September | 2023 | Chapter and Cake

It is my pleasure to bring you my review of The People on Platform 5 by Clare Dooley.

If you’ve followed my blog for a while you will know that I loved The Authenticity Project, so I knew that I had to read The People on Platform 5.

The People on Platform 5 is set around a number of characters, but it starts with Iona, an eccentric writer in her late 50s who loves to help people both through her column and in real life. The unspoken rule on any British train is that you do not talk to anyone and you certainly don’t make eye contact – strangers should always remain strangers. Yet Iona finds herself becoming part of the lives of her fellow commuters – unlikely (and in some cases unwanted!) friendships are formed in the unlikeliest of places.

Piers is a man in finance who is used to showing off his wealth in a selfish, pompous way. However what he doesn’t show is the unhappiness he feels in his career, or the past that he is trying to escape.

Sanjay is a nurse with anxiety, and a crush on his fellow commuter Emma.

Emmie is in marketing and has a boyfriend who adores her – adores her in a way that means he needs to know where she is, what she’s doing and tries to control the direction her life is taking.

Martha is a teenage girl who gets the train to school. She finds her life crumbling around her after she makes the mistake of sending a photograph…

David is the wildly forgettable solicitor who is close to losing his marriage.

This is a novel that very much focusses on characters, and that is something that Clare Pooley does very well. Each character is very well rounded, and you can’t help but want them to succeed in life despite their flaws. Iona is the ultimate eccentric woman, a trailblazer who deserves a life full of friendship, love and joy. I couldn’t help but be drawn in by these characters, and I am sure you will be too.

I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you all, it’s full of relatable characters just trying to find their path in life – so as the Autumn evenings draw in, grab yourself a blanket, a glass of wine and a copy of The People on Platform 5.

Today it is my pleasure to help kick off the fabulous blog tour for Camilla Isley’s latest novel, Not in a Billion Years.

Bestselling Camilla Isley returns with this gorgeously funny enemies-to-lovers rom com, perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Lynn Painter and Jo Watson.

She’s a self-made fitness sensation. He’s a billionaire mogul. They’re sworn enemies and rivals… aren’t they?

Blake Avery knows all about hard work. She’s gone from making videos in her teenage bedroom to founding a booming fitness business and opening a state-of-the-art Manhattan gym. Now she’s on the cusp of realizing her wildest dreams, and she’s not going to let anyone stand in her way.

Certainly not man-of-the-hour Gabriel Mercer. He might be one of the biggest names in the fitness world and set women’s pulses soaring more than a grueling HIIT workout, but he grew up in a billionaire dynasty and had everything handed to him – or so Blake thinks.

But when Blake publicly criticizes Gabriel, she sparks a feud that neither entrepreneur is willing to back down from. And in an industry that seems determined to keep pushing them together, can Blake hold on to her grudge? Or will she finally warm up to Gabriel’s charm?

I am always very happy to discover that Camilla Isley is releasing a new novel – they are always full of heart, with a great ‘will they won’t they’ storyline and some serious romance. I am pleased to confirm that Not in a Billion Years does not disappoint!

Blake Avery is a self made woman. She has been creating her own brand since the tender age of 16, and finally she has made it, with the bricks and mortar (also known as a state-of-the-art gym!) to prove it. She has no intention of letting some billionaire in the fitness world who has been handed everything on a plate hold her back or stop her progress. When she publicly criticises said billionaire, she inadvertently finds herself starting a feud!

Gabriel Mercer is the hot shot billionaire in question. Devastatingly handsome and wildly successful, he is very upset to find out that the owner of a new fitness centre has called him out for being handed his success on a plate by his wealthy family. He can’t help himself as he finds himself marching down to this new fitness centre to have it out with the unknown Blake Avery in person. Imagine his surprise when he find out she’s a very attractive young woman!

Blake and Gabriel are both great characters, and perfect for a ‘will they won’t they’ novel. They are attractive and successful in their own right which I find makes for a great story. Blake is self assured, and confident in her own abilities, as well as the brand that she has created from nothing in her teenage bedroom. Her success is all her own, and she certainly did not need a man to get her to where she is. Obviously she has some past relationship trauma (who doesn’t!) but everything she has, she created herself. Throw in the very attractive, intelligent Gabriel, and you have two characters that you can’t help but root for!

I am more than happy to recommend this to you all – it’s a fab novel, and perfect for these warm September days. So grab yourself a glass of wine, and cosy up with these novels whilst enjoying this later summer sunshine!

Thank you to Camilla Isley, Boldwood Books and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour and providing me with a copy of this novel. My review and opinions are my own.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Apple Books

Author Bio