BLOG TOUR The Love Island Bookshop by Kate Frost

June 23, 2021 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ Leave a comment

Today it is my stop on the blog tour for Kate Frost’s new novel, The Love Island Bookshop!

A dream job, two handsome men, one destructive act. Will Freya’s opportunity of a lifetime end in tears?
When Freya leaves her publishing job in London to be a barefoot bookseller in the Maldives, it’s the push she needs to move on from her sadness and reignite her passion for life.
While resort owner Zander is charming, it’s handsome dive instructor Aaron who befriends her when she needs it most. But all is not what it seems and there’s trouble brewing in paradise.
Taking a chance on happiness is harder than she imagined. Can Freya let go of her heartache and allow herself to fall in love again?

Freya makes a huge life decision – to quit her job and leave behind everything she knows for a job that is coveted by many – a barefoot bookseller on a luxurious island in the Maldives. What’s not to love?! I know that would be my dream job (although my husband and sons may have something to say about me running off to the Maldives for a few months!). With no ties keeping her in London and a job offer on the table, Freya is soon on a plane, leaving behind the grey humdrum, and heading towards paradise.

On her arrival, Freya finds herself in a luxurious island resort, where she, and she alone, will be responsible for the set up and launch of a bookshop in the most idyllic location. The resort owner Zander, former boyband member with a reputation, puts his faith in her to realise his dream of owning an exclusive bookshop in paradise, adding yet another piece of luxury to his already luxurious resort. Zander is direct, with a very clear vision of what he wants. He doesn’t suffer fools lightly, and Freya finds herself working hard to meet his goals and please him.

In contrast, Aaron, a dive instructor at the resort, is laid back and easy going. She quickly finds herself building a friendship with him at a time when she could have become lonely, despite the friendly staff and beautiful location.

Two very different men, one beautiful island and a dream job – something many of us can only dream about! Naturally none of it is plain sailing, and it would be boring if it was! Kate Frost has created a wonderful character in Freya. It would be easy to be jealous of Freya, however the way she has been written means that you find yourself rooting for her – you want the island, the job, and the relationships she forms to work out for her. Zander and Aaron are also both great characters in completely different ways – character progression is clear for them both, and i really enjoyed following them both. There are some twists in the novel that really work, and they certainly took me by surprise! It would also be remiss of me not to mention the location – Kate really brings to life the stunning, tropical location. She almost made me believe i was there!

I am more than happy to recommend this novel – it’s a great piece of escapism, and perfect for a summer read. So grab a copy, your sunglasses and a chilled glass of bubbles and lose yourself in the Maldives with Freya!

Thank you to Kate Frost and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Link

Amazon UK

Author Bio

Kate Frost is the author of best-selling romantic escape novels (The Baobab Beach Retreat, A Starlit Summer, The Greek Heart and The Amsterdam Affair), character-driven women’s fiction (The Butterfly Storm series and Beneath the Apple Blossom), and Time Shifters, a time travel adventure trilogy for children. She has a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, where she also taught lifewriting to creative writing undergraduates.

Kate lives in Bristol with her husband, young son, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Frodo. As well as writing novels, she’s also the Director of Storytale Festival, a new city-wide children’s book festival that she co-founded in Bristol in 2019 with the ethos of making books accessible to all and encouraging children and teens to read, write and be creative. Kate feels incredibly lucky to spend her days writing and being immersed in books.

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BLOG TOUR Daisy’s Dilemma by Debbie Viggiano

May 29, 2021 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ Leave a comment

Today it is my pleasure to bring you my review of Daisy’s Dilemma by Debbie Viggiano as part of her fabulous book tour!

Florist Daisy is loved-up and blossoming. Boyfriend Dominic has proposed marriage!
However, Dominic isn’t in any rush to buy a ring, and meeting the parents is looong overdue. What is the problem? After all, Daisy’s mum has already bought her big hat and wants to know the wedding date!
Then careless words plant seeds of doubt and, like weed, Daisy’s concerns begin to multiply. Is Dominic hiding something?
Meanwhile, sexy ex Harry is back on the scene and begging Daisy for a reconciliation. He thought the grass was greener with HER but now says he made a mistake. Is Harry – for once – being genuine, or simply leading Daisy up the garden path?
New neighbour Seth seems like a fun guy, but a single throwaway comment has Daisy mimicking a species of Calla Lily – Red Alert! It’s time to do some digging. But even she never anticipated a mad car chase across London or unearthing a shocking secret that changes everything.
Sparks are set to fly in this gorgeous romantic comedy about love, trust, and new beginnings.

Daisy is currently living her perfect life, after coming through a particularly difficult breakup with her husband Harry. She runs her own perfect little florist shop, and she is engaged to the wonderful Dominic. Even the fact that he hasn’t yet bought her ring, or that she hasn’t met his mother yet can bring her down. However knowing that her best friend Becky is less than keen on Dominic, and with a few comments making her start to doubt him, is her relationship with Dominic as perfect as she thought? Throw in an ex-husband who is now convinced that he made a mistake leaving her, and a new gorgeous neighbour moving in next door, Daisy’s life has gone from perfect to complicated in seconds!

There are no surprises in this novel but please don’t see that as a bad thing. Sometimes a novel just works for us due to the lack of surprises…it provides comfort and ease of reading! Which is exactly what Debbie Viggiano provides us with in this novel, Daisy’s Dilemma. Daisy and Becky are a great duo – wonderfully different as characters, but they just compliment each other beautifully. Daisy does of course have her rose tinted glasses on when it comes to Dominic which in a novel can sometimes come across as a little annoying – I’m pleased to confirm though that this is not the case in this novel. Instead, it is clear that the pain her ex-husband Harry caused her just makes Daisy want to be loved. She loves Dominic, and so she is a little blinkered when it comes to him. However the arrival of her new neighbour Seth gives her all the feels, and forces her to see the cracks in her relationship with Dominic, even if she doesn’t really want to.

This is a great novel from Debbie Viggiano – it’s a nice easy read that is perfect for those summer days ahead of us. The characters are fun and relatable (I’m a big fan of best friend Becky), and the story is a good one. Naturally we get a nice dose of romance thrown in, but rather than all-encompassing romance, it’s more of a sweet slow burner. I really enjoyed this novel, and I am more than happy to recommend it to you all. So please, go and grab yourself a copy!

Thank you to Debbie Viggiano and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Author Bio

Prior to turning her attention to writing, Debbie Viggiano was, for more years than she cares to remember, a legal secretary. She lives with her Italian husband, a rescued pooch from Crete, and a very disgruntled cat. Occasionally her adult children return home bringing her much joy… apart from when they want to raid the fridge or eat her secret stash of chocolate. Tweet @DebbieViggiano or follow her on Facebook!

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BLOG TOUR Things Are Looking Up by Maxine Morrey

May 26, 2021May 25, 2021 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ 1 Comment

Today it is my pleasure to bring you my review as part of Maxine Morrey’s fabulous blog tour for her new novel, Things Are Looking Up.

What if what you really need is right there in front of you, if you just take a moment to look up?
Milly has been waiting for this moment forever and finally it’s just an hour away – an interview with Vogue magazine and the opportunity to get her Louboutin-clad foot in the door. There’s just one problem – totally engrossed in her mobile phone, Milly doesn’t see the bus that is fast approaching – until it’s too late…
When Milly next opens her eyes, the consequences of her accident become clear. Everything she has worked for and dreamed of suddenly feels out of reach. But there is one bright spot on her horizon – the reappearance of her ex Jed, in all of his six-foot-four, broad-shouldered glory, with the most piercing ice blue eyes Milly ever saw.
Once used to working in a whirlwind, Milly now has the chance to reconsider how to live. Will she rush back to the treadmill, get her head down and back to business, or is there a whole other life waiting for her, if she’ll just look up to see it?
‘Read yourself happy’ with Maxine Morrey’s latest uplifting, page-turning, heart-warming romance, guaranteed to brighten up your day.

I’m feeling confident that the blurb has drawn you in…in a world where we all spend far too much staring down at our phones, we meet Milly, a woman who can’t tear her eyes away from hers. Her job is her everything, to the detriment of her relationships with both partners and her family. She’s never really truly present in her own life, and is not really able to give 100% to anything outside of her job.

Milly is a fashion journalist, and the chance of a lifetime is within her reach; a job at Vogue, the ultimate fashion magazine. The years of hard work and loneliness were finally going to pay off until the one important moment she spent her staring at her phone. Waking up in a hospital bed after her very close encounter with a bus, Milly is forced into a new life – one with significantly less money, less work but more time. Time to spend with loved ones and time to re-evaluate what was really important. I’m pleased to confirm that we have also a delightful romance with an incredibly handsome man thrown in for good measure!

Maxine Morrey has yet again provided us with an excellent novel – I’m not sure she can write a bad one! Our phones are such an integral part of all of ours lives that I think we sometimes forget to look up, just like Milly. Enjoying your job is for many people a rare thing, but we have to remember how important relationships are to us all – the people in front of us are, social media and our phones do not always depict real life. Maxine captures this perfectly, and highlights the fact that we should all be focusing on our real relationships.

I am more than happy to recommend this novel. If this is your first Maxine Morrey novel, you will read this and be left wanting to read more! So please do! Grab yourself a glass of wine, a blanket (yes I know its May, but the sunshine still hasn’t made an appearance!!) and settle in for an evening with Milly and the delicious Jed!

Thank you to Maxine Morrey and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this fabulous blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review!

Purchase Link

Amazon UK

Author Bio

Maxine Morrey is a bestselling romantic comedy author with ten books to her name including Winter’s Fairytale and the top ten hit The Christmas Project. Her eleventh book is being released by Boldwood in 2021. She lives in West Sussex. Her first novel for Boldwood, #No Filter, was published in November 2019.

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BLOG TOUR Primrose Park by Christie Barlow

May 1, 2021 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ 2 Comments

Today it is my pleasure to bring you my review of Primrose Park by Christie Barlow as part of her fabulous Blog Blitz!

Vet Molly has always been career driven and focussed on caring for her animals, but when she meets a gorgeous Mystery Man at a conference and their connection is off the charts, well, one night off work won’t hurt anyone…except the next morning he’s vanished and all Molly knows about him is his first name.
Three months later, back in Love Heart Lane, everyone loves the story of Molly’s amazing one-night stand. It’s so unlike her! But when Mystery Man turns up walking his dog through Primrose Park and their night together seems to mean nothing to him, Molly needs her friends and neighbours more than ever. And especially when she’s left with the most unexpected of surprises…

Molly is a career driven, independent woman. She loves being a vet, and her veterinary practice is her sole focus, caring for the animals in her community. When the opportunity to do some new training comes up, she jumps at the chance – she is keen to ensure that everyone has the opportunity for a loving relationship with their dogs, even the more difficult ones! A random encounter with a handsome stranger at the training conference makes her question if she actually does want something more in her life, but her night of passion ends abruptly when he vanishes the next morning, leaving Molly with nothing but his first name – Cam.

Three months later, Cam is never far from her thoughts. Whilst she is not one for one night stands, she knows they had an amazing connection – so when he turns up in Heartcross Molly cannot believe her luck! Until of course, he makes it quite clear it really was just a one night stand…for Molly though it will never just be a one night stand, when she finds her situation changing dramatically – it could be said that she finds herself with a lifelong commitment thanks to their one night together!

I was so excited to revisit Love Heart Lane – this is a series that I love. It is full of characters that we know and love, whilst learning more about a character that we are aware of, but know nothing about yet. It’s like putting on your favourite jumper – its warm and comforting, and that is how Heartcross feels to me. Yet again, I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this novel, so I was able to make my sisters jealous again as they waited until publication day to get their hands on it!

Molly is such a lovely character, although I did find her a little needy at times when it came to Cam – this is easily forgiven though when you consider her raging hormones and her own upbringing. She is keen to create her own family, and I can understand her reasons for wanting Cam to be a part of that.

Primrose Park is an excellent addition to the Love Heart Lane series, and I am more than happy to recommend it to you all! So grab yourself a hot chocolate (because quite frankly it’s still chilly, despite now being May!), a blanket, and a copy of this lovely book!

Thank you to Christie Barlow and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting to me a part of this Blog Blitz, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Author Bio

Christie Barlow is the number one international bestselling author of fifteen romantic comedies including the iconic Love Heart Lane Series, A Home at Honeysuckle Farm and Kitty’s Countryside Dream. She lives in a ramshackle cottage in a quaint village in the heart of Staffordshire with her four children and two dogs.

Her writing career has come as a lovely surprise when Christie decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. Christie’s dream was to become a writer and the book she wrote to prove a point went on to become a #1 international bestseller in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

When Christie isn’t writing she co-presents The Book Show on Radio Northwich, enjoys playing the piano, is a keen gardener and loves to paint and upcycle furniture.

Christie is an ambassador for the @ZuriProject alongside Patron of the charity, Emmerdale’s Bhasker Patel. They raise money and awareness for communities in Uganda.

Christie loves to hear from her readers and you can get in touch via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Social Media Links

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

BLOG TOUR Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

February 7, 2021 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ 2 Comments

Today it is my pleasure to bring you my review of Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke, as part of her wonderful blog tour.

London 1950
Peggy Ronoscki is happily settling into life running her guesthouse on Mulberry Lane, surrounded by close friends and family. Life just seems too good…
But then disaster strikes.
Pip, her beloved son is left in a coma following a devastating car crash and a young girl collapses in the market leaving Peggy no option but to nurse her back to health.
As things begin to go awry, Peggy worries she has brought trouble to her doorstep?
Can her life ever return to normal? Or has Peggy’s good nature led her astray?

If you are a regular follower of my blog, you will know what a fan I am of the Mulberry Lane series – if you’re new then please check out my other reviews below;

The Girls of Mulberry Lane

A Wedding at Mulberry Lane

Mulberry Lane Babies

New Arrivals at Mulberry Lane

The Women of Mulberry Lane

A Reunion at Mulberry Lane

Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane is the seventh book in this wonderful series, and once again it focuses on our heroine Peggy Ronoscki. She has finally returned to the lanes, both for herself and for the opportunities that it provides her children. She is once again surrounded by her beloved friends and family and she is content with her life. The war is over, rationing has eased and she loves to look after those that stay at her guesthouse. But when Peggy finds a collapsed girl in the marketplace, her good nature pushes her to take her in and care for her. Her son Pip is also involved in an awful car accident, leaving Peggy to hold together everything in the lanes so that her daughter and daughter-in-law can rush to be by his side. Peggy’s good nature may finally come back to bite her, as trouble starts to follow in her wake!

Whilst Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane can definitely be read as a standalone novel, I would not recommend it because you’d be missing out on the wonderful, colourful stories that bring you to this point in the lanes. Peggy Ronoscki is such a central character in the Mulberry Lane series, that it would be a shame to miss out on understanding her story and how she came to be at this point in her life. She is such a kind and caring character, who clearly suffered during WWII, but it made her stronger. Her strength of character is a delight to read, and her husband Able compliments her so beautifully that they are really a pleasure to read about. Maureen and her daughter Shirley are also favourite characters of mine, and I’ve really enjoyed watching them grow and evolve as characters throughout this series. Shirley in particular really comes into her own in this novel,.

So whilst we have left WWII behind us in this novel (and I am a big fan of fiction set during WWII, particularly when its following the strength of women), I continue to love this series as it shows us how that period in time continues to have an effect on all those who made it through. I love revisiting characters, and continuing to watch them evolve and grow, and the Mulberry Lane series is no exception to this. I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you (along with the other 6 in the series!). If you haven’t get discovered the ladies of Mulberry Lane, a snowy, lockdown day like today is the perfect opportunity! So grab yourself a hot chocolate and blanket, and curl up with the women of Mulberry Lane!

Thank you to Rosie Clarke and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Link

Amazon UK

Author Bio

Rosie Clarke is a #1 bestselling saga writer whose most recent books include The Mulberry Lane series. She has written over 100 novels under different pseudonyms and is a RNA Award winner. She lives in Cambridgeshire.

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BLOG TOUR The Little Swiss Ski Chalet by Julie Caplin

January 24, 2021 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ Leave a comment

Today it is my pleasure to bring you my review of The Little Swiss Ski Chalet by Julie Caplin as part of her fabulous blog tour.

The Little Swiss Ski Chalet
It’s time to pack your bags and head to the breathtaking, snow-covered peaks of the Swiss Alps for velvety hot chocolates, delicious cheeses and a gorgeous love story…
Food technician Minna has always believed that chocolate will solve everything – and it’s just what she needs when her latest relationship mishap goes viral!
So with her bags packed and a new determination to sort her life out, Minna decides to drown her sorrows with the best hot chocolate in the world at her godmother’s cosy Swiss chalet. Chocolate: yes. Romance: no. Until she has a run in on an Alpine train with a mysterious but oh-so-gorgeous stranger…

The Little Swiss Ski Chalet follows Mina, a food technician whose job it is to design ready made meals. Her enthusiasm and passion is often ignored however, with many of her ideas being pushed to one side by her employer. When her relationship breaks down in a rather spectacular (and eventually, very public manner) she realises that she needs to get away – working alongside her ex is far too painful. With a little encouragement she finds herself packing her bags and heading off to Switzerland to visit her Godmother at her cozy Swiss ski chalet. The lure of Swiss chocolate is strong, and she finds her passion for food reignited…along with her passion for a mysterious stranger she meets on the train!

Does serendipity exist? Does love at first sight (or first kiss) exist? You will have to grab yourself a copy of The Little Swiss Ski Chalet to find out what happens to Mina, Luke, Amelie and Johannes!

The Little Swiss Ski Chalet is such a sweet, romantic read. Mina is a great character; she’s flawed of course, but she’s not afraid of hard work to get what she wants. She’s just spent too long not knowing what she really wanted. Escaping to Switzerland finally gives her some perspective and it enables her to explore her passions whilst reconnecting with her beloved Godmother Amelie. The Swiss setting is an added bonus – Julie Caplin really captures the landscape within her words, making it so easy as a reader to imagine Mina’s surroundings. It’s definitely made me want to visit Switzerland, and maybe even give skiing a go!

I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you all. Its a light, easy read full of romance, chocolate and good food. What more can you want?! So grab yourself a hot chocolate and settle under a blanket to read this book on this chilly, lockdown Sunday!

Thank you to Julie Caplin and Rachel at Rachels Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Link

Amazon UK

Author Bio

Julie Caplin, formerly a PR director, swanned around Europe for many years taking top food and drink writers on press trips (junkets) sampling the gastronomic delights of various cities in Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, Copenhagen and Switzerland. It was a tough job but someone had to do it.

These trips have provided the inspiration and settings for her Romantic Escapes series which have been translated into fifteen different languages.

The first book in the seven strong series, The Little Café in Copenhagen, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novel of the Year Award.

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BLOG TOUR The Lake House by Christie Barlow

January 12, 2021 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ 2 Comments

It is my pleasure to bring you my review for The Lake House by Christie Barlow as part of her fabulous blog tour!

There’s a newcomer to the village of Heartcross and she’s never been more in need of a friend.
Ella is ready to start afresh ––and that could mean there’s love on the horizon in the form of the gorgeous Roman, the local water taxi driver. Every day Roman is there to ferry Ella to the restaurant on the other side of the lake and every night he makes sure she gets home safe. But Roman has secrets of his own…
Can the Love Heart Lane community offer Ella a chance of a new life? Or will the ghosts of her past catch up with her?

I am so excited to talk to you today about the next instalment in Christie Barlow’s Love Heart Lane series, The Lake House. If you would like to re-familiarise yourself with the other novels in this series, then please check out my reviews below;

*BLOG TOUR* Love Heart Lane by Christie Barlow

Foxglove Farm – I’m ashamed to say I haven’t read it yet. I own it, I just haven’t got round to it!!

*BLOG TOUR* Clover Cottage by Christie Barlow

*BLOG TOUR* Starcross Manor by Christie Barlow

The Lake House is book 5 in this wonderful series (and I’m thrilled to say that book 6, Primrose Park is due out in April 2021 so not long to wait!)

Ella has not had a good time. After losing her parents, she thought that she had found someone who could support her through her grief. Instead he betrays her in the worst possible way. After struggling alone for 6 months, her friend Callie finally persuades her to leave her home and join her in Heartcross, offering her the love and support she so desperately needs. Heartcross offers her the new start she needs; a new home, new friends and maybe even a new romance!

I love returning to Heartcross, it is such a lovely tightknit, supportive community and it is so easy to immerse yourself in it. As our real world continues to fight the challenges thrown up by a pandemic, it is such a delight to be able to lose yourself in such a wonderful place. As I’ve said many times before, I love getting involved in a book series because I love to revisit places. I like to see characters we have met before and find out where they are now. But what makes The Lake House stand apart from rest is that this time our central character is Ella, an outsider. Having a character join the village and see it with fresh eyes really does give a new perspective. Ella’s heartbreak is very real, but it’s inspiring to watch as she attempts to rebuild her life back up with nothing but her new found community. In the times that we currently live in, there is a lot we could learn from a place like Heartcross, fictional or not.

It would be remiss of me to not mention two other characters who I feel really help the book ‘pop’. Roman is the local water taxi driver, and he is of course suitably handsome (love interest alert!!). Naturally there is some mystery surrounding him, which doesn’t always tally up with the warm, giving character that he is portrayed as. As we learn more about him though, it becomes very clear that everyone has their secrets and their struggles, even if they have a smile on their face.

Finally, I cannot end my review without mentioning Dolores…what a legend! I can only hope to have lead a life as colourful as hers when I reach her advanced years, and she just goes to prove that it’s never too late when it comes to love!

For me, the sign of a good book is one that is talked about. I introduced my two sisters to the Love Heart Lane series during lockdown number 1 (I know, I hate that the lockdown now have numbers!) and they have loved them. So much so that they have both been sat waiting for The Lake House to be released (I may or may not have mentioned to them how lucky I was to get an early copy!). If you find a book that you enjoy, then tell your friends. Now, more than ever, we all need a little lighthearted relief and books most definitely offer us that.

So, grab yourself a bar of chocolate, a glass of wine and snuggle up on your sofa with a copy of The Lake House – you won’t regret it!

Thank you to Christie Barlow and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Author Bio

Christie Barlow is the author of ten bestselling romantic comedies including A Home at Honeysuckle Farm, Love Heart Lane and Clover Cottage. She lives in a ramshackle cottage in a quaint village in the heart of Staffordshire with her four children and two dogs.

When Christie isn’t writing she enjoys playing the piano, is a keen gardener and loves to paint and upcycle furniture.

Christie is an ambassador for the @ZuriProject alongside Patron of the charity, Emmerdale’s Bhasker Patel. They raise money and awareness for communities in Uganda.

Christie loves to hear from her readers and you can get in touch via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Social Media Links

Instagram

Twitter @ChristieJBarlow

Facebook page Christie Barlow author

Book Review: The Little Village Christmas by Sue Moorcroft

December 13, 2020 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ Leave a comment

It’s that time of year when I am feeling all festive, so grabbing myself a Christmassy book was essential! This weeks choice was The Little Village Christmas by Sue Moorcroft.

Alexia Kennedy – interior decorator extraordinaire – has been tasked with giving the little village of Middledip the community café it’s always dreamed of.
After months of fundraising, the villagers can’t wait to see work get started – but disaster strikes when every last penny is stolen. With Middledip up in arms at how this could have happened, Alexia feels ready to admit defeat.
But help comes in an unlikely form when woodsman, Ben Hardaker and his rescue owl Barney, arrive on the scene. Another lost soul who’s hit rock bottom, Ben and Alexia make an unlikely partnership.
However, they soon realise that a little sprinkling of Christmas magic might just help to bring this village – and their lives – together again…

Firstly I must confess to having owned this book for 3 years (damn you Amazon, and your ability to tell me when I purchased this novel and downloaded it my Kindle!!). In my defence I literally bought it a couple of days before Christmas, so I must have then missed my personal Christmas novel reading window! What my excuse is for the subsequent years of not reading it is, well that’s anyones guess!

Anyway, back to the book. The Little Village Christmas centres on Alexia Kennedy, a budding interior decorator who is so excited to have taken on the job of transforming an old pub in the village on Middledip into a much needed community cafe. She can’t wait to get started, she’s excited about the project but also about what it could do for her career. A project of that size really could push her up a level professionally. When disaster strikes, and every penny of the significant fundraising is stolen, Alexia finds herself at a loss, both personally and professionally.

Ben Hardaker is a new village inhabitant, and a hard man to read. Hidden away in his cabin with his rescue owl Barney, he very much keeps to himself. However when his uncles village community cafe project falls into disarray, he knows he needs to help. However with his own personal life full of secrets and mystery, he finds it difficult to connect with new people, even if Alexia, the project manager for the community cafe really needs him. They need to work together to solve the problems they are faced with, both personally and professionally.

I really loved this book! Alexia was such a great character, she’s full of drive and ambition. Despite all this though, it was almost reassuring to see just how much her confidence was knocked by what happens with her ambitious project – it made her much more realistic as a character and far more relatable. Sue Moorcroft really managed to get across Alexia’s hopes and dreams, as well as her disappointment and fears. With regards Ben, we are fed mere snippets of his life before Middledip, which adds a sense of mystery to the novel. I can honestly say that I was unsure of his whole story until it was finally revealed, and it really made his whole persona more relatable along with his fears of forming close relationships. Naturally Barney stole the whole show as our rescue owl with a good set of lungs him!

The setting of Middledip was perfect – a community coming together really does form the basis of a great, feel-good story. I think I can also guarantee that we all know a Carola, a woman set in her ways but really who just wants to feel needed.

All in all this is a fabulous Christmas novel, full of the feel-good factor. I am more than happy to recommend it to you all, so grab yourself a copy, snuggle under a warm blanket with a hot chocolate and enjoy!

BLOG TOUR Winter at Wishington Bay by Maxine Morrey

November 10, 2020 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ 1 Comment

Today it is my pleasure to bring you my review of Winter at Wishington Bay by Maxine Morrey as part of her fabulous blog tour!

Eighteen months ago, Sophia Jones finally walked out on her unhappy life.
With a tricky divorce ongoing, money is tight and so when friends offer her a housekeeping job while they’re away travelling, she accepts.
Nate McKinley is hesitant when his brother, Gabe, offers him the use of their home in the picturesque village of Wishington Bay. But he has a book to a write and an imploded marriage to recover from, so maybe a change of scene is exactly what he needs.
As Wishington Bay works its magic, friendship blossoms between Sophia and Nate. For Nate, finally feeling able to be himself with someone who is honest and down to earth is a revelation.
But Sophia has a secret and a jealous colleague is determined to blow her cover. Can she really keep her old life in the past or is it destined to destroy this new, happy one too?
Take a trip back to Wishington Bay this winter and find out…
A deliciously heart-warming and romantic read, perfect for a cosy winter’s evening, from the author of the bestselling Winter’s Fairytale.

I was so excited when I heard that Maxine Morrey was returning to Wishington Bay – I loved her first foray into the bay in Coming Home to Wishington Bay and I knew that Winter in Wishington Bay would be no different. I should however state that whilst we do revisit Wishington Bay, these are both standalone books. Whilst there is mention of previous characters, Winter in Wishington Bay is very much focussed on Sophia Jones and Nate McKinley.

Sophia and Nate have both escaped to Wishington Bay. Both are running from their marriages, attempting to rebuild themselves in the chilly but welcoming Bay. Sophia alludes to the secrets she keeps about her old life, and although we are able to make assumptions about her, the big reveal doesn’t happen early on. She is escaping a life of unhappiness with a cheating ex.

Nate’s wife has left him, and it is clear that their relationship has had a negative impact on his for quite some time. He feels worthless and certainly lacks in confidence. Despite a rocky start, Sophia’s straight talking starts to bring him back to himself, and their friendship deepens.

This is a wintery story full of second chances and I loved it. Both Sophia and Nate are definitely flawed characters, but it makes them both all the more relatable. They are keen to protect themselves from more hurt, in Sophia’s case by keeping secrets, but they are both ultimately seeking a happiness that they each once thought would not be possible. This is such a lovely novel, perfect for reading as our nights draw in. So grab yourself a hot chocolate (or glass of wine!), a cosy blanket and curl up in your armchair with a copy of Winter at Wishington Bay – you won’t regret it.

Thank you to Maxine Morrey and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Link

Amazon UK

Author Bio

Maxine Morrey is a bestselling romantic comedy author with eight books to her name including Winter’s Fairytale and the top ten hit The Christmas Project. She lives in West Sussex. Her first novel for Boldwood, #No Filter, was published in November 2019.

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BLOG TOUR Until We Can Forgive by Rosemary Goodacre

October 28, 2020October 26, 2020 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ Leave a comment

Today it is my pleasure to help kick off the blog tour for Until We Can Forgive by Rosemarie Goodacre.

They survived the Great War, but will life ever be the same?
Spring 1919: WW1 is over and a fragile peace has descended over the country. Now living in Cambridge with husband Edmond, Amy Derwent is settling into her new life as wife and mother to little Beth. But the shadow of the Great War looms large, particularly as the injuries Edmond sustained at Ypres still take their toll on him today.
Edmond’s cousin, Vicky, has now grown into a fine young woman, eager to help her country. Throwing off her privileged background to train as a nurse, she spends her days tending to the many soldiers still suffering the after-effects of their time on the battlefield.
Meeting Maxim Duclos, a young Frenchman who has arrived in Larchbury, fills her heart with joy – but when it is discovered that Maxim may be hiding the truth about his past, Vicky is faced with an impossible choice. Follow her heart’s desire and risk her family’s disapproval or keep her family – but deny herself the chance of true love?
The war may be over, but Edmond, Amy and Vicky must all face a new battle, finding their own peace in a country wounded by loss.

I’ve been so lucky to have read the previous two novels in this trilogy; Until We Meet Again and Until the War is Over – I highly recommend you grab yourself copies of these.

Edmond and Amy Derwent are our central characters, and they are characters that we have now followed through three novels. We have followed their relationship from when it was just a fleeting glance, all the way through to their marriage and the birth of their beautiful daughter Beth. I love a book series that allow me to become invested in characters, and Rosemarie Goodacre provides us with this opportunity beautifully.

Until We Can Forgive focuses on the time following the end of WWI – most families have suffered losses, and the Spanish Flu pandemic is finally abating. War injuries are impacting many lives, but despite these many obstacles families are working hard to rebuild their lives whilst establishing their new normal.

Edmond and Amy’s friends and family have all been affected in some way by the war. Vicky, Edmonds cousin, was too young to really have had any involvement in the war effort. However, seeing her friends and family playing their part has inspired her future. Despite her privileged upbringing, she is keen to assist in the rebuilding of her country. Inspired by Amy and the hundreds of other women who assisted their injured men, both on the front and at home, she is adamant that she wants to train and work as a nurse. When she meets Maxim, a young Frenchman, she discovers a love that she could never have anticipated existing. As we all know though, the road to love is never smooth…

I have loved following Edmond, Amy, their family and friends. Larchbury was hit by much tragedy during the Great War as many small communities were, but seeing them come out of the other side has been wonderful to follow. The community spirit is so evident, and there seemed to be very much a ‘can do’ attitude. Clearly worries for the future remained, but hope is very clearly depicted in Rosemarie’s writing. I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you all (although I do recommend you reading all three novels in the series) – I love reading wartime fiction, I love the hopefulness that existed even in the face of adversity. Rosemary Goodacre has given us an excellent example of such writing.

This is a bittersweet blog tour. Very sadly, Rosemarie Goodacre passed away a few short weeks ago. I am however honoured to have been a part of this blog tour for her final novel, and would like to thank Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and Hera Books for inviting me to be a part of it, and for providing me with a copy of the novel. My review is all my own, honest opinions.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Kobo

Author Bio

Rosemary Goodacre is thrilled to have a three book deal with Hera Books. Her World War I romance Until We Meet Again will be released on 31/10/19. Her heroine, Amy, faces many challenges as she works as a nurse and struggles to spend time with Edmond, her sweetheart.

Previously Rosemary has had a novella published, entitled A Fortnight is not Enough, and a science fiction story in the anthology Telescoping Time.

Rosemary has always loved languages and travel, mainly in Europe. In her spare time she enjoys country walking, bridge and classical music. She lives in Kent, England.