance. My next is set in a small French village, but I’m working on something set firmly in the UK as well! So a bit of both.

So lovely to have you back here, Gillian! And a change for you since we last spoke. You’ve moved back to the UK – How is that going for you with your writing?

We loved our time in France, but it felt like the right time to move back to the UK. We’ve landed in a lovely seaside town in Norfolk, and it’s been a great experience so far (albeit exhausting)! The writing is going great – I’m feeling really creative and the words are flowing! Sounds lovely, and yay for the words!

Last time, we spoke about how much France had inspired your writing recently. Will that country always feature in your novels, or will we get more UK-based stories, or even based in far-flung destinations?

Midnight in Paris’ has one foot in France and the other in the UK (Cambridge), which has created a nice balance. My next is set in a small French village, but I’m working on something set firmly in the UK as well! So a bit of both. Exciting for us readers!

I know I asked this last time, but obviously, you have uprooted yourself since then, so do you now have your writing room/area in your new place? Or are you visiting cafes, perching for hours, consuming coffee, and typing away?

Right now, we’re in rented accommodation while we look for a forever home. It’s a lovely house, but a little on the small side – especially as my kids keep insisting on growing at an alarming rate! This means, right now, my desk is in my bedroom which isn’t ideal. Especially as I seem to create chaos around my work area. But I’m hoping within the next year I’ll have my own office to work in, fingers crossed. As for cafes, no. I love going to them, but I’d be too shy to work in one! Too many people asking me what I’m up to (at least, in my imagination)! Oh, I do hope so, for your sake, and you are right. These kids don’t half grow fast!

Are you planning to go to any author/book-related events this year? I am attending the MeetCute festival in June!

One of the things I really looked forward to about moving to the UK is the fact that I’ll be more able to travel to book festivals – I had serious FOMO looking at author pics on Instagram after some of the bigger events. But right now, I haven’t got anything in the diary. I think that moving has been so tumultuous I’m still catching my breath. But I’m determined to get out and about more this year – and may well see you in June. Oh, I do hope so, it would be awesome to see you!

It’s time to talk about the book in question, Midnight In Paris. Oh my goodness, this was an emotional read! Where did the inspiration for this story come from?

Often my stories come to me as a ‘snapshot’ of a moment. This story built from the idea of the bridge and all it signifies in the story and went from there. Paris is also quite special to me – my husband and I went to Paris for a trip away when we were first seeing each other. It was a real budget event, using coupons from the paper! We went again for our honeymoon in rather more lavish style. Although our room had room service, we actually kept ordering tea and biscuits – so I suppose you can take the Brit out of Britain… but some things are hardwired. I have to agree, my tea is so important, too, but then again, I am Indian, living in Britain, with Kenyan influence, so Tea was always going to be a thing, lol!

Were you intending to write a tear-jerker?

I knew that there would be an emotional element in the book due to the bridge scene, but I think the eventual book went a little deeper than expected. I wanted to write really meaningful characters that the reader connected with, so I hope that’s been the case! I haven’t been through anything like the characters in this book, but I have had an emotional year with the move and other ups and downs, and I think sometimes that channels into a book. Basically, it was a therapy session! I’m really proud of this story. And so you should be! It was beautifully written!

The story touches on trying to start a family. Is this something you wrote with any personal experience? I know how hard that can be, having done the same with my latest novel.

Yes, my husband and I were told we’d never be able to conceive naturally. It took two rounds of IVF before I had my daughter, then another for my sons. Then we had two unexpected pregnancies afterwards – I guess doctors don’t always get it right. That’s a whole novel in itself… Tell me about it! I have PCOS and spoke to a friend who was diagnosed as a young girl. She was told she would never have children, and when it came to marriage, she stated this fact to whoever her suitor was, as she didn’t want any comeback, then she she was happily married, settled and devoid of any inclination to have a family, she ended up with four kids! It gave me some hope!

And, finally, please let us know what we can expect from you next!

I’m just working on a novel right now. It’s set in France and really focuses on the importance of friendship. I’m hoping to create an emotive experience for the reader, while injecting some upbeat, humorous moments too. I’m also working on a side-project that I’m really excited about. But it’s all very hush-hush for now. 😊 oo

Ooohhh! Secret side project! Now I am even more intrigued, lol!

Thank you so much for popping over for a visit, Gillian!

Thanks for having me, Ritu!

The Blurb

Ten years. Two people. One last visit…

Sophie and Tom first visited Paris together as students. During their weekend away in the world’s most romantic city, falling in love – with the place, and each other – was simply inevitable.

They resolved to return every summer and kept their word, until something happened that changed their world forever.

Five years on, Sophie’s travelling to Paris alone to meet Tom again in their special place, on the Pont du Carrousel at midnight.

Because life has torn them apart. And now Sophie has something to tell Tom. Something that will change everything…

The most heartbreaking, uplifting and powerful novel you’ll read all year. Perfect for fans of David Nicholls, Kristin Hannah and The Notebook.

My Review

Midnight in Paris by Gillian Harvey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, Gillian Havey! What are you doing to me?
I’ve always loved the author’s books, especially the stories set in France, but this was something else. Not as light hearted, but as much of a good read as the others, if not more.
The emotional rollercoaster I went on as I read was unbelievable.
Tom and Sophie have a place in Paris that has become their place, and they have visited it over the years. This last visit is so poignant, and its reason is heart-wrenching. I shall give nothing away, but I was in bits.
It is a more serious tale, detailing hard-hitting issues, but in a nuanced, sensitive way.
A true page-turner of a book, I loved it.
I think it’s my favourite so far!

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

Author Bio

Writer  Journalist  Author

Freelance writer and author Gillian Harvey lives in France with husband, Ray and their five children. She regularly pens articles and short stories for UK magazines including Woman’s Weekly and People’s Friend. She also writes opinion pieces and has been published in Independent, Guardian, Metro.

Gillian started her career in the teaching profession working at secondary school level. After moving to France in 2009, she started freelance writing for publications in the UK, France and the US.

Gillian has written a monthly column in Writing Magazine since 2020. She has previously been columnist for Prima Baby and Living France magazines.

Gillian’s first novel ‘Everything is Fine’ was published worldwide with Orion in May 2020. Her second, ‘Perfect on Paper’ was published in UK May 2021. She has since moved to Boldwood Books where she published the best-selling ‘A Year at the French Farmhouse’ and, most recently ‘One French Summer.’

And click below to find Gillian on Social Media!

Social Media Links

https://linktr.ee/gillianharveyauthor

Facebook: @GillianHarveyAuthor

Twitter: @GillPlusFive

Instagram: @GillPlusFive

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

Bookbub profile: @gillplusfive

Book and a Brew with Ritu – The Car Share by @LucyMitchAuth @BloodHoundBooks #NewRelease #BookReview

23 Apr 2024 5 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Lucy Mitchell, New Release, The Car Share

One of my oldest blogging friends!

Today, I am thrilled to welcome back my dear friend and romance author, Lucy Mitchell, to my blog for a cuppa and a bit of a chat and update about all things writerly, especially her newest release, The Car Share.

Hello, and welcome back to But I Smile Anyway, Lucy!

Let’s get you set with a drink first. Tea, hot chocolate, or maybe a masala chai? I’m hesitating with the coffee, as I have seen the recent Insta storis with your daughter’s fantastic barista-style art and alas, I cannot offer that, however, the Tassimo does a mean Cappuccino or Latte if you want. 😊

I’ll have a cappuccino, thank you. ☕️

I’ve got all sorts of nibbles here. I know you’ve sampled the cakes before, but I also have some fresh pakoras here. A recently perfected recipe, if you fancy 😉

Maybe some pakoras, then cake? 🧁

I think we should start with a little update. The last time you were here with me, you were celebrating the release of I’ll Miss You This Christmas, your first book with your publisher, Bloodhound Books. I know your second with them, Instructions For Falling In Love, was also rereleased a few months ago. How’s it all been going?

It’s been a busy time. I am getting ready to launch The Car Share (23 April 2024), editing Book 4 – Second Chances at the Little Love Café (August 2024), and finishing writing a Christmas romance (possibly book 5). I also have new book ideas queuing in my mind. I love being an author, so I am very happy. Lots of lovely Lucy Mitchell books to look forward to!

And I must mention that great podcast you, Lucy K and Bettina had recorded. I listened to each of those episodes and loved them! When are the plans for the second series to come out?

We are starting to record a second podcast series of Love at First Write in May so watch this space. I’m already watching!

I know you have become a bit of a TikToker, too. I try my hand, but I can’t get in the swing of the regular posts! I love your little videos. What do you think gets the most attention – the review posts or the writer situation/advice type ones?

Notebook obsessions are my top-performing posts. I have tried all sorts but for some reason everyone likes a notebook addict type of TikTok. Well, are you even a writer if you don’t have a notebook obsession?

Any recommendations from your recent reads?

I have loved Bettina Hunt’s ‘Sing For Me’, Kim Nash’s ‘Finding Family at the Cornish Cove’ and ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ by Jeevani Charika. Oh, I have read them all, and they are definitely worth a read. I just finished an arc of Jeevani’s The Winner Bakes it all which is also brilliant!

And how many stories have you got on the go, right now? I know you, it’s hard for you to concentrate on just one project!

I have multiple projects on the go, plus a secret project. Everyone should have a secret project on the go 😀 I find it hard to write more than one at a time, but a secret project? That sounds intriguing… 🤫🤔😉

I think we need to come round to the book of the moment. The Car Share. Lucy, I loved it! I feel honoured to have been an early reader, before lots of editing, and I was enamoured of the story from the off. Reading the polished version was fantastic. Where did you come up with the idea of romance during a car share? A bit of close proximity, there…

I have spent years commuting to and from work. I have done buses, trains, and cars in my time. Commuter friendships and conversations have always stuck in my mind. I love how much is overshared in a car on the way to and from work.

I have also spent the last two years taking my youngest teenager and her mates to college. Those car-share journeys have given me so much novel fodder. Teenagers keep things real; their love lives are chaotic, and their feedback on my music tastes and driving skills was brutal – haha! I’m at the beginning of this experience, as I often ferry my 16-year-old daughter and her friends around. The conversations can be enlightening, and yes, definitely plenty of fodder!

And football? I’m not a footy fan, but I think you weaved women’s enjoyment of the sport into the story well. Were you a wannabe Lioness growing up?

I was a tomboy growing up in the 80’s. I used to play football in the street with the boys, and I would have loved to play for a team. The lads would let me play as I looked like a boy, and I was fast up the wing. I was 11/12, and up until this point in my life, I had never heard of ‘deodorant.’ All I will say is that after I came in from a street football match, my mother took me aside and said, ‘I think it’s time for me to buy you some deodorant’ – lol! He he!

Sadly, I was encouraged to get into cross-country running instead in the 80’s. Bleurgh!

It did not have the same appeal, as back in the 80s, we had to do it in tiny gym knickers (not shorts), we wore spikes (weird-looking running shoes with screw-in spikes) and not nice-looking football boots, and there was not a ball or a net in sight.

The only similarities were the weather and mud! I remember those days… hiding in bushes so we could skip a lap or two. My gym knickers were a fetching maroon with a pink Airtex top – thanks, St M’s for the wonderful uniform! – and running and I did not gel well, at all!

I love women’s football and I love the Lionesses – so inspiring!

One element I related to, was the fact that both your characters, Leah, and Mateo, had parents in a residential home. It can be a tireless, sometimes thankless, task ensuring your loved one is always visited, looked after, and happy, even though they may not always remember you. We have been through this with my grandma-in-law. Have you experienced this situation, yourself?

My husband’s grandparents were in residential homes, and we spent many years with our kids going to visit them. They were lovely places. Sad at times but nice residential homes with angel-like staff. I agree. It would be bittersweet visiting Grandma-in-law. The other residents loved when we took my kids, as it was a dementia and Alzhimers ward. Some thought they were their childhood friends were coming to play. I often remember my son getting the foam football out and there was a footy match in the lounge with half the players using Zimmer frames! Then, there were those lonely souls who were upset or crying. It tugged at my heartstrings.

And I’m sure my readers would love to know… is there an update on the cafe story, or is there something else you are working on?

Book 4 – Second Chances at the Little Love Café – August 2024. Oh, my goodness – you and your readers are going to love it! I have packed a lot of emotions and feelings into one tiny seaside café. I CANNOT wait!

The cups have run dry, time for more writing… Thanks for the chat and nibbles, Ritu 😊

You’re welcome, Lucy. It was a pleasure having you visit! And, I can’t wait for the other books, now, too! 😊

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Car Share, as well as an unedited version, so I have seen how this story has blossomed. Please find my review below, as well as the buy links and some more information about my fabulous guest, Lucy!

The Blurb

Embark on a heart warming romantic journey in this delightful comedy that proves it doesn’t matter where you’re going — it’s who you have beside you on the way…

After Lia’s old car breathes its last, the single mum must reluctantly take the bus to work… and face unwarranted attention from a troublesome teenager.

It’s all too much to take — she’s been depressed since her fiancé’s death and even quit her beloved women’s football team. But it’s Happy Car Sharers to the rescue after her friends get her set up on the app. Mateo, meanwhile, has recently moved to town, and his long walk to the train station is a literal pain due to an ankle injury.

Soon he and Lia are riding each morning with a charmingly bossy driver and a rotation of colorful fellow passengers. It’s not love at first sight. Technically it’s not even first they’ve seen each other before at the nursing home where both their fathers live and Mateo plays piano for the residents. But with each trip they get to know each other better . . . and the more they know, the more they find to like.

With both of them consumed by personal losses and pressing family responsibilities — and another man getting in the way — can romance lie on the road ahead for these commuting companions?

The Car Share is a humorous exploration of love, loss, and the unexpected detours that lead us to where we truly belong.

My Review

The Car Share by Lucy Mitchell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a massive fan of Lucy Mitchell’s writing and was thrilled to be asked to read an ARC of this beautiful story, essentially about two broken souls who have lost the meaning of their lives after traumatic events.
An extremely random meeting, forcing them together as co-passengers in a car share scheme, creates tension and misunderstanding, but ultimately, it results in a level of understanding, compassion, and support for both of them.
Lia is a character I had a lot of time for. She’s a single mum who tragically loses the love of her life. She loses track of her past passions, choosing to live her life through her memories and for her little daughter, Daisy. Having to say goodbye to one of her most precious possessions and links to her boyfriend, Lia joins a car-sharing app and finds herself sharing the vehicle with someone she already knows, kind of.
I loved Mateo, too. He’s a sensitive soul who has been taken advantage of. Battling with his own upset, alongside seeing his father deteriorate in front of his eyes, makes for a sad man who has forgotten all the unique talents he had that made him stand out.
This car share, driven by the unforgettable Stella, catalyses much change.
Stella is brilliant! Her interactions with her troublesome teens bring much-needed laughter into the car, as those in the passenger seats need something to draw them out of their funks.
Both main characters have passions that have been forgotten, but somehow, they are what brings them together.
Lucy has dealt with the sensitive issues of ageing and loss extremely sensitively and cultivated a beautiful romance that stems from forced proximity. Still, ultimately, that closeness is needed for them to understand one another and themselves truly.
Beautiful!!!

These are the buy links for #TheCarShare

amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CTHQMD6B

And here’s a little about Lucy.

I live in a house with two teenagers, an over-excited Labrador, a gang of unruly cats and a rugby-mad Welsh husband. On the morning of my 40th birthday, I decided to follow my dream of writing books. I’ve always enjoyed writing funny stuff and my mum still has the letters I used to write to her when I was at university and turned aspects of my student life into a comedy. When I am not writing, I am eating scampi & chips at my local pub, reading romance books or co-hosting the podcast – Love At First Write.

Follow Lucy:
linktr.ee/LucyMitchAuth

Book and a Brew with Ritu – Hunter’s Christmas by Val Penny @valeriepenny @spellbound #NewRelease

12 Dec 2023 6 Comments

by Ritu in Book & A Brew With Ritu, Reviews Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book and a brew with Ritu, Hunter's Christmas, New Release, Val Penny

I have another repeat visitor!

Today, I am hosting prolific Crime writer and fellow Spellbound author, Val Penny, about her latest release, Hunter’s Christmas and Other Stories!

Hello, and welcome back to But I Smile Anyway, Val!

Thank you for inviting me to your blog today, Ritu. Let me tell your readers about my books, my main character, DI Hunter Wilson and my new book, a collection of short stories, Hunter’s Christmas.

Sounds like a plan, Valb ut let me just sort you out with a cup of Earl Grey tea, because I remember you like that!

I’d love a cup of Earl Grey tea, no milk, please.

No problem at all!

Right, so I’m settled with my Chai Latte. Tell us all about your wonderful books, Val.

I have been building a collection of short stories for a few years now, and at last, I have had the opportunity to share these with my readers.

I usually write crime fiction set in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, but this allowed me to set some of the tales further afield and explore new characters, too. This has been a joy.

I decided to write crime fiction because that is the genre I most enjoy reading. I was also a lawyer for many years, a lifetime ago and met many of the types of people I write about.

Life and experience are always fodder for a writer’s mind…

When I was initially choosing where to set my books, I considered creating an imaginary Scottish town, much like Peter Robinson who created the fictional English town of Eastvale in the Yorkshire Dales. However, When I thought about it, Edinburgh is a small city (about 600,000 people) and is a place many people know about through travel documentaries or have visited on vacation. It has a wide variety of types of housing, universities, a prison a beach and hills so why not base my stories there. But in this collection my characters are not all based in Scotland, some of the tales are set in Europe, and one in the USA.

I enjoyed your Scottish-based stories and the others, too! I’ve never been to Scotland, but love reading stories based there. One day, though.

My characters face many unpleasant characters and difficult situations in my novels. I am often asked if these are based on real events. The answer is a resounding, sometimes.

Authors are terrible thieves and grab ideas or characters from all sorts of places: a couple overheard in a coffee shop, a man talking on the phone on a train, or an event reported in a newspaper or on television. I have notebooks everywhere to jot down ideas or phrases as they come to me. Indeed, as I live in the very wet West of Scotland, one of the best presents I ever got was a waterproof notebook! You will often see me using this at bus stops or in train stations during a sudden downpour.

Oh, gosh, I know that feeling, Val! I have to be so careful not to write specific characters, and instead, I use quirks and phrases instead to get a feel for the character I am writing, instead of just writing about someone straight!

My new book is my first venture into a collection of short stories instead of a novel. The title story, Hunter’s Christmas, takes a festive look at Edinburgh. However, there are a total of twelve stories, three featuring DI Hunter Wilson, three featuring DS Jane Renwick, and the others that showcase different characters in a variety of settings. I hope readers will enjoy the diversion.

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I think it has whetted my appetite to read some of the full-length novels. They are officially on my TBR!

Although my stories and characters are not autobiographical, there is definitely a lot of me and my life experience in my stories, and I hope that readers enjoy that and their visits with me to Edinburgh, too.

I feel the same way about my writing, too. Thank you so much for sharing a bit more about your inspiration, Val. 🙂

Thank you again for inviting me to your blog today and allowing me to share some secrets about DI Hunter Wilson with your readers.

My pleasure 😊 Wishing this, and all your future releases much success, Val!

Now here is the blurb to whet your appetites! It sounds pretty good!

The Blurb

DI Hunter Wilson is looking forward to spending a holiday in India with his girlfriend Dr Meera Sharma, away from the cold, wet winter of Edinburgh. He looks to share his happiness with others when he is attacked by Santa Claus, he says.

His team swing into action to catch his attackers but then receive information about an elf found dead in a car park and a car stolen by Mrs Claus.

Are the crimes by these Christmas characters connected?

Can Hunter’s team restore peace and goodwill to Christmas?

Hunter’s Christmas and Other Stories includes tales about DI Hunter Wilson and DS Jane Renwick along with those about new and different characters in this gripping collection of short stories especially for crime fiction readers.

My Review

Hunter’s Christmas and Other Stories.: A gripping collection of short stories especially for crime fiction readers. by Val Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve not read Val Penny’s books as yet, but I was sent this collection, and I must say that this collection of stories has whetted my appetite for the different series Penny writes.
Each of the stories hook you in. Some are slightly longer, involving two of Penny’s famous DIs, and some are shorter, but each story is captivating, and I thoroughly enjoyed each one!
It has made me want to add the rest of Penny’s books to my neverending TPR pile!

Hunter’s Chase – https://geni.us/ic7r

Hunter’s Revenge – https://geni.us/a13c

Hunter’s Force – https://geni.us/f5eJb

The First Cut – https://linktr.ee/spellboundbks

Hunter’s Blood – https://tinyurl.com/8rrpp59x

Hunter’s Secret – https://tinyurl.com/ezer746e

Hunter’s Christmas – https://rb.gy/9d79us

Author Biography

Val Penny has an LLB degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store.

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters, of whom she is justly proud, and lives with her husband and their cat.

www.valpenny.com

https://www.facebook.com/Authorvalpenny

www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739

www.facebook.com/groups/296295777444303

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17300087.Val_Penny

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/val-penny

Twitter: @valeriepenny

Book and a Brew with Ritu – A Holiday Romance In Ferry Lane Market by @nicolamay1 #NewRelease #BookReview

24 Oct 2023 4 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

An extra special guest! How exciting!

Today, I am hosting the wonderfully talented Nicola May, an author who has shown how you
can make it successfully as a self-published one!

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

How lovely to be invited, thank you.

Before I get all flustered and fangirly, let me get you a drink. What I your preference? I have
all the usual hod beverages available, as well as a mean masala tea, if you wish to try!

Aw, no need to get fangirly, I am just a girl who writes words in order, sometimes in a good
way. I am also very basic in my beverage requirement. I love a plain old cup of English
Breakfast tea. Preferably, PG tips, please.

And we can’t go further without nibbles. What would you like? I have fresh donuts (sorry, I
didn’t make them!) or some shortbread cookies, made by my own fair hand!

Ooh, your homemade shortbread please. One of my favourite biscuits. Thank you. What are
you having?

It’s getting a bit nippy here, so I think a Chai Latte for me.

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 actually didn’t start writing until my thirties. I was working in PR at the time and
was very much a party girl. I was dared to run a half marathon and I thought it would be
quite funny to create a comedy diary of events throughout my tough training. Amazingly, I
completed the run, but didn’t finish the diary. It did, however, give me the writing bug and
I completed my first novel.
My journey to becoming a published author has been very varied; jumping from self-
published to traditionally published. I have had my best success on my own. In fact, The
Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay got to #1 on the Amazon Kindle store.

Such an amazing achievement! Well done for that. You are a source of inspiraton for many writers out there. 😊

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

I think it has to be the book I mentioned earlier, it is a heartfelt story of a cockney girl who
inherits a shop in Devon from a mystery benefactor. It is a love story combined with a
mystery and is also special, as the success of it enabled me to give up the day job as a
Corporate Events Manager and write full time.
I hear you have a new book underway too, Ritu? The Rishtay Series sounds so interesting,
please do tell me more.

Thank you for asking, Nicola. Yes, I am in the midst of writing the third book, continuing the stories of the Gill family. This time my focus is on infertility, and. itis quite a tough write, as we had our own struggles, so I am trying not to write my own story, but use my experiences, as well as those of many women (and men) I have spoken to, to bring the topic out in a sensitive manner. Rishtay means repationships, so I love exploring those in detail in all my writing.

Now, 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 love to write in bed on my laptop, under the duvet, whatever the weather!

Sounds perfect! I’ve done the same, but I think I would end up with a Ritu-shaped dent in my bed if I did that all the time, so I am lucky to have a little writing room!

Have you ever written a book that 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 started writing a couple I set aside, but my recent book A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane
Market has taken on one of those old ideas. I had a thought way back about somebody
changing their identity and seeing how they are perceived when they are not quite so
beautiful on the outside.

I have read at least two of your series, so far, and I love the community feel to them.
What was your inspiration for these books?

Aw thank you so much. I love Devon and Cornwall where both the Cockleberry Bay and
Ferry Lane Market Series are set, and it was easy to capture the magic of them from my
holiday experiences down there. I also was a child of the 70’s and feel that at the time my
street really did have a community feel to it. I think that is something that is lacking in a lot of
areas now and I wanted to capture that down in both of my fictitious towns.

And you do a fabulous job!

Now, today we are here to have a chat about your newest release, A Holiday Romance
in Ferry Lane Market. I have enjoyed all the books so far, and was honoured to have
been able to read an advanced copy. (Review, below, Peeps!) It is always a joy to pick
up the new book in a series and know you will be immersed in a new story, but will
get the updates on favourite characters from previous books. Where did the idea for
Sabrina and her story come from? I think I would hate to be in the spotlight like that!

Thank you. I really enjoyed writing it. Sabrina is a soap actor who changes her identity to
escape her previous life. A life of being hounded and trolled by press and public whenever
her life takes a downward turn. I got trolled on a very minor level, recently but it made me
think about how it really must affect people in the public eye who experience it a lot. I also
wanted to explore how looks conscious everybody is these days. By Serena changing her
appearance it is interesting to see how she is perceived and how she feels about that. I have
friends who used to be in a huge British police drama quite a few years ago, so I was able to
dig into my memories of how their celebratory status was perceived.

I was so happy to read the ending… I won’t add too much to spoil it for prospective
readers, but how does it feel to write about old favourite characters in newer books?

A reader asked me to bring that old favourite character back, and I listened! Aren’t they great? I had a bit of a soft spot for them myself to be honest.

I think that will be my last Ferry Lane Market book. However, my dad, who is my cover artist
just sent me a wonderful painting that looked very much like Cockleberry Bay, so maybe, just
maybe you should watch this space…

Good luck with this latest release, Nicola! And as they say, never say never!

I love this style, thank you Ritu and your book series sounds fantastic.

Thank you for saying that and , you are most welcome, Nicola. It was a pleasure having you visit!

Thank you so much for having me, this is all marvellous x

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane Market so please find my review below, as well as the buy links and some more information about my lovely guest, Nicola May!

The Blurb

To escape a public scandal, a jilted actress journeys to Ferry Lane Market

When soap actor Sabrina Swift loses her way due to a public scandal, she packs up her life, heads to Cornwall and finds herself running a gift shop in the quaint and quirky Ferry Lane Market.

Changing her looks and identity to keep her anonymity, the newcomer starts to make friends and enemies as she walks a frosty path in the established marketplace community.

And as rumours start circling that the outside market is going to be shut down, Sabrina is not only ensconced in an unexpected love triangle but is also faced with a difficult decision that could alter both her life and those of the inhabitants of Hartmouth forever.

Charming characters and a beautifully written setting make for a delightful and uplifting tale that explores themes of self-discovery, belonging and the importance of following your heart.

My Review

A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane Market by Nicola May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I do love a good series, especially when you can revisit memorable characters, as well as get to know new ones, and Nicola May is brilliant at creating those kinds of characters.
The Ferry Lane Market Series is great, and I was thrilled to be back with the wonderful people who make up the community.
This time, the newcomer is Sabrina Swift. Sabrina is a well-known TV actress, running away from a disastrous wedding day.
She assumes a different identity as she tries to settle within the community, with only a handful of people knowing the truth, as she comes to terms with the deceit of her almost-husband, Dom.
An opportunity to take a stall part-time seems too good to be true, but the market inspector sells it to her.
As she settles, the old favourites we know from previous books, like Bella, Star and Kara, all make their appearances and help Sabrina, or Jilly, as they know her, to start up her successful stall.
But that would be too simple and boring to read, wouldn’t it?
The threat of being found out, an illicit affair, hiding things from people she becomes close to. Everything takes its toll on Sabrina.
A great cast of characters and some well-shaped antagonists, too, made me fume as I read the things they did!
I loved the story, and I was thrilled with the ending. There are some characters you don’t forget, and seeing them have a happy ending makes me smile. Kinda hoping there will be more…

Here is the buy link for #AHolidayRomanceInFerryLaneMarket

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

Nicola May is a rom-com superstar. She is the author of seventeen romantic comedies, all of which have appeared in the Kindle bestseller charts. The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay became the best-selling Kindle book in the UK, across all genres, in January 2019, and was Amazon’s third-bestselling novel in that year. It spawned three sequels, followed by the hit Ferry Lane Market trilogy.

Follow Nicola:

Linktr.ee/nicolamay

www.nicolamay.com

i:author_nicola

t: @nicolamay1

f: NicolaMayAuthor

Book and a Brew with Ritu – The Nosey Parker Series by Fiona Leitch #AuthorChat #BookReview

10 Oct 2023 5 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

A new guest! How exciting!

Today, I am hosting the lovely Fiona Leitch, whose books I have wanted to read for a while,
but as you all know, my TBR is a teetering pile! Still, I went off and prioritised a certain series
in September…

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Fiona! Now, the first thing we do is get the
drinks sorted. I have all the hot drinks available. Let me know what you fancy! Tea, coffee, masala chai, hot chocolate…?

Ooh…now I’d normally go for a cup of tea, but I had my first masala chai a few weeks back and it was delicious, so I’ll have one of those, please!

I know Jodie is a bit of a chef, in the series, and I don’t proclaim to have all the skills,
however I do make a mean carrot cake! Care for a slice?

I never turn down cake, especially when they have vegetables in them and can be therefore counted as one of your five a day. Carrot cake is basically health food.

I have to agree! 😀

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?

Probably like most writers, I loved English at school and I was always writing stories as a child. However, I’m also a dreadful show off, so writing took a back seat when I decided I wanted to be an actor instead. I did half(!) of a drama degree at Goldsmiths in London, but I soon realised that I would never be cast
as a leading lady – comedy sidekick, maybe. So I decided to write my own roles. That led to me writing comedy sketches, and even doing one solitary stand up comedy gig (which was absolutely terrifying), after which I decided I’d stick to writing funny stuff, rather than performing it. I started as a screenwriter, because I didn’t realise how hard it was to get stuff made. I resisted the urge to write a novel for a long, long time, because it’s so many words! But after a couple of years of ALMOST getting a TV sitcom made, and ALMOST getting a film made, I was persuaded by fellow writer and all-round good egg Carmen Radtke to adapt one of my favourite scripts into a novel. And that’s how my debut, ‘Dead in Venice’, came about. It was published by Audible after I entered it in their Crime Grant contest, and the rest, as they say, is history…

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

I will always have a massive soft spot for ‘Dead in Venice’, as it was my first born and I didn’t
know any of the so-called rules, and just wrote exactly what I wanted. But in terms of
which one I think is the best, I’m most proud of the one that’s just come out, the sixth
book in the Jodie Parker series, A Cornish Seaside Murder. It feels a bit more serious
in terms of storyline than some of the others, whilst also (I think) still being funny.

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 wish I had a writing room! But I’ve never had one. I wrote my first four books sitting on the sofa with the TV on (watching ‘Homes Under the Hammer’ and ‘Bargain Hunt’, lol) and my laptop on my knees. I’ve now got two sofas to choose from, one of which is still in front of the telly, and the other in our front room which doesn’t have a TV set, so that’s where I sit when I want to do some ‘serious’ writing.
To be honest I would probably end up writing here even if I did have a study, as it’s comfortable, I’m surrounded by my books and art and plants, and it’s near the kettle!

Have you ever written a book that 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 do have several finished but currently unpublished books, which I HOPE others will get to see, but who knows. My first three books were based on screenplays I’d written, and one of these, ‘Lost in Berlin’, is a kind of spy/crime/romance novel based around the techno clubs of Berlin. I absolutely love it, but I think if I ever want it published I’ll have to do it myself. I’ve got a police/romance novel set in Outback Australia, plus another Melbourne-set novel I co-wrote with the marvellous Sandy
Barker, which we’ll pitch in Australia when we get time away from our contracted series. So who knows? Hopefully they will see the light of day at some point!

I love the romantic current that runs through your series. I know you like to write the cosy crime kind of novel but have you ever wanted to write one that is of a totally different genre?

I actually didn’t even know what cosy crime was until I started writing the Jodie Parker series. ‘Dead in Venice’ was a crime/romcom mash up, so a bit different. One of my other self published books, ‘Falling in Louvre’, is more romcom than anything else, although there is a crime element in it. I do have a half
written romcom (which will get finished once my contracted books are done!), which does still have a bit of a mystery in the story. I think I’d be hard-pressed to write a straight romcom or romance, and I don’t really have any desire to write stuff like sci-fi or fantasy, even though I occasionally read it.

Now, I invited you over to have a little chat about the Nosy Parker Series! I consumed it in September. What fun! Made me want to visit Cornwall! Can you tell me about your inspiration for this series?

After I wrote ‘Dead in Venice’, One More Chapter/HarperCollins asked me if I could write them a cosy mystery series. They had gone through the bestselling books in the genre at the time, and they gave me a list of tropes that they thought would be good to include. But I hated most of them! They
suggested having an amateur detective, a craft of some type (they actually suggested a knitting circle!), a cute pet, and a rural location. So I came back with an ex-cop (so unofficial but most definitely NOT an amateur), a caterer (so she had an excuse to travel around and meet different people), a farty dog, and the Cornish seaside. And they said yes! I lived in Cornwall for a while, so setting it there was a no-brainer; it’s a beautiful place, and I know it well as I still have family there. I like TV cop shows and I like to think I’d have been an alright detective – I think a lot of it is common sense and logic – so I didn’t want to write about a complete amateur, making stupid mistakes and constantly almost getting themselves killed. And I love cooking!

Are you a closet chef, like Jodie?

I am! Baking is kind of my happy place. If I’m having a bad time or feeling a bit rubbish, I put some music on and bake something. Following a recipe and actually making something is really good for clearing the mind. It’s almost Zen, but it’s better than meditation as there is cake at the end!

A little bird tells me that another Cornish Mystery will be landing soon enough… care to share any titbits about it, and any other projects you have on the horizon?

I’m currently working away on book 7, ‘The Cornish Campsite Murder’, which is set around a music festival on the north coast of Cornwall. It features ageing rockstars and a food truck selling pies called Pie Hard. After that it’s on to book 8, which revolves around a big day in the lives of Jodie and Nathan… I do have an idea for another Christmas book in the series, but I should probably run it by my publisher before I start telling people about it!

Well I think we hare honoured that you even hinted at it! And I can’t wait for the next one, now I have the Nosey Parker bug!

Thanks, Ritu! Fun questions. I enjoyed that!

You are most welcome, Fiona. You will have to come back when it hits release date for the next one!

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

Fiona Leitch is an author, screenwriter, and enthusiastic tea drinker. She’s written for
football and motoring magazines, DJ’ed at illegal raves, and was a stalwart of the low
budget TV commercial until her debut novel, the darkly funny ‘Dead in Venice’, was
published by Audible as part of their inaugural Crime Writing Grant. She now writes the
Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker cosy crime series for HarperCollins imprint One More Chapter, because
she loves thinking about Cornwall, food, and murdering people (not necessarily in that
order). Since launching in 2021 the series has been translated into French, Italian, German
and Czech. She is a sucker for a happy ending (though not for the victim, obviously), a
romantic subplot, and the odd cheesy pun.
After living in London, Cornwall and New Zealand she’s finally settled in sunny Norfolk,
where she enjoys freaking out her cats by trying out dialogue on them. She spends her days
walking on the sand dunes of Great Yarmouth with her family, and working out ever more
twisty ways of killing people.