Book Review: The Truth About Love and Dogs by Lilly Bartlett (Michele Gorman)

Synopsis:

Four little words, uttered by her husband…
‘Oh my god,’ he gasped into her shoulder. ‘Shannon!’
There’s just one problem: her name isn’t Shannon.

Rewind six months and Scarlett and Rufus aren’t in the honeymoon stage anymore so much as the honey-should-we-bother phase. Desperate to get their sparkle back, Scarlett has plotted, planned and waxed more than any woman should have to, but none of it is working. Which makes it very hard to start the family they want.

At least her business is going strong, even if her marriage isn’t. She and her best friend spend their days tangled up in dog leads and covered in fur. Scarlett is the fairy dogmother, training hopeless pets like compulsive eater Barkley, impulsive Romeo Murphy and bossy Biscuit. Meanwhile, her best friend walks the dogs and pines for the man who doesn’t know she exists. Thank goodness the women have each other.

If only Scarlett could work out how to get her marriage back on track. But Rufus isn’t sharing his feelings with her. He is, though, sharing with her best friend. Her best friend, Shannon.

My Review:

Firstly a big thank you to Michele Gorman (Lilly Bartlett) for asking me to read and review 'The Truth About Love and Dogs' This was an enjoyable read which didn't take me long to get through, it was difficult to put down and I raced to the end as I was desperate to know how the story would unfold.

The story is based around three main characters, Scarlett who runs a dog business called 'Ruff Love' along with her business partner and best friend Shannon and Rufus, who is married to Scarlett but also best friends with Shannon.  So after reading the first three lines of the synopsis you can understand my eagerness for reading this book so fast!

I was laughing out loud right from the off when someone turned up in the park thinking 'Ruff Love' was some sort of sex club! Ha! The dog training group scenes were fun to read and I loved each of their personalities, the dogs as well as the owners!  I loved how caring Scarlett was towards the dogs also the friendships she builds with the owners made for some really nice scenes to read.

As well as being a romantic comedy with lots of humour this book touches on a very serious subject which I won't let on and let you find out for yourself.  I didn't expect this so I was quite surprised but for me it really made the book and I thought the balance throughout worked perfectly and kept the book light hearted even during the more serious chapters.  The writing style was perfect, making me feel all sorts of emotions for the characters.  

Overall this book has everything, comedy, love, friendship, dogs, crushes thrown together with those real life problems that we have to adult through.  I would recommend this book to friends and family for sure!

As this was my first Lilly Bartlett book I am excited to get reading her other books as I am sure I won't be disappointed! 

Thank you again Michele!

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Book Review: Dusting Down Alcudia by D.A Nelson

Synopsis:

When top archaeologist Nina Esposito finds a famed treasure hunters’ journal, she knows it will lead her to a lost Roman necklace.

But when an ex and a rival archaeologist come on the scene, things suddenly get complicated as the pair compete for her heart. 

Added to the mix is a shady local billionaire who will stop at nothing to snatch the jewels from under her nose.

Now she has to navigate through her confused feelings and find the necklace before anyone gets hurt. Failure just isn’t an option.

My Review:

Firstly a massive thank you to Dawn Nelson for reaching out and asking me to read and review her fantastic book! I of course said yes and waited by the door for the postman to deliver it!

As a young child Nina would listen to her father telling her tales of long ago about a girl named Aelia.  The love of her life left for war but before he did, he presented her with a necklace so she would not forget him.  After hearing that he had been killed in battle, Aelia had died there and then from a broken heart.  To this day no one knows where Aelia and the necklace lie.  Even though Nina had heard this story over and over she always willed her father to share them, fascinated on where the necklace could be hidden.

Nina Esposito, an archaeologist working at the British Museum.  All grown up but never forgotten the tales of Aelia, comes across a journal belonging to a treasure hunter.  Combing through the journal in the hopes that it may lead her to the lost Roman necklace.  Nina decides to take action and find the treasure herself.

Of course, this story isn’t that straight forward! Nina’s adventures take her to Mallorca to a small town called Alcudia.  Mix that with a local billionaire, a rival archaeologist oh and an ex of Nina’s and you have yourself a juicy story!  

This read has everything you need for pure escapism.  The descriptions of Mallorca were on point making me feel like I was on the adventure with Nina.  I loved that the book included a little romance too as well as the fast paced action, keeping me on my toes with a few twists thrown in for good measure.  

Nina is most certainty the female version of Indiana Jones!

'Dusting Down Alcudia' has already been lent out from the library of Hannah!  

I cannot wait to read more of Nina's adventures!  Fab read!

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Book Review: The Street of Broken Dreams by Tania Crosse

Synopsis:

A poignant story which will tear at your heart strings. 

Summer 1945. The nation rejoices as the Second World War comes to an end but Banbury Street matriarch, Eva Parker, foresees trouble ahead. Whilst her daughter, Mildred, awaits the return of her fiancé from overseas duty, doubts begin to seep into her mind about how little she knows of the man she has promised to marry. Or are her affections being drawn elsewhere? Meanwhile, new neighbour, dancer Cissie Cresswell, hides a terrible secret. 

The end of the conflict will bring her no release from the horrific night that destroyed her life. Can she ever find her way back? Under Eva’s stalwart care, can the two young women unite to face the doubt and uncertainty of the future?

My Review:

I was thrilled to be asked to join Tania Crosse's Blog Tour to reveal an exclusive extract from her new novel 'The Street of Broken Dreams' You can read the extract and check out my Blog Tour stop here.

When I read the synopsis for this book I did worry whether I would enjoy the story.  As you may know I am a glittery, hearts and roses, happy ending kind of girl and this was not my usual at all, totally out of my comfort zone. BUT I am so glad I did read this, WOW it's a beautiful and emotional story which I have not stopped talking about to friends and family and anyone else that will listen to me!

I didn't realise until half way through that this is the second book in the series, the first being 'The Candle Factory Girl'.  However this book can be read as a standalone as I didn't feel as if I had missed out on any background or story and of course I went straight to Amazon and purchased the first book and I'm sure I will go on to purchase more of Tania's beautiful reads!

This story focuses on two families who become neighbours just as the Second World War comes to it's final days.  History is not my strong point however I do find it really interesting and so this was the perfect way to get a little insight into the past and what went on as WW2 was coming to an end.

The Parker family the long term residents of Banbury Street, welcome the Cresswell's with open arms.  Eva Parker, is a wonderful character and one that I would expect to read about during that period.  Eva is the head of her family and pretty much the leader of the street, nothing much gets past her, but that's not because she is a busy body but because she is a warm, friendly and trusting neighbour who people turn to for advice and comfort.

I love that the Parker family accepted the new neighbours as if they were long lost family members.  The Cresswell family are a great addition to the street and it doesn't take too long before Eva takes them all under her wing.  I  loved that the two girls Mildred and Cissie formed a special friendship even  after being forced together by their mum's, I'm sure people can relate to this and most probably been through the same growing up!

Tania has a fantastic way of bringing characters to life, I felt emotionally connected to them all throughout the story, feeling their struggles, pain and happiness too.  This story was certainly a roller coaster of emotions which stayed with me long after finishing.  

Now I must warn you that the opening few pages and in actual fact my extract from the Blog Tour is quite a gritty emotional scene which I found difficult to read however it is a crucial part to the story.

For obvious reasons I don't want to go into too much detail on the story line so I will leave it there so as not to spoil it for you.

This book captured my heart, took me out of my comfort zone and transported me back to a time full of hope, healing, family, friendship and love.

Thank you so much to Tania Crosse and Aria Fiction for asking me to read this inspiring story.

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Blog Tour Book Extract: The Street of Broken Dreams by Tania Crosse

Synopsis:

Summer 1945. The nation rejoices as the Second World War comes to an end but Banbury Street matriarch, Eva Parker, foresees trouble ahead.

Whilst her daughter, Mildred, awaits the return of her fiancé from overseas duty, doubts begin to seep into her mind about how little she knows of the man she has promised to marry. Or are her affections being drawn elsewhere?

Meanwhile, new neighbour, dancer Cissie Cresswell, hides a terrible secret. The end of the conflict will bring her no release from the horrific night that destroyed her life. Can she ever find her way back?

Under Eva's stalwart care, can the two young women unite to face the doubt and uncertainty of the future?

Extract from the book!

It was only when the pain ripped up into her body that she was snapped back to her senses. It was so intense that, for a second or two, her mind was stunned and oblivious to all else. Then she realised what was happening, and the horror and humiliation speared into her. She opened her mouth to scream, but a sweaty, iron hand came tightly over her face. She was suffocating, gasping for breath, the fight to stay alive greater than the terror of the monster thrusting into her. She felt herself passing out. The end had come. And she welcomed it.

‘Ya leave her alone!’ was the next thing she heard, the outraged voice of the other GI, the one she believed was black, who’d been knocked unconscious and kicked for good measure. 

‘Too late,’ came the smirking reply. Laughing, nauseating. Just above her. His weight no longer pinning her down, though the pain still burned inside her.

‘What! Ya don’t mean ya’ve...? Ya filthy bastard!’ 

‘Now don’t ya go mentioning this, ya dirty nigger,’ the other voice, from further away now, threatened. ‘One word an’ I’ll put ya on a charge, an’ it won’t just be for insubordination. In fact, I’ll say it was you who did it. That’ll get ya hanged an’ ya’ll regret ever openin’ ya mouth!’ 

‘Jeez, what the hell’ve ya done? Ya can’t just leave her—’ 

‘She was asking for it, walkin’ alone at this hour. So come on. An’ not a word or ya’ll regret it!’

All went quiet then but for the scuffling of feet. Somehow, the girl found the will to lift her head. She could just make out the silhouette of a taller man dragging the protesting, struggling outline of the other soldier away down the deserted street. 

Footfall fading. Then silence. Her head fell back and she sank down into soft, comforting blackness.

The music, the gentle harmonies, the crescendos, were playing again, she was dancing, spinning, her body moving with such grace, her arms floating. But her foot wasn’t working properly. She couldn’t do it. Sean frowned at her and she shook her head...

She was staring blindly at the moon. Not a sound. Not a breath of air. What was she doing there? And then she tried to move. 

Her entire body seemed racked with pain, reality flooding back with all the might of a sledgehammer. Falling, her ankle on fire. And then she remembered. The men. Yankee soldiers. And she knew what had happened as something struck deep inside her like an arrow.

The brutal howl that escaped her lungs and cut through the still night was that of a wounded animal. And it wasn’t just the physical pain. The degradation, the shame, the vile humiliation of the heinous act that had been committed against her. She wanted to scream it away, rip it out of her. But she couldn’t. It was all a blur, but it had been done, and couldn’t be undone.

Oh, dear God, it was a nightmare. Couldn’t be real. Mustn’t be real. But she knew it was. With a tearing moan, she curled up on her side and waited for it all to go away.

Author Bio

Delaying her childhood dream of writing historical novels until her family had grown up, Tania eventually completed a series of published stories based on her beloved Dartmoor. She is now setting her future sagas in London and the south east.

Follow Tania!

Twitter: @TaniaCrosse

Facebook: @TaniaCrosse

Buy Links:

Amazon:https://amzn.to/2ROqck2

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2HaxIBD

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2QHCq9H

iBooks: https://apple.co/2sohcUx

Follow Aria:

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Book Review: The Summer of Chasing Dreams by Holly Martin

Synopsis:

Eva is quite content with her life in London. In her job as a cover designer, she works at home, and often in her cosy pyjamas. She's happy to stay in her safe little world and not explore much outside of it.

She is the opposite of her mum, a free spirit who craved finding adventure and thrills in all corners of the world. But on the day her mum’s will is finalised, Eva finds a list of all the dreams her mum wanted to achieve in her life. Things she never did because she fell pregnant with Eva.

Eva decides these dreams will not go unfulfilled - she is going to be brave and complete them for her mum. As Eva has no experience travelling the world, she hires a guide to go with her on this holiday.

Gorgeous but rude Thor Anderson is not the person she would choose to accompany her on this journey, but somehow she gets stuck with him. As they discover the world together Eva starts to think he might not be as bad as she first thought. She is swept away by Thor's kindness and mischievous sense of humour. But will it be a simple holiday romance or could this wonderful adventure lead to so much more?

My Review:

Holly Martin is becoming one of my favourite authors, you just know you're in for a treat when you pick up one of her books.  The cover for 'The Summer of Chasing Dreams' is beautiful and inviting so naturally I jumped at the chance to read this when I was offered an early preview.  Thank you Holly!

I really loved the character Eva Blue, shying away from adventure Eva prefers to be in the comfort of her home snuggled in her pyjamas rather than jet setting around the globe. At the time we meet Eva sadly her mum has passed away, her mum a total opposite of Eva, would think nothing of jumping on a plane to explore the four corners of the earth. 

Being back in her mum's home in the loft she stumbles upon a box full of paper strips, each strip containing dreams that her mum wished for but didn't get to fulfill.  Eva knowing she was the reason her mum didn't get to tick these dreams off as she fell pregnant with her, Eva decides now is the time that these dreams will come true and she will complete each and every one in her mum's memory.

With her round the world ticket booked and her suitcase packed for all sorts of adventure.  Eva is ready to start ticking off some dreams.  However standing at the airport waiting for her guide to meet her, she is surprised when Thor Anderson appears complete with rucksack on his back.

Her first impressions of Thor were that he was rude and arrogant but as they travel the world together she soon sees a different side to him, funny, caring and of course a hottie (it wouldn't be a Holly Martin book without one!!)  Eva and Thor cover the globe completing her mum's bucket list but Eva soon feels more for her travel companion and worries whether he feels the same, is it just a holiday romance or is he her forever.

I really enjoyed reading all the places they visit, the descriptions were on point and made me feel like I was there.  I loved reading that they stayed on Hamilton Island a place I visited myself on my honeymoon and it made me want to go back!  It was lovely to witness the difference in Eva throughout the story, finding her sense of adventure and not shying away from taking risks and simply just enjoying to live in the moment.  

Holly's books are addictive, packed full of humour, friendship, family, love with just a little bit of heat.  This has to be one of my favourites of Holly's so far and I would love to revisit the characters as I feel Eva's story has only just begun.

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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.

Follow Olivia!

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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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Book Review: The Middle-Aged Virgin by Olivia Spring

Synopsis:
Sophia Huntingdon seems to have it all: a high-flying job running London’s coolest beauty PR agency, a lovely boyfriend and a dressing room filled with Louboutins.

But when tragedy strikes, Sophia realises that rather than living the dream, she’s actually an unhappy workaholic in a monotonous relationship, with zero personal life. Her lack of activity in the bedroom is so apparent that her best friend declares her a MARGIN, or Middle-Aged Virgin—a term used for adults who have experienced a drought so long that they can’t remember the last time they had sex.

Determined to transform her life whilst she’s still young enough to enjoy it, Sophia hatches a plan to work less, live more and embark on exciting adventures, including rediscovering the electrifying passion she’s been craving.

But after ending her fifteen-year relationship, how will Sophia, a self-confessed control freak handle navigating the unpredictable world of online dating?

If she does meet someone new, will she even remember what to do? And as an independent career woman, how much is Sophia really prepared to sacrifice for love?

My Review:
Firstly a huge thank you goes to Olivia Spring for reaching out and asking me to read and review her debut novel 'The Middle-Aged Virgin' 

The synopsis sounded right up my street, the book cover with it's happy yellow is very eye catching and definitely a book I would have picked up myself in the book shop.

The book is centred around Sophia Huntingdon, after hearing some sad news she decides that her life needs a makeover and some drastic changes need to happen.  Sophia decides to create an action plan of things to change and do over the next year before she hits the big 4 0!  One of the biggest changes was ending her fifteen year relationship with Rich who Sophia decides is not 'The One'. 

We then follow Sophia on her new adventure to find love, passion and happiness.  Along the way there are lots of highs, lows, yummy food, Italian men and lots of OMG moments...

The story throughout was good, I wasn't able to guess the ending and due to a few twists near to the end it kept me guessing right up to the last page however I must admit that I struggled to warm to Sophia.  I found her to be quite shallow and at times selfish, I found myself getting frustrated with some of the choices she makes and at times wanting to jump in the book and give her a slap!  I found it hard to relate to her, but I did find her personality change throughout the book and the Sophia we meet at the start is not the Sophia we leave by the end.

Some of my favourite scenes from the book were between Sophia and her two closest friends Roxy and Bella.  The friendship circle was very true to life and reminded me of my own group of friends.  True friends who might not agree with everything you say or do but support you throughout the decisions you make.  Sophia, Roxy and Bella meet on a regular basis and over food and drinks they put the world to rights and discuss everything... and I mean everything.  From careers to men to fashion to lady gardens! Yes! I mean everything! LOL

Overall the storyline was good and I would be intrigued to read a follow up on Sophia and what happened next!

I think Olivia Spring is an author to watch, with the right amount of comedy, romance and friendship I will be looking forward to her next read! 

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Book Review: From Paris with Love this Christmas by Jules Wake

Synopsis:
Just until Christmas…

That’s what Paris socialite Siena keeps telling herself. She’ll hide away in her sister Laurie’s cottage near London to escape her hot-tempered fiancé.

However, when Jason – gorgeous but a bit of a Grinch – picks her up from the airport, he reveals that Laurie hasn’t lived there for months, complicating Siena’s holiday getaway.

At first, Jason and Siena don’t see eye to eye. But after a weekend in the most romantic city in the world, experiencing all it has to offer – from the magic of a fir-lined Champs-Élysées, lit up by thousands of sparkling fairy lights, to the swoosh of skates on ice at the Eiffel Tower – Siena shows Jason her Paris, and a whole other side to herself. Suddenly Siena’s December deadline seems far too close…

My Review:

Kicking off my first review for 2019 is a festive read by Jules Wake 'From Paris with Love this Christmas.'  A feel good book full of new friendships, family, love and of course lots of Christmas cheer!

The story kicks off with main character Siena on a flight to London, from reading the blurb you already understand that this wasn't a planned vacation or visit but an escape from her fiancé.

Siena, hoping to stay with her sister Laurie after past promises that there would always be a room for her whenever she needed is surprised to find a grumpy but gorgeous Jason awaiting her in the arrivals hall.  Not knowing who he is and assuming he is a taxi organised by Laurie and Jason coming to his own conclusions that Siena is a little bit of a princess they get off to a rocky start.

Laurie no longer lives at the cottage that Siena was planning to stay at but as promised a room is waiting for her however she soon gets a shock when she realises that the stranger who collected her Jason is also staying at the cottage after finding out Laurie is his landlady.

Jules Wake's writing is fantastic, drawing you in from the first few pages. I absolutely love when an author writes from both the female and male voice, you get that extra inside scoop understanding the characters feelings.  Prime example is knowing from reading Siena's story that she isn't this precious money grabbing princess that Jason is led to believe and I loved reading how their first impressions are so far removed by the end of the story.

The locations and descriptions were on point, never having visited Paris myself this gave me a wonderful insight into Paris at Christmas time and it's now on my list of places to visit!

An easy read, this is perfect when you need a bit of me time to cosy up and shut off from the everyday chores!

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