Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage by Samantha Tonge @SamTongeWriter @Aria_Fiction #blogtour #bookreview

Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage written by Samantha Tonge, publisher Aria, is available NOW in ebook format. The paperback is due out in July.

Book Blurb

A new start can come from the most unexpected places…

It’s been years since Lizzie Lockhart spoke to her parents. But she was safe in the knowledge she knew everything about them. Once upon a time, they were as close as could be. Until they weren’t.

After receiving the earth-shattering news of their passing, Lizzie decides it’s time to unearth some family secrets and find out just who her parents really were… starting with Streamside Cottage. A cottage Lizzie never knew existed, in a place she’s never heard of: the beautiful English village of Leafton.

Leaving behind London, and the tattoo parlour she called home, Lizzie finds herself moving to the countryside. Faced with a tight-lipped community, who have secrets of their own, Lizzie is at a loss for what to do, until her rather handsome neighbour, Ben, steps in to help.

As Lizzie finally begins to piece together the puzzle of her family history she realises she has to confront the truth of the past in order to face her future.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31Uuyd2

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3msO5KM

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3dCuQdU

Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/3fPAzjm

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: Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage. I gave you a sneak peak of my review on Publication Day but I’m now thrilled to share my full review.

You know you've read a good story when you get to the end and are gutted there's no more.  This is literally how I felt with Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage.  However, author Samantha Tonge, had me so absorbed by this story I feel as if I could continue and imagine what comes next for the characters I've grown to love.

Lizzie has had quite a sheltered upbringing with loving but over protective parents but when she goes off to university Lizzie's eyes are opened to lots of new opportunities.  When Lizzie's path takes a different direction to the one her parents had mapped out relations between parent and child becomes very strained.  Several years have now passed and Lizzie receives devastating news of the death of her parents.  She later learns of a property their parents kept hidden from her and wonders what others secrets were boxed up?

Determined to find out the mystery of the property in the country Lizzie decides to stay in the cottage for a month with the hope the walls wills help reveal the life her parents had.

Samantha Tonge has written a modern day family saga filled with mystery and intrigue, tragedy and longing, forgiveness and new beginnings.  I was so absorbed in Lizzie's journey for the truth but I was also falling in love with this new temporary life Lizzie had stepped into.  The cottage sounded so idyllic but also a little like stepping in a time warp as time left like it had stood still within the walls.  Lizzie's character was very warm and friendly and you soon become invested for her happiness.

Streamside Cottage charmed me but also the village and it's residents welcomed me with open arms.  The storyline was very emotive and tragic at times with a loss so great I felt overwhelmed with my emotions.

A wonderfully spun story of the struggles of life, love, acceptance and new beginnings.

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

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Sweet Pastries and Sourdough (LDPC15) by Rosie Green @Rosie_Green88 @rararesources #blogtour #bookreview

Sweet Pastries & Sourdough, Little Duck Pond Café written and published by Rosie Green is availalbe NOW in ebook and kindleunlimited.

Book Blurb

Ellie’s brand new enterprise, the True Loaf Bakery, is finally open and classes are due to start. But when Katja’s ski-ing holiday ends in disaster, a new teacher must be found very quickly. Anita is up for the challenge, but – fresh from a break-up and an operation that’s left her feeling physically and emotionally vulnerable – the last thing she’s looking for when she moves to Sunnybrook is a new relationship. So it’s Sod’s law that she should find herself with not one but two guys vying for her attention. Sven, from Denmark, is a bit of an enigma – but maybe passion lurks beneath his cool reserve? And as for twenty-five-year-old football coach Ross – surely she’d be asking for trouble getting involved with a gorgeous man a decade her junior? (Although her football-mad son Rufus seems to love him.)
Moving in with Bertha proves a real comfort – but can Anita get to the bottom of what’s troubling the older woman?
Anita’s job at the True Loaf Bakery is only temporary, but she finds herself drawn ever deeper into life in the village – especially when she finds a child’s bracelet from long ago, in the rubble of the newly-renovated building. Solving the mystery of who it belongs to takes Anita on a journey of discovery – a journey that might just help her discover what her own heart really needs…

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/2YFZufv

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 Rosie Green’s latest novella: Sweet Pastries and Sourdough.

I can’t believe this is the 15th novella in the Little Duck Pond Cafe series by Rosie Green and I can honestly say each and every story has been a delight to read.

Each story in the series focuses on a different character and most often a new character to the area, therefore every novella can be read as a standalone. However, the characters we have been previously introduced to progress in the storylines and I would therefore highly recommend reading all the books in the series in order to appreciate the history, setting and gain an all round enjoyment of this gorgeous feel-good, uplifting series.

This story introduces us to Anita who has a young son and plenty of marriage woes. When Anita is offered a temporary job teaching baking at Ellie’s new school she jumps at the chance to escape her old life. Anita and son Rufus soon settle in but Anita has new health challenges to face which she is turning a blind eye to.

Moving on and making new friends is just the tonic Anita needs but complications of the heart soon develop and Anita struggles with her self-esteem.

Sweet Pastries and Sourdough is such a lovely instalment that delves into the life of a young woman having to cope with a few hurdles in life. Anita is such a warm hearted character and is very likeable. I loved her teaching in the bakery and it was giving me inspiration to try my hand at a few bakes.

Rosie Green has a great skill of blending seasoned characters with new and she makes the reader feel very welcomed into the everyday lives of the villagers. She understand people and deals with life’s journey sensitively.

Another gorgeous instalment in one of my favourite book series. It should however, come with a warning; arm yourself with a cup of tea and cake whilst reading, as if you didn’t want cake beforehand you soon will! 🙂

About Rosie Green

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little.

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all – unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Her series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe.

Follow Rosie on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

Love & Pollination by Mari Jane Law @MariJaneLaw1 #romcom #tryanewauthortoday #bookreview

Love & Pollination written by Mari Jane Law, publisher DuBois publishing, is available NOW in ebook, kindleunlimited and paperback format.

Book Blurb

Shortlisted for Choc Lit’s 2019 Search for a Star competition
Perdita Riley is facing the greatest dilemma of her life. Why had she taken Violet Freestone’s advice on how to make herself look more alluring? It led her into the arms of a womaniser. And now Perdita has to deal with a huge setback. Actually, Setback Number One isn’t huge yet, but it won’t be long before it is.
To cheer herself up, Perdita goes shopping, where an extraordinary encounter deposits her, literally, into the lap of Saul Hadley. She would like to stay there, but Setback Number One is going to get in the way.
Will she find a way to deal with what has happened? Can she manage the complications of her growing attraction to Saul?
This hilarious situational romantic comedy will keep you gripped until the very end.

To buy link: https://amzn.to/2RF2RTB

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.

As soon as I read this novel I had to tweet how much I enjoyed it just to get the immediate word out there. This is what I wrote: “Don’t discount the quiet author who sits under the radar hoping to one day bloom. I adored this fun, slightly bonkers romcom. Perdita is one of those unique, quirky characters that are very endearing.”

I hadn’t heard of this author before I picked up Love & Pollination and it’s such a travesty when authors slip under the radar for prospective readers. Mari Jane Law has written such a fun, crazy caper of a story that’s filled with the day to day life of our quirky leading lady Perdita.

Perdita sadly had a tragic upbringing leading to her then being brought up by nuns in a convent so a few street life skills and warnings of the chapters of life were missed from the nuns’ parenting responsibilities.

Perdita has found a way of coping when she is faced with new situations but her life takes a sudden change in direction when she realises the job she has been doing is not all it seems and she feels she can no longer do the job justice. This decision leads Perdita on a stumbling block of ‘mistakes’ or ’embarrassing moments’ and one thing leads to another and she has consequences resulting in one of her ‘moments’.

Without revealing too much of the storyline we follow Perdita as her life takes on new challenges with new people bringing forth further emotional complications her way.

Perdita is such an endearing character that charms you into her life, she has quirks, yes, but these are what make her great. She may have had a sheltered upbringing and had been naive in certain aspects of her life but she has a heart of gold. I instantly warmed to Perdita’s character and was invested in her wellbeing, I laughed my way through her little ‘moments’ but also felt how brave she was learning anew and accepting life in all it’s glory.

The sub-characters in the storyline blended so well with the leading lady making them easily relatable and able to imagine in your head how they looked, acted and felt.

I’m hoping Mari Jane Law will treat us to some more stories with Perdita as I feel readers would love to join her journey through the wonders, trials and tribulations of life.

Please try a new author today you might be surprised and find a hidden gem just like I have with Love & Pollination by Mari Jane Law.

About the Author

Shortlisted for Choc Lit’s 2019 Search for a Star competition.

Mari Jane Law lives in the UK. She loves books, TV series and films that make her laugh and, through her writing, discovered she could make other people laugh as well. She hopes those who buy or borrow her work have as much fun reading it as she had in writing it.

Love & Pollination is the first whacky romantic comedy novel in a series she is working on – each book in the series will have at least one new love story. Her main characters appeal so strongly to her that she is unable to let them go. She enjoys their humorous behaviour, quirky personalities and sharp, witty dialogue.

Check out the books, TV series and films that have made her laugh on her website – do you share the same sense of humour? And take a look at her humorous blog – mainly centred on jokes around men reading Love & Pollination. https://marijanelaw.com/blog

http://www.marijanelaw.com
Twitter: @MariJaneLaw1
http://www.facebook.com/marijane.law.1
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20290052.Mari_Jane_Law

Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage by Samantha Tonge @SamTongeWriter @rararesources @Aria_Fiction #PublicationDayPush

Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage written by Samantha Tonge, publisher Aria, is available NOW in ebook format. The paperback is due out in July.

Book Blurb

A new start can come from the most unexpected places…

It’s been years since Lizzie Lockhart spoke to her parents. But she was safe in the knowledge she knew everything about them. Once upon a time, they were as close as could be. Until they weren’t.

After receiving the earth-shattering news of their passing, Lizzie decides it’s time to unearth some family secrets and find out just who her parents really were… starting with Streamside Cottage. A cottage Lizzie never knew existed, in a place she’s never heard of: the beautiful English village of Leafton.

Leaving behind London, and the tattoo parlour she called home, Lizzie finds herself moving to the countryside. Faced with a tight-lipped community, who have secrets of their own, Lizzie is at a loss for what to do, until her rather handsome neighbour, Ben, steps in to help.

As Lizzie finally begins to piece together the puzzle of her family history she realises she has to confront the truth of the past in order to face her future.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Secrets-Streamside-Cottage-page-turning-ebook/dp/B08NWC5V52/

US – https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Secrets-Streamside-Cottage-page-turning-ebook/dp/B08NWC5V52/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/summer-secrets-at-streamside-cottage

Author Bio –

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and studied German and French at university. She has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris, and has travelled widely.
She has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.

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 2019 she was shortlisted for the RNA’s Romantic Comedy Award.
In 2020 she won the RNA’s Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award with her novel Knowing You, from publisher Canelo.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: @SamTongeWriter
Instagram: @samanthatongeauthor

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

Website http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

I am so pleased to be involved in the Publication Day Push for Samantha Tonge’s latest novel: Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage. I can’t wait to share my full review on the blogtour with Aria next week but here’s a little quote from my review:

“A wonderfully spun story of the struggles of life, love, acceptance and new beginnings. I was gutted when I got to the end of the story as I wanted more.”

Staying Out for the Summer by Mandy Baggot @mandybaggot @Aria_Fiction @HoZBooks #StayingOutForTheSummer #bookreview

Staying Out for the Summer written by Mandy Baggot, publisher Aria, is available NOW in ebook format and is due out in paperback in June.

Book Blurb

After a summer of staying in, it’s time to let your hair down and escape to Greece!

For Lucie Burrows, it’s time to embrace Greek life and put the past behind her! Having spent the summer of 2020 battling a global health crisis, Lucie Burrows is looking forward to a summer out of lockdown.

When best friend, Gavin, finds them the perfect Greek escape Lucie finally starts to think this summer might just go without a hitch.But after a landslide puts the village into a local lockdown, Lucie is thrown together with Michalis Andino, the super sexy village doctor. It’s not quite the holiday she had planned, but things could certainly be worse.

As Lucie relaxes into the Greek way of life, she begins to wonder whether this lockdown might just end in a new life, a new love…

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IlGbDt

Kobo: https://bit.ly/36R5TJy

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3gxtjXP

bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/36SETt8

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 Mandy Baggot’s latest novel: Staying Out for the Summer.

I’m ashamed to say it’s a good few years since I’ve picked up a book by Mandy Baggot and that is such a travesty as reading Staying Out for the Summer was just the tonic I needed. I promise I won’t leave such a long gap for my next Mandy Baggot story. Staying Out for the Summer is such a wonderful, fun, flirty, slightly bonkers read, I enjoyed it so much I could read it all over again and I probably will!

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel reading a novel that has snippets of the covid pandemic in it’s storyline but as we have lived through this situation for over a year now it has become the norm so to include it makes the characters seem that more relatable and you can understand and appreciate their current state of mind. The author, Mandy Baggot, has been very sensitive about this aspect of the storyline and it isn’t the main focus and I felt like she dealt with it with grace and humanity.

This is a story of two best friends; Gavin and Lucie, who are also nurses on the same ward at a hospital in Southampton. Life has been very gruelling for these best friends and in need of rest, recuperation and escape the pair book a holiday to Greece.

As soon as Gavin and Lucie arrive at their destination they start to realise that this holiday is going to be memorable as the Greek village they are staying in is full of strange traditions, quirky villagers and wildlife a plenty. I loved the sound of this village with it’s picturesque landscape and traditional Greek outlook on life. One of my favourite characters from the story was the multi talented taxi driver, Miltos. He seemed to appear out of the blue and always at a time when you needed him the most. He also made you feel very welcomed to the village and to his family.

Gavin’s character was vivacious, cheeky but he also had a vulnerability about him especially when it came to love interests. Lucie was very warm-hearted, kind but held an anxiety about her mainly due to her upbringing. She’s felt afraid to let herself go and try new challenges and thinks the past is holding her back. When Lucie meets Michalis on their first day an instant attraction is made but as she learns he is a Doctor a sort of bonding between the working life during a pandemic is made. As Lucie and Michalis spend more time together friendship soon blossoms into more but is this just a holiday romance?

Mandy Baggot has written such a glorious escapism read whisking you off to sunny climes with new cultures to learn and discover the delicious sounding local dishes. It’s a comforting, warm-hearted story that brings plenty of smiles your way.

About the Author

Mandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer. The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK’s Festival of Romance, her romantic comedy novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy’s books have so far been translated into German, Italian, Czech and Hungarian. Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, white wine, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two daughters.

Follow Mandy:   

Facebook: @mandybaggotauthor

Twitter: @mandybaggot

Instagram: @mandybaggot