#BlogTour! #Review – We’ll Always Have Christmas by Jenny Hale (@jhaleauthor) @Bookouture

An enchanting story about the magic of Christmas, the importance of family, and the joy of falling in love during the most romantic season of the year…

Christmas has always been a special time for Noelle Parker. Winter evenings spent with family and friends, drinking hot chocolate and eating cookies at her family’s cozy bakery have shaped her love for all things festive. But this year everything is changing…

The beloved bakery is facing closure and Noelle needs a miracle to save Christmas.

Determined to raise funds for the family business, Noelle sets about revamping the bakery while juggling a surprise new job, caring for the elderly and cantankerous William Harrington in his luxurious, sprawling mansion.

As Noelle melts the frostiness of the house with cake baking, snowball fights and glittering decorations, she helps William to reconnect with a romance that has spanned decades and unexpectedly finds herself falling for his grandson – the gorgeous but mysterious Alexander Harrington…

In the countdown to Christmas, can Noelle save the bakery, reunite a family and create some magical memories of her own along the way?

Unwrap the feeling of Christmas in this beautiful novel celebrating friendship, family and love that lasts a lifetime. We’ll Always Have Christmas is the perfect treat for fans of Karen Swan, Susan Mallery and Sue Moorcroft.

What does TWG think?

Is it me or is it starting to feel Christmassy around here? Jenny Hale is back with yet another festive treat in the name of; ‘We’ll Always Have Christmas’. Lets be honest here, regardless of whether you feel that September is ‘far too early for Christmas’, Jenny Hale’s brand new novel is guaranteed to make you think anything but. Who knows, after reading it you might decide to put your Christmas tree up ready for Halloween!

Noelle hasn’t had an easy time of it lately what with her beloved grandma passing away. Unfortunately for Noelle and her family, things aren’t planning on looking up anytime soon – especially where the family bakery is concerned, that is! With an uncertain future in front of Noelle for her and her son, Noelle is determined to give her son a Christmas to remember by getting another job to fund it. Poor Noelle – even her new job isn’t exactly what it seems either…

Let me get one thing out of the way; I wasn’t entirely sure what to make of ‘We’ll Always Have Christmas’ at first. Whilst the storyline was pleasant enough to begin with, it didn’t pull me in like one of Santa’s reindeer. However, I found this storyline to be a little bit like starting a fire in a fireplace; slow to begin with but when the logs start catching, the beauty and warmth of the fire shines through like a rainbow during the rain.

There is quite a lot I could mention about the overall storyline, but I wouldn’t even start as the line is incredibly thin between a general overview, and spoilers. TWG doesn’t do spoilers. Although the only spoiler I would be inclined to give you without getting my backside slapped is: this book is utterly beautiful. I admitted that I had initial reservations, but by golly once that storyline got going and the characters personalities were uncovered, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning – wondering what I was going to uncover next in the book. Wondering what path each of the characters would choose to go down. Wondering what mysteries were in the Harrington’s closets. Honestly, there was so much to delve into, I actually became quite ashamed of my initial reaction to the book.

Noelle’s relationship with her son was so touching, what a cracking and intelligent little boy he is. There were moments during the book where I found myself tearing up where Lucas was involved – if you’re a parent, you’ll know exactly what I mean when you read the book. Trust me. As sad as this sounds, my family isn’t really one for traditions which have been passed down the generations. Sometimes I wonder why that is because of how magical it could be but, thanks to this book, I was able to be a part of another family’s Christmas traditions indirectly. Finding out what Noelle’s family did each year was so lovely to see. Small gestures they may be, but as the author clarified via her characters, the small things are what matter the most – especially at Christmas.

I really could sit and talk about Jenny Hale’s novel for ages! The whole atmosphere within the storyline was unbelievable. So magical, so heart-warming, and so full of love. Do you think Jenny Hale’s fictional characters would mind if I gatecrashed their Christmas? Hmmm.

Overall, ‘We’ll Always Have Christmas’ is a romantic tale about love, life, and the importance of taking the time to show the ones you love, exactly how much you care. Festivities galore; the highlight of ‘We’ll Always Have Christmas’ was the way in which it was blatantly written from the authors heart. Jenny Hale gave her characters a voice and she ensure that they used them. She gave her characters a history and she ensured they used their time wisely. Most importantly, Jenny Hale gave her characters each other and in turn they were brought to us. Beautifully written and thought-provoking with the ability to glow my heart; ‘We’ll Always Have Christmas’ is THE festive treat to read this year and forever more.

Thanks Bookouture.

Buy now from Amazon UK
Buy now from Amazon US

Author Bio:

Jenny Hale is a USA Today and Amazon best-selling author of romantic women’s fiction. The film adaptation of her novel Coming Home for Christmas will air on the Hallmark Channel this year. Her stories are chock-full of feel-good romance and overflowing with warm settings, great friends, and family.  

Author Social Media Links:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jhaleauthor

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

Website: http://itsjennyhale.com/

#Tour! #Review – The Christmas Holiday.Maxine Morrey @Scribbler_Maxi @HQDigitalUK @NeverlandBT

Buy now from Amazon UK

Fall in love this winter on a romantic trip around the world ending in a fairy-tale
winter wedding!

As winter comes to London, journalist Mia Walker is desperately hoping for her big break as a travel writer, dreaming of exotic locations and sun-soaked beaches. When she’s invited to write a romantic travel piece that ends in a huge winter wedding in Scotland, she jumps at the chance. The only trouble is, the photographer is renowned adventure-junkie Hunter Scott, who Mia last saw five years ago when she ended their engagement.

It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, and Mia knows she’d be mad to say no – even if it does
mean spending weeks traveling round the world with the one man she never wanted to see again! But as the wedding approaches, and the magic of Christmas begins to take hold, Mia can’t help looking out for mistletoe – and wishing she hadn’t cancelled her own engagement after all…

What does TWG think?

Maxine Morrey has got to be one of my most favourite romantic comedy authors. Why? It’s quite simple really; this authors hilariously heart-warming writing style is enough to make me go weak at the knees. No joke. Having loved Morrey’s previous novel; ‘The Christmas Project’, I was beyond excited to read her latest offering; ‘The Christmas Holiday’. Of course I had high expectations, I’m not going to lie! After all, her previous novel did earn a coveted five stars…

Did ‘The Christmas Holiday’ match up to my expectations? Yes, yes and YES it did!

Have you ever split up with an ex and told yourself that the last thing you would ever want to do, is to be in the same room as them or worse still – having to work with them? -raises hand- To be honest, I’m quite sure that there will be a lot of readers answering ‘yes’ to that question. But let’s see what your answer is to this one: with the same ex in mind, have you ever come face to face with them and felt a large pang of regret for letting that person slide out of your life? Yes, yes, you can stop laughing now. It IS a fair question though! Even the main character in this story felt like laughing when her conscience decided to tell her not to dislike the man! But is that regret merely just…regret? Or is it just a mistake waiting to happen if followed through with?

Once again it didn’t take me long to lose myself in Maxine Morrey’s storyline, and the main characters life; including her rather impressive work ethic. It was pretty clear when the strapping man walked into Mia’s work, that she was going to have some sort of history with him. Thankfully the surprise element was still included in the storyline, as we weren’t told at the beginning just HOW much history both characters had. All we knew was that Mia knew Hunter Scott, and Hunter Scott knew Mia. In regards to her job, Mia knew that her boss had given her the opportunity of a lifetime and regardless of any personal history with the photographer, she wasn’t going to let the ex love of her life, ruin her chances with the job assignment. Regardless of how much Hunter Scott wasn’t going to let sleeping dogs lie. Snore.

If you ever need a book to natter about with your friends, I beg of you to buy this one and demand a coffee morning with your good pals, purely so you can chat about Hunter Scott’s peachy backside. Oh, and the storyline…of course. I absolutely adored every single word, every single page, and every single element of Maxine Morrey’s – The Christmas Holiday. Not only did my heart get warmed by the romantic themes throughout the story, I also got to experience various different cultures when the setting of the book changed destination several times. Obviously my experiences were third hand, but due to the authors vivid writing style, I felt like I was able to experience each individual destination with all of the characters involved. There aren’t many books which you can say that about, is there?

I said this last time, but I’m not afraid to say it again – Maxine Morrey has exceeded my expectations by writing such a moreish and touching novel about love, regrets, and working out how to make the right decision for the moment that you’re in. The entire novel was extremely relatable due to its realistic situations and relatable scenarios. If the novel itself didn’t contain those features, I really don’t think the storyline would have worked as well, as it could quite easily be dubbed as ‘predictable’. Personally, ‘The Christmas Holiday’ is in no way predictable. Yes it was clear that the main characters would have some sort of connection at the beginning, but aside from that any predictability became hope.

‘The Christmas Holiday’ is such a heart warming, huggable, and delectable treat which is full of everything you could ever want from a book. Hilarity, strong characters and believeable storylines; Maxine Morrey’s latest novel ticked all of my boxes, and left me feeling like I was floating on air after I had finished reading.

Maxine Morrey certainly is an author to watch…and not just to see when her next book will be coming out! Absolutely brilliant.

Thanks NeverlandBT.

Buy now from Amazon UK

Author bio:

Maxine has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember and wrote her
first (very short) book for school when she was ten. Coming in first, she won a handful of
book tokens – perfect for a bookworm!

As years went by, she continued to write, but ‘normal’ work often got in the way. She has
written articles on a variety of subjects, as well as a book on Brighton for a Local History
publisher. However, novels are what she loves writing the most. After self publishing her first novel when a contract fell through, thanks to the recession, she continued to look for opportunities.

In August 2015, she won Harper Collins/Carina UK ‘Write Christmas’ competition with herromantic comedy, ‘Winter’s Fairytale’.

Maxine lives on the south coast of England, and when not wrangling with words, can be
found tackling her To Be Read pile, sewing, listening to podcasts, and walking.

Twitter @Scribbler_Maxi
Instagram @scribbler_maxi
Facebook http://www.Facebook.com/MaxineMorreyAuthor
Pinterest ScribblerMaxi
Website http://www.scribblermaxi.co.uk

Giveaway time!

1 winner

Prizes:
Signed copy of The Christmas Project
The Christmas Holiday notebook
Galaxy chocolate bar
Chocolate penguins and snowballs
Elephant keyring
UK ONLY!

Enter the giveaway now!

#BlogTour! #Review – House of Spines by Michael J Malone (@MichaelJMalone1) @OrendaBooks

Ran McGhie’s world has been turned upside down. A young, lonely and frustrated writer, and suffering from mental-health problems, he discovers that his long-dead mother was related to one of Glasgow’s oldest merchant families. Not only that, but Ran has inherited Newton Hall, a vast mansion that belonged to his great-uncle, who appears to have been watching from afar as his estranged great-nephew has grown up. Entering his new-found home, he finds that Great-Uncle Fitzpatrick has turned it into a temple to the written word – the perfect place for poet Ran. But everything is not as it seems. As he explores the Hall’s endless corridors, Ran’s grasp on reality appears to be loosening. And then he comes across an ancient lift; and in that lift a mirror. And in the mirror … the reflection of a woman … A terrifying psychological thriller with more than a hint of the Gothic, House of Spines is a love letter to the power of books, and an exploration of how lust and betrayal can be deadly…

What does TWG think?

Please don’t shoot me, but this is the one and only Michael Malone book I have read. I know, I know, it’s bad right? It’s not that I haven’t WANTED to read any of his books, I just haven’t gotten round to them on the forever growing ‘TBR’ pile. Well, until now seeing as this blog tour kicked me up the backside to get one read. I have to admit though (yes, again), that ghost type stories aren’t really my usual ‘thing’. I have never found myself gravitating towards them (pardon the pun). Hell, the only ghost I have had dealings with is ‘Casper’ and that’s only because my pale nature resembles him!

Upon starting ‘House of Spines’, I knew my mind had to be kept open. Now, seeing as I finished this novel with the fear of christ put up me, I’m pretty sure I managed to keep my mind well and truly open!

I was severely intrigued by the level of mystery that the author dosed the storyline in, for me that was the star of the show. Michael Malone managed to keep my attention with the mystery alone – anything else after that was an added bonus. In the ‘House of Spines’, there was so much interesting themes that I was able to sink my teeth into, regardless of whether I enjoyed the ghost element or not, I wasn’t at all bored by the rest of the storyline. Malone certainly has a way with words and, seeing as I have nothing to compare it to – with his literary talent alone, Malone has definitely guaranteed himself another reader for his next novel.

Despite keeping my mind well and truly open and ending up proper freaked out, I still didn’t quite manage to gel with the gothic/ghosts element of the overall storyline. It’s creepy, there’s no doubt about that! But, for little ol’ me, it still isn’t my ‘thing’ if you will.

As a Michael Malone newbie, I am suitably impressed with the skills that this author possesses, especially seeing as he kept my interest the entire way through despite not gelling with part of the storyline. Why? Because the man knows how to write, that’s why. I wouldn’t be surprised if his secret talent is selling snow to an Eskimo…

Impressive, bewildering, and weirdly addictive; I am thrilled to find another author to add to my ‘read again’ pile.

Thanks Orenda Books.

Buy now from Amazon UK

#BlogTour! #Review – A Very Vintage Christmas by Tilly Tennant (@TillyTenWriter) @Bookouture

SQUEAL!!!!

Guess who’s back, back again. Guess who’s back, tell a friend…..

Firstly, Happy publication day to the fabulous Tilly Tennant!
Secondly, can you tell I’m excited to be kicking off Tilly’s blog blitz today?

I cannot wait to share my review of this cracking book with you all today. Luckily you only have 0.5 seconds to wait, enjoy!

The fairy lights are up and shoppers are flooding the snowy seaside promenade.
It’s going to be a busy month at Forget-Me- Not Vintage, a magical shop with a
warm heart where every item has a story to be told.

With bright red hair and an infectious smile, Dodie is a hopeless romantic and absolutely
one of a kind, just like the pieces in her shop. 

When Dodie finds a love letter in the pocket of an old woollen coat, she makes it her
mission to deliver it to its rightful owner. Following the address, she manages to
persuade the handsome but reluctant new tenant, Edward, to help her with her search.
As the story of the letter unfolds, Dodie is there, as always, to pick up the pieces and
make things right. But who will be there for her when her own love story needs a
helping hand? 

Is it too much to dream of a happy ending like the ones in the black and white
movies she adores? 

If you’re looking for a sweep-you- off-your- feet romance that will warm you through and through then the door to Forget-Me- Not Vintage is always open. Perfect for fans of Jane Linfoot, Debbie Johnson and Jenny Colgan.

What does TWG think?

If you’re not aware by now how much of a huge Tilly Tennant fan I am; where on earth have you been? Not only does this author write some truly heart-warming stories, I always wonder how she will top her last novel, with her new one. Funnily enough, this time was no different. Although saying that, I felt that ‘A Very Vintage Christmas’ wasn’t like Tilly Tennant’s other books – and no, that’s not in a bad way either. By the way, can I just say how much I want that pair of shoes on the front cover!!!!

From the moment I had finished reading the first page, I found myself being pulled towards the storyline by an invisible piece of string; a magnetic force if you will. Something within the storyline was demanding my attention, but obviously at that moment in time, I had absolutely no idea as to what that could be and why. It was quite surreal to be honest!

The main character of this story, Dodie, owns a vintage clothes shop and has done for the last six months. She’s determined to make the shop a success but with a lot of people preferring ‘modern’ over ‘vintage’, Dodie is concerned that her little shop will end up falling flat on its face. Well, until she found a letter in an item of clothing in her shop, that is. Ever the romantic, Dodie attempts to get to the bottom of the love letter and give it back to its rightful owner. Easier said than done…

What a brilliant book this is! As I mentioned previously, I thought that ‘A Very Vintage Christmas’ seemed a little different to Tilly Tennant’s previous novels and, whilst that is in no way a bad thing, it took me a little while to work out what that slight difference was; undeniable romance. Don’t get me wrong, Tilly Tennant knows how to write blossoming romances in each of her novels, but in ‘A Very Vintage Christmas’, the romance within the storyline just screamed ‘everlasting love’ as it seemed to float through the story a lot deeper than previous books. I know that sounds a bit weird, but that’s what I felt.

Although with the above, I do mean the romance in which Dodie sets out to piece back together and not her own! Eeeesh do not get me started on that one! Please say that I’m not the only one who thinks Ryan is a jumped up little AHEM? I was rather hoping that Dodie would leave mistletoe on his seat so that when he sits down, his backside will get a nasty prick. What an absolute brussel sprout! Wait, no, I like those. Ermmm, choose a food item you dislike at Christmas and swap it over haha.

I have to admit that unfortunately, Ryan’s character let it down for me ever so slightly, but not enough to make me stop reading or wish to put Tilly Tennant on the naughty step. Can you tell I disliked him? Anyway, aside from he who shall remain nameless, I adored everything about this novel. Even though this is a Christmas book, I loved how vintage and understated the whole Christmas element felt within the storyline. It wasn’t too much to make me think ‘my eyessssss’ in September, yet it wasn’t too little for me to blink and miss it. Just right.

As always, Tilly Tennant’s outstanding humour makes itself known throughout the entire book, as well as coming through via each of her characters. Yes, I laughed out loud more than once. Saying that, the real start of the show was how magic the story felt from start to finish. I loved the air of mystery and the sense of romance, but I also loved feeling as though something magical was going to happen every time I turned the page.

In my eyes, ‘A Very Vintage Christmas’ could rival any of the black and white movies which Dodie loves, without a doubt. So many heart-warming and magical moments in one story, Tilly Tennant has delivered yet another fabulous and enticing read which is guaranteed to make you believe in the magic of love and of course, Christmas.

Cosy, calming and utterly cute; ‘A Very Vintage Christmas’ is THE perfect read to get you in the mood for Christmas. I loved it!

Thanks Bookouture.

Buy now from Amazon UK
Buy now from Amazon US

Author Bio:

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in
Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs,
including paper plate stacking, shop girl, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she
never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her
passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative
writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and has
not stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor, and considers
herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books before the rest
of the world gets them.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an
Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely
successful Bookouture and is currently working on her tenth Tilly Tennant novel. She
also writes as Sharon Sant, where she explores the darker side of life, and Poppy
Galbraith, where things get a little crazier. Find out more about Tilly and how to join
her mailing list for news and exclusives at http://www.tillytennant.com

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TillyTennant/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TillyTenWriter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tillytennant6000/
Website: www.tillytennant.com

#BlogTour! #Review – Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys (@MsTamarCohen) @PenguinRHUK

Huge thanks to Anne Cater and Penguin Books for inviting me to be involved with the paperback blog tour for ‘Dangerous Crossing’ by Rachel Rhys! I’m thrilled to be sharing my review with you all today:

*NOW A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK 2017* ‘The pages turn themselves!’

Shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown 2017

A stunning, atmospheric novel in the great tradition of Death on the Nile and Patricia Highsmith, which tells of a young girl’s terrifying journey trapped on a cruise liner to Australia at the brink of the Second World War.

England, September 1939
Lily Shepherd boards a cruise liner for a new life in Australia and is plunged into a world of cocktails, jazz and glamorous friends. But as the sun beats down, poisonous secrets begin to surface. Suddenly Lily finds herself trapped with nowhere to go …

Australia, six-weeks later
The world is at war, the cruise liner docks, and a beautiful young woman is escorted onto dry land in handcuffs.

What has she done?

What does TWG think?

As a HUGE fan of historical fiction novels, ‘Dangerous Crossing’ had been on my radar for a while –  I was SO glad that being involved in the blog tour would give me the well needed kick up the youknowwhat to finally get it read. It worked, obviously.

Set in 1939 around the time of the Second World War, ‘Dangerous Crossing’ is an intense novel about one woman’s journey to a fresh start. However, due to the Second World War making itself known anytime soon, ‘fresh start’ couldn’t be further from the truth if it tried.

The storyline captured my attention almost straight away as I felt like I was being summoned into an unknown realm. To be honest the main character, Lily, came across as if she didn’t have a clue either. I felt as though the storyline was keeping its cards close to its chest for multiple chapters which meant that the storyline just oozed complexity. The author was determined to set the scene which, as we all know, is not a bad thing, but due to the high levels of information given in such a short space of time, I did feel a little bit overwhelmed by it all. I really do enjoy savouring novels, especially when the storyline has an air of mystery to it like ‘Dangerous Crossing’ does, and I truly feel that this novel needs to have the readers full attention from the first page until the last. I wouldn’t advise beginning this book in-between feeding time at the zoo, purely because every single detail needs to be digested at the time just so you can fully appreciate the authors work and the atmospheric storyline.

What I loved most about this novel was how the entire storyline was built on secrets. Every character seemed to have a secret. Every scenario within the storyline seemed to be reliant on a secret. Even though I knew fine well that I should have been savouring ‘Dangerous Crossing’ so that I could stop feeling so overwhelmed, I ended up turning the pages at record speed, JUST so I could find out what the secrets were, why there was a woman taken away in handcuffs and so forth. As stupid as this sounds, I didn’t know who to trust, but I was determined as hell to get to the bottom of the goings on, regardless of how confused I became.

Overall, ‘Dangerous Crossing’ is such a fascinating and mysterious read which kept me guessing until the very end. Full of rollercoaster moments, more secrets than an episode of Jeremy Kyle, and the feeling of actually being in 1939; ‘Dangerous Crossing’ is guaranteed to keep your attention peaked in one way or another. Whilst I did find the sheer force of information a bit confusing at times, nothing can fault Rachel Rhys on writing such an intense and magnetic storyline.

Huge thanks to the author, Penguin Books & Anne Cater.

Buy now from Amazon UK

#BlogBlitz! #Review – The Beachside Christmas by Karen Clarke (@karenclarke123) @Bookouture

Absolutely delighted to be one of the bloggers hosting today’s stop on Karen Clarke’s blog blitz! Here is my review:

Snow is falling and there’s romance in the air. Curl up for a cosy Christmas by the fire at Seaview Cottage…

When thirty-year-old Lily Ambrose’s latest relationship ends in disaster, she remembers happy childhood holidays in the seaside town of Shipley and decides it’s the perfect place for a fresh start.

But when Lily arrives, the town’s spirits are as low as her own: the local celebrity due to turn on the Christmas lights has gone on a cruise instead. Keen to prove herself, she calls in a favour and secures gorgeous reality star Ollie.

Lily’s neighbours are initially thrilled, but Ollie is as uncontrollable as he is good-looking. He can’t remember the town’s name, calls the Christmas decorations tacky, and manages to offend everyone. And whilst handsome but stubborn cameraman Craig tries to help, even he can’t stop Ollie’s madcap plans to stage a romance with Lily…

Will Lily be able to keep Ollie under control and bring the Christmas cheer back to Shipley – and find herself a real kiss under the mistletoe?

An addictive, heart-warming and uplifting read about friendship, romance, and Christmas spirit. Perfect for fans of Phillipa Ashley, Cathy Bramley and Debbie Johnson.

What does TWG think?

 Even though I am super happy to be back in Shipley, I am also quite sad that Karen Clarke’s series has come to an end. I’ll fully admit that I wasn’t too sure on the series to begin with when it started with ‘The Beachside Sweet Shop’, but when the second book ‘The Beachside Flower Stall’ was released, I found myself falling head over heels in love with the magic of Shipley. Whilst all three books in this series can be read as standalone novels, I would recommend reading all of them in order, purely so that you don’t miss out on any of Shipley’s magic. Each storyline has its own central character which you may recognise from previous storylines and, luckily for us,  all three books are interlinked in some way or another which, in my opinion, makes the community spirit shout loud and proud.

Lily is determined to create a new life for herself in Shipley after her old life went disastrously wrong. The only downside to her new beginning is that she doesn’t know anyone, and all of her neighbours are extremely close-knit and involved in neighbourly duties. Will Lily be able to become ‘one of them’? Lily is determined to make her new neighbours like her, so she decides to go above and beyond for her new village. Little does she know how much of a fine line she will be walking on, just to make the residents happy. As long as her gesture doesn’t blow up in her face…..right?

I absolutely LOVED Ollie. I could tell from a mile off that when Lily’s friend recommended Ollie to her, that the entire scenario wasn’t going to be at all plain sailing and, as weird as this sounds, I was super excited to find out what trouble Ollie would bring to the village of Shipley. Put it this way, that man is absolutely bonkers! I found Ollie’s friend (and cameraman), Craig, to be such a dark horse and, whilst Ollie seemed to steal the show as it were, I found myself leaning more towards Craig. It was though he kept his cards close to his chest. What was he hiding?

As the storyline unfolded, Lily’s personality shined like a beacon, making her grow into herself and take charge of her life. I really did love how we were able to grow with the main character during the story, it was as though Lily became even more relatable as time went on.

‘The Beachside Christmas’ wasn’t just the Ollie show, the neighbours each had their own parts to play in this story, and my goodness what memorable characters they are! Such unique and fun individuals, there really is a neighbour who ticks every single box.

Even though Ollie wants to shine bright like a diamond and overpower everyone else, he had me in hysterics more times than I could count due to his antics! Hats off to Karen Clarke for being able to include so many vibrant and different characters in one book. I was surprised (in a good way) that the romance involved in this novel was gradual and more natural, as opposed to being straight away and unrealistic. Absolutely brilliant.

Karen Clarke’s series, in my eyes, has gotten better with each book. ‘The Beachside Christmas’ has got to be my most favourite story from the series due to its relatable, loveable, and utterly bonkers nature which was destined to make me laugh from page one.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Beachside Christmas’. So many heart-warming, humorous, and loveable moments under one book cover. What more could you want? Personally, Karen Clarke’s latest novel ticked every single box and I feel blessed to have been able to read such a huggable, festive treat. Just like the Christmas lights on all of Lily’s neighbours houses, ‘The Beachside Christmas’ will forever light up my heart. Thank you for the memories, Shipley! It’s been an absolutely pleasure.

Heart-warming, cosy, festive and utterly divine, ‘The Beachside Christmas’ is perfect for getting you in the Christmas spirit…even in September.

Thanks Bookouture.

Buy now from Amazon UK

 Buy now from Amazon US

Author Bio:

Karen Clarke writes romantic comedy novels. THE BEACHSIDE SWEET SHOP and THE BEACHSIDE FLOWER STALL are out now and THE BEACHSIDE CHRISTMAS will be available in September 2017.

Karen has also written three romcoms with a paranormal twist, all available to download

When she’s not working on her novels, Karen writes short stories for women’s magazines and has had over three hundred published in the UK and abroad. Some of them can be read in her short story collection ‘BEHIND CLOSED DOORS…and other Tales with a Twist’ 

Karen lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband and three grown-up children.

 Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.clarke.5682

Twitter:     https://twitter.com/karenclarke123

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard

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

 

#BlogTour! #Guestpost from author of ‘How I Motivated Myself to Succeed’ @Shelleywilson72

Delighted to have Shelley Wilson, author of ‘How I Motivated Myself to Succeed’, on TWG today as she celebrates the release of her brand new book! We all know that we lack in motivation sometimes, we are only human after all and, because of that, Shelley Wilson has written a guest post about why she is a sucker for a good inspirational meme. Hands up who feels raring to go after reading one of those? Me!
Hands up who is going to buy Shelley Wilson’s new book to keep the inspirational and motivational momentum going? ME!

Keep on reading after Shelley’s guest post as I will give you the all important ‘to buy’ links at the end. Over to you Shelley!

Why I’m a Sucker for an Inspirational Meme. Guest Post by Shelley Wilson
(@ShelleyWilson72)

Following inspirational bloggers, authors, and gurus is part of the ‘day job’ when you write self-help books. I have learned so much from my teachers that I love to pass on to my readers in a way that they can relate to. Even though I call myself a spiritual person, I don’t wear a floaty kaftan or bells on my fingers. You’ll only find me running through a meadow of tall grass with flowers in my hair if there’s an ice-cream van at the other side!
There are billions of us on this beautiful planet, all with our own unique hang-ups, issues, and battle scars from life. What I love most about the personal development industry is the abundance of quotes that can heal, calm, and inspire someone in the space of ten or twenty words. Some quotes are motivational, some humorous, and others are very thought provoking.

My books encourage a sense of positivity, and well-being and I’m normally quick to share an inspirational meme with my social media audience. I don’t do this because it fits my personal needs, although, some days these affirmations have been spot on. I share them in the hope that they’ll help someone else in the same way my books can motivate or inspire readers. When I ran my holistic health business, my clients were always at the forefront of my mind. If I read an inspiring article, I would save it as I knew it might resonate with one of my ladies. When I heard about a new meditation class or spiritual workshop, I would forward the details to the people I knew would enjoy these events. Today, social media is the perfect platform to share our good intentions far and wide as you just don’t know who you might help along the way.

So, the next time you spot an inspirational meme, don’t scroll by and dismiss it, think about who you know in your circle of friends and colleagues who might just need to hear that message today.

In my new release, How I Motivated Myself to Succeed I’ve included a series of lists at the
end of the book; 52 Things to Do, 52 Uplifting Quotes, 52 Affirmations for Success, and 52
Power Words – one each for every week of the year. I’m a great believer in ‘thoughts
become things’ and have witnessed a client spiral out of control when concentrating on the negative aspects of her life. On the flip side, I’ve also seen how a friend turned her life around by absorbing the positivity around her and choosing to embrace this. If one
inspirational meme can trigger a moment of optimism, hope, or confidence then I’ll keep
sharing and I hope you will too.

I’d like to finish with a huge thank you to my delightful host, Kaisha. Having won the Most Inspirational Blogger Award at the Bloggers Bash this year, I’m pretty sure she’ll be as obsessed with inspirational memes as me! Thank you for reading and be sure to check out the other host spots for more inspiration, motivation, and a sprinkle of fun.

Awww thank you Shelley! Yes! I am all for the thought-provoking meme’s that make you stop and feel as though something has clicked. A bit like this one here;

If you would like to read more about Shelley’s inspirational tips then take a look at her new release, How I Motivated Myself to Succeed, out now in paperback and eBook, and packed full of information on self-care, freeing yourself from fear, organising your life, and much more.

Amazon UK
Amazon US

Find out more about Shelley on her author blog http://www.shelleywilsonauthor.com or via her personal development blog http://www.motivatemenow.co.uk.
She is also on Twitter www.twitter.com/ShelleyWilson72, Facebook
www.facebook.com/MotivateMeBlog and Instagram www.instagram.com/authorslwilson

Author Bio:

Shelley is a multi-genre author of non-fiction self-help and young adult fantasy fiction. Her latest release, How I Motivated Myself to Succeed is being dubbed as the sequel-that’s- not-a-sequel to her bestselling book, How I Changed My Life in a Year. She writes a personal development blog (www.motivatemenow.co.uk) as well as an author blog
(www.shelleywilsonauthor.com) where she shares book reviews, author interviews, and
random musings about writing. Shelley was thrilled to win the Most Inspirational Blogger Award at the Bloggers Bash in 2016, and to scoop second place in the same category in 2017. She is a single mum to three teenagers and a black cat, loves pizza, vampires, and The Walking Dead, and has a slight obsession with list writing.

#BlogTour! #Review – The Woolly Hat Knitting Club by Poppy Dolan (@poppydwriter) @canelo_co

What perfect weather for wearing a woolly hat! Good to know our author is keeping herself nice and toasty whist visiting all the blogs on the blog tour, that’s for sure! Speaking of which – I have the pleasure of hosting Poppy Dolan and ‘The Woolly Hat Knitting Club’ as we go into day two of the tour! Huge thanks to Canelo for asking me to be involved in the blog tour – here is my review:

Finding happiness one stitch at a time

When Dee Blackthorn’s brother, JP, breaks both wrists not only is he in need of a helping hand – or two – but the knitting shop he owns can’t function. Sisterly duties take Dee away from her demanding job and she is unceremoniously fired amidst rumours of inappropriate behaviour. Dee is certain that her hot-shot nemesis, Ben, is behind it all but has no proof.

When Dee bumps into an old friend who is new mum to a premature baby she convinces JP to enlist his knitting pals to make lots of tiny woolly hats. Then Ben turns up denying involvement in Dee’s sacking and she ropes him into helping the knitting cause.
But before long Dee’s good intentions backfire and she risks losing her friends, her family and Ben, who’s turned out to be not so bad after all…

A feel-good romantic comedy about learning what life is really all about, The Woolly Hat Knitting Club is perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Tilly Tennant and Carole Matthews.

What does TWG think?

TWG and knitting do not go hand in hand. I’m more likely to tie myself in a knot with the wool instead of knitting with it (and no, not in the kinky way either). I used to knit…a very long time ago, but I expected one of those Jean Greenhowe doll patterns to be completed a lot quicker than it actually was. Granted I was eight, but that’s not the point. As an avid reader, I have only read one other book which has knitting as its theme…surprisingly! As soon as I saw Poppy Dolan’s new novel I was rather eager to let myself loose into the knowledge of, er, purl stitch and such. Well, that and it looked so much fun.

To be perfectly honest, I really didn’t know what I was expecting ‘The Woolly Hat Knitting Club’ to entail (apart from the obvious), yet I was still rather surprised when the ‘drama’ bells rang within the storyline after several pages. I rubbed my hands together with glee thinking that I was in for a bumpy ride….and it was two broken wrists. TWO BROKEN WRISTS. I never knew knitting was such a dangerous sport! I jest….kinda. I will probably sound mean now, but as soon as the two broken wrists became part of the storyline in great detail, I couldn’t help but giggle. I could just imagine two arms stuck out like a snowman. Let me just say that if it happened to me, I wouldn’t be laughing, but it was just the way it was described in the storyline that made me chuckle.

Whilst I hoped I would laugh, I never expected to feel tears prick my eyes when the storyline went from jokey, to incredibly serious. Reader, it gave me all the feels and I’m not even joking. Two words – premature babies. That’s all I’m saying (it’s in the blurb so I won’t get told off). For me personally, the direction in which the storyline took after the emotional scene made the entire novel go up several notches. Instead of it just being about knitting and broken wrists; the storyline started to have meaning and incredible depth.

Now, as I admitted at the start of this novel – I am not a knitter. However, after reading about the woolly hats for premature babies, I have decided to re-learn how to knit and get some premature baby hats knitted for my local area. That whole situation hit home for many, many personal reasons and thanks to Poppy Dolan, I am actually going to give something back. Without the author’s important message in her storyline, I wouldn’t have been given the kick up the backside.

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Woolly Hat Knitting Club’ as it was cleverly written and so unique. That said, I couldn’t really work out what the issue with Dee was later on in the book, I didn’t see an issue in her actions so I became a little confused by her brothers reactions. Maybe that’s just me I don’t know!

The highlight of Poppy Dolan’s novel (aside from the hats), was the 90’s references. I laughed out loud to several of the band names, even re-reading a previous page to see whether what I read was actually what I read! Absolutely brilliant.

All in all, ‘The Woolly Hat Knitting Club’ is a feel good novel which is guaranteed to make you giggle, whilst also preparing you for world dominance – knitting style. A perfect paced read from start to finish; Poppy Dolan has written a storyline with a heart of gold and never-ending hugs. The perfect pick me up book.

Thanks Canelo,

Buy now from Amazon UK

Author Bio:

Poppy Dolan is in her mid thirties and lives in Berkshire with her husband. She's a near- obsessive baker and a keen crafter, so on a typical weekend can be found moving between the haberdashery and kitchenware floors of a department store, adding to her birthday wish list. She has written three novels: The Bad Boyfriends Bootcamp, There’s More to Life than Cupcakes and most recently The Bluebell Bunting Society. The Bad Boyfriends Bootcamp made it into the Amazon top 100 bestseller chart, so clearly someone other than her mum must have read it. She’s currently working on her fourth novel – it’s about friends, siblings and crafty things – and drinking far too much tea.

You can get in touch with Poppy on Twitter @poppydwriter and on Facebook at
PoppyDolanBooks. She doesn’t bite. Unless you are a dark chocolate digestive.

#BlogTour! #Review – Christmas at Mistletoe Cove by Holly Martin (@HollyMAuthor) @Bookouture

It’s time to get Christmassy with Holly Martin and her brand new festive treat; ‘Christmas at Mistletoe Cove’! I hope you enjoy reading my review as much as I enjoyed reading Holly’s book. Thanks so much to the author and Bookouture for having me involved in this blog blitz!

Christmas has arrived at Hope Island, promising snowflakes, surprises and plenty of seasonal joy. So snuggle up and fall in love at Mistletoe Cove …

Growing up on Hope Island, Eden Lancaster always believed that if you wished hard enough for something, dreams really could come true. But Eden’s greatest wish is also her biggest secret: she has been completely in love with her childhood friend, the charming and attractive Dougie Harrison, for as long as she can remember. And he has no idea. 

When Dougie leaves his successful life in New York to return home to Hope Island for good, Eden can’t escape her feelings. Her heart is full of hope that her romantic dreams are finally, at long last, going to come true…

This Christmas could change everything. But can a lifelong friendship really turn into the perfect romance? And will Eden get the happily ever after she’s always wished for?

Christmas at Mistletoe Cove is like a warm hug on a cold winter’s day. The perfect treat this Christmas for fans of Debbie Johnson, Cathy Bramley and Miranda Dickinson.

What does TWG think?

I am absolutely delighted to be back in Hope Island alongside some truly wonderful and memorable characters, courtesy of author Holly Martin and the stars of this story. Having LOVED the authors previous novel; ‘Summer at Buttercup Beach’, where we were introduced to some of the characters who also reappear in this novel, I was so excited to find out what happened next with Dougie and Eden. Even though ‘Christmas at Mistletoe Cove’ has characters who have featured in Holly Martin’s previous novel, it is still a standalone which means it can be read on its own with no issue. Although saying that, my advice would be to read ‘Summer at Buttercup Beach’ before you read this one, just so you get to read another f’awesome storyline!

As a child, Eden used to be all rainbows, fairies and wishing on her birthday cake but, as she got older, that all changed. Gone was the girl who found magic in everything. Gone was the girl who believed in fulfilling dreams and making wishes after being hurt so badly. Eden had only ever wanted for one particular thing, yet due to her dip in self-confidence, Eden believed that it would never, ever happen. It’s funny how the things we want the most, are quite often right underneath our noses….

The thing about Holly Martin’s novels is that no matter how long passes between each book release, Martin manages to real you back in with her snort worthy humour and hot under the collar antics. It’s as though the author sees all of her readers as long-lost friends, especially as I seemed to fall in love with the storyline and the characters almost straight away.

I’m sure a lot of people are going ‘it’s only September, why are you reading a Christmas book now?’. Usually I would be asking folk the same question, however thanks to Holly Martin, this year I’m not. Why? Because whilst reading ‘Christmas at Mistletoe Cove’, I forgot that it was only September, that it was only Autumn, and that Halloween still hadn’t been yet. I’m not saying that because I have a bad memory, I’m saying that because everything about this storyline screamed; ‘READ ME AND FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE. I’M GOING TO HUG YOU UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED THE BOOK’. Soooooooo of course I did what I was told! I forgot everything else and allowed myself to be hugged by such an enchanting and loveable storyline.

I loved how I was able to slot back into the characters lifestyles, even though the storyline was from a different point of view as opposed to the previous book with similar characters. I adore Holly Martin’s cosy and comforting writing style as she never fails to deliver with her outstanding and relatable storylines, alongside some proper unsexy laughing. Think of a pig snorting, a sea-lion clapping, and a human bent over gasping for air and you’ll get a rough idea as to how I laughed whilst reading this book.

Dontcha wish that you had a laugh like mine…..DONTCHA.

‘Christmas at Mistletoe Cove’ is as cosy as laying under a blanket with a hot cuppa tea; it truly is a hug in a book. Prepare to fall in love with Mistletoe Cove and Holly Martin’s heart-warming words. Prepare to feel sad when it comes to saying ‘bye’ to a lot of fabulous characters. But, most importantly, be prepared to love this book with all of your heart. If an Ice Queen can do it, you can too.

Festive, fabulous and f’awesome; Holly Martin has delivered a belter of a book yet again.

Thanks Bookouture.

Buy now from Amazon UK 
 Buy now from Amazon US

Author Bio:

 Holly has been writing for 8 years. She was shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance. Her short story won the Sunlounger competition and was published in the Sunlounger anthology. She won the Carina Valentine’s competition at the Festival of Romance 2013 with her novel The Guestbook. She was shortlisted for Best Romantic Read, Best eBook and Innovation in Romantic Fiction at the Festival of Romance 2014. She is the bestselling author of 18 books.

 Author Social Media Links:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HollyMAuthor

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

Website: https://hollymartinwriter.wordpress.com/my-books/

 

#BlogTour! #Review – A Time To Change by Callie Langridge (@CLangridgewrite) @bombshellpub

I am absolutely delighted to be one of the blogs hosting Callie Langridge today,  and her debut novel; ‘A Time To Change’, which was published by Bombshell Books on the 24th September. Usually I can write my thoughts about a book no bother, however this novel has left me tongue tied and possible incapable of making any sort of sense. So, if that ends up being the case, I apologise in advance and I hope you like my review regardless!

“I would rather love passionately for an hour than benignly for a lifetime.”

In a house full of history and secrets, the past will not stay where it belongs…

Lou has always loved Hill House, the derelict manor on the abandoned land near her home. As a child, the tragic history of its owners, the Mandevilles, inspired her dream to become a history teacher. But in her late twenties, and working in a shop to pay off student debts, life is passing her by.

That changes when a family disaster sends Lou’s life into a downward spiral and she seeks comfort in the ruined corridors of Hill House. The house transforms around her and Lou is transported back to Christmas 1913. Convinced she has been in an accident and is in a coma, Lou immerses herself in her Edwardian dream. With the Mandevilles oblivious to her true identity, Lou becomes their houseguest and befriends the eldest son, Captain Thomas Mandeville, a man she knows is destined to die in the First World War.

Lou feels more at home in the past than the present and when she realises the experience is real she sets out to do everything in her power to save her new friends.

Lou passes between 1913 and 2013, unearthing plots of murder and blackmail, which she must stop no matter the cost.

On her quest to save the Mandevilles by saving Thomas, Lou will face the hardest decision of her life. She will learn that love cannot be separated by a century.

What does TWG think?

I wish that there were enough adjectives in the Oxford dictionary to help me describe my thoughts about Callie Langridge’s debut novel. Now seeing as there are over 171k words currently in use in the Oxford dictionary, I am genuinely surprised that none of the adjectives seem to fit this book. Weird maybe, but it’s the truth. I could sit here and say that ‘A Time To Change’ is a ‘beautiful and enchanting read which is phenomenally written’ and, whilst that is the truth, it doesn’t seem complimentary enough. It doesn’t seem to fit the calibre of the storyline, even if it is the truth and I do mean it. Nothing I could write would ever seem enough for this storyline.

Why?

Because it took my breath away in a way I never thought was possible.
It took me under its spell, making everything else around me obsolete and worthless for the duration of the novel.
It filled my arms with copious amounts of goosebumps, whilst also pricking my eyes with unshed tears.
It broke my heart, then it fixed it again with good ol’ PVA glue before breaking it again in the most earth shattering and beautiful way.

Hell, if I can describe a heart-break as beautiful; Callie Langridge really and truly MUST have had me under her spell.

Like always I would love to sit here and have a conversation about the storyline, uncovering all the nooks and crannies, secrets and goodness knows what else – but I can’t because it wouldn’t be fair. For that reason alone, I’m not even going over the outline of the storyline again like I usually do. I just can’t, because this book needs to be read ‘blind’ as it were. You need to read this novel with your eyes open, heart protected, and the biggest box of tissues. If I chose to outline the storyline from my own personal view, it would be like me telling you how to the read the storyline in the same way as I had read it. You can’t.

I adored the unique angle for the storyline, so much so that it caught me off guard multiple times (don’t worry, I’m not complaining). Every single one of the characters were written with poise, grace, and incredible amounts of personality that even the not-so-nice characters came across a teeny bit nicer. Teeny bit….

I loved the historical feel that the author managed to create with her storyline and enchanting use of language. Everything just seemed to fit and when time frames needed to overlap, it was done with incredible precision, thus making the to-ing and fro-ing utterly seamless.

I can honestly say, hand on heart, that there is nothing about ‘A Time To Change’ which I dislike. From start to finish, Callie Langridge’s novel captured my heart, my soul; rendering me useless when it came to any form of adulting. The storyline isn’t all rainbows and moonbeams, yet even during the most tragic and heartbreaking parts of the storyline I felt as though I had something incredibly priceless in my hands; ‘A Time To Change’ itself.

I’m not going to lie, there did come a point in the storyline where the tears just fell out of my eyes and refused to evaporate, but you know what? As heartbreaking as that moment was, I wouldn’t change my reaction to it for the world.

‘A Time To Change’ is the most enchanting, heartbreakingly beautiful and soulful novel that I have read so far this year. Never have I ever read a book like it before, and never will I ever read a book like it again. Callie Langridge has an exceptional way with words as she manages to capture the true essence of each individual character, whilst also making the reader feel as though they’re the chosen ones.

A definite must read by an author to watch; ‘A Time To Change’ needs to be put under the spotlight by every single person. You need to feel the magic within ‘A Time To Change’ because, believe me, your world will feel a lot more nourished for doing so.

Stunning, absolutely stunning.

Thanks Bombshell Books.

Buy now from Amazon UK

Author Bio:

Callie was born and brought up in Berkshire. After a brief teenage spell in the depths of Lancashire, she moved back to London.

Having left school at 16, she studied drama before embarking on a career in marketing. This saw her work in music marketing in the heady days of Britpop in the nineties. She unleashed her creativity in the design of window displays and marketing campaigns for the leading music retailer. More recently she has followed her passion for social history and currently works in marketing for a national historical institution, promoting projects and running events.

On hitting her thirtieth birthday, she decided finally to take her A levels and gained A’s in English Literature and Language, and Film Studies – not bad when working full time! – and this spurred her on to take the first of many creative writing course. A few years later and she has had a number of short stories published and plays performed at theatres and venues across London.

Callie lives in London with her long-term partner and an ever-growing collection of antique curiosities.

Twitter: @CLangridgeWrite

Facebook: Callie Langridge  https://www.facebook.com/people/Callie-Langridge/100017408860162