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

#JoJosFrenchEscape #LorraineWilson @RomanceMinx @RaRaResources @0nemorechapter_ #publicationday #blogger

Happy publication day, Lorraine Wilson! Flights may be grounded just now, but if you’re missing venturing overseas, then this little home away from home novel may just be the ticket. Many thanks to Rachel and the publisher for the tour invite and ARC.

Trapped in paradise…

For twelve months JoJo Grant has been hiding from a secret too shameful to share. And whilst her sanctuary might be the beautiful French countryside, JoJo has a horrible feeling that her peace is about to be shattered…because bursting into her life is the hottest celebrity chef around – Callum O’Connor.

Callum knows all about JoJo’s past, her time as a reality star, the scandal that has dogged her, but he isn’t sure why she’s still hiding? After spending time with Jojo, it’s obvious to him that she has nothing to be ashamed of – she just needs to be a little braver…

But as much as JoJo likes Callum, he thrives on the glare of the outside world. Can JoJo let go of her past…with Callum by her side?

What does TWG think?

Before I delve into my nitty gritty thoughts, I want to briefly touch on the message that this story conveys as it’s something incredibly important. JoJo hasn’t had an easy time of it in regards to her love life, after finding herself splattered all over social media for all and sundry to see. Literally. Thanks to her ex boyfriend, Aiden, JoJo was put into a position that nobody should ever find themselves in. The meanings of consent, trust, misuse of power, and emotional damage, are the building blocks to the message of the storyline, and as I said above, a very important message at that. Nobody has the right to refuse you when it comes to using the word ‘NO’, and nobody should ever use you in a way where the law is being questioned.

I know that what I have written above sounds very deep and serious (that’s because it is), but there is a lot of humour to go alongside that depth. Also, if you’re a fan of the old sex scene then make yourself comfortable as there is quite a few in here! Believable and hot to trot on one hand, yet on the other hand, the use of the word ‘sex’ and ‘folds’ to describe the vaginal region had me cringing big time. For me, those words poured water over the heat and turned a highly charged scene into a ‘noooo’.

That aside, I thought the dogs were absolutely brilliant – I wish I I called my rescue dog ‘Flump’! How brilliant is that name! Barney is such a dote and reminded me of my own little Barney dog. Flumps antics with the stealing were hilarious! He, alongside the other four legged friends mentioned, were the stars of the show in my eyes. 100 percent.

I flew through this novel, and I ended up really enjoying the strong friendships and companionships that were described in such moving detail. I could tell that the author really believed in those relationships and that they were written straight from the heart.

An enjoyable read with a rough around the edges storyline that showed promise.

Buy now.

#FiveWakesandaWedding @ComedyKaren @0nemorechapter_ @RaRaResources #review

Huge apologies to OneMoreChapter, Karen Ross and of course Rachel for my delay in posting this review. It was a complete error on my part, however I have just this moment finished reading ‘Five Wakes and a Wedding’, so I hope my review makes up for the delay.

(Thank you to the publisher for the review copy)

Undertaker Nina Sherwood is full of good advice. For example, never wear lip gloss when you’re scattering ashes.

Nina is your average 30-year-old with a steady job, a nice home – and dead bodies in her basement. As an undertaker, she often prefers the company of the dead to the living – they’re obliging, good listeners and take secrets to the grave.
Nina is on a one-woman mission to persuade her peers that passing on is just another part of life. But the residents of Primrose Hill are adamant that a funeral parlour is the last thing they need… and they will stop at nothing to close down her dearly beloved shop. When Nina’s ‘big break’ funeral turns out to be a prank, it seems like it’s the final nail in the coffin for her new business. That is, until a (tall, dark and) mysterious investor shows up out of the blue, and she decides to take a leap of faith. Because, after all, it’s her funeral…

What does TWG think?

As soon as I saw the title of this book, my interest was piqued straight away. You’ve no doubt heard of the film ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, so how about ‘Five Wakes and a Wedding’?

If you aren’t someone with a dark sense of humour that isnt afraid to giggle at the things that are a bit more farfetched, then I wholeheartedly suggest that you turn back now as you are more likely to be offended than anything else! For those who can laugh at things that arent deemed ‘appropriate’, or who doesn’t take themselves, or life too seriously, then you have come to the right place because this book is so wrong that its SO RIGHT!

For starters, death is what the storyline is centred around. Obviously grief is a very personal thing, as are funerals and, if you’re anything like Nina, you would agree that a person’s wishes regarding their final send off should be granted, regardless of how inappropriate their wishes may be. Personally I dont see the harm in having a not so typical funeral, why should I? As long as nobody else gets hurt in the process, i dont see the issue….to a point of course!

I thought ‘Five Wakes and a Wedding’ was such a brilliant, brilliant read. Death is usually seen as a macabre event, and no wonder, however the portrayal of it throughout the story was ingenious, humorous, heartwarming, memorable, and a true breath of fresh air.

I loved the random bunch of characters who, from afar, really shouldn’t have worked together, yet they fitted perfectly like puzzle pieces. Even the dog slotted straight into the fold as though he had been there all along! I thought Kelli Shapiro was bloody brilliant and definitely one of my favourites from the book.

Despite all of the giggles, Karen Ross leaves food for thought in her words along the lines of organ donation, life after death, same gender marriage, betrayal, infidelity, as well as many other topics. How the author managed to include a jam packed storyline without losing momentum is beyond me!

As I’ve already said, I throughly enjoyed every single that I read, and for a little while I was able to step away from ‘the norm’ and be a part of something so bonkers, so eye opening, and so cleverly done, I had to pinch myself to make sure I was still on this planet!

This genuinely light hearted giggle fest shouldn’t have worked, yet it definitely worked for me and left me with a massive beamer on my face. As far as I’m concerned, this book is a winner.

Buy now.

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.

#BlogTour! #Review – Four Christmases and a Secret by Zara Stoneley (@ZaraStoneley) @0neMoreChapter_ @RaRaresources

Happy publication day to Zara Stoneley and ‘Four Christmases and a Secret’! I’m excited to be kicking off the blog tour today – thank you to Rachel for inviting me to take part, and of course to the publisher for the ARC. Here is my review:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

Except for Daisy Christmas means another of Uncle T’s dreaded Christmas parties, complete with Christmas jumper and flashing antlers.  And Oliver Cartwright.  Gorgeous Oliver Cartwright. Who she hates.

Every year Daisy has to face insufferable Ollie and hear all about how BRILLIANT he is.  Whereas Daisy has no job, no man and no idea how to fix things.

This Christmas however Daisy is determined things will be different.  There will be no snogging Ollie under the mistletoe like when they were teenagers.  No, this year she’ll show Ollie that she’s a Responsible Adult too.

But as the champagne corks pop, and the tinsel sparkles, Uncle T has news of his own to share…and it could change Daisy’s life forever…

What does TWG think?

If you’re not getting ready for Christmas now….I want to know why! Surely Zara Stoneley’s new book has put you in the Christmas spirit in erm….September?! By the way, this cover is SO pretty!!! Simple yet extremely effective – I love it!

Now, I am a massive fan of Zara Stoneley’s books, so it absolutely pains me to say that I really struggled with 30-40% of this book. I thought the stepping stones to the story were there from the beginning, however I felt that the connection was very thin and the storyline didn’t have the same flawless, continuous vibe like many of her other books. I am well aware that there is a lot happening in the book, and often that can make things feel a little bit up in the air at times, that wasn’t the issue at all. In fact, I loved the randomness of Daisy’s character and the fact that she just dived head first into literally everything about her life. For me, it was the fact that there were snippets of events, issues, relationship drama etc, yet they seemed to lay there dormant and unconnected to the main storyline. That’s what I struggled with…..however….

wait for it……

Once I hit like 40% of the book, everything fell into place and I ended up falling head over heels in love with the book and what Zara Stoneley was trying to achieve. At the end of the book my cheeks were aching something chronic, and it turned out I was grinning like an absolute loon. I didn’t want Daisy’s story to end! I am so pleased that the jigsaw pieces came together eventually.

Daisy is such a bonkers character and I thought she was absolutely brilliant. She gave the book the element of surprise, the element of uniqueness, and ended up becoming a character I would love to meet again in another book. Honestly, she is hysterical and made ‘Four Christmases’ what it was. Well, her and Stanley….oh, and Uncle T. Oh my heart! Uncle T, what a legend! He reminded me of my Great Uncle Ted – a gentle giant who would do anything for anyone, yet also the type of person who would stand their ground if need be. I will hold my hands up and say that my eyes did leak a bit where he was concerned…..that’s all I’m saying on that matter though!

Back to Stanley. Another legend of the four legged variety! I love how Zara Stoneley always puts a doggy character in her books, and the way that she gives them such a memorable personality instead of being just a background ornament as it were. Stanley was as much of a character in the book as Daisy and Ollie were.

Daisy’s mum was a belter too – absolutely hilarious, cringeworthy and simply perfect! Even though there is a lot of hilarity in this book, there are also several discussions of topics on a deeper scale. That said, they are also written with a hint of hilarity….just to even things up a bit.

By the time I got to the end of the book, I couldn’t believe my reaction to the first part of it, but I am so glad that I trusted my judgement and Zara Stoneley’s writing as I ended up absolutely loving this book.

Zara Stoneley creates such hilarious, heartwarming storylines which are both memorable and unique; ‘Four Christmases and a Secret’ is no different. If you’re after a book which puts a unique spin on the festive season, bereavement and relationships, I would urge you to read this in a heartbeat. Another brilliant, brilliant book by an author who certainly knows her way around a pen and paper!

Buy now from Amazon UK
Buy now from Amazon US

About the author.

Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of ‘The Wedding Date’.

She lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Born in a small village in the UK, Zara wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years, and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true. She now writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say ‘ahhh’.

Zara’s bestselling novels include ‘Bridesmaids’, ‘No One Cancels Christmas’, ‘The Wedding Date’, ‘The Holiday Swap’, ‘Summer with the Country Village Vet’, ‘Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage’ and the popular Tippermere series – ‘Stable Mates’, ‘Country Affairs’ and ‘Country Rivals’.

Visit Zara’s Website.

#BlogTour! #Review – The Secret Cove in Croatia by Julie Caplin (@JulieCaplin) @JulesWake @0neMoreChapter_ @RaRaResources

Happy publication day, Julie Caplin, and ‘The Secret Cove in Croatia’! My second RaRaResources blog tour of the days is for this beautiful, beautiful book – thank you so much for having me on kicking off the blog tour, and thank you to the publisher for the ARC. Here is my review:

Sail away to beautiful Croatia for summer sun, sparkling turquoise seas and a holiday romance that’s forever…

When no-nonsense, down-to-earth Maddie Wilcox is offered the chance to work on a luxury yacht for the summer, she can’t say no. Yes she’ll be waiting on the posh guests… But island-hopping around the Adriatic sea will more than make up for it –especially when Nick, her best friend Nina’s brother, is one of them.Sparks fly when they meet on board and Maddie can’t believe self-entitled jerk Nick is really related to Nina.But in a secret, picture-perfect cove, away from the real world, Maddie and Nick discover they might have more in common than they realise…

What does TWG think?

‘Sail away with meeeee……’

If only!!!! I have never been to Croatia before – can someone take me, like now? Oh Julie Caplin, what have you done to me?! I am someone who rolls my eyes at PDA’s and romance itself. I am also someone who adores reading romance despite not being a fan of the actual thing myself. Again, I am also someone who now wants to go to Croatia so I can meet my own Nick! Swoon!!!!! He can keep the shorts though, soz!!!

Maddie is THE best character ever!!! What a breath of fresh air she is. I absolutely loved her and her bluntness. She certainly wasn’t taking any prisoners, that’s for sure! Did I see myself in her? Damn right I did, maybe that’s why I gelled with her personality because I could relate to her personally.

The absolute star of the storyline was the message the author had hidden in between her words; be yourself, don’t go out of your way to be anyone else except you. How many of us have been amongst a group of people and found ourselves changing our mannerisms, adjusting our likes and dislikes, just to make other people like us? How many of us have pretended to be something we’re not, just because a crush prefers us a certain way? Of course – we have all been there and done that! Instead of leaving a situation because it doesn’t fit YOUR needs, you end up changing yourself because you don’t fit THEIR needs, but at the end of the day, what’s more important? Your happiness, or theirs?

Such an easy thing to say, but one of the most hardest things to put into practice. As an outsider looking in, Nick’s situation with Tara was the elephant in the room. People could see what Tara was like, however the only person who struggled to see what she was capable of, was Nick himself. Why could that be? I’ll tell you – it was because he was so close to the situation, he ended up being blindsided by the attention. It wasn’t until someone, aka Maddie, took the time to tell him how it was. Could she have done that out of jealousy because Tara disliked her? Possibly, in fact almost definitely! That said, Maddie’s personality wasn’t that way inclined and, whilst she didn’t want to get involved in someone else love life, she wanted Nick to be happy. Thankfully Tara didn’t help herself at all……

Maddie is very open about her lack of confidence, and that resonated with me big time as, just like her, I am lacking in confidence and I don’t fit in. And yes, I have done what everyone else has done and adapted my personality to suit others but you know what? Why should I? Why should you?

Julie Caplin really opened my eyes with this book. Not only that, she had me in hysterics and racing through the pages as though someone had offered me a lifetime supply of books! The setting was beautifully described and got under my skin big time. I loved it more so because of how Croatia seems to be such an underrated holiday destination. Makes a nice change to be somewhere different in a book as opposed to always being in the same old settings.

I wish I could bottle up the warm and hopeful feeling the book gave me just so that whenever I feel like I don’t fit in, I can dip deep into my heart to remind myself the importance of being true to the skin I was born in.

Julie Caplin is one of the most beautiful story tellers I think I have ever read, and she has outdone herself with ‘The Secret Cove in Croatia’. Hand on heart, one of my all-time favourite reads ever, Maddie and Croatia will be staying locked up in my heart for a very, very long time to come. A truly spellbinding, emotive novel which ticked every single box I never even knew existed.

Buy now.

#BlogTour! #Review – The Wedding Planner by Eve Devon (@EveDevon) @0neMoreChapter_ @RaRaResources

Happy paperback publication to Eve Devon and ‘The Wedding Planner’. Its an honour to be kicking off the blog tour today with a review – many thanks to RaRaResources for the tour invite.

Wedding bells are ringing and gossip is spiralling in Whispers Wood…

Single mum Gloria Pavey has a bad habit of saying exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time. Determined to make a positive change she can’t say no when her best friend, Emma, asks her to take on the role of her wedding planner. The only problem? Gloria’s co-planner – best man Seth Knightley.

Gloria is on a self-imposed man ban but pulling together the most beautiful wedding Whispers Wood has ever seen alongside gorgeous Seth is pushing her to her limits. As every interaction increases the tension between them Gloria finds herself wondering…could the happy ever after she never thought she’d have be in her future after all?

What does TWG think?

I never realised that this book was part of the ‘Whispers Wood’ series until the very last minute! I think I half expected the cover to look similar to the other two with a row of houses on it. So no, to look at it doesn’t look part of the series at all. However that helps readers know that the books can be read as standalones though, I suppose!

It has been a while since I was last in ‘Whispers Wood’, but I would recommend reading the other books in the series as well….without leaving a too big of a gap between books!

I wasn’t really sure about ‘The Wedding Planner’ at first as it didn’t seem to have the same sort of vibe as the other books, and for that reason I found it incredibly difficult to get into the swing of the storyline for many chapters.

Gloria, for me, has always come across as the type of person who, if they were to walk into a room, you’d walk out at the same time. I wouldn’t go as far to say that she was vile….she was just verging on it! That said, after having her character at the center of ‘The Wedding Planner’, it seems as though Gloria was simply misunderstood and in a lot of emotional pain. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t excuse her rather rude personality or the way she speaks to people at all. I think once people find out about her past, including her marriage, the puzzle pieces to her personality slot together seamlessly.

Now I’ve admitted that it took me a little while to get into the swing of things. But what I haven’t admitted is that by the end of the book, my face was the proud owner of a huge smile, and my sides were the proud owners of, erm, soreness due to sniggering at the witty humour.

I hold my hands up – my original thoughts of ‘The Wedding Planner’ were extremely misguided and, whilst I still stand by the fact that the series vibe was definitely different, I can honestly say that I LOVED the warmth, humour, passion, and colourfullness of Eve Devon’s new book. Not only was the romance pot boiling over, a lot of different characters found their voices in this instalment, and they ended up being some of the best characters I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know. I mean come on, Persephone has the gift of the gab – she was such fun!!!

If you’re needing a bit of passion in your life but don’t want the exertion and having to fake ‘it’, I cannot recommend ‘The Wedding Planner’ enough. Its smoking hot, tasteful, and such a witty, witty read.

Buy now.

#BlogTour! #Review – Foxglove Farm by Christie Barlow (@christiejbarlow) @0nemorechapter_ @RaRaResources

Many thanks to RaRaResources for the blog tour invite and ARC. Here is my review of ‘Foxglove Farm’ by Christie Barlow:

Return to Love Heart Lane for friendship, romance and a community who will be be there for you no matter what…

Isla and Drew Allaway appear to have the perfect life – a strong marriage, two beautiful children and their picture-perfect home, Foxglove Farm.

But, new mum Isla is struggling. She loves her little family but with Drew working all hours on the farm, Isla’s lonely.

When she discovers that Drew has been keeping secrets from her, Isla has to face losing the home they all love.

Can the Love Heart Lane community pull together once more to help save Foxglove Farm? And can Isla save her home…and her marriage?

What does TWG think?

Oh my, what a pretty cover!! I love the colours of this one, so understated.

Of course, with a cover as pretty as this one, I had everything crossed that the contents of the book would match in prettiness. Before anyone frets, yes it did match and I did enjoy it, however I did find the storyline a bit samey and lacking in individuality.

Isla and Drew are struggling, but due to lack of communication, only one of them seems to know exactly why that is. With their marital woes in mind, ‘Foxglove Farm’ is a story which does do a good job of creating awareness for lives which struggle with things a lot of people take for granted; money and mental health. I was impressed by the realism and reliability of those particular situations, as I know a lot of readers will be able to find strength in the characters.

Just like book one in the series, ‘Foxglove Farm’ is full of community spirit and hope and, even though I have my reservations with the shell of the story, I was still able to appreciate the story for the beautiful work that it was.

Buy now.

#BlogTour! #Review – Edie Browne’s Cottage by the Sea by Jane Linfoot (@JaneLinfoot) @HarperImpulse @RaRaResources

I am very excited to be taking part in the blog tour today for “Edie Browne’s Cottage by the Sea’ by Jane Linfoot. Many thanks to RaRaResources for the blog tour invite, and many thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Here is my review:

Those who don’t jump will never fly...

Hurtling through the sky was supposed to be Edie Browne’s flight of independence. But when she falls head over champagne bucket while celebrating her successful landing, her life is changed in an instant. But starting over has its benefits, and as Edie relearns the basics under the watchful eye of her Aunty Josie and an entire Cornish village of new friends and neighbours, she finds love and joy she never could have imagined in theunlikeliest of places…

Come home to St Aidan and Periwinkle Cottage for a romance full of love, laughter and friends for life.

What does TWG think?

I….erm….wow. Someone help me? If I’m not too careful, my eyes will start leaking again and my review would end up being a mixture of unfinished sentences, ‘umm’ and ‘wows’. Hell, I have a feeling it might be like that anyway, so I apologise in advance! The reason why I say all of that is because I have no idea how to write a review for this book without bursting into tears. Don’t worry your pretty little head, I’m not crying because it’s bad, I’m crying because I was so moved by Edie’s story, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I read the last chapter of the book through misty eyes because I was sobbing my heart out.

I’m not even being overdramatic, I was literally covering the sleeve of my dressing gown in tears and snot, which then prompted my dog to put his arms around my neck to give me a hug.

You’re probably wondering why, this beautiful looking book, made me sob my heart out, right? Well, do not be fooled by the pretty exterior as ‘Edie Browne’s Cottage by the Sea’ has a lot more going for it than the cover suggests.

Edie’s life changed dramatically overnight when her health took a nosedive and left her having to start again. Reading simple words was no longer a walk in the park. Counting became impossible, and remembering details felt like Edie was doing a degree every time she spoke. She was afraid of the uncertain path before her and had everything crossed that Cornwall was going to help her.

The fact that this storyline tells the story of a character who is living with an invisible condition, makes me feel emotional all over again. As someone who lives with 8 chronic illnesses which make day to day life such a challenge both mentally and physically, watching Edie on her own journey hit home big time. The way that the character opened up about grieving for the person she once was, completely hit the nail on the head. It’s something that people cant understand unless they have been through it themselves, and unfortunately for me, I completely understood where she was coming from as I continue to grieve for the person I once was.

If i had my own pom poms, i would be cheerleading Edie until my throat was raw. She is such a beautiful character who deserves bucketfuls of happiness. She doesn’t deserve to go through life as though shes walking on eggshells. The friendships she made in Cornwall had me in hysterics, and her new found friendship with six year old, Cam, made me overcome with emotion yet again. For such a young boy, Cam had been through his own fair share of heartache – it wasn’t fair, but I was so glad that he had Barney in his corner.

I know I keep going on about the emotion in this storyline, but I really can’t help it, for me it was a large part of the storyline due to how much I was able to resonate with it on a personal level. ‘Edie Browne’s Cottage by the Sea’ had me in hysterics thanks to the brilliant humour of the residents in St.Aidan. I loved the addition of the dogs, Robert and Dustin as well – they both added to the overall vibe of the storyline in their own little way.

It’s safe to say that I absolutely fell in love with Jane Linfoot’s new book. The beautiful storytelling alongside the heartwarming premise and humourous characters, was such a delight to read and definitely one of a kind. This storyline isn’t a typical storyline, nor is it a predictable one. In fact, it couldn’t be more different if it tried. I feel sorry for the author now though as she has set the bar extremely high for herself, and her next book.

I may have finished the book sobbing my heart out, but Edie’s journey filled my heart with such joy and made me feel as though I finally belonged somewhere. Thank you, Jane Linfoot, for being the voice for invisible conditions, and the voice for people who are too afraid to be their true selves in fear of judgement.

‘Edie Browne’s Cottage by the Sea’ is one of my all time favourite reads and is practically perfect in every way. A poignant, emotional read which hit home in a way I never thought it would. I loved it.

Buy now from Amazon UK

Buy from Amazon US

About the author.

Jane Linfoot is a best selling author, who lives in a muddy cottage, up a steep hill in Derbyshire, with her family, their pets, and an astonishing number of spiders. Although she loves seeing cow noses over the garden wall, she’s happy she can walk to a supermarket.

Jane grew up in North Yorkshire where she spent a lot of her childhood avoiding horizontal gales blowing off the sea, and wrote her first book by accident, while working as an architect, and renovating country houses. While she loves to write feelgood books that let readers escape, she’s always surprised to hear her stories make people laugh, admits to (occasionally) crying as she writes, and credits her characters for creating their own story lines.

Jane’s garden would be less brambly if she wasn’t on Facebook and Twitter so often. On days when she wants to be really scared, she rides a tandem.

Her latest books include a series of stand alone novels, based around a seaside wedding shop in Cornwall. Cupcakes and Confetti – The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea, Sequins and Snowflakes – Christmas at the Little Wedding Shop, and Bunting and Bouquets – Summer at the Little Wedding Shop, and most recently, The Little Cornish Kitchen. These are all published by Harper Impulse, an imprint of Harper Collins.

#BlogTour! #Review – Bridesmaids by Zara Stoneley (@ZaraStoneley) @HarperImpulse @RaRaResources

Finalllyyyyyyyy!!! I am soooo excited to be able to FINALLY share my review of Zara Stoneley’s pretty in pink new book, ‘Bridesmaids’. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC, and to RaRaResources for the blog tour invite. I must say that the cover is making me rather hungry….

Meet Rachel, the beautiful bride with BIG plans for the perfect day! The venue is a castle and the dress is designer.  It’s just a shame her husband is a rat.

Maddie and Sally have only one thing in common – they both love the same man!
 
Beth is a newly single mum with a mystery baby daddy.  Surely the father isn’t someone the girls all know?
 
And then there’s Jane, the glue holding them all together, but being dumped doesn’t make her the happiest bridesmaid…especially with gorgeous flatmate Freddie complicating things.

Will the bride say, ‘I Do!’?  Or will her bridesmaids save the day…and find love along the way?  

What does TWG think?

Those with children, or those who have been around children, know that they are OUTSTANDING at doing things to shock people. Now, there is a little boy in this book who goes by the name of Joe. He sounds a cutie to be honest, and that was before he timed something perfectly!

Have you ever watched the rom-com ‘Bridesmaids’? Remember the scene where the characters are in an extremely posh, extremely expensive wedding dress shop when suddenly their stomachs make sounds to be people with IBS to shame. You know the one I’m on about? Yeah, that’s the one…the one where you should have just put your carrot stick in your hummus for your mid movie snack**. Don’t fret, baby Joe didn’t do what THEY did – there was only one of him, obviously. However, his perfectly timed, similar incident in a similar shop had me bursting out laughing screeching, ‘GO JOE!’. Let’s just say that karma is a bitch, and so is a particular character – he got her right where it hurt!!

** carrot stick? Try family sized bar of chocolate….

Apologies…I veered off a little bit…

Be prepared for mega amounts of drama in this book. Every single character has an entire cemetery of skeletons in their closets, with some of them waiting to do more damage than others. The main character, Jane, has a huge heart and is willing to do anything for anyone, even if it makes her upset or makes her run around like a blue bottomed fly. She’s had her heart broken big time and is now afraid to put her heart back out there in case it happens again. The perfect person to be a bridesmaid for her best friends wedding!!!!!!!!!

I adored Jane’s character, even if she annoyed me at times due to her stirring the pot and refusing to set the record straight instead of turning a situation into a ‘he said she said’. Granted, she wasn’t the only one to do that and yes, I won’t lie, it did annoy me because they were grown adults who were caught up in playground antics which could have easily have been rectified if they, surprisingly enough, actually spoke to each other! Too easy though, I know. As for her roommate, Freddie – I want one….

Beth, one of Jane’s old school friends, is an absolute legend. Omg. She is the person who will see someone looking like they have just been dragged through a hedge backwards, and tell them exactly that. Yes, I know that people like that get people’s backs up because of the, erm, bluntness of their words (I may or may not be speaking from experience), but wouldn’t you rather honesty than fakery? Again, yes, I do know that there is a way of saying things. Unfortunately I haven’t worked that out myself yet!!!

If you think that ‘Bridesmaids’ is going to be a sickly sweet, candy floss type of read due to the pretty in pink cover, then you will be most mistaken. I don’t do candy floss reads at all, and I can safely say that Zara Stoneley’s new book is anything BUT! It’s hilarious. It’s down to Earth. It’s modern. It’s romantic in the ‘staring you in the face’ sort of way. It’s relatable. It’s cosy. It is a bloody brilliant book which puts relationships of all shapes and sizes to the test, proving that if they’re true and meant to me, any relationship or friendship will stand the test of time.

I loved how relaxed and engaging Zara Stoneley’s story telling was, speaking to her readers as though they were best buddies instead of the ones on the other side of the paper. This author constantly surprises me with each book she produces, putting romance in the spotlight in an extremely realistic, relatable way which even makes the most UN-romantic of people, IE me, want to grab a piece of the action! And of the cake….

Buy now!

About the author.

Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Date.

Born in a small village in the UK, she wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years, and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true. 

She writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say ‘ahhh’.

Zara now lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Zara’s bestselling novels include ‘No One Cancels Christmas’, ‘The Wedding Date’, ‘The Holiday Swap’, ‘Summer with the Country Village Vet’, ‘Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage’ and the popular Tippermere series – ‘Stable Mates’, ‘Country Affairs’ and ‘Country Rivals’. 

Where you can find her-

Website.
Twitter.
Facebook.
Instagram