Book number 35 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge (and book number 3 of my holiday reads) is The Austin Escape by Katherine Reay.

‘Mary Davies finds safety in her ordered and productive life. Working as an engineer, she genuinely enjoys her job and her colleagues – particularly a certain adorable and intelligent consultant. But something is missing. When Mary’s estranged childhood friend, Isabel Dwyer offers her a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in England, she reluctantly agrees in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in just the right ways.

But Mary gets more than she bargained for when Isabel loses her memory and fully believes she lives in Jane Austen’s Bath.  While Isabel rests and delights in the leisure of a Regency lady, attended by the other costume-clad guests, Mary uncovers startling truths about their shared past, who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who now stands between them. 

Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation, work out their lives and hearts.’ (Thanks Netgalley!)

So The Austen Escape is told from Mary Davies point of view.  Mary has a job she loves, although she is dealing with some career frustrations.  In addition she has a real crush on her colleague Nathan, not that she’s brave enough to do anything about it!  So when her lifelong friend Isabel convinces her to accompany her to England to immerse herself in a Regency Jane Austen themed experience, she finds herself going despite her misgivings.

I chose to read this book based entirely on it’s title – I am a real lover of Jane Austen’s work, and am therefore always keen to read anything based on her novels, characters and the time period.  I was not disappointed.  There were references to characters and Austen quotes dotted throughout this novel.  In fact it highlighted that I really need to re-read more of her novels, rather than just my annual read of Pride and Prejudice.  Anyway, back to The Austen Escape…

I enjoyed all of the characters within this novel, but particularly Mary.  I found her character flaws to be realistic, and I enjoyed going with her on her journey to both self-discovery but also to really seeing her friend Isabel and why she behaves the way she does.  The novel touches on mental health issues, which is something I actually would have preferred a little more of as it is a topic that we should all be talking about.  The book was ultimately about Mary working out what she really wants from life, something we all need to be encouraged to do at some point in ours lives.

So, in summary this book has Jane Austen, dressing up in Regency period gowns, friendship, love and self-discovery.  What more can you want from a novel?!

Out on the 7th November 2017, go and pre-order your copy now!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

Book number 33 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge (and book 1 of my holiday reads) is The Girls of Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke.

‘1938, Mulberry Lane, London. War is looming, but on Mulberry Lane there are different battles being fought… Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Cathy Sharp.

Maureen Jackson is a prisoner of her father’s blackmail. Three years earlier, she’d been hoping to marry Rory, the man of her dreams. However, after her mother’s death, she was left to care for her overbearing father. Now Rory is back in London with a pregnant wife in tow to remind Maureen of the life that should have been hers.

As war threatens, Janet Ashley hopes to marry her sweetheart Mike, but her father refuses to grant them his blessing. Defying his wishes, Janet finds herself pregnant and her mother Peggy is determined to hold her family together at all costs.

Will the girls of Mulberry Lane manage to snatch happiness before the darkness of World War II descends?’ (Thanks Amazon!)

The Girls of Mulberry Lane – Peggy, Maureen, Janet and Anne are our ladies of Mulberry Lane.  Peggy is a hardworking landlady, wife to Laurence and mother to Pip and Janet.  Maureen is a young woman who lost the love of her life Rory after being blackmailed by her controlling father.  Janet is the daughter of Peggy, in love with Mike but held back by her father who refuses to allow her to marry.  Finally we have Anne, a schoolteacher involved in child evacuations who is in love with her married headteacher.

This novel is set in the run up to World War II, and as my loyal followers will know, this is my favourite time period for historical fiction.  Conscription is in its infancy, and young men such Pip eagerly wait to come of age so that they can sign up to fight in what they deem to be an exciting war.  For others, such as Laurence, the memories of the Great War are still too raw and feelings of dread are flooding them.

I enjoyed following the stories of these women, particularly Peggy and Maureen, as they entered the uncertainty of wartime.  I really understood what they were feeling, and I wanted to follow their stories.  I felt that The Girls of Mulberry Lane gave a realistic depiction of women during early wartime Britain, as we learnt their hopes and fears for their friends, family and the future.  The strength these women showed during this time is very clearly exhibited in this novel.

If I have any criticism it would only be for the ending – without wanting to give too much away I finished the novel wanting to know more about how the story ended for Peggy, Maureen and Janet.  I felt it ended a little too abruptly for my liking.  This however is the sign of a good novel…I didn’t want it to end!

Published in August 2017, this is a fabulous piece of historical fiction for 2017 – it’ll be hard to beat this in my opinion!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖

Thanks to Netgalley for my advance reading copy, in exchange for my honest review.

Book number 32 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is What It Takes by Sonya Loveday.

‘Gracen Lowell is on the hunt for a man—but not just any man. He has to be ‘the one’. Her only problem is that no one she’s dated has ever measured up to the charming qualities of her best friend.

Slade Owens knows no matter how much he loves Gracen, he’ll never be what she’s looking for. And he dang sure isn’t going to stick around to watch her fall in love with someone else. Slade leaving the Owens’ family farm for an out-of-state job should put enough distance between the two to allow him to move on with his life and Gracen to search for her happily-ever-after.

Gracen knows asking him to stay isn’t fair. Slade thinks leaving her behind is the only thing to do. Inexplicably drawn together, the best friends must decide if they have what it takes to own up to their feelings… before it’s too late.’ (Thanks Amazon!)

Slade and Gracen have been best friends for as long as they can remember.  The only problem was that they’d loved each other for as long as they could remember too, except both were too scared to tell the other for fear of destroying their close friendship.  Everything changes when Slade decides he can no longer move on, nor can he wait or watch Gracen fall in love with someone else, and so decides to leave his home at the Owen’s family ranch to work on a new ranch out of state.

I enjoyed both Slade and Gracen’s characters and their relationship.  The love they both felt for one another, as well as the fear they both felt at acting on that love, was realistic.  I struggled a little though with the idea that as soon as Slade said he was leaving they both felt they could act, having spent years loving each other in secret.  It seemed like a real waste, given that, as a man of his word, they both knew that acting on their love wouldn’t stop him moving away.

The introduction of Clint gave a new element to the story that I wasn’t expecting, and also highlighted a very important issue (that I won’t give away here but is something that everyone should be aware of).

I enjoyed this novel, it’s a good piece of chick lit that I would happily recommend to others.  Published in May 2017 this is a new novel for you all to go out and get your mitts on! Enjoy!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📗

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy, provided in exchange for my honest review.

Book 31 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is Stolen by Kelley Armstrong.

‘Elena Michaels is a wanted woman. Ten years ago she was transformed into a werewolf by her lover. Her transformation makes her powerful. But in the wrong hands, it also makes her deadly.
And now, just as she’s coming to terms with it all, a group of scientists learns of her existence. They’re hunting her down, and Elena is about to run straight into their trap. But they haven’t reckoned on Elena’s adoptive family, her Pack, who will stop at nothing to get her back.
They haven’t reckoned on Elena, either. And that’s a very big mistake . . .’ (Thanks Amazon)

Stolen is the second book in the Women of the Otherworld series.  I read Bitten, the first in the series a while ago, so it took me a few chapters to reacquaint myself with Elena, Clay and Jeremy but reacquaint myself I did!  Bitten introduced us to these characters, however Stolen saw them develop more, particularly Elena.  Her strength, even outside of the pack is clear, as she fights for her survival without their assistance.

It is clear that these novels centre around Elena, however we also learnt more about Clay, her friend, lover and mate.  Clay likes to be in control (except when it comes to Jeremy, Pack Leader) and so it was interesting to see him lose control when he loses Elena, and how he copes with that.

This series is full of fantasy mixed alongside reality.  Stolen introduced the idea that werewolves weren’t the only fantasy creatures that existed in the world, a concept that I’m sure will be explored more in the rest of the series.  I am looking forward to seeing how these different creatures will interact, particularly given the Packs previous existence which appears to have been very anti outsiders.  Bring on the next book, Dime Store Magic!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📗

Book 30 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is Return to the Little French Guesthouse by Helen Pollard.

‘When Emmy Jamieson leaves her life behind and moves to La Cour des Roses, a gorgeous guesthouse amidst vineyards in France, everything is resting on her success as the new guesthouse manager.

Looming in the calendar is the biggest booking ever, when the entire eccentric, demanding Thomson family will descend for a golden wedding anniversary. With airbeds on the floor and caravans in the garden, La Cour des Roses will be bursting at the seams.

Emmy knows she’s up to the challenge, especially with the support of the gorgeous Alain, the half-French, half-English, caramel-eyed accountant. But she hadn’t counted on a naked, sleepwalking travel blogger, or the return of owner Rupert’s venomous ex-wife Gloria.

Gloria has a few things to say about Emmy’s new role, Rupert’s finances, and the unsuspecting Alain, which send everybody reeling. Just when Emmy can see a future for herself of endless sunshine, true love and laughter, are her dreams about to be ripped at the seams?’ (Thanks Amazon!)

As you will be aware, I read The Little French Guesthouse (My review can be found here) a while ago, and so was excited to read Return to the Little French Guesthouse, the second novel in this series.  I loved both Emmy and Rupert, and so was more than happy to find out what happened to them next, particularly given the setting they could be found in.  La Coeur de Roses is a beautiful little French guesthouse that Emmy is determined to put on the map following her own stay there.  After bonding with Rupert during her initial visit, he asks her to join him in running the guesthouse following the departure of his wife Gloria.  This is where we join the story, as Emmy gives her life in England for the sunnier, beautiful climate of France.  A certain handsome half French, half English accountant may also have influenced her decision!

This novel did not disappoint, with its glorious setting, the description of some amazing food and wine, and lovely characters that you can’t help but like (well maybe not Gloria!).  I’m already looking forward to reading the next in the series, Summer at the Little French Guesthouse.

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖

Book number 29 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is The Next Always by Nora Roberts.

‘The historic hotel in Boonsboro has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. Beckett is the architect of the family, and his social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen.
After losing her husband and returning to her hometown, Clare Brewster soon settles into her life as the mother of three young sons while running the town’s bookstore. Busy, with little time for romance, Clare is drawn across the street by Beckett’s transformation of the old inn, wanting to take a closer look . . . at the building and the man behind it.
With the grand opening inching closer, Beckett’s happy to give Clare a private tour – one room at a time. It’s no first date, but these stolen moments are the beginning of something new – and open the door to the extraordinary adventure of what comes next.’ (Thanks Amazon!)

I have had this book for a really long time…I clearly bought it based on the blurb, because since purchasing it I haven’t read it as I didn’t find the cover enthralling enough.  Well as we all know, never judge a book by its cover!  I loved this book! It’s a typical American romance, but the characters are really lovely – I wanted to know more about each of their back stories.  The central love story was subtle and realistic, even despite the addition of the supernatural!  As for setting, well I want to visit Boonsboro and I want to stay in that Inn with it’s beautifully crafted literature lovers themed rooms!

The set up for the remaining novels in the Inn Boonsboro trilogy was obvious but not unwanted.  These two novels now find themselves on my wishlist, and I will be reading them when i’m in need of a little light romance.  So if that’s what you’re looking for – a little romance, well rounded, good characters and a beautiful setting then this series may be for you!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖