Book Review: Love Heart Lane by Christie Barlow

Synopsis:

Welcome to Love Heart Lane…

When Flick Simons returns to the cosy village of Heartcross she only expected to stay for a few days. The white-washed cottages of Love Heart Lane might be her home, but the place holds too many painful memories, and of one man in particular – Fergus Campbell.

When a winter storm sweeps in, the only bridge connecting the village to the main land is swept away. As the villagers pull together, Flick finds herself welcomed back by the friends she once left behind. And as the snow begins to melt, maybe there is a chance that Fergus’s heart will thaw too…

My Review:

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for allowing me to read and review this wonderful story by the amazing Christie Barlow.  Ahhhh my squishy heart is all full of love for this book right now!  

The book cover is a welcome delight to gaze at during these cold winter months! I am a huge fan of Christie's books and without even reading the synopsis I just knew straight away I was in for a treat.

The story features Flick who after hearing some sad news decides it's time to return to her home village of Heartcross situated in the Scottish Highlands.  The journey to Heartcross for Flick is an awful one through a winter storm and waiting on the other side of the bridge to the village are painful memories that Flick would rather not face especially one man in particular, Fergus Campbell.

As a reader we are not aware of Flick's past and the pain that comes with visiting Heartcross but it soon becomes clear and it just made me warm to Flick so much more.  I really liked the character of Fergus too, a quiet and mysterious character but you could totally tell that behind the barriers he puts up deep down there is a soft, caring and loveable side to him.

After a destructing winter storm which passes through the village causing chaos and leaving behind a broken swept away bridge that connects the village to the main land.  The villagers have to work together to ration food and keep morale up while they wait for help in the form of a temporary bridge to be constructed.

Flick uses this distraction to help her settle back into village life making new friends and mending past friendships that she left behind when she moved to London.  When the snow disappears and it's time for Flick to leave her homely village again, does she want to and will she?

I absolutely adore this story, I love Christie's fabulous writing and how she can make you feel so involved in village life and have you feeling like have known the characters forever.
I enjoyed all the little twists and heart warming moments.

This is most definitely one of those books that you rush through to get to the end and before you know it you are there but you haven't mentally prepared yourself for the story to end and leave the village and all the lovely people there but it's ok because we can return to Heartcross real soon in Christie's next instalment 'Foxglove Farm' YAY! I am counting down the days for this and June cannot come quick enough!

  

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Blog Tour Book Review: Only When it's Love: Holding Out For Mr Right by Olivia Spring

Synopsis:

Alex’s love life is a disaster. Will accepting a crazy dating challenge from her friend lead to more heartbreak or help her find Mr Right?

Alex is tired of getting ghosted and dumped. After years of disastrous relationships that started and ended in the bedroom, Alex is convinced she’s destined to be eternally single. Then her newly married friend Stacey recommends an approach she followed from a self-help book guaranteeing Alex true love in just seven steps. Sounds simple, right? 

Except Alex soon discovers that each step is more difficult than the last and one of the rules involves dating, but not sleeping with a guy for six months. Absolutely no intimate contact whatsoever. Zero. Nada. Rien. A big challenge for Alex, who has never been one to hold back from jumping straight into the sack, hoping it will help a man fall for her. 

Join Alex on her roller coaster romantic journey as she tries to cope with the emotional and physical ups and downs of dating, whilst following a lengthy list of rigid rules.

Will any guys be willing to wait? Will Alex find her Mr Right? And if she does, will she be strong enough to resist temptation and hold out for true love?

Only When It’s Love is a standalone, fun, feel-good, romantic comedy about self-acceptance, determination, love and the challenge of finding the one.

My Review:

Welcome to my stop on the jam packed Blog Tour for Olivia Spring’s second novel ‘Only when it’s Love’.  Also a HUGE Thank you to Olivia for asking me to join the Blog Tour and for an early sneak peak at this fab read!

This is a story about a lady called Alex, a very true to life story I am sure. Full of humour, friendship and love including and not forgetting all the dodgy dates in between…! I guess like that saying goes you always have to kiss a few frogs before you meet your prince!

If you look up on Google for the term Ghosting or Ghosted, in the world of dating it suggests a breaking off of a relationship (often an intimate relationship) by ceasing all communication and contact with the former partner without any apparent warning or justification, as well as ignoring the former partners attempts to reach out or communicate. Ruthless but this goes on frequently and for poor Alex this is her current situation.

Alex has had enough of being someone’s bootie call (and yes.. I’m now singing the All Saints hit ‘Bootie Call’ while I type this..! Ha!) So turning to her newly married friend Stacey who gives to her some words of wisdom and a self help book, Stacey guarantees Alex will find her true love in just seven steps… easy peasy lemon squeezy!... Or will it be?!

After reading the book cover to cover and getting over the fact that there will be no coitus, boinking, getting busy and certainly no Bow-chick-a-wow-wow moments under any certain terms for six whole months Alex is determined to start her new search for Mr Right!

Of course I won’t spoil the story on whether Alex finds her dream man but you sure will be entertained throughout the journey! I really liked the character of Alex, very true to life and written so well that I could totally picture her being in my friendship circle! The highlight was noticing a past character from Olivia’s first novel (The Middle-Aged Virgin) Roxy pops up on a few occasions as Alex’s cousin and if you have read The Middle-Aged Virgin you will know that Roxy isn’t afraid to say what’s on her mind.

Such a flipping fab fun filled read… Wow lots of F’s! But totally needed for this! Olivia is an author to watch for sure. With the right mix of romance and comedy this is the perfect read and at an eBook bargain price of 99p at the moment you can’t afford to miss out!

Make sure to purchase today!

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Don't forget to check out the other stops on this fab Blog Tour!

Author Bio

Olivia Spring is a London-based writer of contemporary women's fiction, sexy chick lit and romantic comedy. Her debut novel 'The Middle-Aged Virgin' was released in July 2018.

Olivia's uplifting debut novel deals with being newly single in your thirties and beyond, dating, relationships, love, sex and living life to the full.

When she's not making regular trips to Italy to indulge in pasta, pizza and gelato, Olivia can be found at her desk, keenly pursuing her new career as an author whilst consuming large bowls of her mum's delicious apple crumble and custard.

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Book Review: Love Punked by Nia Lucas

Synopsis:

When her life is irrevocably altered by a post-Rave tryst on her mother's floral patio recliner, Erin Roberts’ long-standing relationship with Humiliation takes her down a path that's not so much 'less well trodden', more 'perilous descent down sheer cliffs'.

Armed with a fierce devotion to her best friend and the unrequited love for the boy she might have accidentally married at age seven, when Erin falls pregnant at sixteen, life veers off at a most unexpected tangent.

Her journey to adulthood is far from ordinary as Erin learns that protecting the hearts of those most precious to you isn't balm enough when your Love Punked heart is as sore as your freshly tattooed arse.

Whilst raising football prodigies and trying not to get stuck in lifts with Social Work clients who hate her, Erin discovers that sometimes you have to circumnavigate the globe to find the very thing that was there all along.

My Review:

I was very fortunate to be asked by Nia Lucas to read and review 'Love Punked'.  

Slightly different to my usual reads, however after reading the synopsis I was intrigued and wanted to read more!

Blimey! I was gripped! Constantly trying to fit in a few pages where I could...  This read is highly addictive, down to earth and very funny and although it is based on a very serious subject of Teen pregnancy the humour and one liners Nia brings to the story is simply faultless.  Lets just say I cannot look at an Argos patio recliner in the same way! Ha!

I warmed to Erin immediately, loyal, trustworthy, dependable.  Erin is the type of friend that every girl should have.  I loved reading the story from her point of view, a young sixteen year old growing into an independent young lady and mother.  I also loved the closeness she had with her family and the support she received from them was heart warming.

Going back to the fantastic writing of Nia, this book was a rollercoaster of emotions, some pages would have me howling in laughter but at other times the story would turn a 360 and have me nearly in tears.  Loved also the references to the 90's they made me chuckle and cringe at the same time! Some of the outfit choices! What was the 90's thinking! Ha!

I remember feeling desperate by the end of the book wanting to get through the pages to find out how it ended and what lay ahead for Erin.  I wasn't disappointed though, I absolutely loved the ending and it left me with a huge smile on my face.  I really hope Nia brings out a follow up to Erin and the whole gang, I still think about the characters and often wonder what they are up to now. 

Thank you Nia for asking me to read your wonderful book I very much enjoyed it!

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