Friday, December 28, 2018

Stranded on a desert island with Reyna Marder Gentin

Please welcome Reyna Marder Gentin, author of Unreasonable Doubts, as she tackles our Desert Island Interview!





About Reyna:

REYNA MARDER GENTIN grew up in Great Neck, New York. She attended college and law school at Yale.  For many years, she practiced as an appellate attorney representing criminal defendants who could not afford private counsel. Reyna studies at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College, and her fiction and personal essays have been published in The Westchester Review and online. 

UNREASONABLE DOUBTS is her first novel. She lives with her family in Scarsdale, New York. 


Connect with Reyna:
 Website      Facebook     Twitter    Goodreads


Reyna Marder Gentin Stranded on a Desert Island

If you could only have one book with you, what would it be?


The Old Testament. It’s all in there.  But if that wasn’t available, I’d go with a boxed set of Harry Potter – does that count as one book?

What one luxury item would you want to be stranded with?

A really decadent, firm pillow-top mattress. No way am I sleeping on the ground.  I’m so grumpy when I don’t get a good night’s sleep.


What is the one practical item you would want to have with you to use?

Although I only lasted one semester as a pre-med in college, I guess I would  want a first-aid kit. But it would not be pretty if I needed to use anything other than a band-aid.

Would you enjoy the solitude, even briefly, or would it drive you crazy?

I think if I knew I was going to be rescued in a definite period of time, like 24 hours, I would probably enjoy the time alone. But if it were open ended, I’d be too consumed with anxiety to enjoy it for more than about 10 minutes.


If you could be stranded with one other person, who would you want it to be?

Definitely my husband of 27 years. No one makes me laugh like he does, and keeping my sense of humor would be key.


What modern technology would you miss the most?

My computer. Between my writing and my addiction to email and Facebook, I would find it hard to exist for any length of time without my computer.

What food or beverage would you miss the most?

This is probably a kind of ordinary answer, but I honestly believe pizza is the perfect food.  I don’t eat it as often as I’d like because it gives me cheese coma, but I love it.

How many days do you think you would cope without rescue?

I would be okay for maybe two or three days. But after that, without a hot shower (yes, I know there is water all around me – that is not the same as hot shower), I’d be desperate for civilization.

What is the first thing you would do when rescued?

See answer to question 8.

What would be your first Tweet or Facebook update upon your return?

Be the first to order Unreasonable Doubts, a fantastic debut novel by an author who was stranded on a desert island!




Unreasonable Doubts



Jaded New York City Public Defender Liana Cohen would give anything to have one client in whom she can believe. Dozens of hardened criminals and repeat offenders have chipped away at her faith in both herself and the system. Her boyfriend Jakob’s high-powered law firm colleagues see her do-gooder job as a joke, which only adds to the increasing strain in their relationship. 

Enter imprisoned felon Danny Shea, whose unforgivable crime would raise a moral conflict in an attorney at the height of her idealism―and that hasn't been Liana in quite a while. But Danny's astonishing blend of good looks, intelligence, and vulnerability intrigues Liana. Could he be the client she’s been longing for―the wrongly accused in need of a second chance? Is he innocent? As their attorney-client relationship transforms into something less than arm’s length, Liana is forced to confront fundamental questions of truth, faith, and love―and to decide who she wants to be. 


Available at:
Amazon Barnes & Noble Kindle Kobo Nook 

Friday, December 21, 2018

The Break by Marian Keyes

4 Star

Amy's husband Hugh says he isn't leaving her.

He still loves her, he's just taking a break - from their marriage, their children and, most of all, from their life together. Six months to lose himself in south-east Asia. And there is nothing Amy can say or do about it.

Yes, it's a mid-life crisis, but let's be clear: a break isn't a break up - yet . . .

However, for Amy it's enough to send her - along with her extended family of gossips, misfits and troublemakers - teetering over the edge.

For a lot can happen in six-months. When Hugh returns if he returns, will he be the same man she married? And will Amy be the same woman?

Because if Hugh is on a break from their marriage, then isn't she?



Kathryn- 4 Star

Oh Marian Keyes how I love your writing! A fan for almost 20 years I was a little bit in awe to listen to her Q&A in Toronto this past year.  Like seeing someone in real life that you didn't believe was real.  But I was also a bit hesitant to read The Break- I had a feeling that this one was going to make me question things and I was right.  

I didn't find it dark which maybe says something about me. I found it sad and upsetting and I found it frustrating but not dark.  

I actually liked that Amy and Hugh were not pretending (at least not inwardly).  They both had a lot of feelings and though Hugh was mostly physically absent for the novel even he was able to impart his emotional state and why he was making his decisions via backstory and his thoughts upon his return.  

Amy felt everything she was feeling with honesty and her path of hurt and anger, even apathy, was natural.  I felt myself fighting for them and yet wanting them both to be free.  I also loved the daughters and Amy's extended family which provided some giggles.

On the whole The Break delivered something new, something that provoked thought and something that even provided inspiration.  Once Amy had moved past the devastating hurt she was able to examine her own strength and even find solace in the marriage that had broken down.


All opinions are our own.

Connect with Marian Keyes:
Website    Facebook     Goodreads    Twitter

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Would you rather....with Jacquelyn Middleton

Please welcome Jacquelyn Middleton, author of Until the Last Star Fades.


Jacquelyn Middleton:

 

Jacquelyn Middleton is the award-winning author of LONDON BELONGS TO ME, LONDON, CAN YOU WAIT? and UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES. 

LONDON BELONGS TO ME (a contemporary coming-of-age story) won an honourable mention in the mainstream/literary fiction category of the 25th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards, and LONDON, CAN YOU WAIT? (contemporary romance) captured the GOLD prize in the ROMANCE category of the 2018 Independent Publisher Book Awards. UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES, her latest novel, blurs the line between women's fiction and contemporary romance.

Jacquelyn is also a national award-winning freelance writer with articles published by several of the most popular magazines, newspapers, and websites in North America including USA Today, Canadian Living, Best Health, National Geographic Travel, Psychology Today, The Toronto Star, Reader's Digest, Chatelaine, Today's Parent, and Flare. 

She previously worked in television broadcasting and lives in Toronto with her British husband, however, she spends much of her time in London, walking in the footsteps of her characters, hanging out with friends and family, going to plays, and soaking up the atmosphere in her favourite neighbourhoods. 


Follow Jacquelyn on Twitter (@JaxMiddleton), Instagram (@JaxMiddleton_Author), or Facebook (JacquelynMiddletonAuthor), and visit her website at JacquelynMiddleton.com


Connect with Jacquelyn:
Website    Facebook     Twitter    Goodreads


Would You Rather... 
with Lisa Doyle

Chips, chocolate or cheese?

How is this a question? Chocolate all day long! Then, cheese (Grilled cheese! Aged cheddar on white bread sandwiches!), and chips would be last. I have chocolate every day.

Bridget Jones, Becky Bloomwood or Carrie Bradshaw?

Sex and the City is one of my all-time favourite TV shows so I’d have to go with Carrie Bradshaw (even though I’m more of a Charlotte York). I love Bridget Jones, too, because LONDON and all things British are totally me.

Wine, beer or vodka?

None of the above. I don’t drink. The taste has never appealed to me

Camping or spa vacation?

Neither! I don’t mind staying in a cottage by a lake, but camping is too far out of my comfort zone. Spas aren’t my thing either. I don’t like people fussing around me for massages, facials, manicures—they ramp up my anxiety (I actually had a panic attack once during a cosmetics makeover that ended with an in-store fainting spell. Ta da!)


Dogs or cats?

Dogs are everything! I’ve had dogs all my life and I’m mum to Zoey, a Schipperke who I love more than life itself.

Coke or Pepsi?

I rarely drink soft drinks/pop, but sometimes a Coke hits the spot.

Coffee or tea?

Hot chocolate! With all the marshmallows.

Dine out or take away?

Both! Dining out when the weather’s nice, but when it’s minus thirty degrees Celsius and snowy here in Toronto, someone please bring me a take away. Lucky for me, my husband is always willing to oblige.

High heels, sneakers or flip flops?

Sneakers. Comfort overrules fashion for me. The pain of aching feet shows on your face! I own so many pairs of running shoes. I’m always on the hunt for old school Nike styles, especially when I visit the UK.

Physical Book or ebook?

Physical book. I’m a fan of flipping physical pages, feeling the weight of a book in my hands, the beauty of a colourful cover.

Pen or pencil?

Pen. I’m a huge stationery and office supplies geek.

Drama or comedy?

Both, but I lean more towards drama. I love a story I can connect with and makes me cry. Crying is good. Never feel embarrassed to let your emotions take over.

Lipstick, lipgloss or chapstick?

Lipstick. I don’t like the feel of gooey lips or having my hair stick to them (sorry, gloss).

Facebook or Twiter?

I used to love Twitter but it’s a massive Debbie Downer nowadays. So much complaining, very little joy. My favourite thing about Facebook is my readers group, Keeganites United. I love hanging out in there. My readers are wonderful people and we have a lot of fun together. My favourite social media is Instagram. Pretty photos win every time.

Plot your entire novel or fly by the seat of your pants?

Plot! I do in-depth work on all my characters as well as the plot before I dive in and write a single sentence.

Until the Last Star Fades



COULD YOU BE THE ONE WHO CHANGES EVERYTHING?

In her senior year at NYU, Riley Hope appears to be on top of the world. With a loving mother who makes Lorelai Gilmore look like a parenting slacker, ride-or-die friends, and a long-time boyfriend destined for the National Hockey League, she puts on a smile for the world. But behind it, she’s drowning. Racked with fears for the future, she battles to stay afloat amid life in the shadows of a heartbreaking illness.

And then, Ben Fagan comes crashing into her life. Twenty-three-years-old, British, and alone in the Big Apple after a disastrous pilot season in LA, the struggling actor is looking for an escape: booze, mischief, sex—minimum commitment, maximum fun—anything to avoid returning across the pond. 

As they form an unlikely bond, Riley keeps her reality from Ben so that he remains a happy refuge. But how long can she hold back the truth…and is Ben keeping his own secrets, too?


Available at:

Amazon Barnes & Noble Kindle Nook Kobo 


Friday, December 14, 2018

My Very Italian Holiday by Sue Roberts

2.5 Star

When Gina arrives in Lake Como, thousands of miles away from her life in the Lake District, she wonders if she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Working for Fabio, running his lakeside hotel, seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After her world was tragically turned upside down, breaking her heart in the process, she was in desperate need of a fresh start. Plus, it didn’t hurt that Fabio was easy on the eyes… 

But it’s not all picturesque mountains, pizza and prosecco. The crumbling guesthouse that Fabio has inherited from his family needs some serious TLC. Is she up to the challenge? 

As Gina and Fabio work in close quarters, sparks start to fly. But Fabio has a secret he is scared to share, and Gina has her past to come to terms with. Does her heart belong back home or is a life in the sun – with a very handsome Italian – just the change of scenery she needs? 


Kathryn - 2.5 Star

I wasn't entirely invested in this novel.  Parts of it appealed to me though- particularly the relationship between the sisters and Gina and her parents.  But I was a bit on the fence about the romantic aspect of the story.  I didn't much feel the bond and so the whole premise of her going to Italy and finding her way didn't have me feeling much of anything which left out half the novel's storyline.

Gina is clearly trying out her renewed interest in relationships having lost her husband and while I applaud the attempt to investigate romance after losing a partner it was just too forced for me.  I would have preferred to see her build up her business further or find more depth in her friendships while dating with a new lease on life.   

I was also a bit disappointed in her girlfriends. They weren't as developed as I would have liked and when they were introduced here and there we were given a bit of info that was intriguing but not really followed through- which became an added frustration.

So....while aspects of this novel appealed I'm afraid is wasn't a total hit for me.

Thank you to Bookouture for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Sue Roberts:

Friday, December 7, 2018

Forgive Me Not by Samantha Tonge

5 Star

When Emma fled her home at Foxglove Farm, she’d let down and hurt those who cared for her most. But now, two years later, she’s ready to face up to her past; she’s ready to go back.
But Emma’s unannounced return causes more problems than she could have foreseen. The people she knew and loved aren’t ready to forget, let alone forgive. And the one person she wants to reconnect with the most, her mother, can’t remember who she is.
Just as Emma starts to rebuild trust, an uncovered family secret and a shocking past crime threaten her newly forged future...
Sometimes simply saying sorry isn’t enough.




Kathryn - 5 Star

I was impressed with this novel by Samantha Tonge for tackling a difficult topic and yet still keeping the novel easy to read with a lightness and ease of characters.  

The story line covered a family in crisis as daughter Emma has been estranged from her family for a couple of years.  She created a somewhat self imposed exile when her life spun out of control and alcohol took over her existence.  In the present she is in recovery and trying to make amends, to regain contact with her mother, sister and friends. She has left behind though a lot of ill will from her past behaviour and they are not seeming likely to accept she's that changed.  

Her sister is furious, frustrated and unwilling to accept her sister's return.  Mostly because their mother has been more and more forgetful, her dementia has taken hold since Emma left and she has been left caring for their mother while trying to keep the family farm afloat. 

The family ties that had bound them seemed almost entirely broken and I liked that the author didn't make it easy for Emma to get back in.  We are also taken through Emma's past two years on the streets, her past behaviour and her thought process throughout and I found the progression natural.

The novel touched a few nerves and though it never made light of any situation I felt that it was easily to read.  The people that Emma meets during her absence will also do a lot to create more empathy for those who find themselves homeless and trying to come back up to the surface again.    Can't wait to read another Samantha Tonge novel!


Thank you to Canelo for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Samantha Tonge:
Website     Facebook      Goodreads    Twitter

Friday, November 30, 2018

Dead if you Don't by Peter James

4 Star

Shortly after Kipp Brown and his teenage son, Mungo, arrive at the stadium for their team’s biggest-ever football game, Mungo disappears. A short while later Kipp receives a text with a ransom demand and a warning not to go to the police if he and his wife want to see their son alive again. But as a massive, covert manhunt for the boy and his kidnappers begins, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace starts to realize that not all is what it seems. 



Sabrina-Kate - 4 Star

Another great addition to the Peter James series about Roy Grace. I have long loved these kind of books and consider them one of my guilty pleasures. For some reason, I love police novels and especially those set in the United Kingdom so this definitely satisfied my craving for some Detective Inspector drama.
Roy Grace is a loveable character who has faced his share of hardships which only endear him to us more while he relentlessly pursues criminals to bring for the justice.

This book is no exception to the others. Roy tirelessly investigates the kidnapping of Mungo in this latest tale, discovering the harrowing underside of the city he loves and knows so well while letting the reader get to know him a little bit more.

I absolutely love this series and always quickly read each new book despite them being quite lengthy as they are just that addictive!

Thank you to Wunderkind PR for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Peter James:


Friday, November 23, 2018

Mum in the Middle by Jane Wenham-Jones

4 Star

Tess has downsized to a lively new town and is ready for “me” time. But her Zen-like calm is tested by her boomerang offspring, who keep fluttering back to the nest (usually with a full bag of dirty washing) and by her elderly mother’s struggle to hold on to her independence.
Tess is also surprised to discover that there are dark resentments simmering beneath the vintage charm of her new hometown and a spate of vandalism has exposed the rift between the townsfolk and new arrivals like Tess.
Tess enlists the help of gruff newspaper editor Malcolm to get to the bottom of the mystery but when her ex-husband pays an unexpected visit and her mother stages a disappearance, Tess starts to feel her new-found freedom wearing just a little thin…





Kathryn - 4 Star

I really enjoyed this story.  I have medium sized  children and though I'm not yet at the point of being needed by both the generation before and the one after me I could appreciate Tess' position as being sandwiched in the middle.  


The book is funny and poignant but also has some serious moments of frustration and realism.  Tess' juggling seemed frantic at times. The moments when she was constantly feeding an ever changing number of people and the people staying with her requiring constant sheet changing made me dizzy.  On the other hand I knew that she also loved having her children home with her.  But a little alone time and quiet to work could have been nice!

I was also pleased with her romantic liaisons-  while not the focus of the plot for me I still thought they brought something special to the story.  But particularly lovely for me were the bonds developed with Tess' new friends in her new town- she's such a friendly and accepting woman and it was nice to see that she made good friends with the right people and that they were each strong women in their own right.

Thank you to Harper Impulse for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Jane Wenham-Jones:

Friday, November 16, 2018

Switch and Bait by Ricki Schultz

4 Star

We switch. I bait.
Let me help you snag a date.

All through college, Blanche Carter was known as the love doctor in her sorority. Now she's parlayed her talent into a unique consulting business: she runs the online dating profiles of Washington D.C.'s most eligible women.

Armed with a battalion of rules, Blanche expertly helps her clients optimize their profiles and ace that first date. But although she'll happily message handsome strangers (and fend off dick pics) for other ladies, Blanche's most important rule is the one she has for herself: no relationships. She's seen too much heartbreak to believe in real love anymore. 

When a former fling pops up among the matches for one of her favorite clients, Blanche gamely messages him on her behalf. Blanche is definitely over him, and this is how she'll prove it. But if she doesn't watch out, Blanche might end up not only screwing over a client--and possibly tanking her entire business--but breaking her rule about love as well . . . 




Sabrina-Kate - 4 Star

I'd read the previous book by this author and like how she writes modern tales of love that I can, maybe a bit sadly, relate to. So when I had the chance to read this book, I was pretty excited.

A book about the modern dating scene and all its complexities, I did have to pick it up a few times before I got into it, but then as I felt myself relating to it more and more, I started to fall a bit in love with Blanche.

I've always imagined what it would be like to be a matchmaker and having done my own online dating in the past, therefore this story was the perfect juxtaposition of those two now not-so-secret desires. I can only imagine what it would end up being like, as no doubt one could end up surprised with who they may encounter and recognize during events like these.

Even though it would have been a perfect beach read, this is also a perfect comfy cozy couch read for a fun and often funny but also romantic tale!


Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Ricki Schultz:
Website     Facebook     Goodreads    Twitter

Friday, November 9, 2018

Until the Last Star Fades by Jacquelyn Middleton

5 Star

In her senior year at NYU, Riley Hope appears to be on top of the world. With a loving mother who makes Lorelai Gilmore look like a parenting slacker, ride-or-die friends, and a long-time boyfriend destined for the National Hockey League, she puts on a smile for the world. But behind it, she’s drowning. Racked with fears for the future, she battles to stay afloat amid life in the shadows of a heartbreaking illness.

And then, Ben Fagan comes crashing into her life. Twenty-three-years-old, British, and alone in the Big Apple after a disastrous pilot season in LA, the struggling actor is looking for an escape: booze, mischief, sex—minimum commitment, maximum fun—anything to avoid returning across the pond. 

As they form an unlikely bond, Riley keeps her reality from Ben so that he remains a happy refuge. But how long can she hold back the truth…and is Ben keeping his own secrets, too?


Kathryn - 5 Star

This novel has all the feels and all the plot and character development to back it up.  Perhaps Riley is at a different stage of life than I am?  But that didn't alter my empathy and connection with her in the slightest. She's a powerful woman with strength and charisma and I appreciated that.  The plot is paced over only a few months but it didn't feel rushed, I was drawn in completely.  

The most engaging part of the book for me was the relationships between the characters. The existing ones were so natural I felt as if I'd known them for years and the new ones (ie Ben) also moved forward organically, not only between Ben and Riley but the progress with her closest friends also fit.  That they weren't both entirely on board with Ben at first was ok and he does come with a lot of holes in his past that needed to be unraveled.  Riley's mum is one the best, (which is saying something because I'm quite sure my own mum is the best), her love flows all over the story and spills out of the pages. I suspect some real life mum feelings were poured into her character and the author should know the reader could feel it.  

There are lots of twists, turns and hurdles for those in Until The Last Star Fades, also some tears but quite a few laughs too. There is no way you will read this book without some feelings!  Am now also curious about the author’s previous novels as there is are characters that have cameos in this that I’d like to learn more about- more books for the to-read list!

Thank you to the author for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Jacquelyn Middleton:
Website     Facebook    Twitter    Goodreads


Friday, November 2, 2018

Secret Passages in a Hillside Town by Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen

4 Star

In a small hillside town, Olli Suominen - publisher and discontented husband - is constantly losing umbrellas. He has also joined a film club. And Greta, an old flame, has added him on Facebook.

As his life becomes more and more entangled with Greta's and his wife and son are dragged into the aftermath of this teenage romance, Olli is forced to make a choice. But does he really want to know what the secret passages are? Can he be sure that Greta is who she seems to be? And what actually happened on that summer's day long ago?







Kathryn - 4 Star

Translated from the original language I was taken on twisty journey through the life and mind of Olli. 

Olli is a father and husband, works in publishing, likes films and is always losing umbrellas.  This is what I gathered in the first few pages of this novel.  

It was quickly apparent though that I was going to be taken to places unknown and have only an ounce of an idea what was going on at any given moment.  Sure that I knew what was happening one minute quickly changed on the next page until I wasn't sure what was real and what was in the imaginations of this man.   I falsely hoped that the introduction of Greta would make some sense of things but she only served to twist the plot into new directions until I was lost.

The novel is funny, quirky and fascinating.  I actually thought a few times about putting it down but I just couldn't. 

If you're looking for something to make you question what you've read- this is it.  It was fantastically confusing and I'm still not sure I've slotted the plot into tidy boxes at the end.  Perhaps I shouldn't even try?


Thank you to Pushkin Press for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen: 
Website     Goodreads    

Friday, October 26, 2018

Watch the Girls by Jennifer Wolfe

3 Star

SOMEONE IS WATCHING
Washed up teen star Liv Hendricks quit acting after her beloved younger sister inexplicably disappeared following a Hollywood party gone wrong. Liv barely escaped with her life, and her sister was never heard from again. But all this time, someone's been waiting patiently to finish what was started...

FOUR MISSING GIRLS
Now fifteen years later, broke and desperate, Liv is forced to return to the spotlight. She crowdfunds a webseries in which she'll pose as a real-life private detective--a nod to the show she starred on as a teen. When a mysterious donor challenges her to investigate a series of disappearances outside a town made famous by the horror movies filmed there, Liv has no choice but to accept.

FOLLOW THE WHITE WOLF
Liv is given a cryptic first clue: Follow the white wolf. And now a darker game is about to begin. Through social media, someone is leaving breadcrumbs to follow. As Liv makes increasingly disturbing discoveries, her show explodes in popularity. A rapt internet audience is eager to watch it all--perhaps even at the cost of Liv's own life...


Sabrina-Kate - 3 Star

This book was super creepy. NO beating around the bush from me on this one. I certainly was not expecting the book to be quite like it was, and I can't say that I have ever read anything quite like it before.

Set in a small town in California, and full of "celebrities", this book was a mysterious thriller with many twists, but mostly at the end. I really was not expecting the end to be as it was and it sort of annoyed me that some of the questions were not answered but I guess that was definitely on purpose. I like stories to be wrapped up in the end, so it definitely affected my rating of this tale.

For a first time novel, it was well written. I just don't know where the author came up with the idea and to be honest, I found it very disturbing.  It must be difficult imagine such grotesque events as the ones that took place in this book.

Not for everyone, but it would appeal to fans of Cronenburg who I feel the director in the book was modeled after.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Jennifer Wolfe:

Friday, October 19, 2018

Summer at the Little French Guesthouse by Helen Pollard

5 Star

Emmy Jamieson loves her new life in the gentle hills and sunflowers of the lush French countryside, managing La Cour des Roses, a beautiful, white stone guesthouse. With marriage to caramel-eyed Alain just round the corner, things couldn’t be more perfect. 

The odd glass (gallon) of wine dulls the sound of Emmy’s mum in full motherzilla-of-the-bride mode, and the faint tinkling of alarm bells coming from Alain’s ex are definitely nothing to worry about. Guesthouse owner Rupert and a whole host of old and new friends are there to make sure nothing gets in the way of Emmy’s happiness. 

But as Emmy gets close to the big day, a secret from the past throws everything decidedly off track. Will her idyllic French wedding go ahead as planned, or will Emmy run back home to England with a broken heart?




Kathryn -5 Star

This is the final installment in the trilogy about Les Cours Des Roses and I am very distressed to be leaving these lovely people behind.  I have become very fond of Rupert, Emmy and the lovely guesthouse they run in France.

It was a good while between reading book two and this last one for me and it took me only a few pages to become immersed again in their lives.  Emmy is now approaching her wedding to the lovely French accountant and preparations are well under way (mostly by her mother). It seems though that the wedding takes over this book...much as weddings tend to do in real life also. They have the habit of becoming runaway trains of plans and details.  Emmy is having a hard time juggling her mother's demands and her own easy going attitude about the event.  Luckily for Emmy she has some super girlfriends to help her relax and they don't disappoint in their own stories either.

A suitable final installment for this series and what it lacked perhaps in the quirky guest department it more than made up for with the strong bonds of friendship that were cemented firmly in France.


All opinions are our own.

Connect with Helen Pollard:


Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Summer on the Little Cornish Isles by Phillipa Ashley

4 Star

Poppy has always loved Cornwall – the crisp sea air, the welcoming community. So when her boyfriend Dan suggests they leave their office jobs and take over the Starfish Studio on the Isles of Scilly, Poppy doesn’t need asking twice.

But things don’t go to plan when Dan dumps her, weeks before they’re due to move. Determined not to give up, Poppy accepts the help of local photographer Jake, her landlord’s grandson. But Jake is distracted by a loss from his past.

Can they turn the crumbling gallery into a success in time for tourist season? And will a summer on the little Cornish Isles mend just the studio – or Poppy’s heart too?





Kathryn - 4 Star

This sweet novel made me desperate to explore this part of the UK and I may have even done a little research on how to make such a thing happen in the near future...maybe... 

Philippa Ashley can certainly make the small seaside town's atmosphere shine through. The quaint villages and the inhabitants made me want to be a part of a community that is mostly lost when you live in a large city. 

Particularly this book made me interested in the characters and their situations. I was connected quickly to their lives and wanted wonderful outcomes for them all.  I enjoyed the ins and outs of operating a small art gallery like this one and it almost had a personality of it's own... but not as much as the neighborhood cat!



Thank you to Avon Books UK for our review copy.  All opinions are our own.

Connect with Phillipa Ashley:


Share!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...