#WithThisKiss – Carrie Hope Fletcher (@CarrieHFletcher) @HQStories #review #magic #booktwt

If you knew how your love story ends, would you dare to begin?

From the outside, Lorelai is an ordinary young woman with a normal life. She loves reading, she works at the local cinema and she adores living with her best friend. But she carries a painful burden, something she’s kept hidden for years; whenever she kisses someone on the lips, she sees how they are going to die.

Lorelai has never known if she’s seeing what was always meant to be, or if her kiss is the thing that decides their destiny. And so, she hasn’t kissed anyone since she was eighteen.

Then she meets Grayson. Sweet, clever, funny Grayson. And for the first time in years she yearns for a man’s kiss. But she can’t…or can she? And if she does, should she try to intervene and change what she sees?

Spellbinding, magical and utterly original, With This Kiss is one love story you will never forget.

Many thanks to HQ Stories for providing me with an ARC of the book. All thoughts are written unbiasedly.

TWG’s Thoughts

The blurb has a really good question right at the top; ‘If you knew how your love story ends, would you dare to begin?’

Would YOU? In all honesty, I hadn’t really thought about it before. I mean, I didn’t really have a reason to sit down and ponder whether my life choices would be different if I knew what the repercussions were for every decision made. I guess it’s like people asking whether you would read the ending of a book if it was written about your life. But what if you could change the course of those events?

That is the scary thing with life I suppose. You have to make decisions, sometimes really BIG decisions, completely oblivious to whether they will end positively or negatively, or whether they are indeed the right decision. It wasn’t until I read ‘With This Kiss’, that those thoughts started to swirl around my head. Lorelai was afraid of finding the one, afraid that once she locked lips with them their life would flash right before her eyes (literally) and she would know exactly how their life would end. No wonder she didn’t want to start a relationship with Grayson, especially once she realised that there was more to it than harmless flirting. But as I’ve just rambled, would it be worth it to take the chance?

Even though the storyline had quite a deep storyline to it, I actually found it to be quite uplifting and touching. I’m not saying that I found it entertaining reading about how characters reached their demise, however what I am saying is that, despite all of the uncertainty, the storyline was strong enough to stand on its own two feet and give the reader food for thought, even without the main prospect of death.

I wasn’t sure at all what to think when I first started reading, in fact I thought ‘With This Kiss’ was so far away from my usual reads, that I wouldn’t like it, as though it was a bit away with the fairies. Oh how wrong was I! ‘With This Kiss’ was my kind of read big time, and it wasn’t away with the fairies in the slightest, in fact I thought it was such a well rounded, life affirming, tender read and yes, I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it.

‘With This Kiss’ is guaranteed to give you hope in life, especially when life is one of the most uncertain things in the world.

Purchase now from Amazon

Cover Reveal – #CollectorsDaughter by Gill Paul (@GillPaulAuthor) #ComingSoon #PreorderNow #GillPaul #HistoricalFiction #CoverReveal

I am delighted to be bringing you another cover reveal this week, courtesy of the extremely talented Gill Paul. I have been a fan of this author for many years, and in my opinion, she has never written a book that I have disliked! To say that she is talented would be a huge understatement, so knowing that a new book is coming out in a few months makes me extremely, extremely excited. I cannot wait!

Here is the cover for Gill Paul’s upcoming novel, ‘The Collector’s Daughter’. Spoiler, it’s a stunner!

Bestselling author Gill Paul returns with a brilliant novel about Lady Evelyn Herbert, who grew up in Highclere Castle—the real Downton Abbey—and became the first person in modern times to enter the tomb of Ancient Egyptian king Tutankhamun. 

She is the daughter of the Earl of Carnarvon, brought up to make her society debut and follow it with a prestigious marriage. But popular and pretty Lady Evelyn Herbert has other ideas. First she falls for a man her mother doesn’t approve of, then she accompanies her father to Egypt, leaving behind the world of etiquette and chaperones to work alongside archeologist Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings.

In November 1922 the extraordinary happens when they discover the burial place of Tutankhamun, packed full of gold and inconceivable riches. Eve is the first to crawl inside, the first person to see the treasures in three thousand years. She calls it the “greatest moment” of her life—but soon afterwards a string of tragedies leaves her world a darker, sadder place.

Newspapers claim it is “the curse of Tutankhamun.” Howard Carter says no rational person would entertain such nonsense. Fifty years later, an Egyptian academic comes asking questions about what really happened in the tomb in 1922. And that visit unleashes a new chain of events threatening Eve’s happy life, and making her wonder if there could be some truth behind the stories of an ancient curse.


The Collector’s Daughter is due to be released in the UK on the 30th September and can be pre-ordered now by clicking here.
The book is due to be published in the US on the 7th September and also can be pre-ordered now by clicking here.

Also, if you wish to be notified of Gill Paul’s further releases or any other news, you can sign up to her newsletter now!

Who else is excited for a new Gill Paul novel?! I cannot wait to read it!

The Writing Garnet turns 5! Happy birthday TWG! #blogger #blogbirthday #TWGTurns5 #Awardwinningblogger

The Writing Garnet is officially 5 years old TODAY! When I started my blog back in 2016, I never envisioned it turning out the way that it has. It never even crossed my mind that my blog could turn into a multi award winning blog (yes, multi), nor did it cross my mind that my review quotes would make their way into physical copies of books or even on the cover of some. Without blowing my own trumpet, I am unbelievably proud of all of that. At the very beginning, my blog was created as my way of saying thank you to authors for writing their books which has allowed me to escape via their words, when things in my personal life have been difficult. It wasn’t created as a popularity tool (because clearly I wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes had that have been the case), nor was it created merely to get free things because, in all honesty, I had no idea that that was even a thing when I first started.

Over the last 5 years I have met a wide variety of authors, met fellow bloggers, other like minded bookish folk, and found myself involved in a world that went beyond just loving books. I had never really had that before. I had never been able to sit and discuss books with people who had read the same book as I, nor would I have ever found the confidence to cart myself off to events such as Edinburgh Book Festival, Aye Write in Glasgow, or even more intimate events such as meeting the Orenda gang in Edinburgh (to name a few), if it wasn’t for a select few of people who, after ‘meeting’ through the online book world, have gone on to becoming real life friends (Jen, Mandie, Kelly, Joanne, Lainy, DC to name a few). Not only that, despite not having met them in real life yet, I have come to know even more people who I consider to be friends now, who one day I would love to be able to give them a hug (COVID permitting, obvs – special shout out to Liz B for being as true as they come). If I named each and every one of the people who I called friends and who I would do anything for, I would be here a while and would no doubt miss someone off so, to put it simply, if we talk, I adore you. Simple as, and I thank you for your kindness and support over the last 5 years.

For me, the highlight so far has got to be meeting Sue Perkins and Tom Fletcher as those were the times where I unintentionally embarrassed my little girl with my high pitched squealing and trampoline bounces. I think I was fair excited……. Would I have been able to meet them had it not been for my blog? Honestly? Probably not as I never knew events like that existed until I became a blogger. I have so many other authors, bloggers, publicists etc, that I would love to meet and I have everything crossed that that will become a reality.

I know blogging isn’t all about stats, but for the first time in ages I had a quick nose at the stats of TWG. In the last 5 years TWG has had:

160,424 views.
84,689 visitors.
1837 blog posts have been posted.

Also, I even worked out roughly how many books I have read over that time…..1270!!! Ermmmmmmmm, say what?

As I may have mentioned previously, 2020 for TWG wasn’t the greatest as, putting it quite bluntly, I was treated like dirt via the bookish community (not all of you, just to clarify), and it hurt me so much that I ended up retreating because I didn’t know what else to do because, as I have also said many times, I’m not the most popular of people and I don’t fit into the tight knit groups. I suppose my face doesn’t fit, so I knew that regardless of what I said and what I did, I wouldn’t have been believed which is unfair and incredibly hurtful. Because of that, my posts within the last year have been few and far between, however I still have been ‘here’ from afar and still able to keep my feet in the door so to speak. Again, I want to thank those who have stood by me, supported me, and been true friends during that time and continue to do so. I see you.

I am super shocked that my little, multi award winning blog turns 5 today. Yes there have been some ups and downs and confidence knocks along the way, and yes, at times I bit off more than I can chew and left myself over stretched. However the joys of anything in life is that you can learn from your mistakes and realise where you went wrong or what needs to change. There is only me running this blog and, even though I like to think that I can do everything, I physically can’t….I just wish it hadn’t taken me 5 years to realise that! Well, in all fairness it’s probably taken me over 20 years to realise that as I recently turned 31 but y’know, semantics.

Creating The Writing Garnet was probably one of the best, on the spur decisions I have ever made and I just want to thank every single author, publisher and publicist who have sent me countless books over the years and trusted me to review your books. I want to thank the organisers of book events of their hard work and dedication in bringing likeminded bookish folk together. I also want to thank each and every person I have come to know and admire for being true to themselves and becoming good friends of mine. I have your backs – you are all awesome. Major shout out to my fellow bloggers, and anyone who is thinking about starting a blog – you’ve got this! Just remember it’s okay to say no….

On that note, happy birthday to TWG! Heres to another year full of weird and wonderful books, intriguing debuts, and a truck load of reviews.

TWG x

#TheLifeWeAlmostHad by Amelia Henley @MsAmeliaHenley @HQStories #LoveStory

Hugest of thanks to HQ for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for Amelia Henley’s debut, ‘The Life We Almost Had’, and for the ARC. Today I am closing the tour with my review:

This is not a typical love story, but it’s our love story.

Anna wasn’t looking for love when Adam swept her off her feet but there was no denying their connection, and she believed they would be together forever.

Years later, cracks have appeared in their relationship. Anna is questioning whether their love can really be eternal when a cruel twist of fate delivers a crushing blow, and Anna and Adam are completely lost to one another. Now, Anna needs Adam more than ever, but the way back to him has life-changing consequences.

Is a second chance at first love really worth the sacrifice? Anna needs to decide and time is running out…

What does TWG think?

My heart. I think its broken! This book made my eyes leak!!!!

Wow….I was NOT expecting this AT ALL! The tagine of the book ‘this is not a typical love story’, is absolutely bang on. I probably would even go as far as to say that I have never, ever read a love story quite like this. Don’t get me wrong, the psychological situation towards the end wasn’t a new thing to me, however everything together was and it caught me off guard big time.

Anna and Adam’s relationship was one of a kind. They loved hard, and they fought hard. Being together sometimes was difficult, yet being apart was even more difficult, something which was put to the test dramatically.

Its really difficult reviewing a book like this without giving away spoilers, because the storyline and every situation in it, are intricately woven together, making talking about one thing in particular a tricky thing to do incase something gets accidently spilled. Not going to lie though, I want to shout about what happened from the rooftop of my house! I want to talk about Anna’s love for Adam, and Adam’s love for Anna. I want to talk about when life threw them both a curveball. I want to talk about Oliver! Oliver! The random person who I thought was about to break both of their hearts!

I want to talk about the very last part of the book, and how a new character was brought to life! My mind couldn’t make sense of how that came to fruition, yet on the other hand, I didnt need to know the whys and wherefores because I didnt want to sheer beauty of it to falter. I call it magic. I call it perfection. I call it meant to be.

A bit like this book in all honesty. ‘The Life We Almost Had’ was meant to be written, it was meant to be read. Anna and Adam’s love story was meant to have been told, and i absolutely cannot fault one single thing about it.

Yes, my heart broke and I was in tears, but i would have been incredibly shocked if I hadn’t reacted at all to the storyline in one form or another.

It was an absolute honour to have been given the chance to fall in love with this beautiful story, just like Adam and Anna fell in love with each other.

Probably the best book I have read so far this year, and I have no doubt whatsoever that Amelia Henley will be touching hearts all over the world with such a detailed, emotional, and outstanding tale of true love, and learning when and how to trust your heart.

Buy the e-book now.

Summer At Rachel’s Pudding Pantry by Caroline Roberts #PuddingPantry @_caroroberts @fictionpubteam #FoodForTheSoul

It was such an honour to be personally invited onto this blog by Caroline herself. Something I was not missing for the world – thank you for having me! Also thank you to the publisher for the eARC. Here is my review of ‘Summer at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry’, the third book in the series.

The sun is shining as Rachel and her gorgeous beau, Tom, prepare to tie the knot at Primrose Farm.

It takes a village to pull off the perfect country wedding and Rachel couldn’t be more grateful for her friends and family as they roll out the haybales and string up the bunting – all she needs to do is focus on her Happy Ever After.

But no wedding is without drama. A face from the past is looking to stir up trouble in the village and there’s a secret following Rachel all the way up the aisle . . .

With old friends, new promises and a little borrowed time, will Rachel get the wedding of her dreams?

What does TWG think?

Oh my gosh, what great comfort food!

Ahem, sorry, did I say comfort food? I was meant to say comfort read! What a great comfort read! Although, while we are on the subject of food, did anyone else want to jump in the book and snaffle all of the treats? I’m so glad that the author decided to put recipes in there too!

‘Summer at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry’ is book three in the series, and whilst I’m sure there will be a lot of people reading the series in various different orders, I wholeheartedly recommend that you do read the books in order, just so that you can appreciate the natural growth of the bigger picture and the various characters personalities. Trust me – there are a fair few colourful personalities in this book, and they need to be understood in their own way!

I really do love this series! It is such a comforting, homely series, and the addition of the third book kept that heartwarming momentum brilliantly. Despite there being a break between each book, everything flowed seamlessly between each new book, as though there had never been a break.

My only irk about this book was the fisticuffs scene because I felt that the ‘oooh’ and ‘ahhhh’ were a bit pantomime and a teeny bit immature for the situation at the time. You know in a comic when someone gets lumped and there’s a ‘kapow’ in a bubble? It felt a bit like that to me. I’m not saying that the person didn’t deserve being hit, because they did haha.

It was an absolute pleasure to catch up with Rachel and the gang at the Pudding Pantry, and of course ‘seeing’ the animals that had been there since the beginning like Mossy. What a cutie!

Grab a warm drink, a blanket and your comfy clothes, and lose yourself in this tantalising, mouthwatering read that will no doubt leave you warm, comforted, and incredibly hungry. A really, really enjoyable read.

Buy now.

I’m sorry, but I don’t ever want to stay in a b&b now!! #TheGuestHouse @FrostyAbbie @fictionpubteam #blogtour

I am delighted to be kicking off the blog tour for ‘The Guest House’ by Abbie Frost, today! Thanks for your patience – it’s quite difficult typing with a sprained wrist! Many thanks to the @fictionpubteam for inviting me to take part in the tour and for the ARC. Here is my review:

Not all the guests will survive their stay…

You use an app, called Cloud BNB, to book a room online. And on a cold and windy afternoon you arrive at The Guesthouse, a dramatic old building on a remote stretch of hillside in Ireland.

You are expecting a relaxing break, but you find something very different. Something unimaginable. Because a killer has lured you and six other guests here and now you can’t escape.

One thing’s for certain: not all of you will come back from this holiday alive…

What does TWG think?

If ‘The Guest House’ doesnt make you second guess making a reservation for bNb, I have absolutely no idea WHAT will!

The concept of Abbie Frost’s novel is so absorbing and addictive, if at times a little bewildering, but I thoroughly it nonetheless!

Attention to detail is rife from start to finish, and the author ensures her readers have the fear of christ put up them with her cleverly written storyline and on point characters. Okay, I did find the storyline a little unbelievable at times and couldn’t quite work out how the characters didn’t twig to what was happening, however I was still able to lose myself in the bonkers situation and the fact that I was too nervous to venture from my seat!

Intriguing, interesting, and chilling – what more can you ask for? Well, apart from not being able to leave The Guest House….obviously!

Buy now!

Stuff cooking this year, I’m having #ChristmasatRachelsPuddingPantry! Who’s joining me?! @_caroroberts @fictionpubteam @HarperFiction @JenRHarlow

Wahey, it’s the second book in the #PuddingPantry series, and I am delighted to be on the blog tour for it today! Thank you so much to the Harper Fiction team for the tour invite and the ARC.

Cosy up with the new novel in the Pudding Pantry series, full of love, laughter, kisses under the mistletoe, and plenty of delicious pudding!

The first snow is falling over Primrose Farm, the mince pies are warming, and Rachel can’t wait to share a kiss under the mistletoe with her gorgeous new flame, Tom.

If only it was all comfort and joy . . . The arrival of Tom’s ex brings an unwelcome chill to the farm. And despite Master Baker Mum Jill’s valiant efforts, the new pudding pantry business is feeling the pinch.

With a spoonful of festive spirit, a cupful of goodwill with friends, and her messy, wonderful family by her side, can Rachel make this a Christmas to remember?

What does TWG think?

There needs to be a pudding pantry in every single town! Please don’t burst my bubble and tell me that I can’t have Christmas at Rachel’s pudding pantry this year – I’m just going to pretend that i can! Can you blame me?!

Caroline Roberts is an absolute GENIUS for creating Rachel’s pudding pantry and, after devouring the first book in one sitting, I had very high hopes for this installment. Was it going to live up to my expectations? Would the addition of a sequel make the series stronger, or weaker? Would I enjoy it as much the second time round?

In answer to those questions;

YES, it more than lived up to my expectations, in fact it went above and beyond.

NO, the addition of the sequel made the series even stronger as we got to see different sides to the characters.

And YES, I definitely enjoyed popping in to visit the gang in the pudding pantry again. I don’t think I would ever get bored of the characters or the delectable treats which have caused me to drool whilst reading!

Maisy reminds me so much of my little girl because of the ‘out of the mouth of babes’ comments, and her sassy personality. I love her character and the way that she adds so much energy to the story. Such a breath of fresh air.

It was great to see a different side to Rachel, although I did find all of her conversations very stilted and very ‘she said’. I found it to be a little awkward at times and felt that it was missing the conversational flow like the previous book.

That said, the emotions were rife again and the way in which Rachel spoke about her dad, was incredibly moving. I could tell that all she wanted to do was make him proud, even if that meant running herself down to the ground.

If you have read any of Caroline Roberts’ previous books, you will be happy to know that a couple of characters from other stories pop up in this book! A lovely surprise I must add! It was honestly like catching up with some old friends.

That’s what I love most about Caroline Roberts’ novels – the way that her storylines welcome readers with open arms each and every time, like you’re a long lost friend popping round for a cuppa. Going back to the Pudding Pantry certainly gave me that cosy and welcoming feel I didn’t quite realise I was needing.

With so much food for thought (literally) filling the pages of this book, ‘Christmas at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry’ is a genuinely warm, entertaining read which tickled my tastebuds and left me hungry for more. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Rachel, Jill, Maisy, and the rest of the gang, although I would have to say that this book should come with free cake! I’m salivating!!!

A touching, emotive, cosy, and delectable novel that is PERFECT for losing yourself in and devouring each and every morsel. Sorry, ahem, I mean pages. I loved it.

Buy now.

I cannot believe I am kicking off the #blogtour for Dawn O-Porter! I am #SoLucky @hotpatooties @fictionpubteam

It is an absolute honour to be kicking off Dawn O’Porter’s blog tour today for her brand new novel, ‘So Lucky’. Hugest of thanks to the publisher for giving me the opportunity today, and for my copy of the book. Here is my review:

IS ANYONE’S LIFE . . .

Beth shows that women really can have it all.
Ruby lives life by her own rules.
And then there’s Lauren, living the dream.

AS PERFECT AS IT LOOKS?

Beth hasn’t had sex in a year.
Ruby feels like she’s failing.
Lauren’s happiness is fake news.

And it just takes one shocking event to make the truth come tumbling out…

What does TWG think?

What a good question; is anyone’s life as perfect as it looks?

As I am sure a lot of you are aware, social media is the haven for people to show their lives as more than what it is. Granted there are a lot of people who are honest about their lives, and post pictures to cement that fact, but then again there are also a large number of people on social media who refuse to show themselves as anything other than ‘perfect’. The thing is, what IS perfect? We all have our own definitions of the word. We all think that something is perfect when, oh I don’t know, our next door neighbour might think that it is utter tripe. So where does it stop? How far would someone go to make their life seem as perfect as possible?

Take Beth for example; a new mum, her own business, and married. On the outside, people think that her life is the ultimate goal. That she has the marriage of all marriages. That she is inspirational for going to work whilst she has a newborn baby.

And then there’s Ruby; a mum who has no confidence, a life she cannot grip hold of, and a daughter who she wants to make proud yet her insecurities are stopping her from taking that leap.

And finally, there’s Lauren. Lauren is the person who is no longer in touch with her true identity due to the amount of times her thighs have been retouched, her moles have been removed, and her online presence has had a personality transplant because of what she is or isn’t allowed to post.

Now, all three of those women do not think of their lives as perfect. Instead, they can’t help but compare their own lives to the strangers they see walking down the street, the lives of the people who comment on their social media posts, and the lives of the other parents at the nursery.

Isn’t that normal though? Don’t we all compare ourselves to other people?

We do. Well, I certainly know I do, but in all honesty, I am tired of it! Why do we have to show ourselves in a certain way for people to accept us? Why can’t they accept us for who we are, stretch marks, warts, excessive body hair, mental health issues….everything!

If you follow Dawn O’Porter on social media, you will already know that she is incredibly forthcoming with her posts. She’s honest. She’s blunt. She’s hilarious and, seeing as I have never met her in person, I like to assume that she is completely genuine. Hell, it would take a lot of time to fake half of the stuff she does on social media! With that in mind, ‘So Lucky’ is like the extended cut of Dawn O’Porter’s personality. Instead of shying away from real life concerns such as libido after having a baby, different ways of having sex, the realisation that marriage is actually hard work; Dawn O’Porter takes those thoughts and turns them into something which people will relate to and punch the air with gratification.

If you’re not a fan of sex in books then this isn’t for you as ‘So Lucky’ doesn’t just glance over the subject, it dissects it in a bold way which will either make you turn your nose up in disgust or, if you’re like Beth, make you extremely hot under the collar. Now, seeing as a large portion of the first part of the book is governed by sexual thoughts and what not, I really wasn’t sure where the storyline was heading, nor was I sure on what the authors train of thought actually was (apart from the obvious). However, once I began to learn more about each individual characters and their insecurities, the true heart of the storyline became more apparent and I nearly blinded myself with the lightbulb moment I had.

Learning to love yourself takes a lot of time. Learning to appreciate yourself can happen a lot quicker if you have the right support behind you, What I loved most about ‘So Lucky’ was the fact that each of the three women were perfectly flawed. They knew they were a little rough around the edges, but they also knew that they were themselves and that no other person would ever come close. I loved the realistic notion of the storyline and the message of perfect imperfections that Dawn O’Porter shouted loud and proud about. I adored the sarcasm, the witty one liners, the sexual innuendos which made bold sexual thoughts be deemed as ‘the norm’. I also thought the friendships which occurred in the book were so genuine and so tender, the level of empowerment between the women was so powerful and so poignant, I honestly which that feeling could be bottled – Dawn O’Porter would make a killing!!

‘So Lucky’ is a book which makes you look at life from an entirely different perspective, and it teaches you, in a roundabout way, that being true to you and yours, is the best gift you could ever give yourself. This is an extremely bold, extremely blunt, and extremely poignant novel about life and being proud of your own imperfections.

Dawn O’Porter should be incredibly proud of what she has achieved with this book – I flipping loved every aspect, every minute detail, every shocking situation. This truly is a book everyone should be ‘So Lucky’ to read, I know I am!

Outstanding x a million!

‘So Lucky’ is due to be published on the 31st October, but can be pre-ordered now via the link below:
Pre-order now from Amazon

A little birdy told me that you should visit #NottingHillInTheSnow! @JulesWake @0nemorechapter_ @RaRaResources

I am absolutely delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for ‘Notting Hill In The Snow’ by Jules Wake – thanks for the invite RaRaResources, and thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

A Notting Hill nativity… what could go wrong?

Viola Smith plays the viola in an orchestra (yes really!) but this year she’s been asked to stretch her musical talents to organising Notting Hill’s local nativity.

Nate Williams isn’t looking forward to Christmas but as his small daughter, Grace, has the starring role in the show, he’s forced to stop being a Grinch and volunteer with Viola.

With the sparks between them hotter than the chestnuts roasting in Portobello market, Nate and Viola can’t deny their feelings. And as the snow starts to fall over London, they find themselves trapped together in more ways than one…

What does TWG think?

I’m just going to come right out and say it – ‘Notting Hill In The Snow’ is by far, THE best festive book I have ever read. Not only did the storyline contain snow, Christmas presents, the magic of Christmas, and of course the unforgettable Christmas armadillo (obvs!), it also had enough warmth to light a mansion and a plot which brought tears to my eyes.

Whenever someone says that they NEED Viola, she goes and helps them. Whenever Viola says she needs someone, what do they do? They try to ignore the fact that she even spoke. She is such a selfless character, and it was evident that a lot of people around her took that for granted. Yes, she could have said ‘no’ to them, but the fact that her family could be disappointed with her was enough to make her say yes to whatever they needed help with. God, I so badly wanted her to tell her family, especially her mother, to go and fornicate themselves!!

Naturally, like many of Jules Wake’s novels, a gentleman was involved in a large portion of this book. A gentleman who shared Viola’s love of mince pies (my dream man!), but also a man who was afraid. Viola ends up supporting Nate’s daughter, Grace, and oh my goodness, that was when the tears pricked at my eyes. I wont give anything away by telling you too much, but Grace was a child who was losing her way. She was afraid to be a child in fear of getting told off and, in all honesty, her reaction to Christmas broke my heart. In many ways she reminded me of my little girl due to the similar ages and interests, so my maternal instinct was on high alert whenever Grace was mentioned. I just wanted to take her under my wing and show her that it was okay to be a child, that it was okay to make a mess. Thankfully she had Viola in her corner though.

‘Notting Hill in the Snow’ has the type of storyline that you want to devour, yet it also has a storyline that you dont want to devour because you know that when you do, the feelings of elation, beautiful emotional, and cosiness will go because the book would have ended. I was absolutely gutted saying goodbye to Nate, Viola and Grace – I would love it if they came back again in another story, but who knows.

There is more than just warmth at the heart of the storyline, there is also hope, passion, magic, selflessness. Most importantly though, the storyline reminded me about the importance of being true to yourself and live life for you, and not by the way anyone else wishes you to.

I really couldnt have wished for anything more where this book was concerned – I absolutely loved everything about it, especially the way that Jules Wake made her characters come alive from her heart, to ours.

An undeniably beautiful, hilarious, and magical novel – this is the definition of perfection in my eyes.

Buy now.

I will #RewriteTheStars for you, Emma Heatherington…@emmalou13 @fictionpubteam

This was a blog tour I was so eager to be on! Thank you SO much to the Harperfiction team for inviting me to take part, and for the ARC. Here is my review:

From the moment they meet one December day there’s something between Charlotte Taylor and her brother’s best friend, Tom Farley. But Tom’s already taken and Charlie has to let him go…

It’s another five years before their paths cross again only a secret from the past forces Charlie to make a choice. She promises herself she’ll never look back…

The years pass and Charlie moves on with her life but she can never forget Tom. He’s always there whispering ‘What if?’.

Can Charlie leave the life she has built for one last chance with Tom? Or is the one that got away not really the one at all…?

What does TWG think?

Wow, wow, WOW! I don’t usually do this as I believe that every book shouldn’t be compared to another as they’re all individual in their own right. However, I’m breaking my rule here as, if I had to liken ‘Rewrite the Stars’ to another book, the book which instantly comes to mind is ‘P.S. I Love You’. Whilst each storyline contain their own unique premise, both stories share similarities in the way that they each contain such deep rooted passion which could be deemed a fire hazard, and such earth shattering emotion that cannot be taught.

‘Rewrite the Stars’ tells the story of Charlie, a twenty something female who has the drive to do what she chooses with her life, yet also has the selfless nature to put her loved ones before her dreams. As the story progresses, we get to watch Charlie grow up and attempt to find her own to feet, whilst also watching heartbreak visit her doorstep various times over the years.

Charlie’s outlook on life, always wondering ‘what if?’, is one that I certainly related to, and I’m sure others will too. We have no idea what outcome our decisions will have on our futures, yet we embark on those decisions day in, day out, hoping that we have chosen to take a path we wont later regret. Of course, we may find that we regret the choices we made, or the routes we didn’t take, in turn beating ourselves up because we constantly wonder ‘what if?’. Charlie had to make a decision based on what someone else needed rather than what she wanted, and ends up spending many years being unable to live with the life she chose in case she has made the wrong decision. But how would you ever know?

I adore Emma Heatherington’s writing. In every book she produces, she always manages to get to the root cause of her characters emotions, their personalities, as well as maintaining the true heart of the storyline and the message she was aiming to convey. Personally, I think that ‘Rewrite the Stars’ highlights just how incredible Heatherington’s talent is, whilst also highlighting the intense depths of mental health and the feelings of regret.

This book blew my mind in more ways than one. I adored the sheer honesty of the mental health elements. I thought the characters were people I would love to know in real life, which is rare of me to say!

Yes, it’s safe to say that I absolutely adored every single thing of this book and what it stood for, from the heartache to the passion, from the family uncertainty to the lacking of self worth. ‘Rewrite the Stars’ is such a beautiful, beautiful book that I will remember forever. Watch out Cecelia Ahern is all I can say!

Buy now.