#AWinterWeddingAtTheLittleDuckPondCafe @rosie_green1988 @RaRaResources #blogtour #review

Delighted to be kicking off the blog tour for Rosie Green and the latest installment in her ‘Little Duck Pond Cafe’ series. Huge thanks to RaRaResources for the tour invite and ARC. Here is my review:

With Zak and Ellie’s wedding day approaching, there’s high excitement in the pretty village of Sunnybrook, especially among the Little Duck Pond Café crew. Ellie is over the moon with her romantic surprise wedding gift from Zak, and Madison is promising to organise a hen party to remember. Everyone has high hopes for a magical Christmas Eve wedding celebration at gorgeous Brambleberry Manor. (Even Maisie-Moo has a sparkling new outfit.)

But sometimes, even the best-laid plans can go wrong. And with the journey to the altar turning out to be rockier than expected, it’s going to take nothing short of a Christmas miracle to ensure a happy ending . . .

What does TWG think?

Finally!! Zak and Ellie are days away from saying ‘I do’ and, if like me you’ve been following their story from the beginning, you’ll no doubt have everything crossed that nothing goes wrong! Zak and Ellie haven’t exactly had the best of luck, so they sure do deserve a wedding day to go without a hitch.

The narrative of this novella switches between the characters, focusing on Jaz’s and Fen’s stories as well as Ellie’s. So, if you’re not a weddingy type person, then dont fret because there is more to this book than wedding favours and what not.

Having read the previous novellas I know the way the characters speak and hold themselves, and I have to say that I found Ellie’s narrative to be not as consistent as it has been and, to be truthful, if it wasnt for the chapter saying her name as well as the obvious details about Ellie herself, then I would have struggled to differentiate between characters. She didn’t come across like the Ellie I had gotten to know in previous books.

That said, I still enjoyed this magical read, and it was refreshing to see Madison being knocked down a peg or two – I’ve still not warmed to her!! Once again, cosiness is at the heart of this story and Rosie Green delivers that with such fabulousness like ever before! I really dont think I’ll ever tire of this series!!

Buy now.

#BluebellsChristmasMagic @marielaval1 @RaRaResources @choclituk #blogtour #review #itsbeginningtolookalotlikechristmas

Many thanks to RaRaResources for the tour invite, and thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

A flick of a feather duster and a sprinkle of Christmas magic …

Cassie Bell is used to mess. Her cleaning business, Bluebell Cleaning, is well known in the Cumbrian village of Red Moss. However, now it’s almost Christmas and Cassie has a slightly messier situation to deal with than she’s used to.

She’s been hired to help Stefan Lambert, an injured army helicopter pilot who’s staying at the local Belthorn Manor whilst he recovers. Stefan resents Cassie’s interference and is definitely not looking for Christmas cheer. But Cassie prides herself on sparkling surfaces – so, can she bring some festive sparkle to Stefan’s life too?

What does TWG think?

To the unromantic eye, Marie Laval’s new book may look like a typically ‘boy meets girl’ read, however there is a lot more to this particular storyline that meets the eye.

Cassie has been hired to help Stefan, a man who is recovering from an accident. Whilst Cassie may be used to picking up other peoples rubbish, or cleaning strangers toilets on a daily basis, Stefan would prefer it if Cassie would mind her own business and leave him to recover in peace. Of course that wasnt going to happen!

Cassie had the personality one could only ever dream about! Not only was she likeable, she also seemed to respect herself by refusing to take anyones rubbish. Pardon the pun.

Stefan was a broken man and it was evident that his scars from the accident would be there a long time, both externally and internally. If only he could meet his own version of Mary Poppins…someone who was practically perfect in every way. I wonder who that could be?

I really enjoyed this high energy, easy to read, cosy novel that was jam packed with mystery, dilemmas, romance, and genuine friendships. The title may lean towards Christmas, however I would quite happily read this book any time of the year! As a huge fan of Marie Laval’s ‘Little Pink Taxi’, I was so excited to dive into ‘Bluebell’s Christmas Magic’, a read that is more than worth its weight in gold, or tinsel!!

Buy now from Amazon UK

Anyone wanting #AnIslandChristmas this year? @helenahalme @AnneCater

Very slowly getting back into the swing of things, thank you for your patience! Before I go any further, I would just like to extend my thoughts to Helena after the death of her father. We are all thinking of you here at TWG.

Many thanks to Anne for inviting me to take part in this blog tour, and to Helena for the ARC. Here is my review:

On the windswept Scandinavian Åland Islands, the festive season is snowy and chilly—yet breathtakingly beautiful.

It’s time for Alicia to enjoy her first Christmas back on her beloved Islands with her family. There’ll be traditional dancing around the tree and sipping mulled wine in front of a cozy fire. But peace is broken by Alicia’s estranged husband, Liam, who springs an unwelcome and devastating surprise, while her ex-lover, Patrick, temps her with an altogether different kind of future. Alicia faces impossible choices to keep her family together.

With her world crashing around her, can Alicia create the idyllic Island Christmas she’s always dreamt about?

Meanwhile, Brit, Alicia’s best friend, returns to the Islands to lick her wounds after a particularly bloody break-up with an Italian chef. When she meets her new boss, the Captain of a Baltic cruise liner, sparks fly.

Brit can’t help but fall quickly in love with Jukka, but when she discovers his murky past, she fears her heart is about to be broken yet again. Are the rumors about Jukka true, or just typical small island gossip?

What does TWG think?

Ooooo! Well there is definitely more to ‘An Island Christmas’ than I was expecting!! Helena Halme seems to have gone all out with her Scandinavian storyline, combining emotional family drama with Russian dominance, and Christmas with a life on a ship! I mean, where on Earth does she get her influence from?

Alicia is back on the island where her heart belongs, yet her heart seems to have a different idea when it comes to the man who is taking her fancy! Legally she is married to Liam, however he may no longer be the man for her. Whilst she tries to decide where her heart lie, a lot of other drama grab hold of her attention, putting her own feelings to the back of the queue.

For me, the storyline took a long time to get going. We were given a lot of information to sink our teeth into, but for a while it felt like that was as far as it went. I was pleased that as readers, we were able to touch base with the various different characters in the story, however due to the frequent character change, it meant that the storyline took far longer to get into the swing of things and, given the nature of some of the topics discussed in the book, I would have preferred it if I was able to sink my teeth into it much earlier.

That is, of course, just my opinion and, despite that, I did really enjoy ‘An Island Christmas’ and seeing how festivities are done across the pond. Helena Halme is a beautiful, descriptive author who brings each of her stories to life as though the reader has front row seats to the entire novel. As I said at the beginning of this review, this book has so much more to it than I could ever have dreamed of, making it such a pleasure to read.

Buy now.

#ChristmasAtTheChateau is here!! @0nemorechapter_ @RaRaResources #blogtour #review

Many thanks to Rachel for the blog tour invite, and thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

Poppy is looking forward to spending her first Christmas in France at her boyfriend, Leo’s, Château. And as the snow falls softly around the dramatic castle, Poppy can’t think of anything more magical.

There are new traditions to discover, a cosy Christmas market to explore and best of all, a promise of a secret treasure hunt from gorgeous Leo. The clues take Poppy on a magical tour of the chateau, each place holding special memories for her and Leo – their first date, their first kiss, the list goes on.

And at the end, hidden beneath the mistletoe, is one last surprise for Poppy. A simple question that could change her life forever….

What does TWG think?

At just shy of 50 pages, ‘Christmas at the Chateau’ is the perfect starter to anyone’s festivities this year. If you haven’t read the first book in the ‘A French Escape’ series, don’t fret because it’s fine to read this book as a standalone. Now, I really enjoyed the first book so I do advise you all to get it on your TBR piles!

For such a such a compact read, it sure does pack a punch! I am impressed at how much content Lorraine Wilson managed to fit into her storyline and, even so, everything in the story had its place. Of course I do wish that it was a full length novel, purely because I felt that Poppy and Leo had so much more to say, and I think that the situation that they found themselves in this time round, could have had more detail included in it instead of halting so abruptly.

That said, in my eyes, it’s a mere finer detail! I really enjoyed this pint sized, festive treat, and I absolutely love the four legged friends that fill this story with such humour and uniqueness.

Buy now.

Have you heard!! There are #SnowflakesOverMoonDanceCottage @Rosie_Green1988 @RaRaResources #BlogTour #Review #Blogger

If this doesn’t make you feel Christmassy then I have absolutely NO idea what will!
I am delighted to be hosting day three of Rosie Green’s blog tour for ‘Snowflakes Over Moondance Cottage’ with a review. Many thanks to RaRaResources for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for the ARC.

When Jess Thornton’s dad was lost at sea, the family coped in different ways, alone in their grief. Now, her mum seems to be going off the rails and her sister, Isla, who moved to France, is now back and determined to gettheir old family home on the market. But the last thing Jess wants this Christmas is for renovations to start on the house. It’s sure to stir up all sorts of memories she’s desperate to avoid. And to make things worse, Isla appears to have hired the most obnoxious builder in the world to do the work.

Jess could ignore the fact that women seem to be putty in his hands. But what she finds harder to ignore is the frisson she gets every time she squeezes past him in the mess that is now their beloved old home!Can the family finally start talking and find a way to move on from the past this Christmas?

What does TWG think?

Well, I wasn’t expecting THAT! The cover of this book is so pretty, but please do not be fooled by what you see! And yes, I mean that nicely! If you’re thinking that you’ll be reading a story which is full of festive frolics, smooching under the mistletoe, and making snow angels in the snow and slush, then you will probably be a little disappointed……as there are no snow angels. I know, I know – I was disappointed too! Jokes aside, there is a lot of Christmas treats to whet your appetite, however there is a lot more to the story than mince pies and Christmas pudding, despite how tasty they both are.

Jess cannot forget the day that her father left her life. She has had to tell herself that he isn’t coming back….ever, and that he is lost at sea. Jess and her sister, Isla, have heard nothing from their beloved dad and can only assume that he died. To try and move on with their lives, their family home gets renovated and memories get thrown out. What’s the point in holding onto a house that their dad will never be coming back to?

I feel as though I am turning into a worn out record where Rosie Green is concerned, as I always seem to say the same things in my reviews! I may be rehashing an opinion here, but it doesn’t matter how many times I say it, the truth in it remains the same! I have NO idea how Rosie Green manages to take an idea, stretch it and turn it into a storyline which has more layers than a baked croissant. It really takes some serious talent to be able to do that and, no matter how many books by this author I read, I still end up being in awe at the end result of each book.

The elements of the book surrounding their disappearing dad was simply heartbreak. I could feel the emotion pouring from the sisters. I had no idea whether they were going to get the happy ending that they were so desperately after. I could only cross my fingers and hope that they were all able to deal with the demons that were eating them from the inside out.

Romance is a big part of this book, however it isn’t too much nor does it clog up your arteries with cheese. Honestly? I thought it was perfectly balanced, believable, and gave the storyline hope.

‘Snowflakes Over Moondance Cottage’ is a beautiful story that gave me tingles. I loved everything about the book and the message the author tried to convey – I really thought it was an incredible and genuine story that made me want to reach into the pages to give the characters hugs. If you’re after a one of a kind, emotional, and hopeful read, then I would recommend Rosie Green’s in a heartbeat.

Buy now from Amazon UK.
Buy now from Amazon US

Single all the way! #Promo #ElaineSpires @ElaineSWriter @RaRaResources

Travel Together Tour Manager Eve Mitchell is planning a quiet Christmas at home to rest and relax before a special New Year. But she soon, very unexpectedly, finds herself in the depths of the Essex countryside looking after a singles’ group which contains some old, familiar faces and some pleasant -and not so pleasant -new ones.

With its country walks, quizzes, disco and black-tie ball, the Christmas and Twixmas Break passes quickly, but just as they think it’s all over the plot takes a twist and we learn some dark secrets..

Buy now from Amazon UK
Buy now from Amazon US

About the author.

Elaine Spires is a novelist, playwright, screenwriter and actress. Extensive travelling and a background in education and tourism perfected Elaine’s keen eye for the quirky characteristics of people, captivating the humorous observations she now affectionately shares with the readers of her novels. Elaine has written two books of short stories, two novellas and seven novels, four of which form the Singles Series -Singles’ Holiday, Singles and Spice, Single All The Way and Singles At Sea. Her latest book, Singles, Set and Match is the fifth and final book in the series. Her play Stanley Grimshaw Has Left The Building is being staged at the Bridewell Theatre, London in May 2019. Her short film Only the Lonely, co-written with Veronique Christie and featuring Anna Calder Marshall is currently being in shown in film festivals worldwide and she is currently working on a full length feature film script. Only the Lonely won the Groucho Club Short Film Festival 2019!Elaine recently returned to UK after living in Antigua W.I. She lives in East London.

Its Christmas time and I’m #ComingHomeToMerrimentBay for it!

Part three of ‘Coming Home to Merriment Bay’ is here and its beginning to look a bit like Christmas! Many thanks to Rachel for inviting me to take part in the blog tour today, and the ARC. Here is my review:

Cat and Kyra have finally traced the man in the photo they found in Viola’s trunk – thanks to Amias. But Bailey Mitchell lives thousands of miles away and is almost ninety-eight, so meeting him in person is never going to happen. Which is just as well. Exchanging Christmas cards and chatting on social media leads to revelations Cat had not expected.

At least Christmas is looking promising. It may be freezing outside but things have definitely thawed between Cat and her mum, Mary. They’re actually getting on, especially now that Mary is dating Jeremy Stone, the builder working on Viola’s house.

Cat’s also hopeful that Viola’s situation may improve. And when a surprise visitor brings more than just well wishes, Cat’s Christmas takes a delightful turn.

With the festivities in full swing, and snow falling on Merriment Bay, the future’s looking bright. Christmas is a time for miracles and Cat believes she may get one of her own this year if she’s prepared to put the past behind her and open her heart to Love once more.

What does TWG think?

I’ve said it once before and I’ll say it again – Cat is seriously not doing herself any favours AT ALL! At the start of the book I was beginning to feel like she had turned a corner, as though she was willing to open her mind to other points of view. However that didn’t last long at all. I know that she is stressed, what with Viola being in the hospital and wondering what those mystery letters are all about, but she cannot moan at Amias for blowing hot and cold if she is doing the exact same….in the hospital of all places!

The whole Jeremy situation is odd and, given the hoity toityness of Mary, I wasnt expecting her to be sucked in so easily! I’m still not so keen on her character as I just wish she would tell her daughter the truth. It’s no wonder that Cat has trust issues!

Part three answers some of the questions hanging from part two, yet also throws another bunchful of questions in the air again! I feel like there is more of Cat’s personality waiting to be discovered, and I am hoping that the series goes beyond four parts as I think the Devon family have a lot more secrets in their closets!

This is shaping up to be a very entertaining series, one which I seem to be investing in as though its reality TV – brilliant!

Buy now.

According to Poppy Alexander, there are #25DaysInDecember…who is changing the calendar? You or me? @orionbooks #blogtour @SarahWaights #review #Christmas

It is an absolute pleasure to be involved in the paperback blog tour for ’25 Days in December’ by Poppy Alexander. I was on the e-Book blog tour for this last year, yet my thoughts remain the same. This book is what Christmas is all about! Huge thanks to Orion for the ARC and for inviting me on the tour. Here is my review:

You can’t plan for the unexpected…

Kate Potter used to know what happiness felt like.

A few years ago, she was full of energy, excited by every possibility. But that was back when everything was different, before Kate’s husband went away with the army and didn’t come home. She can’t even remember what it felt like to be in love.

Then Kate meets Daniel. Recognising her loneliness reflected in his eyes, Kate vows to try and help bring him out of his shell. But as Kate plans to bring life back to Daniel, she might have stumbled on the secret to happiness…

Can one chance meeting change two lives?

What does TWG think?

‘What is your Christmas wish this year?’ – when I saw that question on the back of a postcard, I racked my brain trying to think of something dazzling, when in fact my ACTUAL Christmas wish seemed a bit selfish as I would love my body to be pain free on Christmas Day. If only. I asked my 5 year old the same question and her answer was ‘to actually meet Father Christmas’. I know – why do kids have the best answers to everything? So, with Christmas on my mind, meeting a main character who would like nothing more than to go to sleep on Christmas Eve and wake up on the 26th, was definitely a wake up call.

Why did Kate dislike Christmas? She sold Christmas trees for a living (well, kinda). In hindsight, maybe that’s why she wasn’t exactly feeling jovial. Of course the real reason comes out eventually and my goodness I felt like I was winded. How on earth must Kate and her little boy, Jack, feel? Not only that, the other main character in the book, Daniel, was trying to keep is head above water on an emotional level, as he tried to find his new purpose in life after losing his reason to live so to speak.

With my heartstrings being tugged on with some great force from the get go, I had absolutely no idea how I was going to get through the rest of the book. I’m not complaining at all, don’t get me wrong! The author was very generous with her writing as this storyline was certainly one that just kept on giving! It was as though I was opening my own little advent calendar every time I turned the page!!

I’m trying very hard not to spill any spoilers in my review, and yes it’s bloody difficult as all I want to do is shout about the storyline. Especially little Jacks situation. All I will say on that front is that I am sure a lot of readers will be able to relate to the unfortunate situation the poor boy and Kate got put in. It was tough to read and just like Kate, my ‘mama bear’ instinct came out, even though he wasn’t my child nor real. I thought that Poppy Alexander was brilliant in writing that particular theme into her storyline in a way that is going to shock people.

I did feel for Kate big time – would that woman ever catch a break? I wanted to give her a big cuddle and help her, but alas I couldn’t.

I adored the festivities throughout the story as they helped to highlight the fact that everyone celebrates Christmas in their own ways, and that the meaning of Christmas is different with every person you ask. Not everyone has money to spend on gifts at Christmas, yet they create memories in other ways and, on the other hand, some people can afford to splash out at Christmas – either way, as long as the important people in your life are happy, why should anyone judge someone else on how much or how little they spend, who they spend it with, or whether they actually celebrate the day or not?

As the book neared the end, a massive lump formed in my throat because it really was magical book to read. I tried my best not to cry but I was so overcome with emotion for Daniel, Kate, Jack, and Noel, the tears just kept on falling.

’25 Days til Christmas’ is a beautiful, beautiful story which had my heart under its Christmas tree from the very beginning. I loved how every little detail in the book was an important part of the storyline. I loved being a part of the magic and the incredible hidden messages throughout. I loved being able to laugh one minute, turn into a lion the next minute, and then bawl like a baby the next. I have been on a journey with ’25 Days til Christmas’ and I absolutely LOVED every single moment of it.

Honestly, wow – this is the creme de la creme of Christmas books and definitely one of my top books of the year. I don’t think I can find enough adjectives to describe how much I adored this book, so I urge you all to grab yourself a copy now and just trust me when I say that this is a definite must read.

Wholeheartedly one of the best books I think I have ever read, ’25 Days til Christmas’ puts the jingle back in ‘Jingle Bells’ and will light up more hearts than the lights on the Christmas tree in NYC. Stunning!!!!

The e-Book version of Poppy Alexander’s festive treat is out now, with the paperback following on the 28th November.

To purchase/pre-order click here.

Has anyone seen ‘My Christmas Fake Fiance’? I can’t find him! @RaRaResources @morningmayan #blogger #review

Third RaRaResources blog tour of the day, and fifth and final tour of the day! Many thanks to Rachel for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for ‘My Christmas Fake Fiance’ by Linda West, and for the ARC. Here is my review:

Snowflakes are falling on Kissing Bridge Mountain, and Devlin is going home at last. But he can’t go home without a fiance, even if it has to be a fake one!

When he meets smalltown girl, Allie, who has a Christmas crisis of her own -they strike up a deal. Soon, the fickle snow flurries of fate send them down a destined road they never expected…

What does TWG think?

I’ll be honest. The whole ‘fake fiance/boyfriend/girlfriend’ thing has been done many, MANY times before, so for me the surprise element wasn’t really there. However, I have never read a version that has had me laughing out loud from the get go.

Seriously! Almost straight away I was giggling at Allie and her bambi on ice type personality! She was such a breath of fresh air, and was such an antidote to Devlin’s foul nature. A match made in heaven some might say!

With the amount of times I giggled, the predictability factor didn’t seem as important anymore. Yes, I could see what was coming, and yes, it was incredibly clear what the intentions of the characters were, yet Linda West very cleverly wrote her story in a way that enticed me and left me wanting popcorn like a good movie.

This book may be short, but it sure packs a punch with its lighthearted, laugh out loud, and cosy vibe. I throughly enjoyed escaping into a Linda West novel – it definitely wont be the last!

Buy now Amazon UK

Buy now Amazon US

I’ve been told by a certain Lucy Coleman, that there is #MagicUnderTheMistletoe! @lucycolemanauth @RaRaResources

Some of you may remember me being on a tour for this very book in September so, seeing as Christmas is nearly upon us, I’ve decided to be on another blog tour for it!

It’s December 23rd and while everyone else is rushing home for the holidays, workaholic Leesa Oliver is dreading switching on her out-of-office for the festive season. And it seems her equally driven boss, Cary Anderson, isn’t relishing spending Christmas at his family’s country estate either.

So together, they draft an unexpected Christmas contract: They’ll spend half of the holidays with each other’s families, pretending to be a couple. Leesa knows the insufferably good-looking Cary will make her Christmas more bearable, but what happens after the last of the mince pies have been eaten…?

Leesa signed off on a sensible business agreement, but somewhere, amongst the fairy lights and carols something seems to have changed… It seems there might just be some magic under the mistletoe this Christmas!

What does TWG think?

It honestly feels like ages ago since I was last able to lose myself in a Lucy Coleman novel!

Leesa isn’t driving home for Christmas…literally. In fact, she’s travelling back to the UK from Australia, just days before Christmas day. Why? Let’s just say that her boss is a little bit of a task master, as well as the fact that Leesa has her own business and can’t really afford to turn down an extra profit. Her opinion of her boss/client is pretty straight to the point – he grates on her and leaves her feeling frustrated more often than none. And no, I don’t mean in a good way either!

Considering the fact that Leesa wasn’t a massive fan of Cary, their United front and plan completely blindsinded me. I know they were desperate but seriously!

It took me a while to take to the storyline as I’m so used to Lucy Coleman’s trademark story telling, and I felt like the author had stepped outside of the box. I’m not saying that that is a bad thing as it’s good to experiment, I just didn’t think that Lucy Coleman had any need to differ from what readers know and love about her books. It didn’t really work for me, I’ll admit.

However, I did end up finishing the book feeling rather festive and content, so I can’t complain! I did enjoy this little festive read, and whilst I do wish that it had more of the authors personality in the book, I thought that the uncertain family dynamics were written very graciously, and I thought that it was a poignant nod to today’s society having a female protagonist with her own company, at the heart of her book.

‘Magic Under the Mistletoe’ gave me the giggles and put me in the Christmas spirit….in September. I enjoyed the hope filled story and cosy characters, especially Cary’s grandmother – what a legend! So, whilst the overall vibe of the book was different to the authors other book, I was still spellbound by the enchanting storytelling of an author who has great talent.

Buy now.