Blog Tour Book Review: Notting Hill in the Snow by Jules Wake

Synopsis:
It's mayhem in Bethlehem…unless they can work together!

Viola Smith plays the viola in an orchestra (yes really!), but this year she's been asked to stretch her musical talents to organising Notting Hill's local nativity.
Nate Williams isn't looking forward to Christmas but as his small daughter, Grace, has the starring role in the show, he's forced to stop being a Grinch and volunteer with Viola.

With the sparks between them hotter than the chestnuts roasting in Portobello market, Nate and Viola can't deny their feelings. And as the snow starts to fall over London, they find themselves trapped together in more ways than one…

My Review:

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour for Jules Wake's newest read 'Notting Hill in the Snow'. I love a Jules Wake book, her writing style engages me from the first page until the very last sentance.

This story focuses mainly on Viola Smith, Viola, a kind and thoughtful soul who works at the London Metropolitan Opera Company playing in the orchestra with none other than the viola! Yep that's right!

After being asked to help with a local school nativity play through a Primary School outreach progrm and not being able to say no (which you end up finding out happens a lot!) It's not long before she meets Nate Williams, a lawyer and a governor at the same school, also father to Grace who attends the school and is part of the nativity.

Nate is struggling, balancing working full time as well as being a father and wanting to give Grace the best Christmas and it's not long before Viola is offering to help. It soon becomes clear just how selfless Viola is, putting everyone first but herself. With such a demanding family being pulled from all angles and called upon by everyone. There were a few occasions where I felt angry on Viola's behalf, her family just didn't seem to respect her, constantly leaning on her without even asking her first. I really wanted Viola to stand up for herself and push back!

With Viola helping Nate with home life it's soon evident that there is an attraction between them but Nate soon puts a stop to anything happening due to his daughter Grace and a past relationship stopping him from going further.  At times I felt frustrated for Viola and Nate, clearly seeing the chemistry between them and how easy Viola slips into family life with Nate and Grace.

I absolutely adored Grace and her cheekiness, I loved reading of her excitement for all things Christmas, building a gingerbread house, decorating the tree and sending out Christmas cards. But at times I also felt for her, at how vulnerable and sad she was, it would seem Grace had to grow up too fast and be mature in certain situations when she shouldn't have needed to.

The nativity was a fun part to read about in the book and one I really wanted to see in real life! The storyline sounded such a hoot and the characters so much fun, especially Jack who wanted to be nothing but an armadillo! A Christmas armadillo at that! Viola being the loveliest person ever manages to write a part just for him.

This story is heartwarming, about family, trust and love. I really enjoyed reading this story with all the festivites on the run up to Christmas in Notting Hill.  I highly recommend you reading this book over the Christmas holidays, I also recommend having a hot chocolate on the go at all times while reading as this book made me want one!

Big thank you to Jules Wake and Rachel Random Resources for the ARC and for the invitation to the Blog Tour!  A fab read! 

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Notting-Hill-Snow-heartwarming-uplifting-ebook/dp/B07RNFF9Q1/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Notting-Hill-Snow-heartwarming-uplifting-ebook/dp/B07RNFF9Q1/

Author Bio

Jules Wake announced at the age of ten that she planned to be a writer. Along the way she was diverted by the glamorous world of PR and worked on many luxury brands and not so luxury brands. This proved fabulous training for writing novels as it provided her with the opportunity to hone her writing and creative skills penning copy on a vast range of subjects from pig farming and watches, sunglasses and skincare through to beer and stationery.

She writes best-selling warm-hearted contemporary fiction for One More Chapter as Jules Wake and under her pen name Julie Caplin, she writes the Romantic Escapes series.

Between them, the two Js have written twelve novels, Notting Hill in the Snow being the latest.

Social Media Links

@Juleswake

https://www.facebook.com/juleswake.co.uk/

Instagram: juleswakeauthor

Blog Tour Book Review: The Gift of Happiness by Holly Martin

Synopsis:
This December Ruby Marlowe is relocating her little Christmas shop and everything she owns to the pretty seaside village of Happiness. With her best friend Willow already living there, and a heartbreaking past she’d rather forget, Ruby jumped at the offer of a cosy cottage and a fresh start on the Cornish coast. But she wasn’t the only one…

The last person Ruby expects to find in Happiness is her summer fling, the very gorgeous Jacob Harrington. He’s the only man who has come close to unlocking her heart, and therefore the one man she knew she could never see again. But now he’s here in the same village, and the chemistry between them is more electric than ever.

Falling in love again is something Ruby has vowed never to do. But Jacob is determined to change her mind.

As the village sparkles with Christmas lights and the snow begins to fall, can Jacob convince Ruby that love is worth the risk? And will Ruby accept the gift of happiness that Jacob is offering her before it’s too late?

My Review:

Yay! Another Christmas cracker from the fantastic Holly Martin!

I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to join this Blog Tour and read The Gift of Happiness.

This is the second book in the ‘The Little Village of Happiness’ series but it can easily be read as a stand-alone! Holly’s writing is brilliant, she always includes background snippets of characters to help involve you into the story whether you’re a newbie to the series or needing a reminder! I do however recommend reading The Little Village of Happiness as it’s brilliant too!

It’s so so good to be back in the village catching up with the characters.

This story features Ruby who decides a fresh start is needed and follows her best friend Willow to start a new life in the Village of Happiness. Sounds a perfect place doesn’t it... even more so to know that Ruby intends to open a Christmas shop in the village! Absolute heaven!

Ruby is a fun character to read, I loved that she never missed an opportunity to have fun and sometimes play little tricks on the village folk. The people in the village (bearing in mind the village has grown in numbers since the last book) the people in the village were a hoot! No filters at all and asked the most random embarrassing questions which were hilarious. Julia had to be my favourite! Knew everyone’s business before you knew yourself, brilliant character!

Although sad to read I also liked that Ruby showed two sides to herself throughout the story, a more vulnerable person rather than the joker all the time.

Life in the village is going to be a breath of fresh air but It’s not long before Ruby bumps into an old flame who is also living in the village. Sparks soon fly between the pair but Ruby after having her heart broken in the past keeps her barriers firmly up and holds back from giving her all.

With Christmas round the corner and the village looking more festive by the day will Ruby give into her heart, be brave and face her fears or will she forever be trapped by past emotions.

As always Holly’s books are a dream to read, fun characters, beautiful settings and some steamy romance but Holly also includes every day issues that happen to every day people bringing the book down to earth which I love.

There needs to be another book coming out from the Little Village of Happiness as I’m not quite ready to say goodbye yet!

Big thanks to Holly Martin for the ARC which I have reviewed honestly. 

Buy now!

Author Bio

Holly lives in a little white cottage by the sea. She studied media at university which led to a very glitzy career as a hotel receptionist followed by a even more glamorous two years working in a bank. The moment that one of her colleagues received the much coveted carriage clock for fifteen years' service was the moment when she knew she had to escape. She quit her job and returned to university to train to be a teacher. Three years later, she emerged wide eyed and terrified that she now had responsibility for the development of thirty young minds. She taught for four years and then escaped the classroom to teach history workshops, dressing up as a Viking one day and an Egyptian High Priestess the next. But the long journeys around the UK and many hours sat on the M25 gave her a lot of time to plan out her stories and she now writes full time, doing what she loves.

Holly has been writing for 8 years. She was shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance. Her short story won the Sunlounger competition and was published in the Sunlounger anthology. She won the Carina Valentine's competition at the Festival of Romance 2013 with her novel The Guestbook. She was shortlisted for Best Romantic Read, Best eBook and Innovation in Romantic Fiction at the Festival of Romance 2014. She is the bestselling author of 18 books.

Blog Tour Book Review & Giveaway: Reach for a Star by Kathryn Freeman

Synopsis:
What if your dreams were so close you could reach out and touch them?
How could anyone resist Michael Tennant, with his hypnotic blue eyes and voice like molten chocolate? Jessie Simmons certainly can’t. But Jessie’s a single mum who can’t sing to save her life – there’s no way she’ll ever cross paths with the star tenor.

At least that’s what she thinks until she’s unexpectedly invited to take part in a new reality TV show. The premise? Professional singers teach hopeless amateurs how to sing. The surprise? Jessie’s partner is none other than Michael Tennant!

As she becomes better acquainted with the man behind the voice, will Jessie find out the hard way that you should never meet your idols? Or will she get more than she bargained for?

My Review:

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour for Kathryn Freeman's new book 'Reach for a Star'.  I enjoyed Kathryn's last book 'Crikey a Bodyguard' so I was delighted to be asked to read and review 'Reach for a Star'.

The story focuses on Jessie, single mother to two young boys, a pharmacist and pretty much a lonely romantic.  Distracting herself from everyday domestic chores and everything that entails being a mum, Jessie often day dreams of her crush Michael Tennant a famous tenor and what it would be like to become the next Mrs Tennant. 

A TV show called 'The week of your life' suddenly gets in touch with Jessie accepting her place to audition.  A show for normal every day people who cannot sing or hold a tune to have  a week training with a well known singer and hopefully improve and win the competition.  But hold on... Jessie never put her name down for any type of show.  It doesn't take long before Jessie confirms the culprit or culprits in this instance.  

Jessie decides to bite the bullet and go ahead and audition for the show, being accepted was never going to happen was it?

Soon Jessie finds herself travelling to London staying in a swanky hotel, training with none other than the man himself Michael Tennant.  Jessie has to pinch herself to make sure she's still not dreaming, determined however not to let on how much of a crush she has on him, she keeps focus on the competition and not showing herself up in front of thousands of people. 

After a rough first meeting Jessie soon realises that Michael Tennant is a very different person off stage.  Michael came across as an insecure person who doesn't cope well in certain situations, one to one conversations were not his strong point.  Leaving her feeling cheated that he wasn't the person she had envisaged being.  

I loved that I could read both characters perspectives helping me to understand why Michael came across the way he did and it also gives you that extra insight to the future on what might happen.

The story doesn't just focus on the competition, that is only a small part of the story, concentrating more on what happens after the cameras have stopped rolling.

This story is a little far fetched but that's what reading is all about, this is perfect for those times when you need that escapism from every day life and want to read pretty much a modern day fairy tale.  I liked the story and it held my attention from the first chapter, although you could see where it might lead to I wasn't always 100% sure in fact this book kept me up until the early hours just so I could find out the ending!

I really am enjoying Kathryn's books, they are always fun to read, with lots of emotions thrown in and some steamy romance scenes too!

Big thanks to Kathryn Freeman, Choc Lit and Rachel's Random Resources for the ARC and for asking me to join the blog tour.

Buy the Book!

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VQJH4TH

US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VQJH4TH

 

Author Bio

A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.

With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links –

Website: http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

Giveaway to Win a PB copy of Oh Crumbs by Kathryn Freeman 

(Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. 

Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Enter here!

Blog Tour Book Review: Coming Home to Glendale Hall by Victoria Walters

Synopsis:
No matter how far you go, home is where the heart is...

Beth Williams hasn’t been home for ten years. After falling pregnant at sixteen, she ran away from the imposing Scottish estate where she grew up rather than risk her family’s disapproval, working hard to build a life for herself and daughter Isabelle - but now she’s finally returning to Glendale Hall.

As Beth tries to mend her broken family ties, and fights to bring the community of Glendale back together, she realises that the story she has told herself for a decade might well be a very different one from the truth. Even though she ran from Glendale it has never left her heart. And, she soon realises, neither has Drew – Beth’s first love.

Will Beth be able to forgive her mother and grandmother (and herself) for what happened ten years ago? What will Drew say when he discovers the secret she’s been keeping from him for so long? Can a festive trail bring the village back together?

Will Christmas work its magic on Glendale - or will Beth be forced to run away from it all over again?

A charming, uplifting novel that will warm your heart – the perfect read to curl up with this autumn. Fans of Trisha Ashley, Debbie Johnson and Cathy Bramley will love this gorgeously romantic read.

My Review

Yay!  It's my stop on the blog tour for this fantastic festive treat!  Coming Home to Glendale Hall by Victoria Walter.  Oh and what a treat it is!

This is the first book I have read by Victoria Walters.  What have I been doing all my life to not have read one of her books!  After reading the synopsis I instantly knew this was a bit of me and I just had to read it!

The story follows Beth, running away from home at sixteen, pregnant and alone.  Beth has learnt to cope without her family while bringing up daughter Isabelle.  But Ten years later a Christmas family reunion brings Beth back to Glendale bringing up all sorts of emotions that she thought she had buried deep.

Feelings of regret overwhelm Beth after witnessing the breakdown of her family and the decline of the local village.  Especially after seeing the love of her life Drew who she never quite got over... I mean after reading this I can't seem to get over him neither!

Beth has to put her feelings to one side to support her family, the community and more importantly her daughters happiness.

Where to start?!  I loved all the characters throughout the story, all having their own background and mini story not just Beth.  My favourite was definitely Isabelle... a book worm who would rather stay inside to read then go outside will always have my vote.

The story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions that's for sure.  The story and the characters felt very real and totally relatable that you easily got swept up in the situations that arose in the story.  The first chapter had me hooked and I struggled to put it down when adulting got in the way.

This book had me feeling super Christmassy which was a nice distraction from the grey damp weather we have been having!  The festive trail sounded beautiful making me wish I could visit Glendale and the festivities.

All in all a charming book that I would recommend you read anytime of the year, not just Christmas.

Home is where the heart is... That quote is simply perfect for this story.

A big thank you goes to Victoria Walters, Rachel's Random Resources and Netgalley for the ARC and for allowing me to join this fab blog tour.

Purchase Links!

Apple

Amazon

Kobo

Author Bio

Victoria Walters writes up-lifting and inspiring stories. Her moving debut novel THE SECOND LOVE OF MY LIFE was chosen for WHSmith Fresh Talent and shortlisted for an RNA award. Victoria was also picked as an Amazon Rising Star. Her heart-warming new novel SUMMER AT THE KINDNESS CAFE is available to download now.

As well as being an author, Victoria also works as a Waterstones bookseller and buys far too many books there. She lives in Surrey with her cat Harry (named after Harry Potter). Victoria is not only obsessed with books but loves buying slogan tops, mugs and notebooks, and posting them all on Instagram.

You can discover more about Victoria – and find pictures of Harry the cat – by following her on Instagram at @vickyjwalters, on Twitter at @Vicky_Walters or by visiting her blog at:https://victoria-writes.com/.