Christmas Promises at the Little Wedding Shop by Jane Linfoot book review

Christmas Promises at the Little Wedding Shop written by Jane Linfoot, publisher HarperImpulse, is available NOW in ebook format.

To buy link:  http://amzn.to/2z1DLRs

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Christmas arrives at Brides by the Sea, Cornwall’s enchanting and most adorable little wedding shop.

There’s nothing more magical than a winter wonderland wedding, and the girls are determined to make this festive season their most romantic yet.

The champagne is on ice while the mistletoe is hanging from every nook, and the exquisite lace and pearl-encrusted dresses, glistening like the frosted shop windows, are waiting to be chosen.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and romance is most definitely in the crisp winter air- with promises, proposals and Christmas kisses aplenty…

What will the season bring, in this enchanting fourth book of ‘The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea’ series?

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this novel.  All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

Christmas Promises at the Little Wedding Shop is the fourth book in The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea series.  Each book can be enjoyed as a standalone but to fully appreciate the back history I would whole heartedly recommend reading all books in the series.  The books in the series are:

• The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea
• Christmas at the Little Wedding Shop
• Summer at the Little Wedding Shop
• Christmas Promises at the Little Wedding Shop

I have been totally captivated and swept away by this contemporary romcom series by author Jane Linfoot.  The setting of a book series around a wedding shop located on the Cornish coast with it’s rugged and stunning vista ever changing with the seasons is so idyllic.  Readers are treated each time they open up any of the books in this series to a cast of warm hearted characters with female leads you want to be best friends with and I’m sure as each book is published the male leads get more adorable.

This story focuses on Holly who is returning to her hometown for the festive period to take photos for her friend’s wedding, which so happens to be taking place on the very beach besides the wedding shop.  Since fleeing from her surprise proposal almost a year ago Holly has been determined to avoid Christmas at all costs to help her get over her break-up from Luc.  However, as she promised to help at her friend’s wedding she has no choice and feels that she can just about manage with one wedding at Christmas.  However, St Aidan and The Wedding Shop are gearing up for a festive period filled with fun, love and lots of weddings.  The Wedding Shop’s regular photographer Jules has unfortunately had to pull out of taking the photos for the forthcoming Christmas weddings.  Emergency reinforcements are needed and the Wedding Shop team look to Holly to help out.  Holly’s self-esteem since the break-up is very low however, she has the help of local beer and wine merchant Rory on hand to help.  Rory also so happens to be her nemesis.  They connected when they were at school, very often Rory would tease Holly but secretly she enjoyed his companionship.

Both Holly and Rory have suffered heartache as a child.  However, Rory was very clever to hide his true emotions and he came across as the village rebel.  When you first read about Rory you can’t help but fall for his cheeky charm but when you see his true persona emerge there is a little vulnerability about him.  The introduction of two of the cutest characters, Gracie and Teddie, also help bring out more layers in Rory’s characters.  There are definitely some gorgeous ahhh moments.

Can two people with a shared mutual affinity of a loss still so sorely felt help each other to find the strength in themselves to tackle their fears?

Another beautiful, charming romance from Jane Linfoot.

To learn more about Jane Linfoot and her work please do visit the following pages:

Website:  http://www.janelinfoot.co.uk/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/JaneLinfoot

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JaneLinfoot2

 

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Silent Night: A Christmas Story collection by Wendy Clarke book review

Silent Night is a Christmas short story collection written by Wendy Clarke, publisher Cobblestone Walk Publishing.  The book is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.  The ebook is also included in the kindleunlimited scheme.

To buy link:  http://amzn.to/2yemLKD

Product Details (as per amazon page)

‘Silent Night’ is a collection of thirteen Christmas stories by Wendy Clarke, a regular writer of fiction for national magazines.

All of these stories have previously been published in either ‘The People’s Friend’ or ‘Take a Break Fiction Feast’. If you like stories with emotional depth and a satisfying ending, then this collection is for you.

What Shirley Blair, Commissioning Fiction Editor for ‘The People’s Friend’, says about the author:

‘Wendy Clarke has become one of The People’s Friend’s most valued writers, offering our readers a range of themes and a level of emotional satisfaction that is rare in the short story format.’

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this novel.  All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

This is my second compilation of short stories I’ve read this month and I’m really starting to enjoy this form of book.  I find short stories are perfect ‘coffee table’ books, ideal for picking up during a tea break, lunch break or ‘me time’.  I’d much rather read an engaging short story than turn on daytime TV or the news.

Wendy Clarke’s Silent Night is a collection of festive short stories that she has previously had published in popular magazines.  I found I was fully immersed in each story, the characters grabbed me and the storylines evoked many emotions in me.  I felt nostalgia, poignancy, heartbreak, hope, inspiration, warmth … I was left feeling a sense of contentment and a little festive sparkle was starting to fizz inside of me.

This collection of short stories would be a wonderful gift for any book lover and would be an ideal stocking filler/after-dinner gift at Christmas.

Regular readers of my reviews will notice I like to put images on my blog reviews relating to the story, I couldn’t resist this wonderful, idyllic image of a winter reading nook that would be perfect for a Christmas Story Collection.

To learn more about Wendy Clarke and her work please visit the following pages:

Website:  http://wendyswritingnow.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/WendyClarke99

 

 

 

Love Me Tinder by Nicola May book review

Love Me Tinder written by Nicola May, publisher Accent Press Ltd, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

To buy link:  http://amzn.to/2ltvWB4

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Dull security or risky freedom – which would you choose? With her marriage in pieces, shy Cali Summers is faced with this decision and hits the world of fast love on an internet dating app. Using room 102 in the hotel where she works as her dating ‘lair’, she opens herself up to a world of sex, lies, deception, as well as personal discovery and passionate love. With a charming F1 engineer, a handsome army officer and her adulterous ex all on the scene, a predictable love match is far from on the cards.

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this novel.  All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I loved every page of this novel it was so addictive; it’s fun, flirty, fruity storyline kept me fully engaged and entertained and I had to know what happened next.

Cali was still feeling very heart broken from the break-up of her marriage to Jamie.  It’s been a year since he walked out of their marriage and into the arms of their personal trainer.

Cali’s emotions were still quite raw but she felt like she needed to move on and joined up to the dating app Tinder.  As a Tinder virgin she wasn’t use to the protocol of online dating but she was soon lining up her first dates.  However, possible mates on the dating app are not so forthcoming with the full facts on their profiles which Cali discovers with quite comical and alarming results!

After a few rocky starts on the dating app scene Cali does find some gems and she is soon enamoured by a couple and starts to have a little fun.  Fun is all well and good but it doesn’t give you the warmth of companionship in a loving relationship and Cali was still feeling lonely.

We follow Cali on her journey finding romance through the dating app and struggling with the emotions following her break-up.

The author, Nicola May, has created a fun, flirty, sexy read that will totally entertain you.  Nicola May’s style of writing is honest and she has a fabulous sense of humour that spills out across the pages.  I loved the sub-characters Adam and Will especially and there was a little feather friend that took centre stage very often.  Fabulously fruity and lots of fun!

To learn more about Nicola May and her work please visit the following pages:

Website:  http://www.nicolamay.com/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/nicolamay1

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/NicolaMayAuthor

 

Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse by Lilly Bartlett blogtour/book review

Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse written by Lilly Bartlett, publisher Notting Hill Press is available in ebook format NOW.

To buy link:  http://amzn.to/2xZigP4

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Put your feet up and tuck into the mince pies, because you won’t have to lift a finger to enjoy this Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse!

Too bad the same can’t be said for single mother and extremely undomestic goddess, Lottie. When her beloved Aunt Kate ends up in hospital just before Christmas, Lottie and her seven-year-old daughter rush to rural Wales to take over her B&B. A picky hotel reviewer and his mad family are coming to stay, and without the rating only he can give them, Aunt Kate will lose her livelihood.

But Lottie can barely run her own life, let alone a hotel. How will she manage to turn the falling-down guesthouse into the luxurious wonderland the reviewer expects? And could the mysterious taxi driver, Danny, who agrees to help her, turn out to be the real gift this season?

As the snow sparkles on the trees and hot chocolate steams in your hand, snuggle into the delicious magic of Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse.

PLUS A FREE BONUS CHRISTMAS NOVELLA! – Christmas Carol

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating the launch of Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse and happy to share my review with you all.

Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse is a standalone novella that was first published as The Reluctant Elf by Michele Gorman, it has been re-edited with some added Lilly Bartlett (Michele Gorman’s alias) sparkle.

Lottie is a single mum living in London with her delightful daughter Mabel. When she receives news that her dear Aunt Kate in Wales has been involved in an accident and is in hospital Lottie and Mabel rush to Wales to take charge of her Aunt’s B & B.  Unbeknown to Lottie Aunt Kate has arranged for her B & B to be reviewed during the Christmas period so Lottie has to do her best to ensure her aunt receives her star rating.  However, when Lottie and  Mabel open the doors all is not hunky-dory at the B & B and Lottie has a huge task ahead of her.  What follows is a fun, heartwarming tale of coping with Christmas with a family from hell and a house falling to bits.   The reader is treated to some very funny scenes that will have you chuckling out aloud.  I adore Lilly Bartlett’s fabulous wit and humour her writing style is honest and she sets her stories in such idyllic settings even in a falling down guesthouse you can feel the warmth emanating from the scenes written on the pages.

Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse is a gorgeous, sweet novella. It’s put me in a lovely mood and made me feel a little festive.

Do not miss the wonderful giveaway that Lilly Bartlett/Michele Gorman is running at the moment to win 4 dozen homemade cookies made by the author herself.  Details of this giveaway can be found on my previous post here.

To learn more about Lilly Bartlett/Michele Gorman please visit the following pages:

Website:  http://www.michelegorman.co.uk/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/MicheleGormanUK

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/MicheleGormanBooks/

Christmas at the Falling Down Guesthouse by Lilly Bartlett pre-launch cookie giveaway

Christmas at the Falling Down Guesthouse written by Lilly Bartlett, publisher Notting Hill Press, will be available in ebook format from 25th October 2017.

To pre-order link:  http://amzn.to/2gzysE2

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Put your feet up and tuck into the mince pies, because you won’t have to lift a finger to enjoy this Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse!

Too bad the same can’t be said for single mother and extremely undomestic goddess, Lottie. When her beloved Aunt Kate ends up in hospital just before Christmas, Lottie and her seven-year-old daughter rush to rural Wales to take over her B&B. A picky hotel reviewer and his mad family are coming to stay, and without the rating only he can give them, Aunt Kate will lose her livelihood.

But Lottie can barely run her own life, let alone a hotel. How will she manage to turn the falling-down guesthouse into the luxurious wonderland the reviewer expects? And could the mysterious taxi driver, Danny, who agrees to help her, turn out to be the real gift this season?

As the snow sparkles on the trees and hot chocolate steams in your hand, snuggle into the delicious magic of Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse.

 

I’m so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Christmas at the Falling Down Guesthouse and looking forward to sharing my review of this festive treat of a romcom soon.  In the meantime I am pleased to share details of a fabulous giveaway that the author, Lilly Bartlett, has arranged for you all.

Win 4 dozen homemade Christmas cookies from Sunday Times bestselling author Michele Gorman, aka Lilly Bartlett!

Enter to WIN 4 dozen Christmas cookies baked by the author! Unlike poor Lottie in Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse, she’s a keen cook who grew up baking every Christmas with her mum – dozens and dozens (and dozens!) of cookies to fuel the family through the season. This year, she’ll be baking for YOU!

The giveaway is global and the winner will be randomly selected on November 1^st. To enter, sign up HERE for Michele’s/Lilly’s newsletter (around 3x per year, you can unsubscribe easily at any time and your details will never be shared).

http://eepurl.com/c4al4j

To learn more about Lilly Bartlett (aka Michele Gorman) please visit the following pages:

Website:  http://www.michelegorman.co.uk/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/MicheleGormanUK

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/MicheleGormanBooks/

The Betrayal (The Guernsey Novels book 6) by Anne Allen book review

The Betrayal (The Guernsey Novel – Book 6) written by Anne Allen, publisher Sarnia Press is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.  The ebook is also included in the kindleunlimited scheme.

To buy link:  http://amzn.to/2l8KipY

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Treachery and theft lead to death – and love

1940. Teresa Bichard and her baby are sent by her beloved husband, Leo, to England as the Germans draw closer to Guernsey. Days later they invade…
1942. Leo, of Jewish descent, is betrayed to the Germans and is sent to a concentration camp, never to return.
1945. Teresa returns to find Leo did not survive and the family’s valuable art collection, including a Renoir, is missing. Heartbroken, she returns to England.
2011. Nigel and his twin Fiona, buy a long-established antique shop in Guernsey and during a refit, find a hidden stash of paintings, including what appears to be a Renoir. Days later, Fiona finds Nigel dead, an apparent suicide. Refusing to accept the verdict, a distraught Fiona employs a detective to help her discover the truth…
Searching for the rightful owner of the painting brings Fiona close to someone who opens a chink in her broken heart. Can she answer some crucial questions before laying her brother’s ghost to rest?
Who betrayed Leo?
Who knew about the stolen Renoir?
And are they prepared to kill – again?

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this novel.  All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

Two tragedies just less than 70 years apart, is there a connection?

A time slip mystery that takes you to a war torn Guernsey, who at first were coping fairly well but with the threat of German occupation the small island and it’s community were soon left isolated from the rest of Europe.

Now in 2011 Fiona and her twin brother Nigel, the new owners of a long-established antique shop in Guernsey, are fizzing with excitement of the paintings they have just found hidden amongst the property.  With Fiona’s expertise in the field of Historical Art and her current work for the V & A museum, Fiona recognises the possible work of local artists Naftel and Toplis but another painting looks almost like a Renoir, which totally astounds Fiona.  Renoir was known to have created fifteen paintings of Guernsey during his stay on the isle in 1883.  To have first hand sight of one of his works was every Art Historian’s dream.  The twins, Fiona and Nigel, knew then that what they have stumbled across could be a pivotal moment in the art world and especially important that this was found in Guernsey.

As Fiona was authenticating the painting back in London she knew nothing of the danger her brother Nigel was in.  Coming home on a high with news of the painting Fiona was in for a traumatic shock when she discovers Nigel’s body.  Fiona is utterly devastated, she has lost not only her twin brother, her best friend but also the last remaining member of her immediate family.  She is shocked that the police believe Nigel’s death may be suicide and sets out to find the truth with the help of a local private detective.

We follow Fiona on her search to find out what exactly happened on this fateful day.  We also follow her on her journey to find the original owners of the Renoir painting.

The storyline also travels back in time to 1940 and of the inhabitants of Guernsey during the war, in particular to Leo Bichard, his young wife Teresa and new baby Judith.  The fear of the future during the war, the fear of being separated during evacuation and the fear of losing everything.

I really enjoyed this story especially going back in time to 1940, reading about the social ramifications of the war fascinates me but also as Guernsey was such a small isle I could understand how isolated and alone the islanders must have felt.  The author, Anne Allen, has packed The Betrayal with drama, history, intrigue, anguish and grief but I also felt a strength of warmth of friends rallying around to support one of their own in their desperate hour of need.  Also the spark of love at a time when your life has been shattered was a welcome distraction to all the emotional despair.  4.5/5*

To learn more about Anne Allen and her work please do visit the following pages:

Website:  http://anneallen.co.uk/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/AnneAllen21

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/Anne-Allen-Author

 

 

Englishwoman at Christmas by Jenny O’Brien book review

Englishwoman at Christmas written and self-published by Jenny O’Brien is available NOW in paperback format and the ebook version will be available on 31st October 2017.

To buy link:  http://amzn.to/2yS6L0A

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Englishwoman at Christmas, a standalone romance and last in this current series.
Holly Branch has it all. She’s rich, famous and beautiful but, after a disastrous early marriage, she’s also deeply distrustful of men, all men…
Lord Oliver Ivy has it all. He’s rich, titled and handsome. He’s also a world renowned plastic surgeon, or he was… Now he’s an emotional wreck seeking solace in the bottom of a whiskey bottle.
When fate decides to play a trick on these two strangers, by dumping them in Cornwall in the middle of a snow-storm, fate gets a shock…

Note from author. When my twins asked to have a book dedicated to them, of course it was going to be jam-packed with twins…

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this novel.  All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I’ve really enjoyed the Englishwoman in series by Jenny O’Brien and Englishwoman at Christmas is sadly the last in this series.  I’m hoping the author Jenny O’Brien may revisit this series later on as a romantic novel written around the lives and loves of modern day aristocracy has captured my imagination and I haven’t read many contemporary stories that have touched on this subject, I’ve certainly read plenty of historical romances but aristocratic life now is very different.  At the end of the day whatever background we are from we appreciate companionship and love.

The Englishwoman in series includes the following novels:

• Englishwoman in Paris
• Englishwoman in Manhattan
• Englishwoman in Scotland
• Englishwoman at Christmas

Each novel can be read as a standalone but you will find characters from previous novels from this series and from the Irish Romance series will crop up in other stories.  To fully appreciate the full enjoyment of this series I would recommend reading them all.

This story focuses on Holly Branch who has just been bequeathed a country cottage in Cornwall from her late mother’s inheritance.  Holly is a hard working interior designer in the city of London and is happy that her work is her main priority in life.  Her heart has been shattered in the past and she is still struggling with her self-esteem.  It’s Christmas Eve, she’s finished work for the holiday period and after being handed the keys for her inheritance she wants to do nothing more than escape to Cornwall.

Lord Oliver Ivy is a world renowned plastic surgeon, with such talented skills in the field he is sought to perform very risky procedures.  Oliver is currently off work with a stress-related illness.  He’s struggling to cope with his emotions due to an incident that has left him emotionally and physically scarred.  Oliver has just wished his driver a Happy Christmas and now he’s left to enjoy the holiday season on his own.  But when he by chance meets with Holly Branch who mistakes him for her taxi driver he decides as he has nothing better to do to play along with Holly and drive her to Cornwall.

The weather is playing havoc with their journey as the country is blanketed in snow and when they eventually arrive at the cottage Oliver realises he cannot make the return journey home straight away.  Fate has brought these two workaholic people together.  Within the confines of the cottage Holly and Oliver have no alternative but to learn to live alongside each other.  A mutual attraction is felt between them but with Holly’s previous heartache and Oliver’s current emotional state tension and confusion is muddled along with a growing chemistry.

This was such another lovely romance from Jenny O’Brien.  I love how Jenny O’Brien incorporates sensitive issues amongst her storyline and scenes take us to medical procedures giving us drama and a myriad of emotions.  A lovely festive romance to enjoy as the season brings in the colder weather.

To learn more about Jenny O’Brien and her novels please visit the following pages:

Website:  https://jennyobrienwriter.wordpress.com/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/ScribblerJB

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JennyOBrienWriter/

 

The Woman Who Knew Everything by Debbie Viggiano book review

The Woman Who Knew Everything written by Debbie Viggiano, publisher Gingersnap Books, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.  The ebook is also included in the kindleunlimited scheme.

To buy link:  http://amzn.to/2ymFZwR

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Three friends. Three wishes. And a dollop of magic…

Shy Chrissie, well-meaning Dee and no-nonsense Amber have worked together at law firm Hood, Mann & Derek ever since leaving their respective colleges. Now in their late twenties, the women have a close-knit friendship with much more in common than just typing up letters and legal documents for their solicitor bosses. Firstly, they’ve all been living with their respective boyfriends for the last few years. Secondly, they feel a marriage proposal is well overdue.

When office siren Cougar Kate invites the three women to her birthday soirée – complete with visiting fortune teller – the girls know there is only one question they’ll be asking the mysterious Madam Rosa: Will their men be going down on one knee any time soon? But opting to see a clairvoyant like Madam Rosa, who claims to know everything, is a bit like opening Pandora’s box. Some revelations are a joy, whereas others are most definitely not. Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for…

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this novel.  All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

This was such a fun read and an ideal book to blow away the cobwebs of an autumnal day.

The author Debbie Viggiano, I’m sure, must have had such a fabulous time writing this novel as she has thrown in plenty of comedic scenes that literally had me chuckling out aloud.

Three best friends; Amber, Dee and Chrissie, all work for the same solicitors.  They’ve all been courting for a fair while and are hoping that their relationships will move to the next level with their respective partners proposing soon.  However, each girl hasn’t fully revealed the truth about their current love situation.  Their boyfriends of late haven’t been quite as committed as Amber, Dee and Chrissie would like and the girls are all starting to feel a little downtrodden.  When the trio are invited to a psychic party they leap at the chance so they can ask ‘Madam Rose’ the question of whether their boyfriends will soon be popping the question.  Madam Rosa reveals a little more than what the trio wanted.  They all go home on a mission to prove the psychic wrong leading to quite hilarious consequences.

The author took me on a lively little journey with the trio facing hurdles and more in their love life.  It was a fabulously funny, flirty romance.  I personally would have liked the author to expand a little more at the end of the story as I felt it ended a little abruptly but this did not spoil my overall enjoyment and it was a joy to read.

To learn more about Debbie Viggiano and her work please do visit the following pages:

Website:  http://www.debbieviggiano.co.uk/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/DebbieViggiano

 

 

Courting Chaos by Lynne Barron book review

Courting Chaos written and self-published by Lynne Barron is available NOW in ebook format.  The ebook is also included in the kindleunlimited scheme.

To buy link:  http://amzn.to/2g3CTmR

Product Details (as per amazon page)

Opposites attract, orbits align and chaos ensues…

Born of scandal and raised in squalor, Miss Harry O’Connell has turned her back on her feckless, frivolous father and carved out a happy, if rather hectic, life for herself in the working-class neighborhood of Wellclose Square. Until an unwelcome visit from the Earl of Dunaway puts her on a collision course with a handsome fortune-hunter.

With three men standing between Phineas Griffith and the nearest title, he was perfectly content to live up to his reputation as a careless scoundrel. Two unfortunate accidents and an apoplectic fit later, the new Viscount Knighton finds himself saddled with a decimated estate, a mountain of debt and two sisters in need of launching into Society. There’s really nothing for it but to woo and wed an heiress post haste.

Phineas cannot afford the luxury of falling in love with a prickly, penniless woman. Harry hasn’t the time or inclination to dally with a charming rake when all her considerable talents are aimed at laying waste to all the Earl of Dunaway holds dear.

But some forces are greater than gravity, and some chances worth taking. Can these two star crossed-lovers find the wherewithal to risk it all for a happily-ever-after that defies all odds?

This story is a frolicsome romp with naughty bits sprinkled throughout, though nothing likely to make the average romance reader blush.

Courting Chaos is book 2 in the Dunaway’s Daughters series.  I haven’t read Taming Beauty (book 1) so I treated Courting Chaos as a standalone novel and to be honest it read very well as a standalone but to fully appreciate this wonderful era of the early 1820’s and the whole courtship and culture I would recommend reading both books in the series.

Courting Chaos is my first introduction to the work of Lynne Barron.  I do love a good historical romance and Lynne Barron delivered a fabulous, addictive, seductive read that was also quite witty and humorous in places.  Lynne Barron cleverly incorporates words and sayings from the era making the prose very authentic, if you are not sure of a word the beauty of an ereader is that you can highlight that word and the inbuilt dictionary will explain and I made use of this feature a few times and was interested to learn about these new old words and phrases.

I loved Miss Harry O’Connell’s character she was so self-assured, streetwise, intelligent and had a great head for ingenuity and business.  So very unusual for a young lady in the 1800’s.  However, Harry hid a secret heartache and keeping herself busy was one of her coping mechanisms to conceal this.  Due to her upbringing she was also insistent on being self-reliant.  Harry however, didn’t have ‘Falling in Love with a Notorious Rake’ in her agenda.  This particular rake, Phineas Griffith (Viscount Knighton) was virtually penniless and in order to keep his family and property he was on the lookout for a bride, one that came with a wealthy dowry.  His plans were soon thwarted when he made eyes with Harry and all sense was forgotten and for the first time in Phineas life he was consumed by this young woman.  Harry’s beauty was a pleasure to behold but what was more wonderful about her to Phineas was her intelligence, ingenuity and enterprising ways.

I have to be honest Harry’s head of business did get me a little lost at first but I was so beguiled by her strength of character I quickly overlooked these tiny little niggles in the storyline and by the end of the novel I could appreciate the background and descriptions the author took us on at the start as they all fitted into place.

A raunchy regency romance that will take you on a chaotic journey of courtship with two players dancing around each other fighting with their emotions, beliefs and hopes for the future.

I’d like to share one of my favourite quotes from the book:

And his smile ought to be illegal, all smooth self-assurance with just a hint of mischief lurking at the corners.

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this novel.  All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

To learn more about Lynne Barron and her work please visit the following pages:

Website:  http://www.lynnebarron.com/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/lynnebarron06

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/LynneBarronRomanceAuthor/

Christmas at Conwenna Cove by Darcie Boleyn book review

Christmas at Conwenna Cove, written by Darcie Boleyn, publisher Canelo, is available NOW in ebook format.

To buy link:  http://amzn.to/2z89VdB

Product Details (as per amazon page)

A heartwarming, romantic and Christmassy novel set in the gorgeous Cornish village of Conwenna Cove.

When Grace Phillips travels to Conwenna Cove to help her parents move there 30 years after their honeymoon in the village, she sees why they fell in love with the place. The festive decorations, carols in the air and constant supply of delicious mince pies certainly make it hard to leave. Grace soon meets local vet Oli Davenport and initially finds him rude, but learning about his passion for animals and how much he cares for his two kids helps Grace to see a softer side to Oli.

It’s been two years since Oli lost his wife to cancer. Though he loves eleven-year-old Amy and five-year-old Tom more than anything it’s hard to be mum and dad. He has no interest in romance until he crosses paths with beautiful and kind-hearted Grace. The sparks fly but both Oli and Grace are holding onto fear about letting someone into their heart.

As the snow falls and Christmas wishes come true can Conwenna Cove work its magic and help Grace and Oli find the happiness they both deserve?

This was such a delightful read.  It was a treat to return to Conwenna Cove and I was completely romanticised again by the landscape.  The fictional coastal village that the author has created sounds so idyllic with its quaint cottages and the little independent shops together with the beachside ambience but what makes this story more heartfelt is the occupants of the village.  There is a real sense of community in the village from those that were born in the village to those that have sort solace and have been welcomed with open arms to this wonderful seaside location.  I feel like I want to pack my case and have my own Conwenna Cove hug.

This story focuses on Grace Phillips who has travelled down to Cornwall from her home in Cardiff to help her parents settle in their new cottage in the Cove.  Grace and her parents have suffered such a terrible loss and her parents are hoping that this new start will bring a new perspective to their life, a chance to reflect and a chance to embrace what life throws at them.  Grace is an author so staying with her parents for a short while is no hardship to her career as she can work from anywhere.  When Grace meets the village vet Oli Davenport she is struck by his handsome features but his aloof persona doesn’t help him win friends too easily.  However, given time Grace discovers more about Oli and with his huge commitment to the health and welfare of animals and to his devotion to his children, eleven year old Amy and five year old Tom, Grace appreciates this side to Oli.

Oli Davenport loves his children and loves his job but he is still grieving for his wife who sadly passed away two years ago.  When he first meets Grace he is struck by her beauty but this sets off a chain reaction of confused emotions in him.  His first priority is his children and he also feels like he shouldn’t be having any feelings for any woman since becoming a widower.  However, the more Oli and Grace get to know each other the more they understand that they each are holding a heartache and are still grieving.

Will the beautiful landscape, the wonderful honesty in children and the sad plight of the animals in need that Oli faces daily help these two people learn to love again?

A wonderful, heartfelt, festive read that left me sighing with contentment.

To learn more about Darcie Boleyn and her work please visit the following pages:

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