Books Review: Mums Just Wanna Have Fun by Lucie Wheeler

Synopsis:

Meet Nancy...

Single mum Nancy will do anything for her little boy. Jack's autism makes life difficult at times, but she's determined to ensure he lives the best life possible. So, when her best friend Harriet suggests a holiday to Ibiza, Nancy is torn: will Jack cope with the change in routine...will she?

And Harriett...

Workaholic mum Harriet convinces Nancy it's the break they all need. A chance to have some fun with the kids, away from the stresses of normal life. And she's determined to switch off her laptop, ignore her inbox, and just have fun with her kids for seven whole days...

Cocktails and kids' club - what could go wrong?

Ibiza is beautiful, but Jack struggles with everything, Harriet refuses to put her laptop away, and Nancy begins to think she's made a huge mistake. And then Nancy meets Cameron and his young son, Aiden and discovers that sometimes the best fun happens when you least expect it...

Can these two single-mum's swap their mummy guilt for sunglasses and sangria?

My Review!

Not only was I excited to take part in Lucie's blog tour with an author interview (see earlier post here) and thanks to the lovely people at Netgalley I was also able to get my hands on an early copy of this fantastic book!

I enjoyed Lucie's first book 'The First Time Mums Club' so I knew I would be in for a treat! It did not disappoint It was such a fun read about two single mums holidaying in Ibiza. 

Harriett and Nancy have been friends since forever and after a disastrous year for them both, Harriett decides they need a break away and manages to convince Nancy that what she needs is sun, sea and cocktails! 

As the synopsis mentions above, Nancy's little boy Jack has autism. I really liked that Lucie has included this into her story, myself not knowing anyone with autism I found it really interesting understanding how Jack coped in certain situations and environments. I really liked the relationship between mother and son and the way Nancy communicates with him by simply putting her hand on his arm and waiting for him to be ready to speak to her, it was really heart warming to read. You could tell that Lucie has done her research or maybe knows someone with autism, it was a real eye opener for myself. 

My favourite character has to be Harriett, successful business woman and mother to two she is superwoman and has it all under control. (so she would have you believe) but through the book we get to see a different side to Harriett that simply made her human and normal with every day struggles of trying to keep that work life balance. Trying to be the best mother by working all the hours to provide for her children which then results in loosing time to spend with them. 

After a bumpy start to the holiday and with some minor dramas throughout it turns out the holiday is just what the ladies needed and they would be returning with a different outlook to life both wanting to make some positive changes and bringing home some new friendships. 

Well done Lucie on another fantastic read, the book does have a serious message running throughout the background of the storyline however you kept it light hearted, fun including lots of jokes and cocktails along the way. I really hope you included cocktail research while writing this book, Nancy and Harriett I am sure made their way through the whole of the cocktail menu and I must admit I noted down a few to try when I am next out! 

Oh and one more person that we must not forget to mention.. CAMERON...! 

Thank you Lucie for bringing Cameron into my life..! What a gentlemen, such a fun, caring but cheeky character who just fitted into the storyline perfectly. 

I am looking forward to what is next and Lucie Wheeler is definitely an author to watch! 

Buy the book! 

Author Interview with Lucie Wheeler - Mums Just Wanna Have Fun Blog Tour!

Today I am delighted to be taking part on the opening day of Lucie Wheeler's blog tour to celebrate the release of her new book Mums Just Wanna Have Fun which is out now! 

Thanks to the lovely people at Netgalley I was able to have a sneak peek at this little beauty and I LOVED it! Keep your eyes peeled for my review coming soon!

Lucie was kind enough to do a Q&A with me, thank you Lucie for including me on your blog tour and for taking the time to answer my questions!

1. What five words would you use to describe your new book?

Honest, real, stripped, heart-warming and funny.

2. If you were to start your own book club, which authors would you ask to join?

Oh what a fun question! Well, for me, it would be quite a mix of authors actually because I would want the discussions and the chosen reads each meeting to be varied as I love to read so many different types of books. With this in mind I would ask the following authors: 

David Walliams & Tom Fletcher - I love their children's books but equally, I think David would be hilarious and Tom could sing his reviews to us and we would be entertained! 

Giovanna Fletcher - lets face it, we would have all the Fletchers there if we could because they're such a fun bunch! Plus I think Giovanna is such a wonderfully warm person she would bring a lot to the group.

Cecelia Ahern - I love Cecelia and I especially love her YA writing so she can contribute in a YA capacity. Plus I would love to meet her so she would get an invite.

Michael Morpurgo - because I am a little bit in awe of him and, again, I would love to meet him.

And finally, all my Romaniac buddies because we get on so well and I always have a laugh when we get together so they would most definitely be in my book club. Not sure we would get any work done though...

3. Which scene in Mums Just Wanna Have Fun was the most fun to write?

Oh this is hard, because I don't want to give anything away. There were a lot of emotional scenes to write in this book but I did enjoy writing them because I love getting under the skin of my characters and really feeling what they go through. However, it has to be said, scene's between Nancy and Cameron were a lot of fun to write. In particular the flirting scenes. I won't say anymore!

4. What has been your favourite moment of being a published author?

Honestly, there are so many! It is an incredible and unbelievable thing to experience so it is hard to pick just one. Things like seeing my book on Amazon and then on the shelf in Foyles were incredible. As is every single time someone tags me on social media to either say they have read my book or are currently reading it. But if I was to pick just one, I would have to say the moment I gave a signed copy of my very first paperback to my daughter, with a message inside to her. The book was dedicated to her but I added a handwritten note inside her own copy for her to cherish forever and I hope that she will look back on that in years to come and just feel how much I love her. 

5. What does a publication day look like to you? How will you be celebrating?

Well I have only experienced this once before so I don't have a set thing that I do. Last year when The First Time Mums Club came out in eBook, I literally spent all day on social media trying to keep up with all the tweets, messages, shares etc - it becomes quite hectic. But its wonderful because you feel such a buzz! I drank coffee all day and then at dinnertime I popped open a bottle of champagne to toast the day. I then did a Facebook live on my publishers Facebook page and chatted to some readers which was lovely so I hope to do that again this time round. For the paperback release I had a little party at my house for my close friends and family and we partied into the night and my husband gave a lovely little toast. This time round the book actually comes out on the day my daughter returns from her ski trip so i will be sharing my day with spending time with her so it will be half spent on social media and half spent with her. I am going to try and do a live video in the evening too on one of my social medias. 

Thanks so much for having me on the blog - I hope you enjoyed Mums Just Wanna Fun!

You can buy Mums Just Wanna Have Fun now!

Synopsis:

Meet Nancy…

Single mum Nancy will do anything for her little boy. Jack’s autism makes life difficult at times, but she’s determined to ensure he lives the best life possible. So, when her best friend Harriet suggests a holiday to Ibiza, Nancy is torn: will Jack cope with the change in routine…will she?

And Harriet…

Workaholic mum Harriet convinces Nancy it’s the break they all need. A chance to have some fun with the kids, away from the stresses of normal life. And she’s determined to switch off her laptop, ignore her inbox, and just have fun with her kids for seven whole days…

Cocktails and kids’ club – what could go wrong?Ibiza is beautiful, but Jack struggles with everything, Harriet refuses to put her laptop away, and Nancy begins to think she’s made a huge mistake. And then Nancy meets Cameron and his young son, Aiden and discovers that sometimes the best fun happens when you least expect it..

Can these two single-mum's swap their mummy guilt for sunglasses and sangria?

Author Bio

Lucie lives in Essex with her husband, daughter and her English Bull Terrier, Dame, who loves to sit under her desk as she writes and keep her feet warm. Never one to sit still, she always has lots going on in her life at any one time. Currently she is writing her novels alongside studying for a degree.

As a graduate of The London School of Journalism and one eighth of the writing group. The Romaniacs, Lucie is passionate about writing and continues to source new opportunities to share her words with the world. 

In 2013, Lucie won a New Talent Award at The Festival of Romance and is now represented by literary agent, Kate Nash. Lucie occasionally blogs both on her own website at www.luciewheeler.co.uk and with The Romaniacs at www.theromaniacs.co.uk. She also vlogs over on her YouTube channel.

You can also find Lucie spending too much time on social media! She loves to connect with her readers though, so do pop by and say hello to her! She can be found on:

Facebook:http://bit.ly/LucieWheelerFacebook
Instagram:http://bit.ly/LucieWheelerInstagram
Twitter:http://bit.ly/LucieWheelerTwitter
Website:http://bit.ly/LucieWheelerWebsite
YouTube:http://bit.ly/LucieWheelerYouTube

She loves reading, spending time with friends and eating chocolate - when she gets to do all three, she's a very happy lady!

Check out the other stops on the Mums Just Wanna Have Fun Blog Tour!

Book Review: This Could Change Everything by Jill Mansell

Synopsis:

If only Essie hadn't written that letter - the one that went viral...

On the one hand, if Essie hadn't written that letter - the one that only her best friend was meant to see - then she'd still be living like an actual proper grown-up, tucked up with Paul in his picture-perfect cottage, maybe even planning their wedding...

On the other hand (if her true feelings hadn't accidently taken the internet by storm, that is) she wouldn't have moved into the attic flat on the square. She would never have met Conor. Or got to know Lucas.

And she wouldn't have found herself falling in love with someone she really, really shouldn't fall in love with...

My Review!

Stored away on my phone is a lit of ALL the books by Jill Mansell and I have made it my mission to read them all! I currently have 13 books waiting ever so patiently to be read and a part of me wants to rush through them all but a little part of me likes that I still have 13 brilliant books to be opened and 13 lots of fab characters who I will instantly love. 

Jill Mansell is back and she never disappoints! When I noticed her book was sitting at my local library waiting for someone to pick it up I raced down there and grabbed it! The only negative I have is that the book is hardback which can sometimes feel like a mini weight lifting session carrying it on my commute to work but the story is totally worth it. I love my kindle but sometimes you just need a proper book in your hands... am I right?!

Remember at Christmas time when your parents would send and receive 'round-robin' letters typically included in Christmas card's and posted around the world to family and friends. A letter where the owner details all the events and news for them and their nearest and dearest throughout the past year.

Essie and her friend Scarlett decide to create their own 'round-robin' and send one to each other, what could possibly go wrong?.. Well, a lot in Essie's case when the round-robin describing her mother in law as a dragon (whoops!) is sent out by mistake, going viral to her whole address book including her fiancée and mother in law, concluding to Essie loosing her fiancée, home and job!

So poor Essie, after her truthful (but funny) words were released into the world she found herself looking for a new home and job, here enters Zillah! Wow what a character truly glamorous, wise, thoughtful and kind. Zillah doesn't like to live alone after her husband sadly passed away so she rents out rooms in her house and decides to give Essie a break, letting her live in the attic flat for cheap rent in exchange for help with her grocery runs.. 

Here starts Essie on her new journey making new friends and maybe some love interests along the way! Essie soon discovers there is more to life than Sunday morning vacuuming session's with Paul!

I adored this book (like any other of Jill's) yes the storylines are sometimes predictable but I love the little twists and turns along the way and the happy endings which leave you turning the last page with a warm glow and a smile on your face.

Another brilliant read!

Buy the book! 

Book Review: My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

Synopsis:

Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed.

Ok, so the truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn't really hers.

But one day her dreams are bound to come true, aren't they?

Until her not-so-perfect life comes, crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie's hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business.

Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams - or try to get her job back? Does Demeter - the woman who has everything - actually have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have move in common then it seems.

And what's wrong with not-so-perfect, anyway? 

My Review:

I absolutely loved this book, so good that I read it within a few days! Sophie Kinsella always delivers and this is another fab read from her. 

We meet Katie 'Cat' Brenner originally from Somerset now trying to make it in London, her Instagram feed might show a fabulous lifestyle but in fact her life is far from it. Katie has always wanted to live in London so living in a tiny room with only a hammock as storage, a nightmare of a commute to a job where she feels invisible with a demanding boss is all totally worth it to live out her dream of living in London. 

All the negatives seem worth it when things start to look up and Katie is invited out for social work drinks, she asserts herself and gets to join a team meeting and she meets Alex who is one of the partners in the company. However the positive times don't seem to last when her boss Demeter fires her as her role is no longer needed. 

Katie struggles to find another job so she decides to head back home to Somerset to help her Dad and Step Mum (Biddy) with their new Glamping business. I loved everything about Ansters Farm Country Retreat, It felt so real that I really wanted to go, I wanted to stay in a yurt, take part in willow weaving, taste Biddy's home made scones and come home with some personalised soap.

Then one of the families staying at the farm is Demeter along with her husband, son and daughter. Katie struggles to hold back her feelings and stay professional, does she take her revenge or does she try to get her job back? I won't spoil this as the plot is brilliant and had me laughing out loud! Just to top things off Alex also makes a reappearance... (Loved Alex and how well they got on together..) 

I am very grateful to Sophie for bringing Alex into our lives as he sounds like a right hottie! 

I wouldn't say this book is a love story or a romance but it is much more than that. We always think we know more about the people that surround us but sometimes it is very easy to hide behind social media and people's lives aren't always the fairy tale you think it is. 

Thank you Sophie for another fantastic read it really lifted my mood from start to end. 

Buy the book!

Book Review: Izzy As Is by Tracie Banister

Synopsis:

The party is over for bikini model Izzy Alvarez. For six years she’s made a good living by flaunting her God-given assets on runways and in front of cameras, but now as she approaches the big 3-0, the bodacious Latina is shocked to learn she’s aged out of the profession that’s kept her in mojitos, mani/pedis, and designer thongs. What’s a girl with a taste for the finer things in life and no marketable skills to do?

Getting a regular job is too boring to even consider, so Izzy decides to follow in the footsteps of her newly-engaged frenemy and become a trophy wife. Although she’s desperate and too broke to get a chipped nail fixed, Izzy still has standards for her future husband, which means no uggos, no vertically-challenged guys, and no geezers who need to pop a blue pill to perform in the bedroom. Enlisting the aid of her computer whiz nephew and her closest pals, Izzy goes on the prowl for a rich, marriage-minded man, encountering likely candidates in a lot of unlikely places.

The high life she’s dreamed of may be within reach when Izzy meets a charming, successful man who’s not only hotter than a steamy summer night in Miami, but ready to settle down. Now all Izzy has to do is make sure her loud, crazy Cuban family doesn’t scare off el hombre perfecto—oh, yeah, and squelch those pesky, romantic feelings she keeps having for the sweet, cash-strapped guy she's known forever.

Will Izzy’s hunger for money win out, or will her fiery heart demand to be heard?

My Review!

This is the first book I have read by Tracie Banister, I always love to try out and read from different authors. This book is your typical easy read chick lit story and it should be enjoyed while sunbathing round a swimming pool in a warm location!

This book is all about Izzy Alvarez who is nearing 30 years of age and a bikini model. I couldn't stand Izzy unfortunately she was very self centred and she kept making stupid decisions which made me have to stop reading just to calm myself down.. If I could climb into the book and slap her I would have!

Izzy knows nothing but modelling, so after being told that she was nearing the age where modelling jobs were passing her by to younger models she decides to find herself a rich husband to keep herself in designer clothes and spa treatments. Here starts the bad decisions... and breathe..!

I did laugh at some of the dates she went on, they were just disasters straight from the start but she was determined to find her new (rich) husband.

She soon meets Eduardo who is very charming, good looking and of course well off, things between them do seem great to begin with however as the days past I noticed that their relationship wasn't working out and all the money in the world wouldn't solve a relationship when love is not involved. Here I came to see that maybe money isn't everything to Izzy and that having companionship with someone you love would be more important.

Although Izzy was outspoken and feisty she did have a heart of gold and this was displayed a lot with her family and friends. The whole family came across as being really close especially Izzy and her sister Pilar, I did like to see this side of Izzy especially when she helped to arrange her nieces birthday party. 

I see that Pilar has her own story and although I will now know the end of the story I am interested in reading Tracie's other books to understand the family and to find more on Izzy through someone else's perspective.

Thank you Tracie for a great read! 

Buy the book! 

Book Review: A Year of Being Single by Fiona Collins

Synopsis:

Three friends. One year. Absolutely no men...

Imogen is supposed to be on the most romantic weekend of her life and instead she's quickly realised that her current boyfriend definitely isn't 'The One' and actually One Big Mistake.

Frankie is fed up. Fed up of her good-for-nothing husband and her four, unappreciative children. Well, they hardly notice her anyway, maybe it's time to shake it up a little....

Grace thought she had the perfect life. Gorgeous little boy and perfect, hardworking husband. Or rather, she did, until she realised her husband was shagging his 'work'.

These single ladies don't need to put a ring on it... right?

My Review!

First off who doesn't like an easy fun read about friendship!? Secondly who doesn't love Beyoncé's 'Single ladies'?! I know I had this song in my mind throughout the whole time I read this book!!

Imogen, Frankie and Grace are best friends who live down the same street. The chapter's are written by each of the ladies point of view, I always enjoy reading these types of books, I feel you get to know the characters so much more. However I am a little slow getting into them just while I remember who is who!

On the same day they all let out silent screams, they have had enough of their current relationships and decide a change is needed.

Their relationships are all very different but they are not happy and had enough of men so they agree to make a pact and stay single for a whole year... Easy right?!

We first meet Imogen who was on a romantic weekend in Paris with her boyfriend (Dave), successful career in her early 40's she is not having much luck in finding the one and Dave is most definitely not it. She decides to take action and finishes the relationship as soon as they return to London. 

Frankie has had enough of her husband and four children, for a break away from Rob and the kids she buy's one night hotel stays to relax and binge watch TV. Frankie feels taken for granted and decides she wants peaceful weekends instead of clearing up after everyone. She asks her husband Rob to leave.

Grace, poor Grace... I really felt sorry for her, she was the only one who was happy in her relationship until she found a text message on her husband's (James) phone from another woman and finds out he has been cheating on her. 

As soon as they made the deal with each other I did think it wouldn't be long until a man showed up.. As they say things always happen to people when they are not looking for it, they also say that the grass is sometimes not any greener!! 

Being an Essex girl myself I really loved this book and reading all the places mentioned throughout, 'Hylands House' and 'Romford Dogs'! It just made it that little bit easier to imagine the street they lived on and the places they visited.

The story follows the lives of the three women however as you can imagine over the months they struggle to stay single and they each end up getting involved with new men they have met. (hot new men to add!) Being best friends they share everything however as none of them wanted to be the one who broke the deal they start to keep secrets from each other and they become distant. I wasn't too keen on how much they were drifting apart in just a few months.

I did wonder at times whether they would stay single for the whole year or whether they would find love. I did agree with the ending it was a perfect way to end for the three friends. Great book by Fiona! Looking forward to reading many more!

Buy the book! 

Book Review: It Started With A Tweet' by Anna Bell

Synopsis:

Daisy Hobson lives her whole life online. But when her social media obsession causes her to make a catastrophic mistake at work, Daisy finds her life going into free-fall . . . 

Her sister Rosie thinks she has the answer to all of Daisy's problems - a digital detox in a remote cottage in Cumbria. Soon, too, Daisy meets a welcome distraction there in Jack, the rugged man-next-door.

But can Daisy, a London girl, ever really settle into life in a tiny, isolated village? 

And, more importantly, can she survive without her phone? 

My Review!

I really enjoyed this book, I have read quite a few of Anna Bell's books and they are always a joy to read, perfect for holidays! (Awww holidays... is it Summer yet?!)

This book is right up my street as like the main character Daisy I am ALWAYS on my phone, checking my Instagram feed like it's the morning paper! 

Daisy a 30 year old Marketing Manager living with her friend, Erica in London is obsessed with every type of social media going, she lives her life through her twitter page and trying to find 'The One' through Tinder or even LinkedIn!

Part of Daisy's job is looking after her company's Twitter page and like the synopsis states her social media obsession is the cause of her getting fired so you can imagine what happened! Whoops! After another disastrous date she overhears a conversation between Erica and her boyfriend wanting more space and wanting Daisy to move out.

So after being jobless and most probably homeless her sister Rosie comes to her rescue when she suggests that Daisy needs time out and a break from technology, she manages to persuade Daisy to take a trip to a digital detox centre in a quiet village in Cumbria.

No social media, no internet, no signal... and after Rosie sends their phones down an old well Daisy worries how she will cope without being able to swipe to her hearts content, knowing nothing of the outside world and that the Tupperware box the phones are in might leak!

It was nice to see the relationship between Daisy and Rosie, knowing that they were never very close when they were young, I liked that you see them bond and help each other out. 

I love that Daisy went back to basics and started putting pen to paper instead of updating her Twitter page, sending letters to Erica to keep her updated on the digital detox life and the two hot men in the village..

That's right no little village in the middle of nowhere is complete without not one but two hot men nearby! Enter Alexis, a French exchange and Jack the hot guy from next door!

Hands down Jack is my favourite character, he is gorgeous, kind, genuine, funny and the fact that he writes letters to her just pushed him straight to the front of the queue for most 'loveable fictional male' and believe me the queue is massive!!

The last few chapters had me guessing so I ended up reading until gone 1am just to find out what happened, I LOVE when books do that. I really liked the way this book ended, it was perfect how everything came together and it left me smiling.

I cannot wait for another book from Anna Bell!

Buy the Book!  

Book Review: This Charming Man by Marian Keyes

Synopsis:

Lola has just found out that her boyfriend - charismatic politician Paddy de Courcy - is getting married. To someone else. Heartbroken, Lola flees the city for a cottage by the sea. But will Lola's retreat prove as idyllic as she hopes?

Journalist Grace wants the inside story on Paddy de Courcy's engagement and thinks Lola holds the key to it. Grace knew Paddy a long time ago. But why can't she forget him?

Grace's sister, Marnie, might have the answer but she also has issues with the past. Her loving loving husband and beautiful daughters are wonderful, but they can't take away memories of her first love: a certain Paddy de Courcy. What will it take for Marnie to be able to move on?

Alicia Thornton is Paddy's wife-to-be. Determined to be the perfect wife, Alicia would do anything for her fiancée. But does she know the real Paddy?

Four very different women. One awfully charming man. And the dark secret that binds them all...

My Review!

Urgh... I really don't know where to start with this review...! I love Marian Keyes books but I felt really disappointed by this one. I really struggled with this book, taking me just over 2 weeks to finish it but determined I was! 

I have been looking forward to reading this book for a while and when reading the synopsis I thought it was going to be pure chick lit but I was totally wrong, I was not prepared for what this book had in store for me. Paddy de Courcy.. Charming man.. I think not!!

One of my pet peeves is the size of the chapters, the first chapter consisted of over 70 pages (wow I know!) When life intervenes and I have to stop reading for a little while I always always like to finish a chapter off, it just never feels right to stop mid chapter (it's like stopping someone speaking mid sentence) but I had to do this constantly due to the size of them!

The first chapter was the hardest to get through, we got to know Lola who is a stylist and the girlfriend of Paddy. Lola had just found out that he was now engaged to someone else 'Alicia Thornton'. Lola's chapters were written like a diary and the grammar was very poor and the writing style was not to my taste which made it difficult for me to get into the story.

Poor Lola really had been kicked to the kerb by her boyfriend so she gets away to Knockavoy where she meets lots of new friends and gets herself into some interesting situations! My jaw dropped on a few occasions while reading Lola's story.

Grace is a journalist who lives with her boyfriend Damien, thankfully the writing style was much more Marian's usual flow. Grace is very close to her parents and her aunt who is currently battling cancer. Poor Grace wasn't having a good time due to her car being stolen and she somehow had been hurt with bruising on her face although we don't find out what happened to her until the very end!

Grace is requested personally by Alicia to interview her for the engagement shoot which she does. You soon realise they know each other from when they were younger and you can clearly see there is no love lost between the two. 

Marnie is the twin sister to Grace and she lives away in London with her husband Nick and her two daughters. Her first love was Paddy and throughout the book you get to know more about their toxic relationship when they were young. Marnie you could tell was a very downhearted person who seemed to be trying to keep her head above water and not sink further into depression. 

Alicia who is newly engaged to Paddy is the one woman we don't get to know all that well, we only get to hear from her on only a few occasions.

We know she has connections with both Grace and Marnie, and that she has been married before to an older man who passed away. I got the feeling that there was no love between Alicia and Paddy and that the engagement was more of a business deal.

All four women have one thing in common, they all seemed to have either a past or present with the charming, controlling, abusive politician that is known as Paddy de Courcy. 

I'm glad I stuck with it, it has a good plot and the characters were believable, but I did struggle with the long chapters and some of the switches from past to present.

It's one of those books where you finish the last page however the characters stay with you for a little while longer, especially Alicia... I felt her story wasn't finished off unlike the others.

I would recommend this book but I would stick a giant warning post to it so people are aware it's no light hearted chick lit book about 4 women all falling in hopeless love with a charming lovely man! 

Buy the Book! 

Book Review: From Notting Hill with Love.... Actually by Ali McNamara

Synopsis:

She was just a girl, standing in front of a boy . . . wishing he looked more like Hugh Grant.

Scarlett loves the movies. But does she love sensible fiancé David just as much? With a big white wedding on the horizon, Scarlett really should have decided by now . . . 

When she has the chance to house-sit in Notting Hill - the setting of one of her favourite movies - Scarlett jumps at the chance. But living life like a movie is trickier than it seems, especially when her new neighbour Sean is so irritating. And so irritatingly handsome, too.

Scarlett soon finds herself starring in a romantic comedy of her very own: but who will end up as the leading man?

My Review!

This book has been sitting patiently on my 'to be read' pile for a while now, so I was so pleased to finally get to read it. I LOVE the title of this book, this is the first book in a 3 part series (the title's of the next two books are also fab!)

The main character in this book is Scarlett who I warmed to immediately, she is obsessed with the movies and who can blame her! When we first meet Scarlett she has just arrived in Notting Hill and being 'movie mad' she starts to compare her surroundings with the films she loves. 

Here is where she meets Oscar, they hit it off straight away and you get to know more about her and why she is in London. 

Scarlett shares a cinema popcorn machine business with her father, so we can see why she is so cinema mad, she is engaged to David who sounds very sensible and boring and then there is her best friend Maddie. 

Maddie, David and her father think that Scarlett is too obsessed with the movies so she decides to take a break from it all and house sit in London.

I was not a fan of David, he sounded so stuffy and to be honest a right bore, I didn't feel that he suited Scarlett and didn't share her love for all things movies.

However, stand aside David because here we meet Sean Bond... (Yay!) 

Sean was Scarlett's new next door neighbour, his sister Ursula was Oscar's friend so we see quite a lot of Sean throughout.

Sean and Scarlett attend a wedding together in Glasgow and you start to see the great chemistry they have together.

As well as the love triangle the book takes a different turn and we find out that Scarlett doesn't know her mother and soon possibilities start to open up to try and find her, this leads Scarlett and Sean travelling to Paris and back where they grow closer. 

Scarlett is confused on whether David is still the right choice for her or whether she has developed feelings for Sean. Everything comes to a head and Scarlett has to make some choices, will she marry David and does she find her mum...

I did enjoy this book, some of the movie comparison's and quote's were quite corny at times but it's ok... 'I'm looking for corny in my life...' (oh lord now I'm quoting Kate Winslet in 'The Holiday'!)

I am looking forward to reading the sequel to this 'From Notting Hill to New York... Actually '

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Book Review: How to Stuff Up Christmas by Rosie Blake

Synopsis:

Eve is heartbroken after discovering her fiance is cheating on her. Being surrounded by the joys of Christmas is more than Eve can bear, so she chooses to avoid the festivities by spending Christmas alone on a houseboat in Pangbourne. Eve gets gets an unexpected seasonal surprise when handsome local vet Greg comes to her rescue one day, and continues to visit Eve's boat on a mission to transform her from Kitchen Disaster Zone to Culinary Queen. 

But where does Greg keep disappearing to? What does Eve's best friend Daisy know that she isn't telling? And why is there an angry goose stalking Eve's boat? 

My Review!

Ok, I know it's January, the Christmas music is no longer playing in all the shops and the Christmas decorations are down and packed away in the loft, (sob!) no more eating chocolate for breakfast and binge watching your favourite festive films but who says you cannot keep reading Christmas books!? I say festive reads are for life.. Not just for Christmas!

This is my first book for 2018 and also my first book by Rosie Blake. I really enjoyed this book and so happy knowing that I have a few of her books lined up in my 'to be read' pile.

This book focuses on two characters, Eve and Greg. Each chapter changes between them both which I really love in a book. I found that some scenes are repeated but I really like to read both the female and male point of view.

I really liked the character Eve, who works at an Estate Agents with her best friend Daisy. Eve is heartbroken after finding out that her fiancé (Liam) cheated on her. After a messy breakup, arguing over the parental rights to their dog (Marmite) and it nearing Christmas (a year ago since Liam proposed, them wearing matching Christmas jumpers in their love bubble) she decides to put herself on a pottery course and take herself and Marmite to stay on a houseboat in Pangbourne for a few weeks in December. 

You meet Greg who is the local Vet at Pangbourne, straight away he comes across as such a loveable male character. After coming to Eve's rescue on the boat they soon hit it off, I wanted to jump into the book give Eve a big hug and tell her to forget loser Liam and yay to Greg! Greg visits Eve many times on her boat, and after reading his side of a scene you know he deliberately goes her way on the off chance of running into her. (awwww!)

Eve is a terrible cook, usually letting Liam do all the cooking during dinner parties and after food poisoning her friends she decides to try again and learn how to cook on the houseboat, with Greg's help she becomes more confident, baking lots of Christmas goodies. I loved that some chapter's of the book started with a different recipe with all things Christmassy, Christmas cookies, fruit loaf and Christmas pudding! Yum!

Although some things aren't what they seem, Greg keeps having to disappear and Daisy is acting strange keeping something back from Eve. This book kept me guessing right until the end, I did try to guess a few times, convinced I knew the truth and getting it wrong, so the last few chapters I was gripped!

This is a must read whatever the season! I really hope Rosie Blake brings out a follow on from this one, would love to catch up with all the characters! 

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