#GuestPost #Extract A BURNING LIE by CLAIRE SHELDON #PublicationDay @RubyFiction @ChocLituk

Delighted to be with you today to share an extract from the amazing new thriller from CLAIRE SHELDON!  It’s publication Day for A BURNING LIE and this is another one of those books that you NEED in your library!!  Links to buy down below!!

Release Day Extract: A Burning Lie by Claire Sheldon

A Burning Lie is the third book in the gripping ‘Lisa Carter’ series by thriller author Claire Sheldon, published by Ruby Fiction. To celebrate publication day, here’s an exclusive extract from the beginning of the book. Just what are DI Chris Jackson and Jen Garner going to have to deal with this time? You’re sure to want to find out after reading this!

‘Come on, Gabe.’ Dean raced up the stairs towards where the band were playing.

‘Slow down! I’m coming, I’m coming.’ Light emanated from the stage as the lead singer of the young support band sang. ‘See, I told you there was no need to rush. The support band’s still playing,’ Gabe said as he caught up with Dean, who was now standing in the doorway and looking excitedly into the packed hall.

‘I just want to make sure we can get to our usual spot,’ Dean replied, grabbing Gabe’s hand. They made their way through the packed room, where everyone was standing shoulder to shoulder and any space they could find would come at a premium. As they continued to squeeze their way past people, Gabe suddenly noticed a strange smell.

‘Can you smell that?’ he shouted towards Dean, who was too preoccupied in trying to get them a prime spot. It’s probably just someone’s perfume, he thought, as Dean continued to pull him along, but it didn’t really smell like perfume exactly. It was sort of citrusy though …

‘Sorry, sorry, excuse me.’ Dean stopped, turned and looked at him. ‘Here we go.’

‘Dean, I can’t move, let alone breathe!’ Gabe protested, looking around at all the people they had displaced just to get into the middle of the room.

‘Once the support band comes off, there’ll be plenty of space. Everyone heads to the bar, remember?’

Gabe hoped so, but this was a sold-out concert. He couldn’t help but feel uneasy, although he had no idea why; there seemed to be strange atmosphere tonight, and he didn’t think it was just to do with the other revellers Dean had annoyed in his quest to get to their spot.

‘Who’s ready for the McDermitts?’ the support band singer shouted, causing people to scream with excitement and surge forward, pushing Gabe and Dean as they did.

Gabe really hoped that Dean was right about the crowd thinning out. Right now, he was starting to feel a little bit trapped …

***

DI Chris Jackson

Thursday night

‘Good evening, Inspector.’ Chris scrunched his eyes closed and opened them again as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. ‘I’m phoning to tell you that there have been reports of a series of explosions in the centre of Nottingham. We’ve been instructed to call your team in.’

‘Where are we needed?’ Chris jumped up from his sofa and then regretted it as the room immediately started spinning. He was forced to sit down again as a sense of dread descended over him.

‘Detective Inspector Shufflebotham is on the scene as SIO and has asked that you make your way to the main entrance of the university.’

‘All received. I’ll be there.’ Chris got up more slowly from the sofa. It didn’t help that he now felt sick from the thought of what he might be facing once he got into Nottingham. He’d seen the aftermath of enough fires to know what could await him, and what was worse was it was likely to be young people involved this time.

He had spent the previous afternoon in a MRI scanner at the Queen’s Medical Centre, having his brain and spinal cord assessed for signs of what was causing the symptoms that were now part of his daily existence. It was becoming a regular occurrence: he’d previously been rushed in for an emergency MRI scan after going to see his doctor with rising concerns about dizziness and headaches. Six months on, he was still haunted by the grainy image of the white mass that had appeared on the original scans. As a result, he was now under investigation for a potentially life-altering disease that could change everything about his current existence. Both him and his consultant knew what was coming, but the reality of it all was too scary to think about …

Leaving his cat a plate of food, Chris grabbed his backpack and rushed out of his flat. As he drove his car out of the underground car park and towards Nottingham, he turned on his radio in hope there would be some information about what was happening on the local news broadcasts – though it didn’t seem to have filtered through just yet. He joined the almost empty A52 and made his way into the city to meet the team, where they’d hopefully all find out what the hell was going on. His medical worries would just have to wait, just like they had already been waiting for the past two years.

Jen Garner

Jen had to force her eyes to stay open as she attempted to locate where the ringing noise was coming from before it woke anyone else up – the kids being her main concern. She felt completely shattered, having completed her first day back at work with Nottingham’s Special Ops team under DI Chris Jackson. She’d previously worked a case with Chris and her old team, which had become the catalyst for getting her back into full time policing.

‘Detective Garner, it’s control. Sorry to disturb you this early.’

‘What’s going on?’ Is it normal to be called in the early hours on the second day of a new job?

‘I’m afraid there’s been a serious incident in Nottingham and your assistance has been requested at the university. DI Jackson will meet you there.’

‘Okay, I’ll head in now,’ Jen said as she got out of bed and stretched. Well, this is what I signed up for, what I wanted … isn’t it?

‘James,’ she whispered.

‘Eh?’ came the typical half-asleep response.

‘I’ve got to go into work. Something’s kicked off and we’ve all been called in. Will you make sure the kids get to school? I’ll get back as soon as I can.’ Not bothering to wait for a reply, she leant over and kissed him. ‘Love you.’

Jen rushed down the stairs as the adrenaline hit. She hadn’t been expecting anything big to happen here in Nottingham; her new boss had already warned her that this was “local-level policing” and not what she had been used to in the past. She threw on her jacket and then was out of the door, into the car and on her way to the city and whatever awaited her there.

From: A Burning Lie by Claire Sheldon

© Claire Sheldon

About the Book:

When a deadly explosion brings secrets and lies to light …

A city shaken to its foundations by a fire in a well-known music venue. A nightclub owner seemingly more concerned about money than the lives of the young people who fill the dancefloor at the end of every week. A dangerous bomber still on the loose.

All things that Detective Jen Garner must face in her first week of local level policing whilst trying to start afresh and finally make a break with her past.

Working alongside DI Chris Jackson, it’s crucial that Jen connects the dots to bring the culprit to justice. But it seems that everywhere Jen turns there is somebody with something to hide – and whilst she and her team attempt to unravel a web of lies years in the making, could the bomber be getting ready to strike again?

Buying links: 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3wbKi9Z

 Kobo: https://bit.ly/3w7Utg2

 Apple Books: https://apple.co/3MYHGTZ 

Nook: https://bit.ly/3IiEijY

About the Author:

 Claire lives in Nottingham with her family, a cat called Whiskers and a dog called Podrick. She suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and as a result of the disease had to reduce her hours working in insurance for an Insolvency Insurer. This spare time enabled her to study a creative writing course which inspired her to write her debut, Perfect Lie. When Claire isn’t working she enjoys reading crime novels and listening to music – the band Jimmy Eat World is her biggest muse. Claire is also an avid reader and book blogger. The inspiration for her novels comes from the hours spent watching The Bill with her grandparents and auntie; then later, Spooks and other detective programmes like Morse, A Touch of Frost and Midsomer Murders.

Find out more about Claire here:

Tweets by ClaireEESheldon

https://www.facebook.com/clairesheldonauthor

#GuestPost MEET ME ON THE BUDDY BENCH by HANNAH PEARL @ChocLituk @HannahPearl_1

Delighted to be with you today to hand over the blog to the lovely HANNAH PEARL  as she shares some thoughts on her wonderful new book MEET ME ON THE BUDDY BENCH, which was released yesterday.  It’s a book very close to my heart as I have M.E too, so it really struck a chord with me and it’s a book I cannot recommend highly enough… go get your copy NOW!!

Over to you Hannah….

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Guest Post: Meet Me on the Buddy Bench by Hannah Pearl

My inspiration for writing Meet Me on the Buddy Bench was to explore what happens when life takes an unexpected turn. It’s all about finding happiness even when life isn’t easy or straightforward. This happened to me when I got ill just over seven years ago and didn’t fully recover. I wanted to write about a character who develops ME as this condition continues to really limit what I can do. It means so much to me to have this opportunity to raise awareness of the condition, but to hopefully do this within a book that reaches past our community and is read more widely too.

Meet Me on the Buddy Bench is a romance, and I hope that people will enjoy watching Ava and Sam fall in love as much as I enjoyed writing their story. Romance books are so powerful, and I needed them when I, like Ava in this book, could suddenly no longer do all of the simple things I once took for granted. I needed their uplift, their positivity, their support, their encouragement. Their reassurance that people do find happiness even when they’ve experienced unexpectedly difficult times. Romance books kept me company when I was suddenly alone for hours at a time. They offered hope and made me laugh and cry in turn.

I hope that this book can entertain people, but if it can also bring comfort or companionship to anyone who needs it, that would make me very happy indeed.

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About the Book:

When an ordinary park bench becomes a lifeline …

As a primary school teacher, Ava Lam is familiar with the ‘buddy bench’: a rainbow painted bench where sad or lonely children can sit to show they need a friend.

But are buddy benches just for kids? Ava might have assumed so – until she finds herself sobbing her heart out on a park bench and a kind stranger sits down next to her.

The stranger, Dr Sam Stone, has a house, an impressive job and he’s even training for a marathon – all things that seem painfully out of Ava’s reach in her new and scary circumstances. But, whilst Sam appears to have everything figured out, it turns out he needs a sympathetic ear just as much as she does.

Is the encounter a one-off, or could the ‘buddy bench’ begin to represent a source of comfort and support that will become precious to them both?

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Buying Links:

 Kindle: https://amzn.to/36YZOxI

 Kobo: https://bit.ly/3EuHaKc 

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3uYgaQk

 Nook: http://bit.ly/3I0HlOt

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About the Author:

Hannah Pearl was born in East London. She is married with two children and now lives in Cambridge.

She has previously worked as a Criminology researcher, as a Development Worker with various charities and even pulled a few pints in her time.

In 2015 she was struck down by Labyrinthitis, which left her feeling dizzy and virtually housebound. She has since been diagnosed with ME. Reading has allowed Hannah to escape from the reality of feeling ill. She read upwards of three hundred books during the first year of her illness. When her burgeoning eReader addiction grew to be too expensive, she decided to have a go at writing. In 2017 she won Simon and Schuster’s Books and the City #heatseeker short story competition, in partnership with Heat magazine, for her short story The Last Good Day.

Follow Hannah on Twitter here: @HannahPearl_1

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#GuestPost IT’S ONLY ROCK AND ROLL by BERNI STEVENS #PublicationDay @ChocLituk @Berni_Stevens1

Hello and welcome!! Happy Tuesday and also Happy Publication Day to the fabulous BERNI STEVENS for the release of IT’S ONLY ROCK AND ROLL!!!

And to celebrate that fact, I’m handing over the blog to her today so she can share an excerpt from the book with you… and then you can rush out and buy yourself a copy as it’s another wonderful book from her!!

Over to you Berni….

Exclusive Release Day Extract: It’s Only Rock and Roll by Berni Stevens

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in a relationship with an internationally famous rock star? Would you travel with him? Or would you stay at home, following your own career path? Can you even imagine what it must be like going to every social occasion alone, because your man’s away on the other side of the world?

How fragile the balance within the band must be sometimes, and how easily it can all go horribly wrong. Everything could collapse in a drumbeat if that balance is upset.

There’s the soaring egos amongst the band’s main personnel, the competition and the jealousies, and then there’s the girlfriends and wives …

Here’s a couple of sneaky peeks at the book, firstly when Izzy and Seth arrive in Adelaide for the final leg of the tour before everyone enjoys a few weeks’ holiday, followed by Izzy’s arrival at Seth’s beautiful country pile in Sussex …

I hope you enjoy them.

Berni x

From: It’s Only Rock and Roll by Berni Stevens

Seth cast a cursory look over their cases and nodded.

‘All there,’ he said.

One less thing to worry about. Their luggage had arrived safely with them in Adelaide and not careered off to Bangkok.

Zach was indeed waiting with Anna in Arrivals, standing with a bunch of other drivers all holding up notices. Zach’s said: Mr Rock God and his lovely lady. Seth laughed aloud when he saw it, and Izzy, in spite of the weird feeling that she’d somehow landed on a different planet, joined in.

‘Hey man, how’s it going?’ He shook hands with Zach and dropped a kiss on Anna’s cheek. ‘How’s my second favourite girl?’

‘Good to have you back,’ said Zach. ‘Really.’

‘Sounds ominous.’ Seth shot him a look.

‘Nothing you can’t sort,’ said Zach quickly. ‘The odious Sophie arrived a couple of days ago.’

Seth rolled his eyes. ‘Now I know it’s ominous.’

‘Sophie?’ Izzy looked at Anna, fearing Sophie might be another Gracie, and, to be honest, one of those was enough for any one lifetime. Gracie was one of Seth’s ex-girlfriends – demanding, jealous and verging on stalker-like.

‘The love of Jonno’s life – apparently,’ said Anna. ‘Interfering and really annoying – just like the woman in Spinal Tap.’

‘I’m betting Iz has never seen Spinal Tap,’ said Seth with a grin. He raised his eyebrows at Izzy in question.

‘Sounds like an affliction,’ muttered Izzy.

‘In all the years I’ve worked for the band, I’ve never ever known Gina and Caz to argue. They’re like twin sisters, but the moment she arrived, they’ve been arguing,’ said Anna with a sigh.

Seth frowned. ‘Over what?’

‘Sophie “borrowed” Caz’s personal mic, so she could sing Jonno’s track yesterday. Without asking I might add, and her voice is bloody awful. When challenged, she told Caz that Gina said she could use it, so it was Gina who got yelled at.’

Izzy didn’t know much about band politics, but even she knew personal equipment was just that – personal.

‘What fun she’s having,’ said Seth grimly.

***

The gates clanged shut behind her, and she drove up towards the property. The beautiful red-brick Tudor house came into view after the first bend in the drive. She remembered the first time he’d brought her here, and it did feel strange to just turn up without him. Almost voyeuristic. He must trust me implicitly to allow me to come here, she thought. The London flat was one thing, but this was his special place: his retreat from the mad world of rock and roll. And yet he’d allowed her in without any doubts at all, it appeared.

Unsure where she should park, Izzy followed the sweeping drive round to the back of the house, to the big wooden door she knew opened on to his very impressive kitchen – the kitchen nobody ever cooked in. A gunmetal coloured VW Golf was parked under the trees opposite the back door, so Izzy parked next to it, wondering who it belonged to. She got out of her car and stretched, feeling the need to walk off the hours spent driving.

The back door opened, and a sturdy-looking woman with grey-streaked brown hair pulled back in a severe bun stepped out.

‘You Isabelle?’ she called.

‘That’s me,’ said Izzy.

‘I’m Sarah, Seth’s housekeeper.’

Another housekeeper. Izzy really hoped she didn’t live in.

‘Hello, Sarah,’ she said, hauling her case out of the boot. ‘How’s everything?’

‘Quiet with Seth away,’ Sarah replied with a quick survey of Izzy’s belongings. ‘How long are you here for?’

‘I’m not sure yet.’ Suddenly Izzy didn’t feel very welcome.

‘I don’t cook,’ Sarah continued. ‘You’ll have to fend for yourself. And I don’t clean either. I’m only here now to see you in.’

‘Fair enough,’ said Izzy, wondering what, in fact, she did do. ‘I’ve brought supplies, and I’ll be visiting my family a fair bit too.’

‘Couldn’t stay with them then?’

Izzy hid an inward sigh. This woman would take some winning over, it seemed.

‘I could have, yes,’ was all she said. She continued pulling bags of supermarket shopping out of the boot, and her laptop bag, but decided to leave her wellies where they were. Something told her she shouldn’t appear to be moving in to this territorial woman. Slamming the boot shut, she locked the car and began taking her stuff into the kitchen. Sarah made no attempt to help, just continued standing in the wide doorway with her arms folded, so Izzy had to say ‘excuse me’ every time she wanted to get by.

‘There’s no milk either,’ she said, seemingly as a last ditch attempt to rattle Izzy.

‘I brought some,’ said Izzy abruptly, wishing the woman would just go home.

‘Or tea,’ she continued.

‘Don’t drink it,’ said Izzy, almost beginning to enjoy the exchange now.

‘Or coffee.’

Izzy burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it. What was her problem?

© Berni Stevens

About the Book:

Is the rock and roll lifestyle all it’s cracked up to be?

Being the girlfriend of a rock star isn’t all glitz and glamour – at least that’s what Izzy Grant has found since she started dating Seth Roberts of Scarlet Gryphon fame; it’s actually a lot of waiting and wondering and worrying as Seth travels the world whilst she’s stuck in London. Can she ever rely on Mr Cool to settle down?

But rock gods get insecure too, and whilst Seth is jetting off to far-flung locations to perform sold-out shows, he worries that Izzy will find a “Joe Normal” and opt for a more ordinary life. Plus, he could do with some support when a certain entitled rock star girlfriend gets too big for her Jimmy Choos and threatens to break up the band.

There is a solution, but are either of them willing to take the plunge?

Buying links: 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3q6cE3r 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3taumEU

 Apple Books: https://apple.co/3IfN5Df 

Nook: https://bit.ly/3KMLs1C

About the Author: 

Berni Stevens lives in a four-hundred-year-old cottage in Hertfordshire, England, with her husband, son and black cat. She trained in graphic design and has worked as a book cover designer for more than twenty years.

Books and art remain her passion, and her love of the paranormal began when she first read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, aged fourteen. She is now on both the committee and the book panel of the Dracula Society, a society for fans of gothic literature and film.

Berni writes contemporary and fantasy romance.

Find out more about Berni here:

https://www.instagram.com/berni.stevens.5/

https://www.facebook.com/berni.stevens.5/

Tweets by Berni_Stevens1

#GuestPost QUEEN OF THE DESERT by MARIE LAVAL #PublicationDay @ChocLituk @MarieLaval1

Thank you for joining me today to help celebrate publication day for the fabulous QUEEN OF THE DESERT by MARIE LAVAL!  And I’m very happy to hand over the blog to Marie today so that she can share a few thoughts about the release of her new book – there’s a purchase link further down too, so get clicking and grab your copy!!

Over to you Marie…..

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QUEEN OF THE DESERT by Marie Laval

I am so happy to see my historical romance QUEEN OF THE DESERT published by Choc Lit UK this February, and just can’t stop admiring the book’s gorgeous cover! This novel is very dear to me, and not the least because of the love story between the brave and unconventional heroine Harriet Montague and the seemingly harsh and mercenary hero Lucas Saintclair, but because of its setting – North Africa – which has always fascinated me.

My mother grew up in Algeria and she told me and my sisters so many stories of her childhood there that ever since I was little I have dreamt of going there for myself. Algeria is a vast country, stretching from a beautiful coastline to the Sahara desert in the far South.

Visiting Algiers’ Kasbah with its ancient mosques and ottoman palaces, seeing the stunning Roman ruins of Timgad or Tipaza, the fortified villages – the ksars and beautiful oases of the Sahara, and the peaks of the Hoggar mountains (or Ahaggar as it is sometimes called) and stunning rock art paintings is an ambition I may probably never fulfil, but at least I had the joy to travel there by using my imagination as I wrote QUEEN OF THE DESERT.

I loved every minute of writing Harriet’s and Lucas’s story and of researching some of the history, myths and legends of the Tuareg people, as well as their culture and traditions, and finding out about their mystical queen, Tin Hinan. Whilst writing QUEEN OF THE DESERT I discovered a fascinating culture, read beautiful poetry and listened to some wonderful musicians who accompanied me in my imaginary journey, among which Bombino, Imzad-Ténéré or again Tinariwen. Music really does bring people and hearts together.

About the book:

Sometimes the most precious treasures exist in the most barren and inhospitable of places … Harriet Montague is definitely too much of a gentlewoman to be frequenting the backstreet taverns of Algiers. But her father has been kidnapped whilst on an expedition to the tomb of an ancient desert queen, and she’s on a mission to find

the only person who could save him. It’s just unfortunate that Lucas Saintclair, the man Harriet hopes will rescue her father from scoundrels, is the biggest scoundrel of the lot. With a bribe in the form of a legendary pirate treasure map, securing his services is the easiest part – now Harriet must endure a treacherous journey through the desert accompanied by Saintclair’s band of ruffians. But on the long, hot Saharan nights, is it any wonder that her heart begins to thaw towards her guide – especially when she realises Lucas’s roguish façade conceals something she could never have expected?

Buying links for Queen of the Desert: 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3rHKNYr 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/34PGktE 

Apple Books: https://apple.co/33C9nk2 

Nook: https://bit.ly/33q8HOr

About the Author:

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie now lives in Lancashire and writes historical and contemporary romance. Best-selling LITTLE PINK TAXI was her debut contemporary romantic novel with Choc Lit. A PARIS FAIRY TALE was published in July 2019, followed by BLUEBELL’S CHRISTMAS MAGIC in November 2019 and bestselling romantic suspense ESCAPE TO THE LITTLE CHATEAU which was shortlisted for the 2021 RNA Jackie Collins Romantic Suspense Award. HAPPY DREAMS AT MERMAID COVE is her latest contemporary romance. QUEEN OF THE DESERT is Marie’s second historical romance, following on from ANGEL OF THE LOST TREASURE which features another member of the Saintclair family.

She also writes short stories for the bestselling Miss Moonshine anthologies, and is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors. Her novels are available as ebooks and audiobooks on Amazon and various other platforms.

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#GuestPost ESCAPE TO LITTLE BLUEWATER BAY by JOANNE BODEN #PublicationDay @ChocLituk @JoBodenAuthor

We are fit to burst with celebrating new books here today!! It is an absolute pleasure to be handing over the blog today to the lovely JOANNE BODEN to help her celebrate the publication day of ESCAPE TO LITTLE BLUEWATER BAY!! That cover is just perfection! I’m packing my bags and heading there ASAP!!
Over to you Joanne…..

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Release Day: Escape to Little Bluewater Bay by Joanne Boden

Hello Karen and thank you so much for inviting me on your blog to help celebrate the publication of Escape to Little Bluewater Bay that is out in the world today! I can’t believe I am writing that! I am so excited to share Willow and Noah’s story with everyone. I had such a good time writing this book.

When it came to choosing the setting for the story I decided to set it on the fictional island of Little Bluewater Bay. I really wanted to write a contemporary romance with an old school feel, so this meant the islanders having no access to the internet as the island has no Wi-Fi. Willow soon learns to adapt to a life without Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp. I really wanted to create a sense of community, where everyone looks out for each other and no one stares at screens while sitting in a cafe. I think I succeeded in doing so.

Escape to Little Bluewater Bay is a contemporary romance. From the very beginning I had a clear picture in my mind of who Willow was and what had happened to her in the past. Her story ran loud and clear in my mind and I quickly fleshed out her story. I then started to think about Noah. Who was he? What does he look like? How did he fit into this story? My first thought was where should he live? I decided on a shack on the beach. He’s a bit of a loner, preferring to spend days by himself, painting and crafting. He’s an artist. But then I asked myself why does he live alone? What’s his story? And I took it from there and very quickly I knew who he was and how to bring him into the story and how he and Willow would interact. I created scenes that had humour, some tender scenes and of course scenes that involved misunderstandings. By the time I’d finished the first draft I realised that Noah was my favourite character and that during the writing process I had gradually fallen in love with him. I hope that you do too.

Although this story has romance at its very core, I also wanted to introduce the dynamics of a grandmother and granddaughter relationship. Willow travels to the island to be with her grandmother, Annie, after her grandfather’s death. Although they have kept in touch via monthly phone calls, the two women haven’t had much face to face interaction in the past five years and so I wanted to explore their relationship and in doing so highlight the important role that grandmother’s play. I loved developing Annie’s character and the strong and caring relationship between the two women. I also thought it was important to write about strong women, and especially an older woman in her later years of life.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing Escape to Little Bluewater Bay. I had so much fun writing the first messy draft all the way through to the final edits. I really hope you enjoy reading Willow and Noah’s uplifting and heart-warming story.

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About the Book:

Start the new year in Little Bluewater Bay …

New year, new Willow Jenkins? All Willow knows is that she needs an escape. So, she takes an extended break from her PR job and retreats to her grandmother’s cosy cottage by the sea in Little Bluewater Bay, where a limitless supply of hot chocolate will soothe her broken heart and a limited wi-fi connection will prevent her workaholic tendencies.

Willow is soon made to feel welcome by the friendly locals – although grumpy artist Noah Atkinson doesn’t seem to like her very much. Just what is his problem?

But then Willow is asked by her grandmother to approach Noah with a very special commission, only to discover that he hasn’t painted people for a long time – and with good reason. Will he make an exception, and in doing so usher in a hopeful and healing new era for them both?

Buying links: 

Kindle: www.amazon.co.uk/Escape-Little-Bluewater-Bay-hopeful-ebook/dp/B09M4337G2

 Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/escape-to-little-bluewater-bay/id1596092706

 Kobo: www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/escape-to-little-bluewater-bay

Google Books:https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Joanne_Boden_Escape_to_Little_Bluewater_Bay?id=Ls5VEAAAQBAJ

About the Author:

Joanne lives in Lancashire with her husband and their two sons. When she is not busy writing, she likes to take her boys to the local museums, cafes and for walks in the countryside. Joanne has published 4 non-fiction works aimed at parenting children on the Autistic spectrum, based upon her experiences as a mother of an autistic son. She has also self published a contemporary romance novel, Picking up the Pieces.

Joanne writes contemporary romances with gorgeous heroes. Escape to Little Bluewater Bay is her debut novel with Choc Lit.

Social media links: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoBodenAuthor 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoBodenAuthor

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#GuestPost A CORNISH CHRISTMAS AT PEAR TREE FARM by ANGELA BRITNELL #PublicationDay @ChocLituk @AngelaBritnell

Time to hand over the blog again today! And it’s more festive cheer to share with you courtesy of Angela Britnell who is celebrating publication day today of A CORNISH CHRISTMAS AT PEAR TREE FARM!!   Go grab your copy NOW!!!
Over to you Angela….

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Release Day: A Cornish Christmas at Pear Tree Farm by Angela Britnell

I can’t believe it will be Christmas in just a few weeks because it doesn’t seem long since I was here to celebrate the release of my summer book! I’m very happy to be back again to celebrate publication day for the sequel, A Cornish Christmas at Pear Tree Farm!

The new book centres around Ashley and Crispin who meet very briefly in A Cornish Summer at Pear Tree Farm and felt an instant sense of connection, but the timing was wrong for them to explore where that might lead. It seemed cruel not to give them a second chance and so this sequel came to life. When we first meet them again they’re both in a better place emotionally but of course that doesn’t mean things will be smooth sailing for me because quite honestly where would be the fun in that! Most romance readers expect a happy ending and so it’s the journey the couple take together that is crucial to either capturing or losing their interest.

Here’s a brief excerpt with a window into Ashley’s thoughts when she and Crispin come together again in this new book.

Ashley had only met him for a few minutes over a year ago at Ward and Nessa’s engagement party. That was when he’d made the decision to turn himself in, and she recalled feeling a fleeting sense of kinship because she’d been experiencing her own rough time. His rugged good looks had stirred something in her then and were having the same effect now.

Meeting Ashley again rattles Crispin too and we feel his reaction when his old friend Polly is talking about the American woman.

‘She’s a real go-getter. Pear Day was her idea too.’ Polly’s smile broadened. ‘But don’t hate her for that.’

Crispin had the sinking feeling he wouldn’t be capable of hating Ashley for anything. It’d been a long time since he’d allowed himself to be interested in any woman but something about her wouldn’t leave him alone.

So the scene is set and even if you know it isn’t so much ‘will they’ or ‘won’t they’ I hope you’ll come along with them as they search for their own Christmas miracle.

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About the book:

Pairing up at Pear Tree Farm in time for Christmas …

Pear Tree Farm in Cornwall, owned by the kind-hearted Nessa Vivian, is known for taking in lost souls, and ex-soldier Crispin Davies is certainly one of those. But the once sleepy caravan park is now a thriving business, and far from the peace and quiet Crispin was craving, he soon finds himself roped into helping out with a short-notice Christmas festival, organised by Nessa’s force-of-nature sister, Lowena.

But despite Crispin’s initial reluctance, his involvement in the festival serves to throw him together with Ashley Spencer, an American woman and fellow lost soul, who works at the nearby Tregereth House. Could Lowena’s ambitious scheme result in a more hopeful Christmas and New Year for them both – with a few surprises along the way?

Sequel to A Cornish Summer at Pear Tree Farm

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Buying links: 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3B2ItN9 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3pxroqN 

Apple Books: https://apple.co/31zUKfS 

Nook: https://bit.ly/3DugtmW

 About the Author: 

Angela was born in St. Stephen, Cornwall, England. After completing her A-Levels she worked as a Naval Secretary. She met her husband, a US Naval Flight Officer while being based at a small NATO Headquarters on the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark. They lived together in Denmark, Sicily, California, southern Maryland and London before settling in Franklin, Tennessee.

Angela took a creative writing course in 2000 and loved it so much that she has barely put her pen down since. She has had short stories and novels published in the US. Her novel Sugar & Spice, won Choc Lit’s Search for an American Star competition and was her UK debut. 

Follow Angela on Twitter @AngelaBritnell Like Angela on Facebook: Angela Britnell

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#GuestPost LAUGHING ALL THE WAY ON THE JINGLE BELLS EXPRESS by BERNI STEVENS #PublicationDay @ChocLituk @Berni_Stevens1

Hello all!! And it’s my absolute pleasure today to be handing over the Blog to the lovely Berni Stevens as she celebrates publication day for LAUGHING ALL THE WAY ON THE JINGLE BELLS EXPRESS!  Go grab your copy NOW!!
Over to you Berni…

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Release Day: Laughing All the Way on the Jingle Bells Express

Christmas 2020, having been cancelled at the very last minute, was hugely disappointing for most of us. Families were unable to spend the festive holiday together, and so many plans were wrecked as the country went into lockdown, for what turned out to be almost six months. Because of that, I wanted my 2021 Christmas book to be light, amusing, and a lot of fun.

Originally, I’d intended to write the sequel to Izzy’s Christmas Star for this Christmas, but the idea for Laughing All the Way popped into my head unannounced one Spring day. So Izzy’s sequel will be in 2022 instead. As a teenager I was a big Agatha Christie fan, and one of my favourite books of hers was And Then There Were None which is loosely based on an old nursery rhyme. Agatha’s book tells of a ‘perfect crime’ – ten people invited to a house party on a desolate island and all ten are found murdered with no way on or off the island. Well obviously, being Christmas, I couldn’t go around bumping off my characters – I was writing a romcom after all. But I did like the idea of an invitation to something, somewhere, and so the idea started to grow …

I’ve been fascinated for some time by the amount of people in all walks of life, who are constantly on their phones – wherever they may be. How they don’t tumble off station platforms, trains, buses and even out of cars, I have no idea. People don’t appear to have conversations any more – well obviously they do on Zoom, Teams, FaceTime and all kinds of social media – but actually face to face in the same room. Even people in restaurants are constantly peering at their phones, taking photos of their food and themselves, rather than actually enjoying each other’s company (And yes, I do it myself sometimes too).

Laughing All the Way is a story about a group of twenty and thirty-somethings who receive an invitation to go on a festive train ride the week before Christmas. If you received such an invitation – would you go? This is their story, and I hope you do laugh all the way through it. And I promise nobody gets murdered.

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About the Book:

If you received a mysterious invitation for a fun-filled festive train ride the week before Christmas, would you go?

When teacher Dee Nicholls receives her invitation, she isn’t sure what to make of it. Surely it’s some kind of joke to get her out of bed early on a weekend? Perhaps a clever festive marketing ploy?

But as the Christmas countdown begins, it becomes clear that Dee isn’t the only “Jingle Bells Express” invitee. There are other people out there who have received the same invitation: Tom the intern, Rachel the aspiring writer, Dylan the musician and his dog Muttley – and they’re not the only ones!

Could the unusual festive journey they eventually take together show them all the true meaning of Christmas, and also that happiness is sometimes right in front of you – if you just take the time to look?

Book links: 

Kindle UK: https://amzn.to/3qPAnpL 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3HvSp6e 

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3lIGskL 

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3csVZ2L

About the Author:

Berni Stevens lives in a four-hundred-year-old cottage in Hertfordshire, England, with her husband, son and black cat. She trained in graphic design and has worked as a book cover designer for more than twenty years.

Books and art remain her passion, and her love of the paranormal began when she first read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, aged fourteen. She is now on both the committee and the book panel of the Dracula Society, a society for fans of gothic literature and film.

Berni writes contemporary and fantasy romance.

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#GuestPost CHRISTMAS AT SERENITY BAY by HELEN BRIDGETT #PublicationDay @ChocLituk @Helen_Bridgett

Hello!!  Time for another fabulous guest post from the lovely Helen Bridgett today to help celebrate the publication day for CHRISTMAS AT SERENITY BAY!!  Go grab your copy right NOW!!!

Over to you Helen….

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Hi there and thanks for inviting me back to talk about Christmas at Serenity Bay.

What’s the story about? Well, it’s a good old romantic comedy to warm the cockles at Christmas!

In Summer at Serenity Bay, we met our cast of characters for the first time. Chloe, a location scout, had just moved up to the village to help her best friend Rowan develop a wellness retreat. Before long Chloe fell in love with both the village and Andy, the local kayak instructor. So she stayed and is now building a career turning Serenity Bay into a prime location for TV and film shoots.

In this book, Serenity is playing host to the cast and crew of a cozy crime series – The Montgomery Mysteries. It’s a show very much like Midsommer Murders where improbable things happen in a very small place and I have to confess that I had such a laugh writing this novel. There’s a crime solving Labrador for a start! And for Maggie – Serenity’s pub landlady – it’s all so exciting. This is her favourite show on TV so she’s determined to feature somehow. She gets the chance when things start to go wrong on set and Maggie turns amateur sleuth to get to the bottom of it.

As well as dealing with all this in the run up to Christmas, Chloe has another problem – one all women will recognise. She simply cannot think of anything to get her man for Christmas. I’ve certainly been there and the issue is made even worse for Chloe because Andy keeps telling her he’s found something perfect. That’s real pressure for you!

Of course it’s all set on the beautiful Northumberland coastline again and this really is very special at Christmas. The sky is a different, moody shade of blue and the sunrises are simply spectacular. The beaches are quiet and simply wonderful to walk before getting home to a cosy sofa and a mug of hot chocolate. We even take a visit to Holy Island in this novel and if you have never been before, then I would heartily recommend it – just remember to check the tide times.

Christmas at Serenity Bay gives you two gentle mysteries to solve, a good laugh and a sprinkling of romance. I think it has that feel-good factor we’re all looking for at the end of the year and I do hope you enjoy it.

Merry Christmas everyone !

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About the Book:

A peaceful Christmas in Serenity Bay? Think again!

Chloe Walsh’s skills as location manager for the beautiful seaside village she calls home have come up trumps again, and Serenity Bay is now the setting for cosy crime drama The Montgomery Mysteries, starring amateur sleuth Dominic Montgomery and his crime-solving dog, Agatha.

But Chloe is in a race against time. Filming has to finish before the village Midwinter Festival but schedules are tight – and a mystery saboteur is intent on slowing things down even further. Not only is Chloe facing problems with the shoot, she also has some personal conundrums to solve – a diva actor has commandeered her flat, her mum is having a late mid-life crisis, plus she has no idea what to buy for her Christmas-obsessed boyfriend!

Can Chloe sort out her life and save Christmas for an entire village?

Book 2 – Serenity Bay. Book 1 – Christmas at Serenity Bay.

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About the Author:

Helen Bridgett lives in the North East of England. Outside of writing feel good fiction, Helen loves the great outdoors and having a good laugh with friends over a glass of wine. Helen lives with her husband and their chocolate Labrador, Angus; all three can often be found walking the Northumberland coastline that inspired Summer at Serenity Bay.

Helen writes romantic comedies and chilling thrillers.

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Buying Links: 

Kindle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Serenity-Bay-heartwarming-feel-good-ebook/dp/B09HSK6RVB 

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/christmas-at-serenity-bay 

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/christmas-at-serenity-bay/id1588910305 

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-at-serenity-bay-helen-bridgett/1140290516?ean=2940162530916

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#GuestPost STRICTLY CHRISTMAS SPIRIT by HELEN BUCKLEY #PublicationDay @ChocLituk @HelenCBuckley

Hello!  Happy Tuesday and Happy Publication Day to STRICTLY CHRISTMAS SPIRIT by  HELEN BUCKLEY!  What a cover!! That glitterball!! I want one!!  
So it’s a pleasure to hand over the blog today to Helen as she shares some thoughts with you all!

Over to you Helen…..

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Release Day: Strictly Christmas Spirit by Helen Buckley

When I was younger, I was obsessed with celebrity gossip. I loved reality TV, and spent hours poring over gossip magazines with friends. I started out with J17 and Smash Hits, devouring information about the bands and singers I loved. Then I moved on to Cosmopolitan, Heat, Now!, Grazia, and Glamour, soaking up the fashion commentary and the celebrity interviews.

But the snippets of information in the glossy pages never felt quite enough for me. I wanted to know more. What was it really like being a famous person? What were they like, and what was the reality behind the headlines?

I have never been famous and I don’t know anyone famous so my guess is as good as yours. But my overactive imagination, coupled with my love of all things romance, led to my Spotlight Series – a series of standalone contemporary romances about love and fame.

All those years spent reading gossip magazines and watching reality TV fed in to the dramatic, thrilling stories I wanted to write. So far I’ve taken inspiration from Dancing on Ice, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, and Strictly Come Dancing to create my Spotlight Series.

Ironically, the time I now spend writing means I barely have time to watch any reality TV, but I try to keep up when I can and often you’ll find me commenting about various aspects of reality TV shows on my blog at buckleybooks.org

Some people might think it strange, to take inspiration from TV shows to write books. But these TV shows bring joy to millions of people every week. I’m just trying to capture a little bit of their magic, drama, and excitement, and put it into book form, with my own unique twist and characters (always fictional!) to root for.

I hope that people will enjoy the stories I write as much as the shows they love to watch on telly.

             Helen’s latest ‘Spotlight’ series book, Strictly Christmas Spirit, is out now!

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About the book:

From disco balls to Christmas baubles …

Ex-dancer Emily Williams turned her back on the sparkle of popular dancing show Strictly Dancing with Celebs to help those in need. Now the only dancing she does is teaching lonely pensioners to waltz, and the closest she gets to disco balls is making baubles with the homeless people in her Christmas crafts class.

She’s certainly not star-struck when Hollywood heart-throb Blake Harris is sent to her at short notice for community service, and has no desire to babysit the arrogant actor with his bad boy antics and selfish ways. Christmas might be a time for miracles, but Blake seems to be a lost cause.

But Emily’s reasons for abandoning her dancing passion means she understands the Hollywood wild child more than she’d like to admit. Could their time together, coupled with a dash of Christmas spirit, lead to a miracle change of heart for them both?

Book 3 in Helen’s Spotlight series but they can all be read as standalone stories.

Buying links: 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3jqLu3O 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3m0ukvI 

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3nh3AGP

About the Author: 

Helen Buckley lives in Bedfordshire with her husband and two sons. After working in the charity sector in the UK and abroad, she turned her hand to writing and her first novel, Star in the Shadows, was published in 2019. She writes any moment that she can, enthralled by stories of fame, romance and happy ever afters. Apart from being addicted to writing and enjoying soft play with her sons, she’s an avid reader, action-movie fan and chocolate addict.

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#GuestPost CHRISTMAS OF NEW BEGINNINGS by KIRSTY FERRY #PublicationDay @ChocLituk @RubyFiction @kirsty_ferry

It’s beginning to feel a lot like … CHRISTMAS!! Hope you’re ready!!  And I’m excited today to be handing over the Blog to the lovely Kirsty Ferry, so she can share some thoughts about her newest book, CHRISTMAS OF NEW BEGINNINGS, on Publication Day!! 
Go grab your copy NOW! And get those festive songs playing!!
Over to you Kirsty..

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RELEASE DAY: Christmas of New Beginnings by Kirsty Ferry

My new book, Christmas of New Beginnings, is new in a couple of ways. It’s the first book in a new series, it’s my first venture into Ruby Fiction, the sister imprint of Choc Lit, and it’s the first romantic comedy I’ve written in first person, entirely from the heroine’s point of view. The heroine in this case is Cerys, who relocates to Padcock, a charming village in the South Downs, and she tells her story over a series of Christmases where we trace her relationship with Sam, the owner of the local pub. We are also introduced to Edie, Cerys’ best friend, who we will meet again in the second book of the series which is due out Summer 2022.

I’d run out of series to write a Christmas book on for this year, as I think I’ve done one for each series now, so I was excited to start something new instead. I wrote the book in the winter lockdowns of 2020 and early 2021, so, as you can imagine, it was sometimes quite difficult to stay upbeat and cheerful while writing; but the good thing was that writing it and escaping to Padcock was a form of self-care and I began to enjoy my forays into Padcock. All the more important, as Christmas 2020 was so disappointing for so many people, I tried to make the Christmases Cerys experienced in Padcock festive and sociable, filled with friends and family. There is no inkling of anything lockdown-related in my book, and deliberately so.

The lovely thing I discovered about writing in first person point of view is that you can really get into the mind of the character and explore all their quirks, flaws and strengths. You can also create an “unreliable narrator”, which is maybe a bit literary and a bit clever for me, but the fun thing with the first person point of view process is that the readers experience everything through the eyes of the narrator and hopefully cheer them on, flaws and all!

I really enjoyed creating the village of Padcock. In my head, as I was writing, I was walking around the streets and knew exactly where everything was and had a real sense of the place. Padcock is very loosely based on Lacock, in Wiltshire. Lacock village is more or less owned by the National Trust and used a location for many television programmes and films. It also has a wonderful stately home called Lacock Abbey which was the home of Henry Fox Talbot who was a photography pioneer. There is a really interesting museum of photography there, and if you, like me, are interested in vintage photos, it’s well worth a visit.

I do hope you enjoy our first visit to Padcock in Christmas of New Beginnings – and that you’ll come back and visit Padcock again next year!

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Not all festive wishes come true right away – sometimes it takes five Christmases …

Folk singer Cerys Davies left Wales for the South Downs village of Padcock at Christmas, desperate for a new beginning. And she ends up having plenty of those: opening a new craft shop-tea room, helping set up the village’s first festive craft fair, and, of course, falling desperately in love with Lovely Sam, the owner of the local pub. It’s just too bad he’s firmly in the clutches of Awful Belinda …

Perhaps Cerys has to learn that some new beginnings take a while to … well, begin! But with a bit of patience, some mild espionage, a generous sprinkling of festive magic and a flock of pub-crashing sheep, could her fifth Christmas in Padcock lead to her best new beginning yet?

Buying links: 

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-New-Beginnings-warming-uplifting-ebook/dp/B09G38ZTV3/

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/christmas-of-new-beginnings/id1586450033

 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/christmas-of-new-beginnings

 Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-of-new-beginnings-kirsty-ferry/1140157522

About the author:

Kirsty Ferry is from the North East of England and lives there with her husband and son. She won the English Heritage/Belsay Hall National Creative Writing competition and has had articles and short stories published in various magazines. Her work also appears in several anthologies, incorporating such diverse themes as vampires, crime, angels and more.

Kirsty loves writing ghostly mysteries and interweaving fact and fiction. The research is almost as much fun as writing the book itself, and if she can add a wonderful setting and a dollop of history, that’s even better.

Her day job involves sharing a building with an eclectic collection of ghosts, which can often prove rather interesting.

Kirsty writes for both Choc Lit and Ruby Fiction.

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