But I Smile Anyway…

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?

My Review

The One Before the One by Emma Cooper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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.

Social Media Links

Facebook: @EmmaCooperAuthor

Twitter: @itsEmmacooper

Instagram: @itsEmmacooper

Please join me on the blog tour for The Old Girls’ Chateau Escape by Kate Galley.

Two old friends. One unexpected adventure!

When, at the age of 71, Gina Knight’s husband of four decades left her unexpectedly, she thought her life over. Until she met Dorothy Reed – a woman so full of the joie de vivre you’d think she was 21, not nearly 90. Gina would do anything for Dorothy. So when Dorothy suggests she take on the role of companion for one of Dorothy’s old friends, Gina sees no reason to say no.

Meredith Harper is a successful writer, living in Provence, and needs help looking after her husband, whose health is deteriorating. But when Gina arrives at the grand chateau, it becomes clear that Dorothy has not given Gina the full story.

Because Meredith is also writing her memoirs, and Dorothy wants to know the contents before anyone else. So much so, she’s sent Gina to spy.

But what secrets is Meredith keeping? And will Gina be able to find out the truth before her cover’s blown?

My Review

The Old Girls’ Chateau Escape by Kate Galley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve read the previous book, Old Girls Behaving Badly, and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I dived into the Old Girl’s Chateau Escape, excited to catch up with some old friends and meet some new ones.
Gina is a woman in her seventies who previously ended up being Dorothy’s companion, a woman twenty years her senior.
Somehow, Dorothy gets wind of a situation where a couple needs a companion for a short while and feels Gina would be ideal for the job, especially as she has a personal interest in this couple.
Gina agrees to go and travels to the South of France to help Meredith, a novelist, and her husband while their daughter has had to disappear in an emergency.
So much happens, and Gina proves to be a great problem solver and someone everyone ends up warming to, even the secretive, prickly Meredith.
There is a little mystery, an inkling of romance and lots of giggles to be had. Dorothy ends up in the mix, and causes her own ripples while there.
I really enjoyed reading this, and wonder whether Gina and Dorothy have any more adventures up their sleeves?

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

Author Bio –

Kate Galley is the author of uplifting golden years fiction, including The Second Chance Holiday Club. She was previously published by Aria, and is a mobile hairdresser in her spare time.