What’s more to say about my blog about books I’ve read?
Well, this is my blog about books I’ve read 😀.
I always liked reading books, and it all started on a very silly way… It’s always good to blame my dad, so he is the cause of my reading addiction.
When I was still a little girl, a looooooong time ago, I saw him always going to the bathroom with the newspaper. One day I wondered why he did that, so I took a book and tried to see the fun of that.
And since that day, you can find everywhere in the house a book of mine.
A while ago, I had the opportunity to review some books, and now a new opportunity came to post them on an own blog.
So here we are, my own blog!
I read books, and I will post my thoughts about them.
Some books I’ll like, some I won’t like that much…. but you can be sure that I’ll give you my personal and honest opinion about them.
When a final goodbye in Cornwall is only the beginning…
Meredith Tremayne Russell has spent her life mapping the world, first in intelligence during WWII, and later as a professor. But at ninety-eight with time running out, she faces a journey she cannot chart, a return to her old Cornish home to sell it and to scatter her beloved husband’s ashes.
With her is her twenty-five-year-old granddaughter, Grace, a dyslexic who believes she is a failure in a family of academics. For Grace the trip is a welcome escape from her mother’s demands. But when she unlocks her great-grandmother’s abandoned art studio, she finds a legacy of a passionate artist and a French resistance fighter.
As Meredith relives the frozen December of her 1946 wedding, she understands her final mission isn’t to say goodbye to her old home, but to draw one last map—showing Grace how to navigate a life of her own making.
Extract
This is an extract from Chapter One. Merry is travelling home for the last time and with her is her twenty-five-year-old granddaughter Grace. I have loved writing about the relationship between them especially as I’m now a grandmother. Both my grandmothers had died before I was born so I never had the joy of this special relationship. The bond between Merry and Grace is important to them both and I loved the way that Merry reveals her past to Grace.
Glancing around at the imposing building, I asked, ‘Was this where you worked before you came to America?’
‘Yes,’ she said, heading straight through the arch to a gravel-filled open space which was flanked with buildings on three sides. It would have been good to stop and take it all in, but she carried on. Old people were supposed to walk slowly, but not my grandmother.
‘There.’ She pointed up to the corner of the building on the right. ‘That’s where my boss, Ian Fleming, worked.’
‘Wait, what?’ It couldn’t be.
‘Commander Fleming was my boss for part of the war.’
‘The James Bond author?’ The opening notes of the films filled my head.
She nodded.
‘You never said you knew Ian Fleming.’ I stared at her.
‘Well, I did, and rather well,’ she said with a hint of a blush on her cheeks.
‘You slept with him?’ Who was this woman? On the outside, she was the Gran I’d always known; fashionable, but not flashy in any way. Her navy-blue wool coat fitted her slim frame and the red silk scarf at her neck matched her bold lipstick. Maybe it was the lipstick that should have alerted me to something more than the clever professor.
‘Never, although he tried to at the start. He soon realised it wasn’t going to happen.’ She laughed.
I lifted my camera and snapped another photo of her. Her expression was wicked. How had I not known that my grandmother worked for Ian Fleming? The woman standing in front of me suddenly looked somehow different from the one I’d grown up with for the past twenty-five years.
‘That’s where I actually worked.’ She pointed to a block-like building with no windows. ‘The Citadel was the beating heart of Naval Intelligence. Later in the war, I then worked in a small office in Whitehall.’
‘Gran, what exactly did you do during the war?’ I should know this.
‘Made maps of course.’
I rolled my eyes. Stupid question. She was an emeritus professor of geography.
‘Including the ones used on D-Day.’
This I hadn’t heard. My grandmother had been important to the war effort, but no one in the family had ever said anything about it. ‘And Grandpa?’
‘Did not make maps, he wrote propaganda, and blew things up when they allowed him to do so.’
I shook my head. Grandpa, originally from Maine, had been a foreign correspondent, a Pulitzer-prize winning one. He’d written ten novels and countless short stories. But he’d never mentioned blowing things up. That I would have remembered.
‘Gran, maybe I wasn’t listening when you spoke of this before, or…’
‘No one mentioned that I didn’t sit and knit socks during the war.’ She drew a deep breath. ‘My mother, your great-grandmother, Elise, didn’t either.’
‘The artist?’ I asked.
‘Indeed. She was also a French resistance fighter.’
‘Wow.’ Mum and Dad had a few of my great-grandmother’s paintings. I’d always loved her work, and I’d done a talk about her in school, but my parents had never told me she’d been a resistance fighter too. Did they know?
Gran stared at me and I flushed. Caught out again not knowing things I should.
‘I think we need that drink.’ Gran took my arm and led me to the Mall, where she flagged down a taxi.
An unexpected bid for something special this Christmas
Perpetually single events manager Tiffany Barlow is used to being in control. So when she agrees to take part in the Holly Dates Auction at Thistle Lodge, it’s with a very specific goal in mind: to catch a respectable date for a high-profile event at a nearby castle. What she doesn’t expect is a last-minute twist…
Reserved English teacher Isaac Emery is looking forward to a peaceful, cosy winter at his grandpa’s Christmas Cottage, pretending he’s perfectly content with his books for company. When he accidentally wins a Holly Date experience at a festive fundraiser, he finds himself committed to a date with Tiffany – someone way out of his league.
As the glittering winter ball at the castle approaches, Tiffany is torn between what she’s been brought up to desire and an unexpected attraction to Isaac.
With a little seasonal nudge from his grandpa, Isaac might risk stepping away from the safety of his solitary world, giving both himself and Tiffany a chance to unwrap true love this Christmas.
My review
Tiffany Barlow enjoys her job as an events manager at Briar Rose Events. So when there is an auction at Thistle Lodge, Tiffany suggests to her boss to add Holly Dates. Whereas auctions are often interesting for couples or families, why not organize something that singles will enjoy? People can bid on an experience, like a hike, or ice skating,… And it comes with a companion, or a date. So that the winner won’t have to feel awkward about doing the won activity on their own. When Tiffany herself offers to be the companion, she does with a second agenda. She hopes this way to chat a respectable date for a high – profile ball at an actual castle, as her mother is best friends with the Countess of Dairvin. But things don’t go as expected, because the winner of the auction is English teacher and rather reserved Isaac Emery. Not that he placed the bid himself, but a colleague of his did it in his name. Isaac would rather spend his free time in his grandpa’s Christmas Cottage, with a good book. Not only did he already dread going to the fundraiser, but now he must also go on a ‘date’ with Tiffany. What Isaac never expected that he would truly enjoy his date with Tiffany and that they have a connection, even if he believes that Tiffany is truly out of his league. And when Tiffany asks him to join her at the ball, after the initial dismissal, he agrees to be her date. Could it be that this Christmas both Tiffany and Isaac something that they weren’t asking for, but what they actually needed?
It may not come as a surprise for you to read that I could not wait to start reading this new chapter in a series that just keeps on being greater and greater! 😊
I have to admit, that it took me a moment to truly like Tiffany. Not that she is a bad person that redeems herself, but because she suggest the Holly Dates for her personal benefit. So as I am single myself, I truly applauded the idea Tiffany came up with. But as she wants to use to find a respectable date herself, I found it just a tiny bit dishonest. However, the better I got to know Tiffany, the more I understood where she was coming from.
Because the better I got to know her, it becomes clear that her idea came from the fact that her family, especially her mother has extreme high expectations. And as Tiffany does not want to be a disappointment to her family, she knows that only finding a respectable match with a status will be sufficient.
Tiffany is in fact a ‘normal’ young woman, perhaps growing up with people with an actual title. But Tiffany doesn’t look down on people, she is a kind, gentle and understanding person. In fact, she also senses that Isaac is out of his depth at their date and she wants to make sure he just feels at ease and that he will enjoy their date.
I have to say, I connected very easily with Isaac. Meaning that I could totally understand how he enjoys more an evening at home, cosy, with a good book to read. For me, that is heaven on earth!
And his awkwardness, his shyness, is also something that I recognized. Because while people that truly know me would say that I am an extrovert, in a large group or new situations, I wish I could hide too.
I found it also so sweet that Isaac made the choice to live with his grandpa Jim. Not only because it is easier for his teaching job, but also and most important, he feels more at ease. Isaac is overwhelmed by his family, the competitiveness of it all. And while his family do love him, it is Grandpa Jim that truly gets him and understands him.
Obviously, I was very curious to see the dynamics between Tiffany and Isaac, as they couldn’t be more different from each other.
However, even if their worlds couldn’t be further apart, there are immediately some sparks between them. Tiffany and Isaac truly have the best of times on the ice, even if they land on hard ice literally 😊.
It was once again sweet reading how Isaac is able to let go of his ‘stiffness’ when he’s around with Tiffany. And how Tiffany is able to see behind the awkwardness and even clumsiness. It made me realize that sometimes, meeting the right person, no matter how mismatched it may initially seem, can make you feel more confident about yourself, how it can give you the right amount of courage to just go for it.
On paper, Tiffany and Isaac would not work. But on paper isn’t the reality (even if indeed their story is on paper and they are fictional characters 😊). Because let’s also be honest here, often we are prejudiced and it is only after truly getting to know a person, that we know one’s real character. And that also gives us the also the courage to stand up for ourselves, for the person we love and to give love a chance.
I absolutely loved this story, perhaps my favourite one thus far, because it shows different personas of characters, yet somehow it all just works. Of course there are ups and downs and even some fearful moments, but I found this truly a heartwarming story to read, with laughs, smiles and ‘aaaaw’ moments! 😊
How much can change in ten years when it concerns matters of the heart?
Synopsis
Ten years. Two hearts. One love story that never forgot how it began.
Ten years ago, Erin Campbell left Texas without saying goodbye to the only boy she’d ever loved.
Ten years later, he’s the biggest name in country music… and every song he’s ever written is about her.
After losing her mother at eighteen, staying meant facing a life she no longer recognized. So Erin left – her hometown, her grieving father, and Jake Ingram, her best friend, first love, and the future she’d always imagined.
A decade later, Erin has built a successful career as one of New York City’s most sought-after photographers, creating the life she always thought she wanted. But no amount of distance – or success – has been enough to silence the memories she left behind.
When her father needs surgery, Erin returns to Texas expecting to stay only long enough to help him recover.
Instead, she comes face to face with Jake.
The boy she left behind is now one of country music’s brightest stars, known for writing songs that have captivated millions. Fans have spent years wondering who inspired the heartbreak woven through every album.
Only Erin knows the answer.
As old memories resurface and long-buried truths finally come to light, Erin and Jake must decide whether the love they never stopped carrying is strong enough to overcome the heartache they never healed from – or whether ten years is simply too much time to ask two hearts to begin again.
Play It Back is a heartfelt second-chance romance about first love, grief, forgiveness, and finding your way home.
Because some love stories don’t end, they simply wait for you to come home.
My review
Ten years ago, Erin Campbell lost her mother and the only way to cope with that loss, was leaving everything and everyone behind in Texas. Not only her father and her friends, but also the boy she loved, Jake. Now Erin has a successful career as a photographer, but the memories and the pain never truly left. And Jake has become a famous country music star, winning award after award with his heartbreaking songs, all about Erin. When Erin’s father needs surgery, Erin decides that the time has come to return home to help her father with the recovery. What Erin did not expect, is that she would face Jake, and that perhaps the time has come to face the past and how much heartbreak everyone has endured by her leaving. And with old memories resurfacing, Erin and Jake have to decide if their lost love is strong enough for a new chance, or if it is too late…
This is the first book I’ve read of this author, and starting with someone new, it always fills me with a little bit of trepidation. Because even if the blurb of a book looks good, will the story itself capture me? Will I like/love the characters? So many questions and only one option to have the answers: just start reading.
And I have to admit, it was a little struggle at the start. I didn’t feel that immediate connection with Erin. Was it because our worlds couldn’t be further apart? Or was is because I haven’t yet faced a grief that big as Erin’s that I couldn’t understand her need to escape ten years ago? I cannot pinpoint it exactly, but those first chapters were not that easy to get through.
But I am a stubborn woman, and I don’t give up that easily, not even on a book. So I kept reading, and suddenly there was a shift and I found myself totally captured by the story and its characters!
Like I said, I haven’t been through a grief like Erin, so I don’t know what my reaction would be in the case of losing my mother. But as Erin sees no other option than leave her home and family and friends, must truly mean that she cannot cope with her heartbreak. How must it feel for someone to not be able to handle the grief, that the only way is to escape?
And being away for ten years… Now perhaps that is something I could comprehend easier, because once you leave, you can make up different ‘excuses’ for not returning. A career that is taking off, not the right time,… and the more you postpone a return, how temporary it may be, the easier it is to keep on having a reason for staying away.
Now, I need to make it very clear that Erin is not a bad person at all. It is just her coping mechanism that made her leave home. Because we see that in fact when her father tells her about his surgery, Erin knows without a doubt that going back home is the only right thing to do.
It is also obvious with a fearful heart that Erin returns to Texas. Because she knows that she hurt people all those years ago, and confrontation is not something she is all that happy d have, with any of them.
I have to admit, that Erin’s father is exactly how I imagined him to be. Because he lost his beloved wife too, and we learn also later on in the book that he struggled with the grief too. But he is also the kind of parent that understands why Erin had to leave. And he more than happy to have Erin back, even if it is just for a short period.
What I also loved about him, is how Jake is still part of his life. Just because Erin left, it doesn’t mean that there is genuine love and care between the two men. And I could clearly see how is was more a substitute father – son relationship.
While I absolutely sympathized with Erin, my heart went out to Jake…
Ten years is like I already said, a long time. And you would think it would be more than enough to get over someone. But with Jake we see that when the feelings are so pure and genuine, heartbreak is not so easy to overcome.
And the songs he has written, what we read about it, for sure are a punch in the gut, so raw, so real and so just Jake…
So Jake, which is also a genuine, caring person. Even ten years ago, while hurt, he comprehended Erin. And upon Erin’s return, he doesn’t behave like seeking for revenge. He still is that kind person to Erin.
Of course the first encounter Erin and Jake have, is an awkward one. It would be strange if it would be all rainbows and unicorns. They did not expect to see each other, especially not at the bar and like that. So of course the both of them do not know what the right thing to say or to do is.
But how awkward that first meeting is, how clear it is that the air needs to be cleared between Erin and Jake. And I found it sweet to read how the initial discomfort from both sides shifts into moments of deep reflection, clearing the air and finding each other again, that bond that there once used to be (and I am here just talking about the bond where they can be honest to each other, to have someone to confide in).
Often and in real life, our first love isn’t the love of our lives, the love we end up spending the rest of our lives with. So seeing how a heartbreak can last over ten years and how it impacts your present life.
This wasn’t always an easy story to read, as it talks about grief and how it can push you away from your loved ones. But it is also a beautiful story to read, as we see how finding the courage to return back home, can turn into a healing process and makes you realize not only what you have been missing, but also what you truly cannot live without…
She has spent fifteen years learning how to need no one.
Nora Sterling is the Cruise Director of the Vesta. She runs a department of a hundred, remembers nine hundred guests by name, and can talk a shipful of frightened people through a mid-ocean helicopter evacuation without once raising her voice.
She has no address. She has never slept on a mattress that was not somebody else’s first. She has spent her entire adult life at sea and she has been perfectly, deliberately fine.
Then the ship takes on a new Music Director.
Erland Isbister is Orcadian, unhurried, and quietly immovable. He does not perform, he does not push, and he notices everything. He also reports directly to her, which puts him squarely on the wrong side of the company handbook and squarely in her path ten hours a day, months at a stretch.
On a ship, there is nowhere to put a thing like this.
Nora has spent her whole life being the person everybody relies on and nobody worries about. She has never once, in thirty-three years, said out loud that she wanted something.
She is about to find out what it costs her not to.
An Orkney Hearth is a slow-burn, closed-door cruise ship romance set aboard a luxury liner and on the windswept islands of northern Scotland. Forbidden workplace romance, forced proximity, found family, and an unhurried hero who says almost nothing and means all of it. No explicit content. Guaranteed happily ever after.
Book One of Love and Other Ports, for readers of Jenny Colgan and Susanna Kearsley. Written by Sara Romera, a former Cruise Director who spent fifteen years at sea.
About the author
Sara Romera is a writer and former senior cruise ship officer. She spent more than fifteen years at sea, working her way up from entry-level roles to senior officer across multiple vessels and cruise lines, leading guest experience and entertainment for thousands of guests at a time.
She writes about the world behind the voyage. Inside the Floating City began as a survival guide she wrote for new crew and grew into a portrait of life aboard a modern cruise ship. The Discerning Voyager is a senior officer’s guide to choosing a cruise well. The Lantern of the Sea, a picture book for children, began with the families ashore when a parent goes to sea, but speaks to anyone who has ever missed someone: partners kept apart by distance, children waiting for someone to come home, anyone holding the light while a person they love is away.
Her romance series, Love and Other Ports, is set in the world she spent her career inside: shipboard lives, where people meet on the move and every arrival already carries its departure. The stories turn on what that closeness leaves behind, and on whether something formed at sea can hold once the ship has sailed on.
She also writes the monthly Ask the Officer column for Euro Weekly News, and is the founder of Sea Lantern Studio, her independent literary imprint.
Christmas is coming… and so is the biggest rift this tiny flat has ever seen.
When Daisy and Kate’s glamorous new housemate is announced, they picture another girl.
Instead, they get Maxi.
A ridiculously handsome male model with an ego the size of Lapland, an appetite that empties the fridge daily and a nasty habit of encouraging two best friends to compete for his attention.
Before long, Daisy’s mentally picking out wedding dresses, Kate’s having far less wholesome thoughts and the flat has descended into festive warfare.
Watching every drama unfold from the safety of the skirting board is Nigel, the house’s delightfully eccentric resident mouse. Sporting an abandoned contact lens as a monocle and never knowingly short of an opinion, he’s firmly convinced humans are the daftest creatures ever created.
He’s probably right.
A laugh-out-loud Christmas comedy about friendship, festive disasters and why some housemates really should come with a warning label.
My review
Daisy and Kate are best friends, living together. They may be broke and both single, but their friendship makes it more agreeable to live in their London flat that is not really in the best of state. There is also Nigel, the resident mouse, stealing their cheese whenever the opportunity rises. And then their landlady decides to help the ladies out with a new flatmate, Maximilian Taylor, Maxi for the friends. Daisy believes that she has found The One, Kate feels more of a physical attraction but Nigel is the only one that sees Maxi for who he really is. Tension only keeps on rising even if Christmas is approaching. Could this Christmas be one filled with only disaster, and the rift between Daisy and Kate is beyond repair?
When I started reading this book, I had a different story in mind. Not that the rift between Diasy and Kate would be about something else, but at the start, I would have imagined that Maxi would truly be this amazing man, and that somehow, he would be worth of the rift he is causing between the two best friends. (not that a person is ever worth of a rift between best friends…)
Before there was a rift, I found that Daisy and Kate had a wonderful friendship. They are very different from each other, and they may not be living in luxury, but together they have a lot of fun, lots of laughs and having each other is more than enough.
I found it funny reading how they even respect(ed) Nigel The Mouse. I don’t know if I would be that happy with a mouse at my place, but as he was there before Daisy and Kate made the move, they respect him. Even if he is a cheese – thief! 😊
Even if the ladies are having financial difficulties, I liked it how they make the best out of it. Being creative with gift, recycling gift wrapping paper etc. In a way, it shows us that even when things aren’t that easy, you can make the best out of it.
So it angered me reading how Maxi’s arrival changes everything between the ladies. Especially as Nigel already understands right from the start, that Maxi isn’t all that great as he may seem!
And to be honest, I hated the guy. Not only is he a liar, but he is superficial, dishonest, sneaky and disgusting! While I can understand the initial attraction, I could not understand how bright women like Daisy and Kate could not see behind the façade.
Often people say that women can be nasty in a fight. And we see that also in this story. Not that Daisy or Kate have become evil, but while fighting, they know what to say to TRULY hurt each other…
It is hard to not spoil too much about the story, but while the approach to Christmas is a disastrous one, at Christmas day itself, with a landlady that is a bit crazy as a guest, everything will culminate in unexpected ways, exposing truths and lies, with the help of Nigel. And realizations dawns what and who truly matters in life.
While perhaps at moments the characters were frustrating, I found it also a hilarious story and yes, Nigel despite being a rodent, stole my heart a little bit! 😊 This was an easy story to read, and the length of it also made it a quick read, with the ending putting a smile on my face! 😊
When doing a favour for a friend changes everything for you
Synopsis
if your best friend wanted your new life too?
Sammy Jenkins only comes to Brambleton because her best friend Chloe needs a favour. Again.
One shift serving canapés at a North Devon country mansion. Then it’s back to mounting bills and a life that’s going nowhere. Except the owner of the estate sees something in her.
Suddenly, Sammy is being offered a full-time job as housekeeper, complete with a cottage of her own. It’s more than she ever dreamed of, even if Chloe thinks it should all have been hers.
But settling into life at Brambleton Hall isn’t easy. Magnus, the butler, demands perfection. And Nate, the handsome, reserved gardener, gives nothing away. Somehow, though, Sammy is making it work. She has a home that’s just for her, a job she’s good at and Nate might not be quite as distant as he first seemed.
Then Chloe comes to stay.
And while Sammy understands the rules that keep Brambleton Hall running smoothly, Chloe doesn’t see why any should apply to her…
My review
Once again Sammy Jenkins finds herself doing a favour for her best friend Chloe. But what is one shift serving at an actual country mansion? What Sammy didn’t expect is that after a canine incident the owner of the estate sees something in her and suddenly Sammy has a full – time job as a housekeeper, on probation though, with her own cottage where she can reside. Sammy is filled with courage but also quickly learns that the job of a housekeeper cannot be underestimated, and Magnus the butler for sure makes sure Sammy understand the responsibilities. Sammy also finds it difficult to connect with not only Magnus, but also with gardener Nate, who is handsome yet very reserved. However, somehow Sammy starts to find her feet at Brambleton Hall, and things for sure start to look good, and even with Nate a bond is being made. And then Chloe appears, risking to jeopardize everything Sammy has slowly been building on her own…
Having read several books of this author, I was very curious to read what adventures Sammy would have.
At the start, I have to admit that I found Sammy perhaps a little bit of a doormat. Because it is obvious that even if Chloe is her best friend, Chloe takes advantage of Sammy’s kind heart. Of course as an outsider it easy to say that Sammy perhaps should grow a pair. But I also know how difficult it can be to refuse someone, especially someone like your best friend who has been there for years. As a former people – pleaser myself, I recognized the struggle Sammy had in that aspect.
But of course, if Sammy weren’t Sammy, she wouldn’t end up with a brand new job after one shift at Brambleton Hall. And then we wouldn’t have this book, would we 😊.
Now, I have to admit again, it was a bit strange how Sammy is able to get the offer for a job as housekeeper, after one evening only. Okay, yes, I could understand how she saved the evening when there is a dog with the super funny name Stop It on the loose. And again, it works for the story 😊.
It is clear from the moment that Sammy starts, that she truly underestimated what the job would truly entail and the responsibilities that come with the job. But also how strict things are, how things must be done and no other way.
While Mr. Magnus, the butler, may seem to ‘reign’ with a strict hand (which is also needed in a place like Brambleton Hall), he is also very patient with Sammy, and even if he doesn’t show it, he believes that Sammy will manage it all.
Talking about Mr. Magnus, his eyebrows – language is hilarious! And I found it also funny how Sammy with time learns to interpret what each raise means, and what each short word that Magnus says, truly means.
And it was just so lovely to see how Sammy, even with some ups and downs, starts to feel at home, that she has found a place where she truly belongs. And it was just great to see that no matter how distant and cold some of her ‘colleagues’ may appear, Sammy is able by just being her, everyone around her starts to soften, even Nate who has been trying to keep his distance.
Yes, Nate could or could not be Sammy’s love interest in this book. But for me, this book is more about the growth Sammy goes through and not about romantic feelings between her and Nate.
Because there is no doubt that Sammy grows and matures a lot in this book.
We see her not only learning to do the task that the job requires, but she also becomes more confident in her actions. She understands what she is doing and the importance of it. Even if maybe there is someone sabotaging her progress?
And then Chloe appears… a moment I was dreading myself, because I already did not have the greatest opinion of her…
I truly got angry during her stay, because not only does it seems that Chloe drags Sammy down, Chloe does not understand that Sammy loves her job. But also Chloe does absolutely not respect the boundaries set by Sammy and Magnus. If I were Sammy, I honestly would have kicked her out after the first strike.
Perhaps here is where Sammy’s most important growth comes, because while she truly loves Chloe as a sister, she has to stop helping Chloe out. Because you can help someone once, but it is wrong when that person relies on the fact that you will help every time.
Again, easier said than done of course, but Sammy has to learn to draw the line at some point, because as we see in the story, and several times already, it is Sammy that has paid or has to pay the price for Chloe’s recklessness…
I found this a wonderful story to read, because like I said before, we truly see the growth that Sammy goes through. We see how it is possible to find your place and your home in an unexpected place, in an unexpected way. And in an inspiring way, we see how Sammy learns to stand up for herself, how she becomes more confident. But she also never loses the essence that makes her Sammy. She grows, changes even a little bit, but she remains always Sammy.
I have read now several books of this series, that can perfectly read as a standalone. But because of Sammy and her growth, her new life she creates at Brambleton Hall, this may be my favourite one!
Returning to Sydney, Detective Ramesh Ryan is promoted to the Homicide Squad. Zoe Yang joins him there. Now a detective herself, she is assigned as his junior partner. Straight up, the cops are off and running—investigating the discovery of a murdered company director. Following the clues, Detective Ryan finds that this and a second murder may be linked to past events.
As the pressure mounts for a quick solution to the case, the detective finds that he too, is in the killer’s crosshairs. But Ryan is distracted from the investigation by a romantic encounter with an old university friend. He also worries about his mother, Mumta, and her new obsessive desire for grandchildren from her only son. Could this be linked to her recent medical tests? And there’s another pressing problem—the plague of rats in his apartment block.
Detective Ryan’s hands are well and truly full.
Extract
Context:
A worried Detective Ramesh Ryan has driven down at high speed to the local hospital, having just discovered that his mother Mumta has checked herself in because of ‘a woman’s problem’.
Extract:
“Oh,” said Detective Ryan. “Mom, what are you doing here?”
“Didn’t Agnes tell you?”
“She said something about a woman’s problem. But why didn’t you tell me you were coming here today? You knew I’d be calling…. Oh, and happy birthday, by the way.” He frowned. “Damn.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I left your present in the car.”
Mumta smiled. “That’s nice. I appreciate presents. When you get to my age, you are grateful for anything.”
“Your age. You’re fifty-nine. Sorry, sixty today, and hardly …” Detective Ryan began.
“Shh.” Mumta put her finger to her lips. “Don’t go around telling everyone my age.”
“Oh … okay.” Ramesh peered at his mother. Her black hair framed an attractive, symmetrical face and bright, shining brown eyes. “You know you look good for your age.”
“Must you, Ramesh. I’m not too fond of that expression. It makes me feel like a horse about to be put down.”
Ryan shook his head. This always happened with his mother. She had a habit of taking the conversation completely off-base. It was time to return to the slopes.
“So, Mom, my question was, what are you doing here?”
Mumta leaned forward and whispered. “I came for a biopsy on my br—” She hesitated. “I don’t like talking about this with you. That’s why I never mentioned it.”
“Your breast? You just had a breast biopsy?” The detective’s face registered his concern.
Mumta picked up a cup from the table and sipped tea. “Yes. But it’s nothing to worry about. I’ll get my results in a few days, and I’m sure everything will be fine.”
Ryan studied his mother. He was trained to spot deceit, and what his mom had just said was a blatant lie. She was worried. If she was concerned, so too should he be.
“What exactly did they say?” Ryan asked.
“If you had become what I wanted you to become, a doctor, you would know.” Mumta waved her hands around. “They’re all here.”
“Who?” asked Ryan, confused.
“Doctors, of course. And you could have been one of them if you hadn’t decided to become a policeman.” Mumta spat the word out like a piece of dirt from her mouth.
My grumpy, infuriatingly handsome billionaire boss, Blake Devlin, wants to fire me.
And he’s probably right.
I embarrassed myself spectacularly the first time we met.
Clearly a sheltered woman from a tiny village doesn’t belong at Sated International, a company that’s apparently famous for selling sex toys and publishing novels so spicy, they’d melt your Kindle.
If only I’d had time to research them before my interview…
When the CEO realises that HR hired me anyway (yep, I was surprised too), he makes it clear I have no business being there.
After fighting so hard to live the life I’ve always dreamed of in London, I can’t afford to lose this opportunity. I need to focus on proving him wrong.
But when I discover the man behind the expensive tailored suits and a world I never even knew existed, everything changes.
I want my boss.
And sometimes I swear there are moments when the same man who was so determined to get rid of me looks like he wants me too.
No.
That’s impossible.
A relationship between the CEO and an employee is strictly forbidden.
Getting involved would be utterly reckless.
A powerful, older man like Blake Devlin would never risk everything to be with someone like me.
Right?
Pure Recklessness is a standalone, dual-point-of-view billionaire office romance featuring a grumpy CEO, a sheltered heroine, sizzling boss/employee age-gap tension, laugh-out-loud moments, banter, a secret forbidden relationship with spice and a swoon-worthy happily ever after.
Tropes
Billionaire romance
Office romance
Age-gap romance
Boss/employee romance
Forbidden romance
Opposites attract
Secret relationship
Fish-out-of-water
No third-act breakup
Hilarious banter
My review
Ellie grew up very sheltered and even overprotective parents, all out of love of course. But as she is ready to discover the world, she made the move to London on her own, and is looking for a job. When she unexpectedly has to go to an interview, she doesn’t have enough time to do proper research about the company. Because if she did, she would know that Sated International is known all over the world for selling toys (not those for children) and novels (not the closed door ones). Upon her arrival, she does not make the best impressions yet somehow she manages to secure the job, even if the CEO does not agree. However, Ellie is determined to prove Blake Devlin that his opinion of her is wrong. With the help of her new friends and colleague Dana and Joe, Ellie sees what she has been missing out. And slowly Ellie starts to realize that despite her inexperience, she wants the man everyone at Sated wants, her boss Blake. But even if it may seem that Blake may want her too, there is no way someone like Blake could ever want someone like Ellie. And let’s not forget the fact that relationships at the office is absolutely forbidden.
Having read several of Olivia Spring’s romance books, I was eager to read this new one, also knowing it would be more explicit than what I have read before of her. I did not have any doubt that the switch from sweet to spicy would work out for Olivia perfectly. And sweet baby Jesus, what a book this was! I still need to come back to my senses! 😊
As an Italian myself, I can assure you that my parents (especially my dad) were very protective op me. Being the youngest and the only girl does that with Italians 😊. So when I discovered that Ellie’s parents were also overprotective, immediately made me connect with Ellie. But I also need to make clear that Ellie’s parents, even if it’s with the best intentions, are overprotective on a whole other level!
And that saddened me to read about Ellie. Because growing up can be a difficult process, it also means that she has missed out on so many fun things in life. She doesn’t know much of the world, and while I understood where she was coming from (even if only in a later stage we understand why), and the world can be a scary place, the world is also a beautiful place.
At the same time, I also admired Ellie right from the start, because while her love or her parents is obvious, she also found the courage to stand up against them, and decided to make the move to London.
Finding a job is not easy, and the stress Ellie goes through while getting to Sated, with zero preparations at all (not her fault though!), I found it excruciating myself! Yet at the same time, seeing her stumble and being innocent in a way, was just hilarious for me as a reader. And let me tell you already, I will never look at a lipstick the same way 😃!
It was sweet reading how even as she is out of her depth, she makes two new friends, Dana and Joe. I just felt it in my bones that while perhaps it takes a moment getting used to their directness, they are the best kind of friends Ellie could ever find.
It was hilarious reading how they are pushing Ellie out of her comfort zone (that is not hilarious), but how they ‘introduce’ Ellie in the world of Sated. And then unleashed a beast! 😃
I have to admit, there are moments that I was a little bit in shock, seeing the liberated Ellie. Initially with some trepidation, but growing more confident with the passing of time, Ellie understands what she want and also, who she wants.
And that “who” may be a complication… Not only is the man of her desires and fantasies her own boss, but he also has very strict rules about relationships at the office.
As a healthy woman myself, I for sure could see and feel it perhaps myself, the attraction towards Blake Devlin, and to be honest, towards all the Devlin brothers! Can I buy a real life Blake (or another Devlin Brother) somewhere? 😊
Blake already from his first appearance emanates power and wealth. He is not the kind of man to mess with. He keeps high standards and expects from everyone at Sated to be the same. And if you can not follow the rules, it’s easy, you’re out.
And perhaps it may be a bit over the top, his rule about no relationships at work, but further along in the story it will be made clear why that rule has been set, and I could understand Blake’s reasoning.
Blake can truly be intimidating, but we also see how important family is for him. Of course with brothers, a healthy dose of arguing is normal, but when it truly matters, the Devlin’s are all there for each other.
I had a few sneaky laughs seeing how Blake is feeling attracted to Ellie, but tries to resist that. And my laughs become less sneaky reading how Ellie become a real seductress (who would have thought that about Ellie!) and resisting is just an impossible task.
And OH MY GOD, I expected things to get heated between Blake and Ellie, but this heated? I was NOT PREPARED for that! Memo to myself: do not read this series when you’re at the office and you have a moment to spare!
While the heated moments got me, well, heated, the other private moments between Blake and Ellie got me melting. Because it starts as a physical attraction, with clear rules, slowly we see from both sides walls let down. And while their worlds couldn’t be further apart, there is a connection so strong between this pair…
Obviously, there are several things taking place in this book, and we see how Blake sees what an asset Ellie is for Sated, with several great idea, how protective Blake becomes and how understanding Ellie is of the situation they find themselves. I found it also great of Ellie of not pushing Blake, she gives him the space he needs, she doesn’t interfere, she doesn’t go nosing around.
Beside all that is happening with Blake and Ellie, I also had a few squeaks of happiness, as there are a few surprising cameos. How lovely was it to see some old beloved friends again!
This book should definitely come with a warning. Once you start, you just cannot stop. So make sure that you have the place and the time to devour it all. Perhaps also make sure that you are on your own, because when things get heated, you may need to cool down yourself 😊! And definitely DO NOT READ THIS WHILE AT WORK! Been there, done that, but it won’t be repeated, as I did not see mails coming in, as I did not see people arrive at the desk etc.
Now I just have one urgent request to the amazing author that Olivia Spring is (beside where I can find my own Devlin brother): PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAASE give us more!!! I devoured this book on an unhealthy level (but definitely NO REGRETS at all) and I need my next shot!
When you have to go back home, but it terrifies you…
Synopsis
A wintry treat brimming with snowflakes, secrets and second chances!
When her beloved Aunt Colleen passes away, settling her affairs means doing the one thing Hannah Merryweather has spent years avoiding: returning to Micklewick Bay, the seaside town she fled years ago and has never quite found the courage to face again.
Coming home means facing the past too. Polly, her stepmother, and Darryl, her stepbrother, still loom large over the life she once knew, and the home she lost is never far from her thoughts.
Then, on her very first day back, she nearly collides with the one man she never expected to see again: Lachie, the kilted, green-eyed Scotsman who stole her heart last spring. His unexpected arrival in Micklewick Bay is the last complication Hannah needs – especially as feelings she thought she’d locked away start to resurface.
As Hannah slowly uncovers just how far her aunt’s plans for her future stretch – including one life-changing surprise waiting at the end of the pier – can she find the courage to claim the life, and the love, Auntie Colleen always believed she deserved?
A beautifully uplifting story of hope and second chances, set in the snow-globe charm of MicklewickBay.
Perfect for readers who love:
• Cosy seaside fiction
• Slow-burn romance
• Stories about fresh starts
• Female friendship and found family
• Wintry settings
My review
While grieving over the loss over her beloved Aunt Colleen, who acted as her mother, Hannah Merryweather has to return to Micklewick Bay, a place that holds so many painful memories. But needs must to settle the affairs Aunt Colleen took care of. Hannah hopes to get everything in order and leave Micklewick Bay as soon as possible and more important, avoid facing her stepmother Polly and her stepbrother Darryl. Ever since they stepped into Hannah’s life, everything changed, and absolutely not for the better… But now she has to face her past again, something she is not ready to do. And of all places, in Micklewick Bay she collides with the man that broke her heart last spring. Something else Hannah is not ready to face…What Hannah did not foresee, is that Aunt Colleen may have had plans for Hannah making Hannah wonder if she can claim her life and her future back…
Returning to Micklewick Bay is for me always a bittersweet return. And that because I know that the main characters are going through a difficult time (the bitter part) and it will take a while before they get the (un?)expected resolutions (the sweet part).
Obviously, as a reader, I was very curious discovering what Hannah had been through in the past, and why she was so scared to return to Micklewick Bay. Because initially she was very loved by both her parents, and it is after the passing of her mother and the appearance of Polly and Darryl that her life changed for the worse.
And I got so very very angry reading what Polly and Darryl have done in the past. They are just a nasty pair! And what angered me even more, was the nonchalance of Hannah’s father… How you can allow that someone treats your own flesh and blood like that? Just AWEFUL! (my anger is resurfacing just thinking about it! 😊)
So of course Hannah is not all that thrilled to return to Micklewick Bay, especially as Polly’s and Darryl’s poisonous lies have been told all around the place… I don’t think I would return, no matter what reason is waiting for me.
Luckily, or rather a silver lining, is that her Aunt Colleen and Uncle Len understood what truly was taking place and didn’t hesitate to take Hannah in. So after everything she has been through, living with Auntie Coll and Uncle Len could give her a rather normal upbringing, filled with love. Even if the hurt never truly evaporated…
And I found it wonderful reading how Hannah and Aunt Colleen manage to create a successful burger stand. I know for sure that I would be a VERY loyal customer 😊.
It was so heartwarming reading the bond between aunt and niece. Colleen truly understood what Hannah has been through and did whatever she could to give Hannah the confidence back. I think that if everyone had an Aunt Colleen in their lives, the world would be such a better place, and also a funnier one!
Aunt Colleen was also the catalyst of igniting something between Hannah and new burger – customer Lachie. It was so sweet to read how Hannah was able to get out of her shell with Lachie, and how feelings were developing.
Because Lachie for sure showed what an amazing man he is, and then I am not talking about the way he carries around with his kilt. For sure swoon – worthy material. But also making it difficult to comprehend how he broke Hannah’s heart…
However, back to the present, as that is for sure important for Hannah’s growth and story.
Returning to Micklewick Bay is very hard for Hannah, as she believes that people have bought Polly’s lies. (And again the anger resurfaced…). But of course the people of Micklewick Bay are no fools, and are actual happy to see Hannah back.
And of course our beloved – and – already – known friends like Florrie, Stella, Maggie, Jasmine and Lark don’t hesitate to let Hannah become a member of their group, making Hannah feel welcome, and make her understand that she now has real friends.
Friends, and also a community, that will have her back, support her, believe her. It truly warmed my heart reading how even if they haven’t seen Hannah in a while, everyone is just happy to see her back.
And we see how that warmth and love have an effect on Hannah. Where she initially literally hides away from everything and everyone, slowly she shakes away the feelings of shame and doubts, and becomes more and more confident.
And yes, perhaps I am not talking too much about it here, but Lachie will also have his moment of redemption in this book, and he for sure ignites the same initial feelings I had before he also broke my heart a little bit 😊.
Now, there has to be a confrontation with her past, and I was not only proud of Hannah herself, but also how she finds herself backed up. And yes, I was happy reading how Polly and Darryl are finally getting what they deserve. Although I have to admit that perhaps I would have loved to read more about them getting some payback. But that is Evil Tizi thinking 😊.
This wasn’t always an easy story to read, especially the bits about Hannah’s past and all she had to endure because of some evil people in the world. But all the beautiful moments for sure made up for all my anger. We see here how your inner strength can emerge, how you can get up when you are feeling low. And how being surrounded by truly lovely people that care about you and embrace you,
Eliza J Scott wrote a heartwarming story, and it gave me just all the feelings I was expecting, and even the angry feelings. But that doesn’t take away that I loved getting to know Hannah and I found myself cheering for her, encouraging her and loving her from the first moment!
I already love this cover, and I know I will love the story!
Synopsis
Brooke never intended to return to her native Scotland. That is until she’s offered a job with legendary literary agent, Levi Hudson, who just happens to represent her favourite author, Petra Swan.
Petra’s books helped her find hope again after her heart was broken, and Brooke will do anything to meet her. Even if it means working with the formidable Levi.
Not only is he grumpy, he’s also infuriatingly handsome. Yet as his frosty exterior slowly begins to melt, Brooke realises that moving back to the highlands might be the best decision she’s ever made…
Julie Shackman is a former journalist from Scotland, who has always wanted to write feel-good romance. As well as being an author, Julie also writes verses and captions for greetings card companies. Julie admits to having an obsession with stationery and handbags. She has two sons and an adopted Romanian rescue pup, Cooper. Dreaming of a Scottish Summer is Julie’s sixteenth novel.
