A Christmas Romance (The Little Perran Romances book 1) by Lynda Renham book review

A Christmas Romance (The Little Perran Romances book 1) by Lynda Renham, publisher Raucous Publishing, is available NOW in ebook format.

To buy link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Romance-Little-Perran-Romances-ebook/dp/B017WQKS6U/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464688768&sr=1-1&keywords=a+christmas+romance

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Romance is the last thing on Frankie Bell’s mind as she gets ready for Christmas in the English village of Little Perran. It’s going to be a quiet affair once the annual Great Little Perran Christmas Bake Off cake competition is over, with Frankie, and her little dog Buster, tucked up warmly in Primrose Cottage. Fate, however, has other plans and Little Perran is thrown into turmoil when the film star, Roux Lockhart, comes to stay.

The spirit of the season weaves its magic and a freak snow storm that blows in a surprise visitor. Frankie discovers love from an unexpected quarter, but can she trust it? And is someone cheating with their Christmas cake?

A delightful Christmas love story to be enjoyed with a mug of hot chocolate and a roaring log fire.

I purchased and read this delightful novella back in March and realised I hadn’t shared my love for it.  I enjoyed this fun, romantic, winter warmer of a read. At just less than 200 pages I soon devoured this story and was a great read to brighten up any grey day.

It is set in a sleepy village in the Cotswolds on the run up to Christmas. The latest blockbuster is being filmed on location close to the village and one of the main actors, Roux Lockhart, decides to rent a cottage in the village. He’s hoping for peace and quiet especially after breaking up from his media loving American girlfriend.

When Frankie, the local librarian bumps into Roux a friendship of sorts soon develops between them. Frankie is still upset over her broken relationship from Paul last Christmas so she is hoping for a happier time this year.

The weather has turned pretty nasty and the roads and villages are soon blocked with snow. Frankie and Roux both find themselves stranded in the snow and leave their abandoned cars and set out to find shelter.

This story follows Frankie and Roux and the rest of the villagers coping with the weather and events to the run up to Christmas.

It was a charming read set in an idyllic location with characters you soon fall in love with.  It was filled with some wonderful fun, warm moments.  Lynda has created a lovely setting for The Little Perran series and has introduced us to some charming sub characters in this novella that I can’t wait to hear more about in future stories.  Lynda is currently working on her next Little Perran story … A Summer Romance … and will be available to download soon.  4/5*

To find out more about Lynda Renham and her books please visit the following links:

https://twitter.com/Lyndarenham

http://www.renham.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/lynda.author/?fref=ts

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Unhappy Ever After Girl by Jenny O’Brien book review

Unhappy Ever After Girl (Irish Medical Romance Book 3) written by and self-published by Jenny O’Brien is due to be published on the 3rd June 2016.

To pre-order/buy link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unhappy-Ever-After-Girl-Romance-ebook/dp/B01G2NVJJY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464613398&sr=8-1&keywords=unhappy+ever+after+girl

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Mabel Frederick (Freddie for short) has it all, or at least she thinks she has.
She’s about to marry Henry, the most amazing man. A man who’s all set to follow in her father’s footsteps as deacon of St Eilidh’s. She also has a job she loves, working on the eye unit of St Justin’s as well as the best friends a girl could ask for.

What she doesn’t have is Henry’s love, something she only finds out after the wedding.
Her friends come to the rescue by arranging a private nursing job for her across the Irish Sea in Betws-y-Coed.

Professor Derry Yeats doesn’t have it all.
He’s never thought of his life in measurements of happiness as he’s always been too busy as one of Ireland’s top heart surgeons. If he were to measure his happiness before Mabel he’d have rated it as less than zero. What use was a blind surgeon being treated in Betws-y-Coed to anyone?

Can Derry and Mabel turn their Unhappy Ever After into Happy Ever After or will fate intervene?

I’d like to thank the author, Jenny O’Brien for an arc in return for an honest review.  This the 3rd book in the Irish Medical Romance series.  It’s not even a year yet since I was introduced to Jenny’s books, I was soon engrossed with the beautiful, heartfelt stories of friendship and love.

Unhappy Ever After Girl is about Mabel (aka Freddie) and Derry’s story.

We begin the story with Mabel preparing for her wedding to Henry, a trainee deacon.  Henry and Mabel’s relationship had been quite a whirlwind affair, a courtship of purity.  With Mabel’s father being a longstanding clergyman for the area, who adored his late wife and worshipped his daughter, she desperately wanted a relationship with her future husband to be as happy and wholesome as her parents was.  However, Mabel was having doubts about Henry, he was already starting to manipulate her and she wasn’t sure whether he did love her at all.  But wanting to keep her father happy she decided to go ahead with the wedding but hours later she was to uncover this was a dreadful mistake.  Fleeing the wedding with just her honeymoon suitcase she arrived in the small village of Betws-y-Coed in Wales to take on a small nursing job caring for a professor who had recently received surgery on his eyes to repair rapidly failing eyesight due to a cataracts condition.

Professor Derry Yeats somehow had managed to get to his late Uncle’s cottage in Betws-y-Coed to recover from his op and was living off baked beans and whiskey.  He was slowly drinking himself to death and was very melancholic with his situation when Mabel turned up on his doorstep.  He couldn’t see this young woman that had soon turned his daily care into an almost military fashion.  He sensed her warmth and professionalism with the care she gave him however, as he had lost his sight his other senses were on high alert and he could feel sadness within Mabel.

During these first few days in Wales Mabel was adjusting to what she had just done and couldn’t help wondering what her next steps would be for her future.  Could she go back to Dublin to her husband Henry?

Mabel and Derry were becoming close and when the weather took a turn for the worse they were reliant on each other even more for companionship.

We follow Mabel’s journey fleeing Dublin and crossing the Irish Sea to the little village in Wales.  Her journey is an emotional struggle for her coming to terms with the events at the wedding.  When she meets Derry she becomes confused with her growing feelings for him.

Jenny O’Brien has developed such a wonderful start to this story and I had completely fallen in love with both Mabel and Derry’s characters.  They were both intelligent people with a lot of vulnerability hidden behind their bravado.  My heart was warming to their blossoming friendship and then BOOM! a dreadful event shakes their relationship and my emotions are tumbled into a freefall.  I felt my heart breaking at this point, it was just so touching and beautiful with alot of unspoken words.

The story continues 5 years on from this point and Mabel’s life is very different.  The light and warmth that were emerging back in Wales are now a distant memory with the dark days she is facing now.  She hasn’t seen Derry in 5 years but when her father takes ill and needs an urgent operation his new consultant happens to be Professor Derry Yeats.

Mabel and Derry are surprised and shocked to see each other again.  Derry hasn’t forgotten how he found love during his dark days and seeing Mabel again only reiterates how much he has missed Mabel.

Can the pair turn their unhappy ever afters into a future filled with love?

Another beautiful, heartfelt book from Jenny taking my emotions on a rollercoaster of a ride.  I feel very honoured to be acknowledged at the beginning of this book.  Jenny’s stories have touched my heart and she has been a wonderful find for my love of reading.  5/5*

Irish Girl Trilogy is a series of books following the lives of three nurses living and working in St Justin’s Hospital, Dublin.

Book 1 follows Liddy and Mitch – Ideal Girl
Book 2 follows Grainne and Ruari – Girl Descending
Book 3 follows Mabel and Derry – Unhappy Ever After Girl

To find out more about Jenny O’Brien and her books please visit the following links:

https://jennyobrienwriter.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JennyOBrienWriter/

https://twitter.com/ScribblerJB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cover Reveal: Breakfast at Poldark’s by Samantha Tonge

I am delighted to reveal the cover of Samantha Tonge’s upcoming new novel; Breakfast at Poldark’s.  Breakfast at Poldark’s is due to be published by Carina UK on the 28th July 2016.

To pre-order link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breakfast-at-Poldarks-Samantha-Tonge-ebook/dp/B01BTVPMJW/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Kate Golightly needs to move forward and what better way to do that then with a trip to the Cornish coast with best friend and boss, Izzy.

The sea wind is just what Kate needs to finally relax and begin to let go of her past. Except she’s suddenly got one big reason to panic! She RSVP’d ‘yes’ to the Queen Bee of her high school’s wedding saying she’s bringing her boyfriend (she doesn’t have one) who looks just like Ross Poldark!

With only two weeks to find the Poldark look-alike of her dreams Kate is under a lot of pressure for the Cornish coast to deliver…

A hilarious and moving romantic novel from bestselling author, Samantha Tonge. A must-read this summer!

As soon as I saw this cover I was mesmerised by the gorgeous blues; from the sky, to the sea, to the blue in her dress it’s just so striking all together.

To find out more about Samantha Tonge and her books please visit the following links:

https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor

Cover Reveal: Unhappy Ever After Girl (Irish Medical Romance 3) by Jenny O’Brien

I’m delighted to share the new cover and title of Jenny O’Brien’s latest book in the Irish Medical Romance series.  Unhappy Ever After Girl is the 3rd book in this series and is due to be published on the 3rd June 2016.

To pre-order link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unhappy-Ever-After-Girl-Romance-ebook/dp/B01G2NVJJY/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1464078588&sr=1-2&keywords=jenny+o%27brien

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Mabel Frederick (Freddie for short) has it all, or at least she thinks she has. She’s about to marry Henry, the most amazing man. A man who’s all set to follow in her father’s footsteps as deacon of St Eilidh’s. She also has a job she loves, working on the eye unit of St Justin’s, and the best friends a girl could ask for.

What she doesn’t have is Henry’s love, something she only finds out after the wedding.
Her friends come to the rescue by arranging a private nursing job for her across the Irish Sea in Betws-y-Coed.

Professor Derry Yeats doesn’t have it all. He had never thought of his life in measurements of happiness as he was too busy as one of Ireland’s top heart surgeons. If he were to measure his happiness before Mabel he’d have rated it as less than zero. What use was a blind surgeon being treated in Betws-y-Coed to anyone?

Can Derry and Mabel turn their Unhappy Ever After into Happy Ever After or will fate intervene?

For fans of Giselle Green, Maeve Binchy and Emma Hannigan.

I’ve been really looking forward to another medical romance from Jenny, I thoroughly enjoyed her first two; Ideal Girl and Girl Descending.  Jenny creates such beautiful, emotive stories with characters to fall in love with.  As soon as I saw this cover I could sense that the girl was lost and the bridge and dog had a big significance in her quest to find happiness.

To find out more about Jenny O’Brien and her books please visit the following links:

https://jennyobrienwriter.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JennyOBrienWriter/

https://twitter.com/ScribblerJB

How the Duke Was Won (The Disgraceful Dukes Book 1) by Lenora Bell book review

How the Duke was Won by Lenora Bell, publisher Piatkus, is available NOW in ebook format and is due to be published in paperback this Thursday 26th May 2016.

To pre-order/buy link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Duke-Was-Disgraceful-Dukes/dp/034941372X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1464016664&sr=1-1

Product Details (as per amazon page)

James, the scandalously uncivilized Duke of Harland, requires a bride with a spotless reputation for a strictly business arrangement. Lust is prohibited and love is out of the question.

Four ladies. Three days. What could go wrong?

She is not like the others . . .

Charlene Beckett, the unacknowledged daughter of an earl and a courtesan, has just been offered a life-altering fortune to pose as her half-sister, Lady Dorothea, and win the duke’s proposal. All she must do is:

* Be the perfect English rose (Ha!)
* Breathe, smile, and curtsy in impossibly tight gowns (blast Lady Dorothea’s sylph-like figure)
* Charm and seduce a wild duke (without appearing to try)
* Keep said duke far, far from her heart (no matter how tempting)

When secrets are revealed and passion overwhelms, James must decide if the last lady he should want is really everything he needs. And Charlene must decide if the promise of a new life is worth risking everything . . . including her heart.

I am pleased to be part of the blogtour promoting Lenora Bell’s debut historical romance.  I’d like to thank the publishers for an arc in return for an honest review.

This was an enticing, addictive tale of a swoon-worthy Duke with four delectable debutantes vying for his hand.

I soon became addicted to this tale of an uncivilised Duke searching for a bride.  It was sort of like an 1800’s take of a reality TV dating show.  It was filled with the most dashing but definitely unconvential Duke fighting with the idea of society, with it’s need to find him a respectable bride to help tone down his reputation.  James, the Duke, didn’t want to fall in love with his bride, he wanted a business affair.  He would invite four carefully selected lovely ladies to his house and at the end of the four days he was to choose his bride.

One of the chosen debutantes was unfortunately away travelling however, her mother had a cunning plan.  Lady Dorothea had a secret half-sister, Charlene Beckett, who held a strong resemblance to her.  Charlene Beckett was living in far different settings to her half-sister, she lived in a bawdy house in Covent Garden with her mother, sister and the ladies who entertained the gentlemen.  Charlene was repulsed with this life of a courtesan and was keen to do anything to avoid being trapped in a life that held a loveless future.  When the countess offered Charlene a proposal to take the place of Lady Dorothea, for the four days invitation at the Dukes, with the chance to gain enough cash to escape the bawdy house and the life it beckoned for her she felt she had no choice but to accept.

We follow Charlene’s duplicitous journey playing the part of a Lady trying to win the hand of the Duke.

Lenora Bell transported me back in time with ladies in waiting, ballrooms, horse carriages, dashing Dukes.  It was such a tantalising, fun story.  A rags to riches tale, battle of the down n outs against the upper class.  I loved Charlene’s character, with her upbringing it could have so easy have been for her to follow in the footsteps of her peers but she was strong willed and had visions of a better life.  She adored family and wanted so much more for her loved ones and also for girls less fortunate.

A brilliant debut in historical romance.  A sexy, warm, regency romance that I can’t wait to read the next instalment in The Disgraceful Dukes series).  5/5*

To find out more about Lenora Bell and her books please visit the following links:

Home

https://twitter.com/lenora_bell

https://www.facebook.com/lenora.bell.90/?ref=hl

 

2nd year Blogiversary and Giveaway

How time flies when you’re having fun.  Today marks my 2nd anniversary blogging and sharing my love of reading, cooking, crafting and bargain hunting!

I’ve had a great year reading and reviewing some fabulous books, I read 96 books from 22nd May 2015 to 22nd May 2016.  It’s difficult to point out which books are my favourite from the last year but I’d like to point out a few that I particularly enjoyed:

• The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick: This was such a remarkable story, a wonderful, charming, life affirming story.  I believe it would make a great movie and I’d love to see Bill Nighy play the character of Arthur.
• The Ballroom by Anna Hope:  This was a truly beautiful love story, a unique one, one that I’ll never forget.  I was totally heartbroken at the end and couldn’t control my emotions.  A stunning, poignant story that left me shattered with emotions.
• Ideal Girl by Jenny O’Brien: I absolutely adored this story.  It was fun, flirty, romantic, tragic, emotionally heartbreaking at times but also very heartwarming.  There is a point in the story that left my heart beating fast and I was gripped to find out the outcome from this turn in the tale.
• The Little Shop of Happy Ever After by Jenny Colgan:  I felt like I was living out my own dreamworld with this story. A gorgeous book I could devour again and again.
• Dear Dad by Giselle Green:  This was a beautiful story, well written dealing with some difficult subjects.  Although the storyline was very raw and emotive at times the underlining current was heartwarming, inspiring and full of hope.

I’d like to thank both Lynda Renham and Milly Johnson for the kind donations of their books for my giveaway.

Please check out Lynda Renham’s latest book Perfect Weddings, amazon link here.  Perfect Weddings is a very funny book filled with great laugh out loud moments with a wonderful tale of love.  Milly Johnson’s latest is an ebook exclusive book with all proceeds to charity, amazon link here.  The Barn on Half Moon Hill is a lovely, inspiring short story filled with warmth and humour.  Milly also has a new full length novel due out in June titled Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage, to pre-order link here

To celebrate my blogiversary I’m running a few giveaways with a chance to win a Reading Log and bookmark; a Recipe Journal and bookmark; a signed copy of It’s Raining Men by Milly Johnson; a signed copy of The Dog’s Bollocks by Lynda Renham; .  To enter please click on the rafflecopter links below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Barn on Half Moon Hill by Milly Johnson book review

The Barn on Half Moon Hill is an ebook exclusive book by Milly Johnson, publisher Simon & Schuster UK and was published on 19th May 2016.

To buy link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barn-Half-Moon-Hill-ebook/dp/B01CYTLOYA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1463815217&sr=1-1&keywords=milly+Johnson

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Cariad Williams has been writing to Franco Mezzaluna since they were kids. But he has never written back. And now he has become a famous film star. What’s more, he is due to visit Winterworld, the Christmas theme park where Cariad works. The only problem is that she has boasted to her friends that he is her boyfriend and now everyone will find out about her lie…
An exclusive short story from Milly Johnson to raise funds for the Care for Claire charity.

Milly Johnson has kindly donated all the proceeds from this ebook to the Care for Claire charity.  Claire Throssell, a local Yorkshire mum, had sadly lost everything in such a terrible and traumatic way.  Locals, including Milly Johnson, have been helping Claire to rebuild her life and to try and help bring a smile back in her life.  Through her grief Claire has found the strength to set up a charity in her son’s memory:  Heads Together for Barnsley aims to help other families and children who are suffering.  As soon as I knew Milly Johnson was writing this ebook I had to pre-order the novella, the price of the novella is a ‘throw away figure’, cheaper than a posh coffee and I urge anyone with a kindle or kindle app to download the novel because the feelings I felt reading this story were worth far more than the cost of the book …

We start the story hearing about young Cariad Williams, an 8 year old girl from Wales, writing to Franco Mezzaluna.  We follow these notes of friendship through the years Cariad spilling her heart out to Franco.  The letters go on for many years and now Franco is a famous movie star and Cariad continued intermittently writing to him but Franco has never written back.  Cariad is under the impression that he never received the letters but when she hears he is due to visit Winterworld, the Christmas theme park where she works, she feels her life is about to come tumbling down around her.

Although Cariad wrote many letters to Franco she did miss out one important secret in her life which had a crucial impact on her future.  Franco also has been hiding a secret.  Will Cariad pluck up courage to meet her famous penpal?  Will the secrets they both hold materialise and give a vision to a new life?

I devoured this 84 page novella in one sitting and adored it.  This story was just so lovely, inspiring, filled with hope, warmth and humour. I wanted more from Cariad and Franco and hoping, with finger’s crossed, that Milly will bring these characters back. 5/5*

At the end of the novella there is a taster of Milly’s upcoming novel, Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage, which is due out in June.

To find out more about Milly Johnson please visit the following links:

home

https://www.facebook.com/Book-Page-of-Milly-Johnson-230675170278016/

https://twitter.com/millyjohnson

 

The Little Antique Shop under the Eiffel Tower by Rebecca Raisin book cover reveal

I am so pleased to be involved in the Cover Reveal blogtour organised by #KEPR tours.  What a gorgeous summery cover it is …

Don’t miss the exciting new title in The Little Paris Collection, The Little Antique Shop under the Eiffel Tower.  The book is due to be published on the 1st July 2016 and is now available to pre-order with the following link

The Little Antique Shop under the Eiffel Tower by Rebecca Raisin, publisher Carina, is the 2nd book in the Little Paris Collection.  The Little Antique Shop under the Eiffel Tower can be read as a standalone but to enjoy the full series I would highly recommend reading all the books in The Little Paris Collection:

• The Little Bookshop on the Seine
•  The Little Antique Shop under the Eiffel Tower
• The Little Perfume Shop off the Champs-Élysées

Rebecca Raisin is a contemporary romance fiction writer and all her novels are beautifully detailed with characters to fall in love with and a storyline to warm your heart …

To find out more about Rebecca Raisin and her books please visit the following links:

Website: http://www.rebeccaraisin.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6915386.Rebecca_Raisin

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaxandwillsmum

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rebeccaraisin/

 

Danger, Sweetheart by MaryJanice Davidson book review

Danger, Sweetheart by MaryJanice Davidson, publisher Piatkus, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

To buy link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Danger-Sweetheart-MaryJanice-Davidson-ebook/dp/B017RKCDW8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1462903837&sr=1-1

Product Details (as per amazon page)

This city boy’s about to get a taste of country life . . .

Blake Tarbell has a town to save. Rich, carefree, and used to the Vegas party lifestyle, Blake is thrown for a curve when his former cocktail-waitress mother pleads he go back to her roots to save the town she grew up in. Blake’s used to using money to solve his problems, but when he arrives in Sweetheart, North Dakota, this city boy has to trade in his high-priced shoes for a pair of cowboy boots – and he’s about to get a little help from the loveliest lady in town . . .

Natalie Lane’s got no time for newbies. The prettiest gal to ever put on a pair of work gloves, there’s nothing she can’t do to keep a farm up and running. But when a handsome city-slicker rolls into town with nothing but bad farmer’s instincts and good intentions, Natalie’s heartstrings are pulled. She’s about to teach him a thing or two about how to survive in Sweetheart. And he’s about to teach her a thing or two about love.

I’m so pleased to be involved in the blogtour promoting MaryJanice Davidson’s new novel, Danger, Sweetheart.  I’d like to thank the publishers for an arc in return for an honest review.

This is the first in a fun and quirky new contemporary series by New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson. Danger, Sweetheart is my first introduction to the works of MaryJanice Davidson and I was surprised by how refreshing her style of writing was.  MaryJanice wrote in such a quirky way we got to hear the subconscious thoughts of the characters and it proved to be quite a fun read hearing about the subconscious brain from our main characters Blake Tarbell and Natalie Lane.

It did take me a little while to appreciate this new style of writing from MaryJanice but once I got my head inside Blake and Natalie’s brain I really enjoyed this approach to story telling.  I loved how at one point the characters are battling with their own sub conscious, saying one thing but thinking another … a sort of betrayal with themselves. The storyline was quirky, original, heartwarming, sexy and romantic … my heart was almost melting in places.

A once affluent farming community in a small town called Sweetheart in North Dakota is struggling to survive following the structure of a new highway that has driven the trade and tourists out of the area.  Blake’s mother originated from Sweetheart and has returned to help bring the town back to life with the help of her son.  The last remaining farm, Heartbreak Farm, once belonged to Blake’s distant family.  Blake has been set the task of working on the farm in the fields and helping a grumpy pony become respectable.

Blake is a rich, city boy enjoying the carefree batchelor lifestyle in Vegas.  He’s totally thrown off balance when he is turned into a farmhand with the insistence of his mother, who has a hold on his inheritance.  The plus side to all this manual labour Blake is enduring is the lovely Natalie Lane who is one of the farm’s foremen.  However, Natalie has a secret agenda working at the farm she wishes to keep hidden from Blake.

Blake is soon almost mesmerised by Natalie, he’s not used to these feelings for a woman, he’s normally into casual flings.  However, the emotions he’s feeling around Natalie are quite alien to him.  Natalie doesn’t like outsiders, especially confident city types.  But as soon as she saw Blake Tarbell she also found herself battling with her feelings for him.

We follow Blake and Natalie’s journey on trying to save the small town with the help of a very cute piglet, a grumpy pony and the ‘nuclear option’!

A truly, unique, quirky, romantic read 4.5/5*

To find out more about MaryJanice Davidson and her books please visit the following links:

http://www.maryjanicedavidson.net/

MaryJanice Davidson

https://twitter.com/MaryJaniceD

 

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld book review

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld, publisher The Borough Press is available NOW in ebook, hardcover and audio download format.

To buy link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eligible-book-summer-Curtis-Sittenfeld-ebook/dp/B0152XGNPA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1462430260&sr=1-1

Product Details (as per amazon page)

The Bennet sisters have been summoned from New York City.

Liz and Jane are good daughters. They’ve come home to suburban Cincinnati to get their mother to stop feeding their father steak as he recovers from heart surgery, to tidy up the crumbling Tudor-style family home, and to wrench their three sisters from their various states of arrested development.

Once they are under the same roof, old patterns return fast. Soon enough they are being berated for their single status, their only respite the early morning runs they escape on together. For two successful women in their late thirties, it really is too much to bear. That is, until the Lucas family’s BBQ throws them in the way of some eligible single men . . .

Chip Bingley is not only a charming doctor, he’s a reality TV star too. But Chip’s friend, haughty neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy, can barely stomach Cincinnati or its inhabitants. Jane is entranced by Chip; Liz, sceptical of Darcy. As Liz is consumed by her father’s mounting medical bills, her wayward sisters and Cousin Willie trying to stick his tongue down her throat, it isn’t only the local chilli that will leave a bad aftertaste.

But where there are hearts that beat and mothers that push, the mysterious course of love will resolve itself in the most entertaining and unlikely of ways. And from the hand of Curtis Sittenfeld, Pride & Prejudice is catapulted into our modern world singing out with hilarity and truth.

I won a copy of a proof of this novel via social media.  I was first drawn to the book via the gorgeous but quite simple cover.  I was also intrigued by the synopsis of a modern day Pride and Prejudice.

I have to be honest this book was a slow starter for me and it took me a little while to get into the characters and storyline.  That being said, I am glad I persevered as I found I was wanting to know what happened next for the sisters and at the end I quite enjoyed the story.

Mr and Mrs Bennet are the parents of 5 girls aged between 39 and 23, they live in an 8 bedroom Tudor house in Cincinnati.  Mrs Bennet is concerned that the girls’ body clocks are ticking away and wishes to marry the girls off as soon as possible.

Chip Bingley is a handsome ER Dr and recent reality TV star and is very much still eligible.  Mrs Bennet believes Chip would make a very good suitor for either Jane or Liz and has set the ball rolling for an intervention between her girls and Mr Bingley.  Chip’s best friend is a rather arrogant but equally handsome, Fitzwilliam Darcy.  His attitude towards the women residing Cincinnati riles Liz and Darcy has definitely ruffled her feathers.

All is not what it seems in the Bentley household.  Following her father’s recent health scare all the girls have been summoned to help out with his recovery.  During her stay in the family home Liz discovers that their parents are actually broke.  Whilst Liz’s mother is matchmaking and topping up the girls’ ‘bottom drawers’ Liz is on a mission to help her parents out of the debt hole they’ve dug themselves in.

The story has moments of fun and quirkiness at times.  I loved the old fashioned romance idealism that was brought bang up to date.  Liz’s character was the most endearing.  She is an independent woman, working for a successful magazine in New York but thinks nothing of jetting off across the country to help her family when in need.  Liz had a relationship but it was one of convenience, more convenient for the other partner mind you, Liz was missing out on the true details of a loving partnership.  I loved her sparring with Darcy.

I would recommend this book and urge you to give this wonderful, modern version of an old fashioned romance a chance.  However, as it was a slow starter I’ve marked my score down slightly.  3.5/5*

I’d like to share a quote from the novel that I particularly loved:

“Plenty of men don’t want children.  Mr Bennetttook a sip of coffee.  I’m still not sure that I do.”

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