The Resistance Girl by Jina Bacarr @JinaBacarr @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources #blogtour #bookreview #WWIIfiction

The Resistance Girl written by Jina Bacarr, publisher Boldwood Books, is available NOW in ebook, kindleunlimited and paperback format.

Book Blurb

Two women. One heartbreaking secret.

Paris, 1943.

Sylvie Martone is the star of French cinema, and adored by fans. But as Nazi officers swarm the streets of Paris, she is spotted arm in arm with an SS Officer and her fellow Parisians begin to turn against her.

However Sylvie has a secret – one she must protect with her life.

Paris, 2020.

Juliana Chastain doesn’t know anything about her family history. While her mother was alive she remained very secretive about her past.

So when Juliana discovers a photograph of a glamorous French actress from World War Two amongst her mother’s possessions, she is in shock to find herself looking at her grandmother – especailly as she is arm in arm with a Nazi Officer…

Desperate for answers, Juliana is determined to trace the journey of her grandmother. Surely there is more to the photograph than meets the eye?

But as she delves into Sylvie’s past, nothing can prepare Juliane for the tales of secrets, betrayal and sacrifice which she will uncover.

A heart-wrenching story of love and war, perfect for fans of Pam Jenoff and Suzanne Goldring.

Purchase Link – https://buff.ly/3dHGHqQ

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

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Jina Bacarr’s latest historcal novel: The Resistance Girl. I love books set in Paris and I am fascinated with the impact of both world wars on civilians so this book was a must read for me.

I found The Resistance Girl a captivating WWII time-slip novel that will entrance you with the glamour, the espionage, the romance and the danger. It will also leave you with food for thought of a time in history that no-one can ever appreciate or begin to understand unless you are living in it. This is when fiction is at it’s best bringing historical moments to life and giving the reader an atmospheric understanding of what the characters are experiencing.

This story is a tale of two halves focussing on two women who find themselves reaching a junction in their lives. The routes they take could change their lives irrevocably. Back in the late 1920’s young Sylvie, who has been brought up by nuns at the local convent in Paris, is obsessed with the silver screen and dreams of being an actress. Sylvie has to make a big decision to step away from the convent and set her dreams free but is this step leading her to danger in later life? The silver screens were just coming alive with speaking parts and exciting times were ahead in the world of cinema.

Over 75 years later Juliana is sorting out her late mother’s belongings and finds a photograph of a beautiful women. This photograph she believes is of her grandmother and it inspires Juliana to learn more about her. Who is the beautiful woman, what was her story?

The story flits back and forth as we follow both girls journeys in life; Sylvie’s journey to stardom and to survival as the war in Europe intensifies and Paris becomes occupied by soldiers. Sylvie’s celebrity status becomes a hindrance and a gain during these troubled times and she struggles with her beliefs. Juliana has a tough journey tracking down the life of this young woman in the photograph who held so many secrets. Her gut instincts are to fight for the truth surrounding Sylvie’s career and personal life.

A story that will keep you mesmerised till the very end. I find stories like Sylvie’s very remarkable and they should be told to all. Even though this is a work of fiction it is based on the wondrous stories that military historians are now unearthing. At times it is dark with the realities of war and it will break your heart many times but you can sense the hope in Sylvie for better days to come. It must have been thrilling for Juliana to reveal these secrets of her grandmother. Secrets that no-one could ever envisage.

A captivating story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Author Bio –

Jina Bacarr is a US-based historical romance author of over 10 previous books. She has been a screenwriter, journalist and news reporter, but now writes full-time and lives in LA. Jina’s novels have been sold in 9 territories.

Social Media Links –

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/JinaBacarrNewsletter

Website: https://jinabacarr.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JinaBacarr.author

Twitter @ https://twitter.com/JinaBacarr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jinabacarr/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LadydeGrey/videos?view_as=subscriber

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jbacarr

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jina-bacarr

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/50392.Jina_Bacarr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jinabacarr/

https://bookandmainbites.com/JinaBacarr

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Christmas at the Farmhouse by Rebecca Boxall @rararesources #festiveread #RebeccaBoxall #bookreview #blogtour

Christmas at the Farmhouse written by Rebecca Boxall, publisher Wild Fox Press, is available NOW in ebook, kindleunlimited and paperback format.

Book Blurb

As the anticipation of Christmas builds in the Nielsen family’s cosy farmhouse, Jo, Magnus and their grown-up children begin to congregate for a hybrid Danish-Jersey festive season, each with a surprise of their own – though the surprise that arrives over Christmas is the most life-changing of all.

Fifty years earlier, in 1969, Susan Jones finds herself being pursued by Mr Jenners, her former English teacher, and at the age of seventeen is packed off to a Home for Unmarried Mothers in London by her uncompromising father. As Christmas approaches, all she can do is desperately hope to be rescued, but will anyone be able to reach her in time?

The two timelines of this festive story gradually weave together in a tale that examines whether love and hope can eventually triumph over even the deepest sadness.

Rebecca Boxall is the award-nominated author of five bestselling novels – Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Farmhouse-festive-author-Vicarage-ebook/dp/B08J7S6SZV 

US – https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Farmhouse-festive-author-Vicarage-ebook/dp/B08J7S6SZV

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

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Rebecca Boxall’s latest novel: Christmas at the Farmhouse.

This novel is quite short in length (206 pages) but it packs a punch. It is more than just a cosy festive read, it has plenty of light and dark and really keeps you captivated by the storyline. In fact I was so emotional by the end of the novel that I found it hard to see the words through my tears.

Christmas at the Farmhouse is a story of two halves that come together in one emotional finale. Back in the late 1960’s young Susan’s life was quite confined with her controlling parents. However, she did have an escapism with her part-time job in the bakery. When someone who should know better pays her attention Susan is initially flattered and likes the freedom of talking with an adult. However, life becomes dangerous and disturbing for Susan but light from an unexpected source brings her hope and happiness. Nonetheless, fate was to pull another blow her way and Susan is ripped apart from this joy she has made.

Fifty years later we are in Jersey at a farmhouse that sounds so homely. To a large extended family that are as unconventional as they come. As Christmas Day approaches new shocks and changes to various members of the family are announced but the surprise that Jo has so thoughtfully planned brings a much needed clarity to one member of the family.

Christmas at the Farmhouse is a time-slip novel with a coming of age storyline centred around the unjust of certain rules of life post war England. At times the story is endearing and at others it’s darkness provokes fury within the reader but the finale will unravel your emotions entirely. Charming, thought-provoking and highly emotive.

Author Bio –

Rebecca Boxall was born in 1977 in East Sussex, where she grew up in a vicarage always filled with family, friends and parishioners. She now lives by the sea in Jersey with her husband, three children and Rodney the cat. She read English at the University of Warwick before training as a lawyer and also studied Creative Writing with The Writer’s Bureau. She is the bestselling author of Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse and was nominated for the Romantic Novelist Association Awards in 2020.

Social Media Links –

For more information please visit her website – www.rebeccaboxall.co.uk – or her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/christmasatthevicarage.

One More for Christmas by Sarah Morgan @SarahMorgan_ @HQstories #bookreview #festiveread

One More for Christmas written by Sarah Morgan, publisher HQ, is available NOW in ebook, hardcover, audiobook and due for release in paperback this Thursday 29th October 2020.

Book Blurb

Gayle is a highly successful and motivated business woman, but her success has come at a price – she hasn’t spoken to her daughters, Ella and Samantha, for years. But when Gayle has an accident at work, she realises she needs to make amends with her family.

And so she invites herself to join Ella and Samantha for their Christmas in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. The sisters are none too pleased that their mother has inserted herself into their Christmas plans. They have each other – and don’t need their mother back in their lives. Or so they think…

As they embark on their first family Christmas together in years, will the three women learn that sometimes facing up to a few home truths is all you need to heal your heart?

REVIEW

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

There’s a highly anticipated excitement when a new Sarah Morgan novel is released. Sarah Morgan is an accomplished bestselling author who has been romancing her readers with over 80 novels. Her books are far more than a sizzling romance, she sets the scene and whisks her reader to gorgeous locations but most of all she understands people and brings them alive in her stories.

One More for Christmas is a story of a broken family, two sisters who haven’t spoken to their mother for five years. However, when their super confident, independent mother makes contact the girls, Samantha and Ella, are very wary of how to approach their own mother. The last time they were together words were spoken and relations between the three of them have been broken ever since. Ella, the youngest, has kept secrets from her mother; she’s not told her she’s now married and has a four year old daughter. Samantha hasn’t told her mother she’s the CEO of her own company and has moved house.

When Gayle, the mother, holds out an olive branch of reconciliation both girls are expecting these tentative steps to falter and they fear they will be hurt all over again. Incredibly Gayle suggests a Christmas get together and as Samantha has to research a new festive holiday location the decision is made for this broken family to travel overseas to the most idyllic of festive locations and stay in a remote lodge in the Scottish mountains.

Introducing Gayle to two new members of the family, a son-in-law and a granddaughter, takes some adjusting but the joy emanating from the youngster arriving in the snowy hills warms Gayle’s heart.

There’s plenty of untold history bubbling under the surface ready to explode and reveal details that no-one could expect. This history has made Gayle the woman she is now but she’s afraid that revealing it will open up all the hurt she has kept so well locked up. As the family learn to live with each other they discover that life is about taking each day at a time and embracing change and new experiences.

The family that own the remote lodge also have some emotional obstacles to climb but the arrival of Gayle and her daughters proves to be perfect timing to help and aid them all.

One More at Christmas is a gorgeous festive read that will make you feel nostalgic pangs for cosy togetherness in wintry times. It’s also a story of a family coping with grief, loss and denial but its also a story of discovering new friends, new opportunities, hope and love.

About the Author

Sarah Morgan is a Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She has sold more than 18 million copies of her books and her trademark warmth and humour have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives near London with her family and when she isn’t writing or reading, she likes to spend time outdoors walking or riding her mountain bike.

Join Sarah’s mailing list at http://www.sarahmorgan.com for all book news. For more insight into her writing life follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook/AuthorSarahMorgan and on Instagram at @sarahmorganwrites Contact Sarah at sarah@sarahmorgan.com

The Cornish Key to Happiness by Laura Briggs @PaperDollWrites @rararesources #bookreview #PublicationDayPush #ALittleHotelinCornwall

The Cornish Key to Happiness written and self-published by Laura Briggs is available NOW in ebook format.

Book Blurb

Past secrets return to complicate Maisie’s future with the charming Sidney Daniels in the final installment of the Cornish romance series.

Picking up where book seven left off, Maisie’s plans to celebrate her book’s thrilling news remain on hold after Sidney has vanished from Port Hewer overnight, following a brush with his secret past. His departure leaves Maisie with a head full of questions and a heart torn in two, made even worse by the rumors flying about him through the town. Where and why has he gone? Will he ever come back again? And—foremost in Maisie’s mind—was the heartache from his younger days somehow to blame for his sudden and mysterious flight?

But when Dean convinces her that Sidney may be facing a choice that could ruin his life, Maisie must set out to find him, once again leaving behind the Cornish seaside haven of Port Hewer she’s come to think of as home, and leaving behind the answer to a secret she’s been longing to know since the beginning. Not knowing when or if she’ll return, she’s taking the biggest risk with her heart so far…and the truth she discovers waiting for her at the end of her journey will make her wonder if things can ever possibly be the same as they were before.

Questions are answered, secrets are spilled, and the biggest reveal of the series is finally unveiled as A LITTLE HOTEL IN CORNWALL reaches its exciting conclusion.

Purchase Link – https://smarturl.it/cornishroad

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

I am so pleased to be involved in the Publication Day Push for The Cornish Key to Happiness, the final instalment in the A Little Hotel in Cornwall series written by Laura Briggs.

The Cornish Key to Happiness is Book 8 in the A Little Hotel in Cornwall series, a series I’ve enjoyed learning about Maisie’s plight to find her favourite author and fulfil her dream to become an author. There’s been plenty of twists and turns along the way for Maisie but with all good series there has to be a finale.

I felt that this instalment held a bit of a foreboding atmosphere and I couldn’t guess which way the author would take lovely Maisie next. After the last instalment when we saw Sidney flee after a startling surprise from his past, understandably Maisie is very upset. She doesn’t know what to think, she doesn’t know where or why or for how long he has gone. Their blossoming relationship was doing so well and now the past that Sidney kept so well hidden has made itself known to him, is this the end for Maisie and Sidney?

Dean, Sidney’s best friend, persuades Maisie to find Sidney as he believes she is the only one that can talk to him. Maisie’s journey to find Sidney takes her to places she never dreamed of and she feels like her voyage has been wasted when she is met with obstacle after obstacle.

Laura Briggs takes the reader on an emotional trip with Maisie seeking out the truth of what the last 12 months in Cornwall have been about. Will Maisie find Sidney? Will we find out who the elusive author is?

A Little Hotel in Cornwall has been a charming read; full of hopes, dreams, adventure and romance.

Author Bio –

Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller ‘A Wedding in Cornwall’. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

Social Media Links –

Author Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1JjeMoI

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1ME9ivJ

Christmas Reunion in Paris by Liz Fielding @lizfielding @MillsandBoon @rararesources #bookreview #festiveread

Christmas Reunion in Paris written by Liz Fielding, publisher Mills and Boon, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

Book Blurb

Parisian reunion
With the one that got away!

Celebrity chef James Harrington never expected to find himself face-to-face with Chloe, his first love, again… Especially, with her working as a chambermaid at his luxury hotel! Their chemistry’s as strong as ever, but she’s hiding a secret. Can James convince Chloe that their love is worth taking a chance on – again?

Katie Fforde wrote, when honouring her with the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019 said – “Liz Fielding’s books, with their warmth, humour and emotion, have charmed millions of readers. She is a true star of the romantic fiction genre.”

Purchase Links

Amazon – https://mybook.to/ChristmasReunion

iBooks  – https://books.apple.com/gb/book/christmas-reunion-in-paris/id1508284570

Google   https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Liz_Fielding_Christmas_Reunion_In_Paris_Mills_Boon?id=DgPdDwAAQBAJ

Nook  – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-reunion-in-paris-liz-fielding/1136637305

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/christmas-reunion-in-paris-mills-boon-true-love-christmas-at-the-harrington-park-hotel-book-1

Mills and Boon – Harlequin –

https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335556462_christmas-reunion-in-paris.html

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

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Liz Fielding’s latest novel: Christmas Reunion in Paris. I can’t quite believe this is the first book by Liz Fielding that I’ve read, looking at her back catalogue she has been bringing romance to her avid readers for years. I fell in love with this book; it’s a modern day romance within the ranks of high society that oozes with sexual tension.

Chloe and James were besotted with each other as teenagers but sadly life was to give them a cruel twist in their blossoming courtship and they were pulled apart. Ten years on and a chance encounter brings the pair back together again however, they are no longer young, crazy in love teenagers they are adults that have lived through many emotional hardships.

Chloe and James are both from privileged families but Chloe escaped this lifestyle to try and gain ownership of her life, a life that she has never had control over. Chloe lives in a small flat in Paris with few luxuries and is working 3 jobs to keep afloat. Since Chloe and James parted James has managed to fulfil his dream of becoming a professional chef however, he’s felt something was missing from his life and when he meets Chloe again he realises that she is the key to his happiness.

This first encounter again after ten years is fuelled by pent up emotions and desires run away with them. James believes he has found his happy ever after and starts rushing ahead planning for the future. Sadly, Chloe suffered greatly from the hands of her controlling father and she needs to learn to rise above this confinement her father has held on her. For Chloe to move forward she has to look back and face her fears.

A story of lost loves rediscovering each other filled with culinary delights, culture and festive fun. Christmas Reunion in Paris is romantic, sexy and is a glorious escapism read. I can’t wait to read more stories set in the exclusive Harrington Park Hotel.

Author Bio – Best selling author, Liz Fielding worked as a secretary in Africa, the Middle East and the UK before writing full time. Her award winning books are published worldwide in multiple languages and she has more than 15 million books in print.

Katie Fforde wrote, when honouring her with the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019 said – “Liz Fielding’s books, with their warmth, humour and emotion, have charmed millions of readers. She is a true star of the romantic fiction genre…”

Social Media Links –

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/lizfieldingauthor

Twitter – https://twitter.com/lizfielding

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/liz.fielding/

Christmas with the Teashop Girls by Elaine Everest @ElaineEverest @ed_pr @panmacmillan #TeashopGirlsChristmas

Christmas with the Teashop Girls by Elaine Everest is out now, published by Pan Macmillan, priced £7.99 as paperback original.

Book Blurb

The friends return in a moving story of love, bravery and hope set in 1940 – a guaranteed winter warmer full of festive spirit. Bestseller Elaine Everest is the author of the much loved Woolworths Girls saga series.
It’s late 1940 and the war feels closer to home than ever for Rose Neville and her staff at the Lyon’s Teashop in Margate. The worry of rationing hangs overhead as the Nippies do their best to provide a happy smile and a hot cup of tea for their customers. When a bombing raid targets the Kent
coastline, Lyon’s is badly hit, throwing the future of the cafe into jeopardy.
The light in Rose’s life is her dashing fiancé Captain Ben Hargreaves and she’s busy planning their Christmas Eve wedding. But she must also plan to take two new stepdaughters into her life and get on the right side of her wealthy mother-in-law, Lady Diana. Is Rose ready to become a mother?
When Rose’s half-sister Eileen makes contact, it seems that Rose’s dreams of having a sibling are coming true at long last. But her friends begin to suspect that she’s hiding something… As the wedding draws near, the bombings intensify, putting everything and everyone Rose loves in danger.
Only one thing is for sure: it will be a Christmas she never forgets . . .

The book will be available to purchase from high street book stores, most supermarkets and also the online links below:

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/christmas-with-the-teashop-girls/elaine-everest/9781529015928

Hive: https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Elaine-Everest/Christmas-with-the-Teashop-Girls/24958980

Amazon: https://amzn.to/33ZGcoD

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

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Elaine Everest’s latest novel: Christmas with the Teashop Girls.

Elaine Everest is a very good storyteller, her words take you back to an era that was filled with uncertainty and there’s a real sense of atmosphere. What I love about the attitude of the people from the war years was the community spirit, their resilience and their make do and mend survival tactics. These are times we need to keep remembering and learn from.

We are back in Margate with the girls we fell in love with in book one, The Teashop Girls, the Nippies from the Lyon’s teashop. The year is 1940 and war is visibly amongst the streets and cities but romance is keeping the girls going specifically with Rose and her blossoming romance with Ben.

With this book we get to learn more about Ben’s family and a trip to the city of London opens Rose and her mother Flora’s eyes to the full extent of the conflict. Meeting Ben’s mother brings up many surprises and Lady Diana proves to be a very resourceful woman.

Romance, danger and adventure are not far away for Rose, Lily, Katie, Flora and Mildred. With the introduction of new characters blending brilliantly with our much loved main characters Elaine Everest has written another great WWII saga. I found myself immersed in the story and become involved in the lives of all. When the sky blackened with the battle of the skies I could feel the intensity of what the characters were witnessing.

A story that is filled with nostalgia, community spirit, the highs and lows of life during conflict but most of all it’s a story with warmth, friendship and love.

About the Author

Elaine Everest is from North West Kent and she grew up listening to stories of the war years in her home town of Erith, which features in her bestselling Woolworths Girls series. A former journalist, and author of nonfiction books for dog owners, Elaine has written over sixty short stories for the women’s magazine market.
When she isn’t writing, Elaine runs The Write Place creative writing school in Hextable, Kent. She lives with her husband, Michael and sheepdog Henry. You can find out more about Elaine on Twitter @ElaineEverest or Facebook /elaine.everest

The Winter We Met by Samantha Tonge @SamTongeWriter @aria_fiction #blogtour #bookreview #festiveread

The Winter We Met written by Samantha Tonge, publisher Aria, is available NOW in ebook and kindleunlimited format. The paperback is due out in the new year.

About the book

When charming, mysterious, Nik sits next to Jess on a plane home from a Christmas toy trade fair, she never could have imagined the impact he’d have on her life. As they touch down in London, Jess is hesitant to let Nik walk away, and before she knows it, she’s invited him to visit.

As the two take in the delights of the toy store where she works, Jess gets an upsetting phone call. Willow Court, her Grandmother’s care home, is to close before Christmas. With the help of Nik, and her best friend Oliver, Jess is determined to find the perfect new home for her Gran – and throw the best Christmas party Willow Court has ever seen! But time is running out and Oliver isn’t the only one who has suspicions about charismatic Nik’s intentions.

Will a chance encounter on an aeroplane bring love to Jess’s life or is this Christmas miracle too good to be true?

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35KuK1F

iBooks: https://apple.co/3krCB8h

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3kqWoou

Google Play: https://bit.ly/33GbOOI

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

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Samantha Tonge’s latest novel: The Winter We Met.

The Winter We Met is wonderfully warm-spirited and beautifully romantic. There is a hint of something magical and enchanting about the storyline that transfixed me throughout and I could have carried on reading about the characters as I felt like I didn’t want this particular reading experience to end.

Jess works in a toyshop in a lovely leafy suburb of London, she’s on her way back from a Toy Trade Fair and gets chatting to a very charming young man on the plane. A young man that happens to be in the same industry as herself working for the family toy manufacturers in Australia. A young man that knows just how to make Jess feel at ease when he could sense her panicking and becoming anxious on the plane. This young man is called Nik and he’s on his way to London to investigate the toy shops and what appears to be big sellers in Europe. A friendship soon develops and Jess opens up this friendship more by inviting Nik to visit her shop.

Nik soon becomes enchanted by the small toy shop and of the quaint English town and the foodie traditions he’s missed out on. Jess decides to introduce him to a few of her favourite English meals and invites him to spend time with her Grandma and friends.

Jess’ Grandma lives in a care home and has a wonderful network of friends in the home. However, there’s bad news ahead and the home is due to close by Christmas. As you can imagine staff and residents are deeply upset and worried to be losing their home and being close to the group of friends they have made. Jess with the help of her old and now new friends plan to make a Christmas party to remember.

There’s a wonderful community spirit within the storyline of friendship, family but not a family in the traditional way, a family that you have built up around you. I really enjoyed learning about the elderly residents of the care home, I loved their history and their personality traits. Hearing about the day to day life in a care home like Willow Court sounded wonderful, the staff were very thoughtful and caring and generous of their time. You could sense that this job was more than a vocation to the staff.

I fell in love with the toy shop that Jess worked in, it reminded me of a toy shop I visited with my children when they were little. It’s a toy shop with traditional values that welcomes you in and makes you feel at home. I was feeling very nostalgic with this glorious toy shop.

This is a story of chance encounters but is it fate?! A story of old and young mixing together in harmony blending wisdom, experience, youth and energy developing into a perfect cocktail of friendship. A story of experiencing the highs and lows of life but enjoying each step along the way. Most of all it’s a festive treat of a read with a beautiful romance to welcome the festivities in.

About the author

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK with her husband and children. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely. When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines. She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2018 Forgive Me Not, heralded a new direction into darker women’s fiction with publisher Canelo. In 2019 she was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association romantic comedy award.

Follow Samantha:

Facebook: @SamanthaTongeAuthor

Twitter: @SamTongeWriter

Instagram: @samanthatongeauthor

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Odd Bird by Lee Farnsworth @leefarniefarns @farragobooks #bookreview #romcom #debutnovel #OddBird

Odd Bird written by Lee Farnsworth, publisher Farrago, is available in ebook, audiobook and paperback format from 15th October 2020.

Book Blurb

Simon Selwood is an academic expert on the monogamous sexual behaviour of birds, but hopeless at finding human love. Then he meets Kim, and at last something is more important to him than ornithology.

Kim doesn’t give a hoot about birds. And at first she isn’t very interested in Simon either. Relying on what he has gleaned from observing the opportunistic pied flycatcher and other species, plus the unorthodox advice of old friend Phil, Simon sets out on a mission to discover love for himself.

But will he make the right choice?

Odd Bird takes a light-hearted look at the battle of the sexes, drawing on the surprising parallels between the courtship behaviours of humans and birds.

To buy/pre-order: https://amzn.to/30J7JZs

REVIEW

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

I really enjoyed this accomplished debut novel by Lee Farnsworth. It’s a rom com from the male character perspective.

Dr Simon Selwood is a scientist, he studies the behaviour of birds, particularly how they find their mate and how this bond survives through the daily rituals of life. Simon isn’t very good with human ‘birds’ and each week he meets with his best mate, Phil, to discuss Simon’s mating strategy over a pint or two and a carefully chosen soundtrack. Until one day Simon falls head over heels in love with Kim but Kim is not a scientist and she doesn’t really understand Simon’s interests with his birds. Will Simon pluck up the courage to talk to Kim? Is this the start of the perfect human bonding?

Simon is such a quirky character and he talks in scientific lingo, this is an endearing trait to his character which I soon warmed to and found adorable. I didn’t want Simon to change his character, if we were all the same it would be pretty boring conversing with clone individuals. On the other hand his best mate Phil was the total opposite in personality to Simon, he was a cheeky ‘Jack the lad’ character but has a heart of gold. Phil got Simon, he knew just how to analyse him and just how to help him. I loved this pairing of characters, on paper you wouldn’t think they would bond but they blended together perfectly.

Odd Bird is a charming, quirky rom com that will appeal to all. It’s like an academic Men Behaving Badly!

About the Author

Lee Farnsworth studied Genetics at Newcastle University, eventually gaining a PhD for his work on bovine mitochondria. He then spent more than fifteen years in the pharmaceutical industry, holding senior leadership positions in Europe and the US. He kissed the corporate world goodbye to spend more time writing. Lee lives in Berkshire. He has two children and a large collection of bird feeders.

Twitter: @leefarniefarns

Website: https://www.leefarnsworth.com/

A Batchelor’s Pledge by Penny Hampson @penny_hampson @rararesources #blogtour #bookpromo

A Bachelor’s Pledge written by Penny Hampson, publisher PP & M Publishing, is available NOW in ebook, kindleunlimited and paperback format.

I am so pleased to be involved with the Publication Day Push celebrating and promoting the launch of Penny Hampson’s latest novel: A Batchelor’s Pledge. I have the pleasure of sharing a promo.

Book Blurb

The woman who haunts his dreams

Secret agent Phil Cullen is upset when he discovers that the young woman he rescued from Mrs Newbody’s establishment has absconded from his housekeeper’s care without a word. Thinking he has been deceived, he resolves to forget about her… something easier said than done.

The man she wants to forget

Sophia Turner is horrified when she is duped into entering a notorious house of ill-repute. Then a handsome stranger comes to her aid. Desperate that no one learns of this scandalous episode, Sophia flees to the one friend she knows she can trust. With luck, she will never see her mysterious rescuer again.

But fate has other plans…

Months later, Phil is on the trail of an elusive French agent and Sophia is a respectable lady’s companion when fate again intervenes, taking their lives on a collision course.

Traitors, spies, and shameful family secrets – will these bring Sophia and Phil together… or drive them apart?

Purchase Link – mybook.to/ABachelorsPledge

Author Bio – Some time ago Penny Hampson decided to follow her passion for history by studying with the Open University. She graduated with honours and went on to complete a post-graduate degree.

Penny then landed her dream role, working in an environment where she was surrounded by rare books and historical manuscripts. Flash forward nineteen years, and the opportunity came along to indulge her other main passion – writing. Penny joined the New Writers’ Scheme of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and  three years later published her debut novel, A Gentleman’s Promise, a historical mystery/romance and the first in The Gentlemen Series. An Officer’s Vow soon followed and the latest in the series is A Bachelor’s Pledge.

But never happy in a rut, Penny also writes contemporary suspense with paranormal and romantic elements. Her first book in this genre is The Unquiet Spirit, published by Darkstroke.

Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).

For more on Penny’s writing, visit her blog: https://pennyhampson.co.uk/blog/

Twitter: @penny_hampson

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pennyhampsonauthor

The Gin O’Clock Club by Rosie Blake @RosieBBooks @LittleBrownUK #bookreview #feelgoodfiction #mustread

The Gin O’Clock Club written by Rosie Blake, publisher Sphere, is available NOW in ebook, audiobook and paperback format.

THE EBOOK IS CURRENTLY AT A SPECIAL PRICE OF 99p SO FILL YOUR EREADER IN READINESS FOR COSY READING TIME IN THE AUTUMN AND WINTER MONTHS.

Book Blurb

Bring the sparkle and fizz back into your life with the help of The Gin O’Clock Club

Lottie is always in a hurry, rushing through her days ticking tasks off her to-do lists. Teddy is worried about his granddaughter – and he knows that his late wife, Lily, would have known exactly what to say to make things better. Now that Lily has gone, it’s up to Teddy to talk some sense into Lottie.

With the help of Arjun, Geoffrey and Howard, the elderly reprobates who make up his Gin O’Clock Club, Teddy makes a plan to help Lottie find her way back to the things that really matter – family, friendship and love. But as Lottie balances a high-powered job with her reluctant attendance at whist drives, ballroom dances and bingo, Teddy wonders if she’s really ready to open up her heart to the possibility of true happiness…

Laugh, cry and fall in love with this colourful cast of characters in THE feel-good novel of the year

REVIEW

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

I cannot express how wonderful this novel is by Rosie Blake. This story is about life in all it’s glory through the happy times and through the sad. I knew before I started reading the book that the story focused on Teddy coping with the grief of his beloved wife so I was a little prepared for the emotional storyline. I have recently been struggling with my own grief over the death of my father but what surprised me with Rosie Blake’s novel is how I felt comforted with the story. It is sad and it is bringing back emotions of what I’ve been through but the overwhelming feeling I received from this book was hopefulness, energising, uplifting and just the tonic I needed. I was totally immersed in the storyline and was annoyed of having to keep stopping reading for housework and food!

The Gin O’Clock Club is a group of retired gentleman who meet regularly to catch up with each other over a glass or two of gin. Teddy has recently lost his beloved wife and he’s coping in his own way but he worries about his granddaughter Lottie. Lottie is trying to have it all; she’s got a high powered career and is striving for the top, a loving boyfriend, family and friends but when life starts to get more stressful things start tumbling around her and she struggles to pick up the pieces.

Lottie’s late grandmother Lily was a great agony aunt and would have known what to say and do to help Lottie but now she isn’t here Teddy knows it’s up to him to help. Teddy is at a loss with what to say and do with Lottie and he knows he cannot do this alone so he asks for the wisdom of his Gin O’Clock friends to help. The men come up with a plan of action to get Lottie to see the lighter side of life and learn to slow down and enjoy the journey one day at a time.

We follow Lottie and the Gin O’Clock crew bringing fun, friendship, laughter and love back to the forefront of her life.

I love stories with a mix of ages in characters, there’s wisdom and youth blending perfectly with a few smiles along the way. The Gin O’Clock Club will break your heart but it will piece it all together again.

After finishing the novel I could totally reimagine it as a blockbuster rom com movie and I’d love Michael Caine to be one of the members of the Gin Club. In fact he’d make a wonderful Teddy. Emily Blunt for Lottie and Leo Suter for Luke.

I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve swooned and I’ve sighed. The Gin O’clock Club is simply marvellous.

About the Author

Rosie is a writer, recovering TV presenter and mother of many children. She has written for Cosmopolitan, The Lady, Best and Reveal Magazines. She has appeared on ITV, Channel 4 and Sky. She enjoys hosting writing panels and running creative writing workshops.

She has written comic women’s fiction for Atlantic Books and Sphere Fiction. Her latest, The Gin O’Clock Club, a quirky inter-generational love story about friendship, gin, golf and whist, is out April 2020.

She continues to attempt to become Julia Robert’s best friend but is starting to worry it might never happen despite “liking” all her Instagram posts.

Do follow Rosie on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram – she has twins so she is always keen to chat.

Twitter and Instagram: @RosieBBooks