#BookReview THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE SEA by TRACY REES

ABOUT THE BOOK

Bluebells bob in the salty sea wind and the cottage gate swings open to reveal the inky-blue cove. It’s exactly how Kitty always pictured it… except in her head, she wasn’t standing here alone.

Kitty Roberts spends her days searching for the perfect home for two… until her boyfriend dumps her. Devastated, she flees to a tiny seaside village called Pennystrand, where she spent golden summers as a child, before her family fell apart.

At first, Kitty’s dramatic escape proves to be exactly what she needs – golden sunsets over warm, sandy beaches, lovably eccentric new neighbours and even a blush-inducing run-in with Cory Hudson, a floppy-haired local surfer with a heart-stopping smile.

But just as Kitty feels herself beginning to heal, Cory reveals that his time in Pennystrand is nearly up. What’s more, some strange reactions to Kitty in town make her wonder if her connection to this place might go deeper than she thought.

What is this tranquil little village hiding? It seems there’s a secret in Kitty’s past that is about to turn her life on its head once more… Is she ready for the truth? And will it bring her and Cory closer together, or drive them apart?

A page-turning story full of unexpected twists and turns. It will make you smile, laugh and wish you could visit Pennystrand! Absolutely perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Heidi Swain and Carole Matthews.

PUBLISHED BY BOOKOUTURE

PUBLICATION DATE – 24TH AUGUST 2022

PRE-ORDER LINK

AMAZON

MY REVIEW

Loved Loved Loved!! This is one of those books that puts a smile on your face and warms your heart! And it was just a wonderful treat to read in the sunshine – and to know that you’re not alone in being someone who searches estate agents looking and dreaming of that perfect life away from it all!

Kitty is the main character in this book and she’s looking for something but she’s not sure what! Her happy times are spent in estate agents looking for a dream house, away from the noise and bustle of London – her other half Mitch doesn’t share that dream but fate soon finds a way for her to follow her own path!!

So she finds herself moving to Wales to reassess her life, in a place where she has happy memories from her childhood and with her family. She finds a lovely spot to stay with a nice landlady, and soon finds herself at the heart of the village, trying to make new friends and find a new way of life.

I loved how she threw herself into her new life, and how new doors, literally!, opened up for her! There was lots of fun banter and the introduction of Cory really spices things up and their relationship was just perfect! There’s also a little mystery thrown in, along with some shocking family secrets and I just loved how the story evolved and didn’t want it to end! Home truly is where the heart is!!

★★★★★

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#CoverReveal THE COTTAGE IN THE HIGHLANDS by JULIE SHACKMAN @rararesources @G13Julie

Delighted to be part of the cover reveal today for the forthcoming release of THE COTTAGE IN THE HIGHLANDS by JULIE SHACKMAN!  My thanks to the author, publisher and Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for letting me be part of it all with so many other wonderful Bloggers!

And here it is…..😍😍😍

THE COTTAGE IN THE HIGHLANDS

The Cottage in the Highlands

When Leonie Baxter finds herself out of a job and out of a relationship, she’s at her wits end. Her life has just been turned upside down and she needs a plan, fast.

By chance, on a walk with her rescue puppy, Leonie stumbles across a striking house in the woods; fully furnished but unoccupied. As a journalist, she is determined to find out more, after all, reporting is in her nature.

But her attempts are thwarted by Lily Cruickshank who lives in the cottage next door. Why won’t Lily help Leonie? And who is the mysterious Flynn Talbot, whose letter Leonie finds inside the house?

And in uncovering the secrets of the abandoned house, will Leonie open her own heart and let love back into her life?

The brand new escapist story from the bestselling author of A Secret Scottish Escape and A Scottish Highland Surprise, for fans of Jo Thomas, Trisha Ashley and Cathy Bramley.

Pre-order Links:

 UK – The Cottage in the Highlands: Relax and unwind with the brand new winter romance (Scottish Escapes, Book 3) eBook : Shackman, Julie: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

 USA – Amazon.com: The Cottage in the Highlands: Relax and unwind with the brand new winter romance (Scottish Escapes, Book 3) eBook : Shackman, Julie: Kindle Store

Publication Date: 1st December

Author Bio – 

Julie Shackman is a former journalist from Scotland, who has always wanted to write feel-good romance. As well as being an author, Julie also writes verses and captions for greetings card companies. Julie admits to having an obsession with stationery and handbags. She is married, has two sons and has a Romanian rescue puppy, Cooper. The Cottage in the Highlands is Julie’s seventh novel.

 Social Media Links –

Tweets by G13Julie

https://www.facebook.com/julie.shackman

https://www.instagram.com/juliegeorginashackman

#CoverReveal ORPHEUS BUILDS A GIRL by HEATHER PARRY @BelgraviaB #OrpheusBuildsaGirl 🖤

Hands up who loves a cover reveal??!  🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

And what a cover I have to share with you today! Ahead of the publication date of 6th October 2022, the lovely team at Gallic Press want to share new of this book – 

A dark, sinister debut based on a chilling true story – and I’m delighted to help share it today!!

😍😍😍

ABOUT THE BOOK

‘I rest easy; I could not have done a thing more for my beloved, nor could I have shown my love in any greater way’

Wilhelm von Tore is dying. As he looks back on his life he reflects on his upbringing in Dresden, his beloved Grandmother and his medical career during the second world war. But mostly he remembers his darling Luci, the great love of his life, his dark-haired beauty promised to him in a dream years before they met.

Though only together for a few months in her first life, their love is written in the stars. Using scientific research compiled over decades, Wilhelm ensures that, for him and his beloved, death is only the beginning.

But through the cracks in Wilhem’s story there is another voice, that of Gabriela, and she will not let this version of events go unchallenged. She tells the story of her sister Luciana, fearless and full of life, and the madman who robbed her from her grave.

Based on a chilling true story, Orpheus Builds a Girl is the debut novel from award-winning author Heather Parry.

PRE-ORDER LINK

Publisher Website

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#BookReview AFTER THE RAIN by LUCY DILLON #AfterTheRain

ABOUT THE BOOK

After the storm it’s time for a fresh start . . .

The powerful and heart-stirring new novel by the Sunday Times bestselling author of Unexpected Lessons in Love.
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First, the clouds…
Tara Hunter is a therapist on a mission to restore Longhampton’s community spirit after catastrophic flooding. But with her boyfriend AWOL, her family fragmented, and only a cat for company, Tara’s own life is crumbling.

Then the storm…
On top of everything, Tara’s father – last seen as he walked out on her when she was ten years old – is suddenly back, with a surprising offer that could change everything.

And after the rain…
Dr David Dalloway is Longhampton Wellness Centre’s new star counsellor. He’s charming, caring and has a knack for reading people’s minds – which is the last thing Tara needs right now. Will having David and her dad around make for a bigger storm on the horizon? Or is this Tara’s chance for a fresh start?

PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN

PUBLICATION DATE – 17TH MARCH 2022

PRE-ORDER LINK

Amazon

MY REVIEW

This was another wonderful story from Lucy Dillon that sums up the conflicting emotions of humans, especially when they find it easier to pick others up while their own crumbles around them!

Tara is a therapist who finds herself at the heart of the Longhampton community after the devastating floods wrecked the lives of so many. She’s there to help them make sense of it all and help in any way she can and that distraction helps her forget the problems in her own life!

When David, a fellow therapist at the Wellness Centre she works at, is seen as a miracle worker she’s sceptical to say the least! She’s very reluctant to open up about her own issues, even when he’s offering to help out! Add to the mix the return of her Dad who has been missing from her life since she was 10, you really get the sense that she needs to follow her own advice and get a different perspective on things and ask for help!

I loved the characters in this one, especially Tara. You could feel total empathy towards her and I found her struggles with reaching out for help really relatable. When emotions got in the way it really seemed to cloud her judgement, which made it so much easier helping others with their problems !

It’s full of family drama and you really get involved with the community issues and I love how the author always does a brilliant job of getting underneath the skin of the characters she creates, that allows you to put yourself in their position and wonder how you’d deal with all that life has to throw your way! Loved it!!

★★★★★

#BookReview THE KEY IN THE LOCK by BETH UNDERDOWN

ABOUT THE BOOK

I still dream, every night, of Polneath on fire. Smoke unfurling out of an upper window and a hectic orange light cascading across the terrace.

By day, Ivy Boscawen mourns the loss of her son Tim in the Great War. But by night she mourns another boy – one whose death decades ago haunts her still.

For Ivy is sure that there is more to what happened all those years ago: the fire at the Great House, and the terrible events that came after. A truth she must uncover, if she is ever to be free.

Brimming with secrets, this lyrical haunting historical thriller is perfect for fans of Elizabeth Macneal, Sarah Waters and Diane Setterfield

PUBLISHED BY VIKING

PUBLICATION DATE – 13TH JANUARY 2022

PRE-ORDER LINK
Amazon

MY REVIEW

If you are looking for an atmospheric gothic mystery, then look no further! I found this to be one of those stories that keeps you guessing, and gets you emotionally involved with the characters as secrets begin to reveal a shocking past!

Told over 2 time periods – 1918 and 1888 – we are following the story of Ivy who is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her son Tim 10 months earlier. She’s going through the motions and trying to make sense of it all and hearing stories back from the war makes her want to know more of what exactly led to his death.

But it also triggers memories of 30 years ago when another boy died in traumatic circumstances, and she’s been left haunted by his death ever since. The story flits between the 2 timelines seamlessly and both are full of mystery, deception and tragedy.

As both storylines play out, the mysteries hanging over the deaths start to reveal themselves and I loved the way it’s all revealed and the emotions of the main characters are explored. There’s mysteries for Ivy to uncover, all while trying to balance her emotions and find comfort or distraction in her quest to uncover the truth. A really absorbing story.

★★★★★

#BookReview WHILE PARIS SLEEPS by RUTH DRUART #WhileParisSleeps

ABOUT THE BOOK

A family’s love is tested when heroes-turned-criminals are forced to make the hardest decisions of their lives in this unforgettably moving story of love, resistance, and the lasting consequences of the Second World War.

After. Santa Cruz, California, 1953. Jean-Luc and Charlotte Beauchamps have left their war-torn memories of Paris behind to live a quiet life in America with their son, Sam. They have a house in the suburbs, they’ve learned to speak English, and they have regular get-togethers with their outgoing American neighbors. Every minute in California erases a minute of their lives before — before the Germans invaded their French homeland and incited years of violence, hunger, and fear. But their taste of the American Dream shatters when officers from the U.N. Commission on War Crimes pull-up outside their home and bring Jean-Luc in for questioning.

Before. Paris, France, 1944. Germany has occupied France for four years. Jean-Luc works at the railway station at Bobigny, where thousands of Jews travel each day to be “resettled” in Germany. But Jean-Luc and other railway employees can’t ignore the rumors or what they see on the tracks: too many people are packed into the cars, and bodies are sometimes left to be disposed of after a train departs. Jean-Luc’s unease turns into full-blown panic when a young woman with bright green eyes bursts from the train one day alongside hundreds of screaming, terrified passengers, and pushes a warm, squirming bundle into his arms.

Told from alternating perspectives, While Paris Slept reflects on the power of love, loss, and the choices a mother will make to ensure the survival of her child. At once a visceral portrait of family ties and a meditation on nurture’s influence over identity, this heartbreaking debut will irreversibly take hold of your heart. 

PUBLICATION DATE – 23RD FEBRUARY 2021

PRE-ORDER LINK

Amazon

MY REVIEW

This was a engrossing and emotional read as we follow the stories of characters caught up in the horrors of World War II – a mother desperate to save her child, and a young man wanting to escape the chilling scenes he finds himself witness to day in, day out. It is all written beautifully and considerately and you find yourself torn by the outcome years later.

The story starts in 1953 with Jean- Luc and his wife Charlotte, who are starting a new life in America, desperate to escape the past of what they were caught up in France during the Nazi occupation. He used to work on the railways so had to endure some horrific treatment and sights, so when the opportunity presented itself for him to flee and find a better life for his family he took it.

But his current life is about to be shattered as the past catches up with him and he’s questioned about his past life and the consequences are far reaching and a devastating blow to the family.

We also follow the character of Sarah in 1944, a young jewish mother who is fearful for her life and that of her son, so she makes a decision that isn’t easy to make or live with.

This is one of those stories that really connects with you as a reader as you can sympathise with both sides of the dilemma. The horrors that everyone faced back then are difficult to forget, and are never easy to escape from. It’s a real page turner as you race through each chapter desperate to see both characters find a resolution that gives them both peace. 

★★★★

#PromoPost NICK by MICHAEL FARRIS SMITH #nicknovel #NickCarraway #TheGreatGatsby @noexitpress @michael_f_smith

Delighted to be part of the ‘Nick’ promo Blitz today on behalf of NO EXIT PRESS who are happy to share the news with you today about this exciting prequel!! Publication date is 25th February 2021 so make a note of it!! This is a book you don’t want to miss out on!! Today also marks what would have been  the 124th birthday of F. SCOTT FITZGERALD so what better day to share the news!

ABOUT THE BOOK

NICK CARRAWAY STEPS OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND INTO THE SPOTLIGHT IN THIS EXHILARATING PREQUEL TO THE GREAT GATSBY, LEADING UP TO CARRAWAY’S MEETING WITH THE ENIGMATIC JAY GATSBY

This rich and imaginative novel from critically acclaimed author Michael Farris Smith breathes new life into a character that many know only from the periphery. 

Before Nick Carraway moved to West Egg and into Gatsby’s world, he was at the centre of a very different story – one taking place along the trenches and deep within the tunnels of World War I. Floundering in the wake of the destruction he witnessed first-hand, Nick embarks on a redemptive journey that takes him from a whirlwind Paris romance – doomed from the very beginning – to the dizzying frenzy of New Orleans, rife with its own flavour of debauchery and violence.

 NICK is an inspired concept realised with delicate, rhythmic prose, profound characterisation and deep emotion. Charged with enough alcohol, heartbreak, and yearning to transfix even the heartiest of golden age scribes, NICK reveals the man behind the narrator who has captivated readers for decades.

PRE-ORDER LINKS

Publisher Website

Book Depository

waterstones

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

No Exit Press also publish Michael Farris Smith’s novels Desperation Road, The Fighter and most recently Blackwood. Farris Smith has been a finalist for the Gold Dagger Award in the UK, and the Grand Prix des Lectrices in France, and his essays have appeared in publications including The New York Times. He lives in Oxford, Mississippi, with his wife and daughters. 

#CoverReveal The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane by Emily Harvale

 

Extremely delighted to be able to take part in this Cover Reveal today, and my thanks go to Rachel at RachelsRandomResources for letting me be part of the fun!

Here’s some more about the book to tell you what it is all about!

The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane

New Beginnings

Mia Ward is amazed to be told she has inherited her great-aunt Matilda’s thatched cottage in the tiny seaside village of Little Pondale – especially as Mia didn’t know she had a great-aunt Matilda.

She’s even more astonished to discover she’ll only inherit the place if she actually lives there for one year. Mia’s a city girl at heart, not to mention she’s afraid of water, so the fact the cottage backs on to a sandy beach, is not, in her opinion, a bonus.

But Mia’s struggling to pay her rent since being fired for inappropriate behaviour at the office party, and her boyfriend’s also dumped her. When her best friend, Ella and Ella’s brother, Garrick offer to help her move and settle in, Mia decides to see this as a new beginning.

It may also be the start of an exciting adventure because now Mia wants to know just who, exactly, was great-aunt Matilda. And she’s determined to find out. But it soon becomes clear that someone is trying to make sure Mia doesn’t stay in Little Pondale….

Publication Date: 10th May

Pre-order link: Amazon UK

All about the author

Having lived and worked in London for several years, Emily returned to her home town of Hastings where she now spends her days writing… and chatting on social media. Emily is a Member of the SoA, a PAN member of the RWA and a Pro Member of ALLi. She’s an Amazon bestseller and a Kindle All Star. Emily loves writing and her stories are sure to bring a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart.
Emily says, “I write about friendship, family and falling in love. I believe in happing endings.” When she isn’t writing, she can be found enjoying the stunning East Sussex coast and countryside, or in a wine bar with friends, discussing life, love and the latest TV shows. Chocolate cake is often eaten. She dislikes housework almost as much as she dislikes anchovies – and will do anything to avoid both. 

Social Media Links –  https://www.facebook.com/emilyharvalewriter 

https://www.twitter.com/emilyharvale 

https://www.instagram.com/emilyharvale 

So here it is! And it’s an idyllic scene!!!

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Cover Reveal – Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Delighted to be able to share, thanks to Harper Impulse,  this amazing new cover  for the forthcoming release by Charlotte Butterfield! Are you ready?!

💙💚💛💜

A wonderfully warm-hearted and laugh-out-loud funny romantic comedy for fans of Just Haven’t Met You Yet and Mhairi McFarlane.

When Leila finds herself on the painful end of yet another disastrous break-up, no amount of Ben & Jerry’s and trashy rom-coms can cheer her up. And so – to the amusement of her friends and family – Leila takes a more drastic approach to dealing with heartbreak: she swears off sex for an entire year.

Luckily, she has plenty to keep her mind off men. Between starting a business with ice queen Lucy, straightening out her sister Tasha’s tangled love life, and running a blog read by thousands of single ladies, Leila is soon snowed under. But she can’t help finding a little time for irresistible architect Nick – Lucy’s funny and infuriatingly sexy brother.

After an unplanned encounter under the mistletoe, the Man Ban looks like it might be skidding to a halt. Has Leila found love when she least expected it?

You can pre-order this stunner NOW by clicking on the Amazon link below!  The price is now £1.99 and then on the 7th September it will be auto-delivered to your Kindle!

Amazon UK

So what are you waiting for?!  Time to treat yourself!!

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Reveal Tuesday!!

Good Morning all!! Delighted to be able to share a rather stunning cover reveal with you all today. And this is for the latest release from Christie Barlow!  The Cosy Canal Boat Dream is set to be released on 22nd August 2017 but HarperImpulse have allowed us to share this first look today.

 Are you ready??!!!  Here goes……

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

Told you it was rather pretty!!  And the clock is ticking down until you can get your hands on it so here’s the Amazon link so you can pre-order NOW!!

Amazon UK

Just £1.99 to pre-order and then on the morning of August 22nd you’ll be able to start reading!! What are you waiting for?!!

HAPPY READING!!!