TWG kicks off ‘Nice day for a white wedding’ (@ALMichael_) #blogtour! What would YOU choose? @UKCarina

I am truly honoured to be kicking off A.L.Michael’s blog tour for her latest release ‘Nice day for a white wedding’! Everyone loves a good wedding, and seeing as TWG is kicking off the tour, I had to really think outside of the box!

TWG + The Wedding Singer + Billy Idol = Nice day for a white wedding!

Today joining me on the blog is the main character from ‘Nice day for a white wedding’; Chelsea. This book is the second in the House on Camden Square series, following ‘Goodbye Ruby Tuesday’. 
 I have given Chelsea a task, a very interesting one if I do say so myself! Feel free to play along and let me know in the comments which YOU would choose.

Let’s get this show on the road!

Welcome to TWG Chelsea! I hope you’re ready for this as we’re going to have a bit of fun (I hope!).

TWG: Have you have thought about your own wedding Chelsea? 
Chelsea: Hiya! Yes, well, weddings have been in the air recently, and whilst I’d never really thought about mine before, I guess now is the time! I have a feeling it’s going to be hard though.

TWG: Well, today on TWG you’re going to choose what YOU would like for your wedding if money was no issue. What I would like you to do is to pick just ONE choice from each heading. All headings have three options, except for the wedding dress which has four (most important thing, obviously).

Chelsea, are you ready to ‘say YES to the dress’, with the possibility of meeting the ‘wedding singer’?

Choose ONE wedding ring.

Option 1: Stand out like Ruby Tuesday?
Option 2: Pretty in pink like Esme?
Option 3: Bold like Evie?

Chelsea: I love the first one. It’s classic, elegant, but completely huge and a little edgy. Lots of drama!

Choose ONE wedding theme.

Option 1: Vintage and demure
Option 2: Winter wonderland
Option 3: Christmas theme.

Chelsea: I never had great Christmas experiences growing up, we didn’t have the tree and the turkey and the hundreds of presents. I hadn’t thought about it until now, but it would be so great to be able to correct that! To make Christmas something special for both me and Kit.

Choose ONE wedding venue.


Option 1: A castle fit for a Princess.
Option 2: Shake your tail feather in a barn.
Option 3: Get acquainted with nature.

Chelsea: I am definitely no princess! Mama always said I was born in a barn, and I”m afraid I’m not the outdoorsy type. Some dancing and drinking in a barn sounds about right.

Choose ONE wedding entertainment.

Option 1: THE wedding singer (do I even need to continue?)
Option 2: Boogie nights with a disco.
Option 3: Have you ‘White Wedding’ with Billy Idol.

Chelsea: My old bad girl ways would probably love some Billy Idol, but how can you choose anyone but the wedding singer! Plus, Kit loves cheesy music, more than he’d like to admit!

Choose ONE wedding cake (yes, sorry, just one).

Option 1: As white as dulux…
Option 2: Classy zebra cake
Option 3: Fruity and FABULOUS

Chelsea: Cake 2! Drama! So much drama! Love it, love it!

Choose ONE bridesmaid dress.

Option 1: Strapless, mid-length dress with flower embellishment and a ribbon belt.
Option 2: A strapless, full length gown with multi layers at the bottom and floral design. Option 3: Halter neck, full length chiffon gown with a bling belt.

Chelsea: I mean, I can’t see Evie getting into a bridesmaids dress either way, unless it’s got ripped bits and safety pins on it, but if she can be classy for a day, number three is definitely it for Evie and Molls!

Choose ONE bouquet.

Option 1: Subtle yet classy
Option 2: Beautiful in blue
Option 3: The Ruby Tuesday bouquet.

Chelsea: It would be so great to honour Ruby in the flowers, add a little colour and sparkle to everything. Like I’ve said, drama drama!

Choose ONE wedding shoe (yes, ONE, sorry!!)

Option 1: Sexy!
Option 2: ‘Runaway Bride’?
Option 3: Statement!

Chelsea: I’m slightly more traditional with shoes – the higher the heel, the better to stamp down the aisle with! Sparkle, lace and skyscraper heels – check, shoe 3.

Okay Chelsea. It’s now time for the BIG one; THE wedding dress. You ready?

Option 1: Lace, full length dress with capped sleeves.
Option 2: It’s a Pnina Tornai…need I say more?
Option 3: I think Ruby is trying to tell you something…!
Option 4: This dress is inspired by Cinderella (I’m being serious).

Chelsea: I know I said I’m no princess, but, well, it’s one day, right? Some ruffles and a happy ending, that’s all I’m after. (TWG: Chelsea, you SHALL the ball ;). Good choice with number 4!)

Have you chosen your dress? Ready for the big question?

Chelsea, do you say YES to the dress?!

Chelsea: I’m saying YES! Thanks so much!

Were you all picking your choices whilst you read this? This was the first feature that I thought of completely on my own. A.L.Michael gave me the true honour of kicking off her tour and I just want to do her and the book proud!

Speaking of which….

Blurb.

Sometimes, Happy Ever After is where the real trouble begins…
Chelsea Donnolly wasn’t supposed to amount to anything. But if there’s one thing the bad girl from the estate liked better than trouble, it was a challenge. So, to the amusement of her best friends Evie, Mollie and Ruby – and the disbelief of her teachers – this bad girl turned good.

These days, Chelsea is the kind of girl people are proud to know – and, after a surprise trip to Venice, she has a ring on her finger to prove it. But to get there, she’s had to learn to keep her deepest secrets from everyone – even her fiancé. And when wedding preparations threaten to blow her cover, Chelsea can’t help but wonder: in her battle to the top, might she have left the best parts of herself behind?

Nice day for a white wedding, by A.L.Michael, published by Carina, is available to buy right now from Amazon.
If you missed the first book in the series ‘Goodbye Ruby Tuesday’ (don’t worry, ‘nice day for a white wedding’ can be read as a standalone if necessary), you can pick up your copy from Amazon UK.

I hope you’ve enjoyed TWG’s wedding planning! Thank you so much to A.L.Michael for being an amazing sport with this feature, as always. Also, thank you to Chelsea for taking part!

**Cover Reveal!** It’s a Wonderful Life by Julia Williams (@JCCWilliams) @avonbooksuk.

Second reveal of the week ladies and gentleman! Fancy unwrapping a book with your eyes? Well, seeing as the cover is pretty much a present in itself! Ready to see why?

Introducing:

Publishing in eBook and Paperback: 3^rd November
Pre-order now from Amazon

Blurb

Christmas with the family. Cosy, relaxing…and a total nightmare?
Driving home for Christmas, Beth has everything she wants. The kids and the house, the career and the husband. So why is it that when the New Year comes, she can’t stop thinking about her old college boyfriend?
Her husband Daniel is tasked with bringing a struggling school up to scratch, but when family life catches up to him, can he be a good father and a good teacher at the same time?
Beth’s sister Lou has just been dumped…again. Single and childless, she can’t help but be jealous of her sibling’s success. But is the grass really always greener?
It’s a Wonderful Life is a heart-warming novel about the lives that could have been, and what happens when you start to question the choices you made…

See what I mean?! How gorgeous is that?? Definitely feeling Christmassy already and it’s only August! Cannot wait to curl up with this book!

Book review – ‘Waiting For You’ by Catherine Miller (@katylittlelady) @UKCarina

Blurb.

You’d never guess that Fliss Chapron doesn’t have it all

All Fliss wants is to see two blue lines telling her she is pregnant with her much longed for second baby. But as the negative tests stack up, dreams of completing her perfect family feel more hopeless every day.

After years of disappointment, Fliss’s husband Ben is spending more time at the office than in their marital bed, and Fliss finds herself wondering who could be responsible for their inability to conceive another child. Yet, where do you lay the blame when it comes to having a child – and can anyone really be at fault…

As Ben becomes increasingly distant, Fliss begins to question whether her desire for a baby is just a sticking plaster to save her marriage. Because in the end, how well can you ever know another person…even the man you’re married to?

Don’t miss the new novel from Catherine Miller, All That is Left of Us coming soon!

What does TWG think?

Happily married, a wonderful child, but something is missing. Fliss desperately wants a second child with her husband Ben. After years and countless pregnancy tests, the lines still reveal a negative. But why? An opportunity arises to check them both for fertility issues, just to rule out any problems and find out why Fliss cannot get pregnant. I mean, they have been married for years, been trying for a baby for years, surely now is the time for answers? After all, neither of them have anything to hide….right?

I’m ashamed to admit that this book has been sitting on my Kindle since June, unread! I am annoyed with myself for leaving it this long to read, but I am rather glad that I did read it.

The desperation of Fliss’ want for another baby is pretty clear from the word GO. Understandably too though, trying for years to get pregnant and still constant negative results. The only way to find out what is going on is through testing. Fliss wants to, she wants to find out whether she has the problem, however, Ben finds a reason to slow the testing down. The subject of infertility struck a chord with me because of issues in my personal life and I felt that Catherine wrote about it in such an incredible way. It is such an emotional and often devastating topic, one that quite rightly needs to be spoken about and explored.

I took an instant dislike to Ben. I found him quite an arrogant and selfish man and often wondered what he was hiding. The way he acted came across rather dodgy, yet I couldn’t put my finger on why.

‘Waiting for you’ is an emotional rollercoaster from the first chapter, to the last. I felt helpless, I just wanted to help Fliss, I wanted her to be happy and get the life that she deserved…but I couldn’t. I got rather involved and attached to the whole book, and Fliss, probably more than I should have, but I thank Catherine’s fantastic writing for making it that way.

It is incredibly hard to believe that this book is a debut novel because of the soul capturing chapters. ‘Waiting for you’ took me on a journey, a journey I felt that I was walking with Fliss. I laughed, I cried and I became angry. For me, that makes a brilliant read. I want to feel raw emotion when I read a book, I want to try to capture the true essence of a book with my own emotions, I want to feel what the author felt when she wrote the book.

The last two chapters I read through tears. I sobbed my heart out due to circumstances that arose later on in the book, far too close to home, and brilliantly written.

‘Waiting for you’ is a book that will take you on a journey, a very emotional journey. Follow the journey of a mother’s want for another baby and the rollercoaster life that she leads. Catherine Miller has written such a thought-provoking, sensitive read with such feeling and intensity, I am in awe of her talent. Catherine’s words speak volumes and they carry emotion at such varied levels I never knew was possible to reach.
A mind-blowing, powerful and highly emotional read that will capture your heart and soul the whole way through, an amazing book from a debut author.

Waiting for you by Catherine Miller, published by Carina, is available to buy right now from Amazon UK

#Blogtour take 1! An interview with Elle Field, author of ‘Found’? Yes please!!

Today it’s TWG’s turn on Elle Field’s blog tour for her latest release; ‘Found’. You might be wondering why it’s ‘take 1’? Not only is today my stop on the tour, it’s also my 1/2! I’ll be back for take 2 on the tour on the 24th August. If you want to keep up with all the stops on the tour, take a nose at the tour banner.

I had the pleasure of interrogating, SORRY, interviewing Elle. Why DO I keep getting that wrong?! 😉
Apparently Elle wants to touch people……

Hi Elle and welcome to TWG interrogation! Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you! Oh, it’s not an interrogation? It’s called an interview? Pfft, spoil my fun! Anyway, whilst I’m sulking, could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself please?
Hi, my name is Elle, and I don’t like interrogations… Oh, wait. This is an interview? OK, I can cope with this! (You’re *sure* this is an interview, right? I’m trusting you!) Let’s see, I live in London, in the same bit where Noah Penrose lives (readers of the Arielle Lockley books will know where I mean), but fortunately I’ve never bumped into any NP-types.

I’m the author of the Arielle Lockley series and Geli Voyante’s Hot or Not, which are new adult/coming of age/chick lit books, and I, myself, love reading. (Which often gets in the way of my writing!) I like holidays (who doesn’t?), giraffes, musicals and tea. Right, is that enough to stop you sulking?

Round 1: Okay, I’m going to give you a quick fire round, choose just one!
Ready?
Minnie Mouse or Daisy Duck?
Minnie Mouse!
Socks or slippers?
Socks, though I do have some awesome slippers that look like Sulley’s feet (from Monsters Inc.).
Hair up or hair down?
Hair down (when I can be bothered to straighten it).
Chocolate or crisps?
Chocolate. Big fan of Milka Daim. Yum! (TWG: now you’re talking!!)
Starter or dessert?
Dessert, please.
Bananas or apples?
Neither!

Round 2: Would you?
Would you go into a supermarket in your pjs?
Yes, though maybe not in my giraffe kigu…
Would you walk through a busy town in a Disney costume?
Definitely! Who doesn’t love Disney?
Would you prank your partner for a bet?
Ha, of course, but I’m not sure I’d be able to keep a straight face!

Round 3: TWG becomes sensible. How did you find those questions? Am I still your friend haha?
Ha, you are! Though I’m now trying to think which Disney costume I would wear..
.
What made you decide to write your first book?
So, Kept wasn’t my first book, it was a book called Torn. Basically, I’d had a pretty rough time at uni one semester, and I wrote that book in the summer for catharsis. I had scribbled down other tales before, but that was my first chick lit book and it was great practise for writing Kept. One day I’ll revisit that book and edit it up to scratch.

Did you always want to be a writer?
I did, though sadly since people don’t advertise “author” as a job. It’s something I’ve had to do alongside building up a career so I can actually eat!

You’ve written a series of books, the first one called ‘Kept’. All four novels have quite intriguing titles, may I ask how that come about?
Originally Kept was titled The Ramblings of an Unemployed Graduate (I called it TROG for short), then Pipe Dreams and Professions (which was my old blog’s title), before I realised that less is more and Kept was a far better title. “Kept”, “Lost” and “Found” are the perfect words to describe each book in one word.

I must admit, I haven’t had the chance to read the previous books in the series yet. So I am going to be annoying and read the most recent one first. What advice would you give your readers for reading your books out of ‘sync’ as it were? Are you secretly cursing me for that?
I am! And I implore you to read them in order. As I mentioned above, Found follows directly on from Lost, so for you to get the most enjoyment out of Found, it’s worth knowing why Arielle was “Lost” to begin with! You’re going to get confused if you read Found first, and you won’t enjoy it as much. (Ask the lovely Ana from This Chick Reads, she read Found first and wishes she had read Lost, at the very least, first!)

The last book in the series ‘Found’ is out right now, could you tell us a little bit about the book?
Found is the final (*coughs*) book in the Arielle Lockley series and it’s set in New York City, which was such a treat to write. You’re going to find out why Piers let Arielle be a kept woman for so long, what’s troubling Ob, and also discover if Etta and Arielle manage to put their differences aside… There are weddings galore to look forward to – yes, multiple weddings! – and some old characters will make an appearance.

If you could choose any book already written, to claim as your own (just to clarify, we aren’t stealing. DREAMWORLD), which one would it be and why?
Has to be the Harry Potter books, doesn’t it? Though that amount of success… mightily scary! To touch that many people with my words would be amazing though.

What were your favourite books to read as a child? I’m assuming you were a bookworm, please don’t insult me by saying that you weren’t ;).
Books? What are they? Ha, of course I was, and I was such a bookworm that even though children were only allowed to borrow three books from the library, I was allowed to take out five because I read so quickly. When I wasn’t taking books out from the library, I was spending my pocket money on books. (Of course!)My favourites included The Baby-Sitters’ Club, Goosebumps, the Sweet Valley books, the Anastasia Krupnik books, Roald Dahl’s books, Enid Blyton’s books (especially Malory Towers and the Famous Five series), and when I was really little I loved Puddle Lane and also Richard Scarry’s books. Oh, and The Chronicles of Narnia!
(TWG: Elle, you’re the first interviewee that hasn’t said The Magic Faraway Tree! Care to explain why not, HMPH!!)

I have noticed on your social media that you seem to have a slight addiction, with the library. Libraries are in need of a lot of support just now, you’re definitely helping, but, if you had a magic wand, how could you make more people step foot into a library?
I think addiction is putting it strongly! Nah, libraries are marvellous places and such an amazing thing when you think about it. Someone is letting you take out books for free and through them you’re being entertained and transported into different worlds. For free!! I would set us a scheme where people get an afternoon off work each week, but they have to spend it in the library reading (not necessarily work-related books either!). Do you think that would work?

I am going to put you on the spot, TWG LOVES exclusives. Can you give me an exclusive today? What are you working on right now? What else can we look forward to from the glorious Elle Field? Tell me allllll!
I’m writing a book that’s set in Brixton, and follows the story of Audrey Huckle, who is the polar opposite to Arielle (fashionista, previously a “kept” woman) and Geli (fluffy newspaper columnist). She’s very down-to- earth, but she’s also a little *too* trusting… and that’s why her calamities begin! We’ll forgive her for being an estate agent. I’m also writing a YA dystopian novel, though that wouldn’t be released as a glorious Elle Field book… Ooooh, do I have more than one pen name? I’ll never tell! 😉

Thank you so much Elle!
No, thank you for having me on The Writing Garnet today! 😀

I must admit, I was in hysterics hearing Elle’s answers! This is what I love about my job (can I call it that?!), being able to have a laugh in an interview. Brilliant.

Blurb.

“How did people even come up with the idea of these dizzying skyscrapers, let alone work out how to make them possible? Whoever built the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, their legacy will live on forever. What sort of a difference will I ever make?”
Who knew one flight could change everything? When Arielle Lockley stepped on the plane at Heathrow, she never realised how different her life would be when she touched down in New York City. Now she’s dealing with that aftermath, as well as trying to find common ground with Etta, her new and unexpected business partner.
But, trying to sort out business in London whilst her fiancé, Piers, recovers from surgery in New York, is starting to take its toll on their relationship. Can Arielle and Etta work together to continue Felicity’s legacy without destroying it, and will Arielle and Piers even make it down the aisle to say “I do”?
Find out whether Arielle gets her happily ever after in the final part of the warm and wonderful Arielle Lockley series.

If you like the sound of that, Elle is running a giveaway to celebrate the release of her book. To enter click —>a Rafflecopter giveaway<—

Where to buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Add to Goodreads

Elle’s Social Media Links
Browse/buy Elle’s Book Catalogue
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Book review: ‘The Girl I Was Before’ by Izzy Bayliss.

Blurb.

When Lily McDermott walks in to find Marc, her husband of just three months in bed with actress Nadia, life as she knows it is over. Lily thinks things can’t get any worse when she sees photos of her husband and his new lover splashed across the glossy magazine pages, but when she loses her job too, she is at her lowest ebb and turns to baking to soothe her soul. Wounded and broken she has to try to pick herself up again with the help of her best friend Frankie and with her encouragement, Lily decides to turn her hobby into a business and sets up Baked With Love. However whatever Lily does, it seems disaster soon ensues and when handsome stranger Sam comes to her rescue, Lily isn’t quite ready to turn her back on her marriage.
Can Lily risk opening her heart again or is she destined to allow Marc to shadow her life forever?

What does TWG think?

It is thanks to TBConFB that I was able to review this book, whilst finding a brand new author in the process.

Newlywed Lily is still on a high from her wedding three months prior. Revelling in the marital bliss, still, Lily thinks a romantic meal is in order for her husband and herself. Quite right too! Three is a crowd though, yes? The third person (the crowd) being Lily, seeing as her husband is rather busy having a ‘take-away’.  That’s right ladies and gentleman, she walked in on her husband getting jiggy with another woman, in THEIR bed. Will Lily get over the hurt and humiliation and become ‘The girl she was before’?

As you’re aware by now, it is rare as rocking horse biscuits that I read the blurb of a book these days, this book was no exception. Based on the title alone, I wondered what had happened to make the character want to go back to who she was. I didn’t have to wait too long to find out either. No wonder Lily was annoyed to be honest, having that view when she walked into her home. Usually events like that happen later on in a book, so it made a nice change (albeit shocking) to have the nitty gritty shoved in your face straight away.

My heart went out to her, the devastation was very clear and I feel that Izzy approached that topic with sensitivity. It is, unfortunately, a situation that a lot of Izzy’s readers may be able to relate to, so it was refreshing to have it black and white to show that it’s okay to feel hurt and devastated after being cheated on and that you’re NOT the bad party. Most of the book, for me, felt like it was a ticking time bomb. I had a feeling the first incident wasn’t going to be the last due to the way Izzy wrote the chapters. Boy I wasn’t wrong. Drama after drama mixed in with a sister that can’t see further than her nose equals BRILLIANCE.

I was completely hooked on the events that kept happening. There was always something that grabbed my attention, whether it was positive or negative. I found myself going through different emotions as I was reading; anger, shock, laughter, cringing…you know the sort.

‘The Girl I was Before’ reeled me in with its clever anecdotes, relatable characters and the fact it contained cake. Izzy has written such an in-depth book that tells a story about one person’s heart-break, devastation and the ability to find the power to turn a life around.

‘The Girl I was before’ is a curl up on the sofa and eat chocolate, type book. Perfect for the romantic comedy loving readers. I think this is going to be one to watch!

‘The Girl I was Before’ by Izzy Bayliss, published by Blue Gate Publishing, is currently available to pre-order on Amazon UK now!

**Cover Reveal!!** Mince Pies & Mistletoe at the Christmas Market by Heidi Swain.

Oh my goodness me, I actually cannot contain my excitement today! I LOVE Heidi Swain’s books, she has an extremely cosy way of writing, so, when I heard under the mistletoe that not only will she be releasing another book, she is releasing a CHRISTMAS BOOK!!! The cover of the book alone makes me want to curl up all cosy, and that is even before I have managed to read it! Luckily for you, I have been asked by the lady herself to help reveal her cover of her newest book. Are you ready?

Isn’t it GORGEOUS?!? The title even has mince pies in it, and I’m a sucker for a mince pie…or two. Oh who am I kidding, LOADS of them, and now they’re in book form! So, so excited to read this book, if it’s anything like her other two, we’ll be in for an absolute treat.

Blurb.

Ruby has been away at university but now she’s back in Wynbridge. With Christmas around the corner, she takes on a stall at the local market, and sets about making it the best Christmas market stall ever. There’ll be bunting and mistletoe and maybe even a bit of mulled wine.

But with the new out-of-town superstore just opened, the market is under threat. So together with the other stallholders, Ruby devises a plan to make sure that locals make the Christmas market their first port of call for all their Christmas present needs.

But it’s hard to concentrate when she keeps bumping into her ex, Steve – and especially when she realises that her feelings for him are still there.

Join Heidi Swain for some Christmas sparkle – and see who might be under the mistletoe this year…

Released: 17th November 2016.

‘Mince Pies & Mistletoe at the Christmas Market’ is available to pre-order right now from Amazon in both paperback and E-book!

It’s that time again!! TWG’s Don’t-Snooze-You’ll-Lose Deal Day With….

I am probably one of THE most indecisive people there is, I think, am I? I’m not too sure….
Anyway, put Amazon in front of me open at the AMAZING book deals, I become even worse! A shaking, indecisive….mess. Wait, wait, that’s the weather. Isn’t it?
To save you becoming a TWG double, I am bringing the deals to you (don’t say I’m not good to you)! Plus, they’re brilliant deals today (as always), so, you probably won’t have to decide anything as you’ll buy them both!

Today’s TWG deal is from the incredibly talented and very humble author (who is SO, SO lovely fyi); Amanda Prowse!!
Both books are currently on offer at 99p EACH, again, LIMITED TIME ONLY so you really need to be quick on these. The prices could go up at any time, and, seeing as one of the books is currently a ‘Best Seller’, I wouldn’t be surprised if the price goes up sooner rather than later. That said, authors we love are worth every penny, but if they’re on a deal, it’s an excuse to buy more, right?

First up:

‘In the early years, she was happy.

Romilly loved her stunning house, her kind husband and gorgeous daughter. Sure, life was sometimes exhausting – but nothing that a large glass of wine at the end of the day couldn’t fix.

But then a glass of wine became a bottle; one bottle became two. Once, Romilly’s family were everything to her. Now, after years of hiding the drinking, she must finally admit that she has found another love…’

‘Another Love’ currently has 186 5* reviews on Amazon, 99p is a bargain. The starry book can be bought from Amazon UK

Amanda’s newest release:

‘Once a week, Rosie Tipcott counts her blessings.

She goes to sit on her favourite bench on the north Devon cliffs, and thanks her lucky stars for her wonderful husband, her mischievous young daughters, and her neat little house by the sea. She vows to dedicate every waking hour to making her family happy.

But then her husband unexpectedly leaves her for another woman and takes the children. Now she must ask the question: what is left in her life? Can Rosie find the strength to rebuild herself? More importantly, does she even want to?’

My Husbands’s Wife is available to buy from Amazon UK

Two well spoken about books, from a best-selling author for a mere 99p EACH. What’s not to love about that?

Please do remember that the offers are only on for a LIMITED TIME ONLY. I do not know when the offers will end. Please don’t snooze or you will LOSE!

Also, if you have read any others of Amanda’s books, or, after you have purchased the ones above, please could you leave a constructive review on Amazon. Reviews to authors are like coffee to parents, they’re needed, appreciated and will perk a person up no end!

 

Blog tour – Review of ‘Learning to fly’ by Jane Lambert.

Blurb.

Forty-year-old air stewardess Emily Forsyth has everything a woman could wish for: a glamorous, jet-set lifestyle, a designer wardrobe and a dishy pilot of a husband-in-waiting to match. But when he leaves her to ‘find himself’ (forgetting to mention the bit about ‘…a younger girlfriend’), Emily’s perfect world comes crashing down. Catapulted into a mid-life crisis, she is forced to take stock and make some major changes. She ditches her job and enrols on a drama course in pursuit of her childhood dream, positive that, in no time at all, she’ll be sexily sporting a stethoscope on ‘Holby City’, and her ex will rue the day he dumped her. Wrong! Her chosen path proves to be an obstacle course littered with rejection and financial insecurity. If she is to survive, she must learn to be happy with less, and develop a selective memory to cope with more than her fair share of humiliating auditions. She tells herself her big break is just around the corner. But is it too late to be chasing dreams?

What does TWG think?

I need to start by saying a rather large thank you to Jane for her patience and support in regards to changing my tour date due to personal reasons. I would also like to thank Jane for inviting me to be part of her tour!

As you can see by the banner, yesterday was meant to be my stop on the tour, but I’m sharing today with Shaz!

To outsiders, it may seem as though you have a ‘perfect’ life. Perfect husband, perfect job, and perfect lifestyle. What’s not to like? Oh that’s right, the ‘perfect’ husband deciding that 40 is too ‘old’ and you’re no longer his perfect wife. Cue the much younger girlfriend, arguments over whether to choose the Bay City Rollers or One Direction to listen to (I assume). Sounds like a bad dream doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it’s Emily Forsyth’s life. What happens to her ‘perfect life’ now? Just because her husband has decided to have a mid-life crisis, it doesn’t mean that she will…right?

Before I agreed to reviewing ‘Learning to fly’, I wanted to find out more about the author. The name sounded familiar but I just couldn’t put my finger on why. Thanks to my trust friend Google (and the lady herself), it became clear very quickly. With Jane’s background safely stored in my head, I began to read the book. There are a lot of similarities between Jane and her main character Emily in terms of career moves. For me, those similarities gave the story more of a personal feel albeit slightly indirectly.

There is a lot of information to take in as the book progresses as it is quite a deep read, it took a while to get in sync with the storyline. But, it happened and I began to warm to Emily. At first she came across as a scatter brain, especially as she tests the water in different careers and gets herself into a pickle (or two). Quite endearing though to say the least.

Working my way through the storyline and following Emily’s life, the true meaning of the book became even clearer. Learning to fly is a story about hope and second chances. It’s never too late to spread your wings and fly. Jane’s writing cements the fact that it is never too late to chase your dreams if it’s really what you want to do. Just like Emily, there will be hurdles, bad choices and many let downs. Perseverance is the key, it’s all about ‘Learning To Fly’.

A warm, engaging and thought-provoking read which is told straight from Jane Lambert’s heart. A pleasurable read.

Learning to Fly by Jane Lambert is available to buy right now from Amazon UK. Also, if you fancy meeting the lady herself, she will be in Blackwells Bookshop in Edinburgh on the 18th August at 6pm!

Blog Tour! Review of ‘Over Easy’ by Pamela Ford.

Absolutely delighted to be today’s stop on Pamela Ford’s ‘The Continental Breakfast Club’ series blog tour, courtesy of iRead Book Tours!

Blurb.

Allie Parker’s had enough. Just because she’s a dog groomer, her overachieving family of doctors and lawyers treats her like a child. She’s convinced that a successful husband is all she needs to change their attitudes. So when she and her friends come up with a brilliant new way to meet eligible men, Allie squeezes into her sister’s stylish clothes and sneaks into continental breakfast at an upscale hotel to find herself the perfect guy.

Before Allie has taken her last bite of syrup-laden waffle, she’s met the man of her dreams. But what she doesn’t know is that he’s a jewel thief who mistakenly thinks she’s his contact—and so does everyone else who’s after his stash of diamonds.

Suddenly Allie’s world is crazily upended. And as she scrambles to prove her innocence and get back to her old life, she discovers happily ever after sneaks up when you least expect it.

What does TWG think?

To Allie’s family, she’s the baby; the one that needs to be reminded about basic things, the only member of the family to be deemed ‘unsuccessful’. She has her own business, what’s unsuccessful about that? Oh, wait, Allie doesn’t have the ‘successful’ husband that her parents so badly want her to have. A continental breakfast, two ladies and ‘the ideal man’, what could possibly go wrong?

Oh my gosh, what can I say! I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I saw the cover of the book. It gave nothing away which actually made me even more intrigued. I wanted to keep myself guessing so I didn’t read the blurb and dived straight into the book.

I absolutely ADORED Allie. She is so down to Earth, such fun and a complete ditz (in a nice way). I genuinely felt so sorry for her multiple times throughout the book as she drew the short straw more than once! Luck most certainly wasn’t on her side at all, as well as having her family pestering her, I am surprised she didn’t turn into the Hulk.

I found myself liking all of the main characters actually, which is rare for me haha. Each one had their own sparkle and brought different things to every situation and event within the book. I really liked the diversity Allie and her friends had. None of them were boring at all, so they all stood out.

‘Over Easy’ is one of those books that reviews will need to be meticulously written due to the amount of spoilers that could be written. Nobody likes spoilers! I am trying to be extra careful.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, more than I thought I would to be honest. The first chapter took me a while to warm up to, but as the story progressed and situations became apparent, I relaxed and enjoyed the story properly.

Pamela has written such a fun, tongue in cheek book that gave me the giggles, made me cringe and had me sitting with my head in my hands (multiple times). To create such a varied reaction from one person in regards to a dog groomer, takes talent!

Over Easy is an enjoyable read that shows you what NOT to do in terms of trying to please other people. It’s also a book that you will want to curl up with, have a bar of chocolate and a cuppa, and just lose yourself in the magic of Pamela’s words. I cannot wait to begin the second book in the series!

Over Easy by Pamela Ford, is available to buy right now from: Amazon US//Amazon UK//Barnes & Noble

About the author.

Pamela Ford is the award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance. She grew up watching old movies, blissfully sighing over the romance; and reading sci-fi and adventure novels, vicariously living the action. The combination probably explains why the books she writes are romantic, happily-ever-afters with plenty of plot – and often lots of laughter.

After graduating from college with a degree in Advertising, Pam merrily set off to earn a living, searching for that perfect career as she became a graphic designer, print buyer, pantyhose sales rep, public relations specialist, copywriter, freelance writer – and finally author. Pam has won numerous awards including the Booksellers Best, the Laurel Wreath, and a gold medal IPPY in the Independent Book Publisher Awards. She is a Kindle Book Awards finalist and a two-time Golden Heart Finalist. She lives in Wisconsin where she is working on her next novel.

Connect with Pamela: Website//Twitter//Facebook//Goodreads

 

Guest post – Author Anne Allen stops by to talk about her new release ‘Echoes Of Time’.

TWG would like to say a big welcome to author of the Guernsey Novel series; Anne Allen! The Guernsey Novel series only had four books in the series, that is until today. The fifth book to join the group – ‘Echoes Of Time’ is released today. Happy publication day Anne! Buy your copy right now from Amazon UK.

I’m going to hand over to Anne now as she is the best person to give you more information about her books.

Thanks, Kaisha, for allowing me to tell your followers about my new book, Echoes of Time, the fifth in The Guernsey Novels series, out now on 15^th August.

 Firstly, let me explain that although the books are a series, each story is a standalone so  you don’t need to have read the previous four in order to enjoy it. However, various characters do pop up from book to book, providing updates on what is happening in their lives.  Ideally then, if you like the sound of the books and plan to read them all (yay!) start with the first, Dangerous Waters.

All the books combine drama, mystery, love and family relationships, with a touch of the historical. Echoes of Time is a little different in that it’s dual time with ghostly elements.
Here’s the synopsis:

Betrayal, injustice and revenge echo down the years…

 1940. Olive marries farmer Bill Falla. The Germans occupy Guernsey.
All too soon Olive realises she’s made a mistake. 
 Her life changes when she meets Wolfgang, a German officer-
but there’s a price to pay. . .

2010. Natalie Ogier returns to Guernsey to escape an abusive relationship – only to be plagued by odd happenings in her beautiful cottage on the site of a derelict and secluded farm. Disturbing dreams, disembodied voices and uncanny visions from the past.  She becomes increasingly ill at ease as someone else’s past catches up with her own…
Her only immediate neighbour, Stuart, is the grandson of the original owners, Bill and Olive.

Thrown together in a bid to find out what really happened to Olive, can they each survive the repercussions of the past and move on? 

I particularly enjoyed writing Olive’s story as I hadn’t written as extensively about the Occupation in earlier books. And I also had fun with the ‘spooky’ bits!

About Anne Allen.

I’m a late-comer to writing, having only started in my, ahem, middle years, (assuming everyone will live to 100 from now on, yes?). I often had the ‘itch’ to write but was focussed on my career as a psychotherapist and bringing up three children on my own. Then some years ago I was a reluctant entrant (pushed by my mother!) into a writing competition run by Prima magazine. They wanted a 500 word True- Life story and I won the first prize of £500 ☺ Deciding that writing wasn’t such a bad idea, I wrote my first novel, Dangerous Waters, a romantic mystery, published in 2012. Now retired as a therapist, I devote more time to writing, and have now written five books in The Guernsey Novels series.

Website
Follow Anne on Twitter
Facebook author page

Thank you Anne for letting us know a little bit about your books!

That’s not all for you today. To celebrate the release of book 5 in the series, Anne has generously put the first THREE books in the series on offer, especially for you! Each of the three titles are on offer at 99p! There is a teeny tiny catch though, you only have 4 days to make use of the deal before the books go back up to their original price!
(Click the links below).

Book 1 – Dangerous Waters
Book 2 – Finding Mother
Book 3 – Guernsey Retreat

Book number 4 isn’t included in the above offer, but if you’re buying the others, you might as well buy the fourth, yes? –> The Family Divided