A mysterious death, a mysterious house, scared yet?

Synopsis

Mystery, mayhem, a manor house and a generous serving of romance… 

When police knock on Alice Donaldson’s door at 4am, she knows the news won’t be good. There’s been an accident involving her ex-husband Grant, and as his existing next of kin, they need her help.

Grant is missing up on the North York moors, but the Grant Alice knew could barely be persuaded out on a walk around the block. What on earth possessed him to go on a hike in the middle of the night?

Alice soon finds herself working with Grant’s girlfriend Jenna and Jenna’s gorgeous ‘Lord of the family Manor’ brother Max, to find out what has happened, and what caused Grant’s accident at The Fortune House – the spooky house out on the moors.

The locals tell all manner of ghoulish stories about The Fortune House, which Alice is not minded to listen to. But before long, things take a turn for the strange and Max and Alice have a new mystery to solve. While all the while Alice can’t help hoping she might meet the requirements to be Max’s ‘Lady of the Manor’ at his country pile, Hatherleigh Hall.

My review

Alice Donaldson never thought that the police would be knocking on her door at 4am, telling her there has been an accident involving her husband Grant.
Her husband that left her many years ago and she never heard from again. Her husband, that has gone missing on the North York moors, while when together he never got out.
To make things even more awkward, Alice befriends Jenna, Grant’s girlfriend and Jenna’s brother Max. They all want to figure out what happened that night, and why Grant was at The Fortune House, a house known for being haunted by ghosts…
While spending more time together, and Alice helping Max out with him writing a book, Alice starts to feel more for Max than she would imagine. But how could Max, Lord of an actual Manor -Hatherleigh Hall – ,  fall for someone like ‘plain’ Alice?
And ghosts aren’t real at all, right? 

Normally, having a story with ghosts, or haunted houses aren’t really my cup of tea. I don’t believe in ghosts, but if they were to be real, I just hope they won’t ever bother with plain old me. So I am pleading to all the kind ghosts around the world: please leave me alone! 😊 

But when this author writes another book, and there are ghosts involved, I know I will just read it anyway! 

What I absolutely loved in this book, is how much I could relate with Alice. She is a curvier woman, with not the greatest self – esteem and stuck in a routine, seeing no way out.
And before you say it, yes, I am the curvy kind of woman too, relating very easy to all the doubts Alice has. 

But beside the way the way Alice looks, she is also a smart, kind, inventive woman. While it would have been easy to just leave Jenna and Max alone, she understands the pain Jenna is going through, and sees how Jenna needs someone that listens to her.
And Alice is ready to help Max with his work, even if she doesn’t know if she is an actual help or not. 

I was a bit surprised when there was a twist in the story, and it didn’t leave a very positive impression… The twist itself was a good one, but the thought behind it, made by that specific character wasn’t something I liked. 

The mystery around the haunted mansion was also not what I expected. There are several tales of witnesses that gave me goosebumps, but I thought I knew who the ghost was, but was left a bit in a shock when it wasn’t what I thought it would be. 

Seeing Alice and Max together was heart – warming and made me feel even hopeful for myself. No, I am a realistic girl and I know that the odds of finding myself a Lord on the Manor myself are non – existing.
But seeing how Max saw Alice for who she truly was, and not just looking at the way she physically looks like, was just so wonderful.
It shows that there are still people around who value a character higher than looks. 

I found it sweet how Max tries to show Alice that he truly likes her, and wants to let her see herself the way he sees her, as an amazing, beautiful, smart woman.
Everyone needs to have a Max in their lives, and feel loved unconditionally. 

The whole book includes a haunted mansion and a ghost, but that was not the main theme. It was more a story about finding not only love, but also finding the courage to step out of your routine, finding the courage to put your trust in someone and believing the spoken words of someone we care about. 

Again the author wrote a wonderful, sweet, light, yet slightly different story, with a main character you cannot not love. I enjoyed reading every word of it, despite the few goosebumps!

With secrets of the past, who will have their happy ever after?

Synopsis

How long can you hide your past from the one you love?

When Abigail and Edward became co-owners of historic Winfield Hall in the beautiful Sussex countryside, they had little idea what the future held. But, as the days of summer lengthen, their feelings towards one another grow and love begins to blossom.

Harry and Aura have been a couple for a year now and, with the summer solstice approaching, Harry hatches a very special plan. He just hopes that the sun, moon and the stars are all in alignment.

But not everything is going to plan. Life has a way of catching up with you and it isn’t long before Abi discovers that Edward’s been lying about his past, and the family secrets he’s been hiding now threaten their future happiness. Can Edward make amends for his mistakes and will Abi ever be able to forgive and trust him again?

Heartwarming and uplifting, The Colour of Summer is the final book in The House in the Clouds trilogy by bestselling author Victoria Connelly.

My review

Both Edward and Abigail never expected the affect Winfield Hall would have on their lives. they both dreamed of owning the place, and being co – owners made sure that wish got realised. But now that time is passing, their feelings towards each other are evolving too.
And Harry and Aura couldn’t be happier after a year being a couple. With the Summer solstice approaching, harry even has something special planned.
But no matter how good things are looking for the future, the past always finds a way to catch up, and maybe break that fragile bond between Edward and Abigail…

After finishing the first two books of this series, I had a happy feeling, even if I still had so many questions after reaching the end.
So I truly hoped to have all the answers with this third and last book.

Sometimes a book doesn’t have to have a great amount of action or tragedy to be a good book. Sometimes a good book is showing us the struggles of a normal life, and make us realize that despite our setbacks, we can be happy with what we have.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any tragedies or sad tales of woo in this, but the author shows us what can be done to overcome them.

And I am talking about Abigail and her family….
We know about Abi’s recent past, but in this book, it’s as clear as possible that something happened in her past too, but Abi cannot put all the pieces together.
Add a sister that is even more closed and more flammable than before.

Also Edward is not spared in sad events. And while he is, as expected, in charge of it all, because of what he has told Abi before, he cannot turn to her, as his white lies will certainly cause incomprehension…

But there are also so many lovely moments in this book! Seeing Harry and Aura together, is one of the sweetest things in this book. And how Aura is accepted in Harry’s family after the initial wariness, truly warmed my heart.
It shows that opposites do attract and that we all can learn from each other!

Of course, all of us readers are waiting for one specific thing to happen, and when it did, I was just over the moon!
Reading how Edward and Abi FINALLY found each other and dared to speak out at loud about their feelings, was wonderful.
And when the past caught up with them, I could understand Abi’s feelings and reluctance. But I also knew that the both of them had worked too hard and too long to just let it all go after the first glitch.

This last chapter was the perfect ending of a beautiful story, showing us the beautiful things of life, but also the less beautiful ones.
But what I learned from it all, is that whatever hardship you are facing, there is always a solution, and asking for help is surely not something to be ashamed of.
And even after the hardest bits, there is always sunshine after the rain, showering us with the must most beautiful and shining colours of life!

Can an intervention make you find love?

Synopsis

Shelly Larson is in a man drought so dry it makes The Grapes of Wrath look like a Hampton’s pool party. With most of her besties (The Sweet Water Circle) in good relationship standing, The Circle spins to Shelly with a long-overdue intervention. It’s time for her to find her forever man. Or at least a guy without a foot fetish who doesn’t text pictures of himself in his tighty whities. 

Shelly wants no part of the dating scene, but no matter what she tries, The Circle is ahead of her, so eventually she relents to the torturous trio of speed dating, online dating apps, and blind dates. Will she find a diamond in the rough or will it just be rough? 

Meanwhile, the only Circle member still looking for love, Donna, is back from L.A., divorced and crashing with Shelly. When Donna’s new man makes a play for Shelly, it sets off shockwaves that could fracture The Sweet Water Circle’s thirty-year friendship, just as Taylor’s wedding to billionaire Ben Bach brings the crew from Sweet Water to Ibiza and Paris, not once, but twice. Will Shelly risk her friendships for a chance at forever love that could end up in heartbreak? Find out in the series finale of The Sweet Water Circle!

My review

Even if almost every member of the Sweet Water Circle is in a happy relationship, Shelly Larson is absolutely not looking for love. She enjoys spending her time in her greenhouse and making her own wine. And she surely doesn’t need a man to make her feel complete.
But that is not what Sweet Water Circle wants for Shelly, thus an intervention in scheduled.
Now Shelly is speed dating, online dating, having blind dates. But the quest for finding love isn’t an easy one. Luckily she has Donna by her side, freshly returned from L.A. after her divorce and also member of the Sweet Water Circle.
Can Shelly find what the other members have? Does she has to kiss many frogs before finding her Prince Charming?
And how strong is the bond of the Sweet Water Circle when something unexpected seems to be happening?

It’s not a secret I absolutely love The Sweet Water Circle! I have read each story and each time I fell in love with the characters.
So obviously I had to read Shelly’s story, while we know that she isn’t looking for love at all.

Being a single woman for a long time myself, I could perfectly understand Shelly and why she isn’t looking for love. Being single means you have your own freedom and structure, and no risk of having a heartbreak.
So why change that when we are completely content with our lives?

And now that her friend Donna is back from L.A. and crashing at Shelly’s place with her son, Shelly isn’t feeling lonely at all.
But The Sweet Water Circle isn’t accepting a ‘no’ for an answer and make an intervention, slightly forcing Shelly to do things she doesn’t want to do.
I had so many laughs reading how her speed dating went, because it just seemed all so awful yet so true! But it wasn’t all that awful, because there was one match…

I would be a bit angry myself if my friends would trick me the way they did  with Shelly, but of course they did it with the right intentions. And they truly want the best for each other, and all be as happy as the already settled members are, and even a wedding is on the schedule!

About the wedding, can I just say that I was a bit surprised at reading what money can buy? Because I honestly didn’t think that a marriage in the Notre Dame and the reception in Versailles would be actual possible?

It was nice to see how Shelly seems to have found her match, but if I am being honest, I didn’t like Zack 100%. While he is easy – going, and gives Shelly all the time and space she needs, I just didn’t feel the love sparking from the pages… And his sometimes laidback attitude, going along with everything, while I would find it strange to tag along, was in big contrast with his behaviour, being a bit too possessive.

And the shock revelation, causing a rift between the Circle… I could see how it affected the two concerned friends, but the reactions of the other members was not what I really expected from them… In that view I was a bit disappointed that suddenly Shelly was standing alone in a corner…

It may seem I didn’t enjoy reading this story, but don’t get me wrong, because I truly did! I loved reading how Shelly was getting back out there, found someone who had the same passions as her.
Seeing how Shelly and her friends are enjoying Paris and Ibiza, was just what I expected it to be, slightly over the top, yet just perfect for the Circle!

When I started to read this last book, I thought I knew where it would end, but I have to admit that I didn’t expect that twist, although the more I was reading the more I saw the direction this wonderful author was going.

Being book number Five, it wouldn’t be easy to keep up the high standards of the previous books, and fulfilling my high expectations, but Grayson Avery showed again that I should have faith and not to be worried, as I had another great time reading Shelly’s story

And may I please beg for a next book, because I want Donna to have her own story too!

Can love overcome the pain and hurt from the past?

Synopsis

A second chance…With her first love!

Lady Brenna Stewart is grateful to be saved from her burning carriage—only her rescuer is Laird Garrick MacLean, the man she once loved and lost! He seems determined to protect her from the unknown enemy pursuing her across the Scottish Highlands. But, bitterly hurt by his past betrayal, she needs answers. Why did he abandon her? And how can she keep her heart safe now, when the connection between them is as strong as ever…

My review

Lady Brenna Stewart finds herself rescued from her burning carriage, after being ambushed. But she didn’t expect that her saviour would be Laird Garrick MacLean, the man she once loved but disappeared without ever returning or letting her know if he were still alive.
However, quickly both of them realize that someone is still after Brenna, and Garrick is determined to bring the woman he once loved into safety.
Travelling the Scottish Highlands, fighting mercenaries, and trying to discover who is after all the attempts of murder, is not an easy task. Especially as Brenna demands answers of why Garrick left her. Can Garrick tell her about the demons that still haunt him? And can Brenna trust Garrick again, not only with her life, but also with her heart?
Because one thing is obvious, the connection they once shared, is as strong as ever…

I surely love stories about lost loves, second chances, and strong Scottish men. Thus I loved this story, that’s how easy things sometimes can be.

Being in 2022, I had to put my mind in the right era. Because if this story would be taking place in this year, I would have many red flags!
But my mind set right, I could comprehend a little bit better, why Brenna was going to marry a man she never saw before, pleasing her father.
And it was clear this wouldn’t be a marriage filled with love, as we read how Brenna was ‘welcomed’ by her fiancé.

I truly liked Brenna, because she is the total opposite that is expected from women in that era. She has a mind of her own, is not afraid to speak out and surely can fight off men.
Brenna stands also her ground. She got heartbroken when Garrick left and didn’t come back. But she also picked up those broken pieces and slowly tries to move on.
When Garrick is back, she just doesn’t accept a lame excuse, but demands the truth from him.
She is also a compassionate woman, because she sees the hurt in Garrick and feels for him.

I also could see Garrick’s pain, and I felt for him. but I didn’t agree with the decisions he made. I could see his point, but I didn’t think it was the right thing to do.
And also seeing how he reprimanded Brenna for moving on, while HE was the one that left without any more information, made me even a bit angry, as he was being unjust.

However, Garrick isn’t a bad, evil man… imagine such a story!
The lengths he goes for Brenna, from getting her out of a burning carriage, to protect her with his own life, fighting and killing the men that are after her, shows that he still cares for her.
And we know what a loving and caring man he is, because his family is everything for him, and learning about his past and how it affected him, broke my heart too.

This isn’t a tame story, about two people finding each other again, but there is lots of action and even a mystery to be unsolved.
And it was nice to see how the female protagonist isn’t just being a damsel in distress, but puts in her own weights in fights, and even overcomes her fears as that means her staying alive.
It was also funny to see how a typical Alpha is struggling with seeing a woman fighting next to his side.

The mystery about who was behind the murdering attempts wasn’t a really mystery to me, but I was a bit surprised when the length of the deception was going…

As this is the second part of a series, it was obviously great to see some old friends again, learning how they were doing and how sometimes it can be obvious when people are related, as they have the same features.

This was a very entertaining story, about second chances, but also about how grief can burden us and make us feel less.
But I truly liked that no matter what happened in the past, love, the real kind, will always find a way and open our eyes, showing us that while we blame ourselves, not every bad thing happening to us is our fault.
And despite all the pain and hurt we endured, we can find happiness again.

There is a lot Rome can offer in one summer, and even more than you thought

Synopsis

Kate Harper has always loved the painting that has hung in her parents’ dining room for years, never suspecting that it is worth a fortune. When her art dealer boyfriend cheats her family out of the proceeds of the painting’s sale, she is left devastated and alone.

Kate discovers that two hundred years ago, the girl in the painting, Charlotte Browne, ran off to Rome with the artist who painted her portrait, but her eventual fate is unknown.

Hoping to uncover the mystery of what happened to Charlotte, Kate seizes the chance of a summer job in Rome, where she strikes up a friendship with artist Jamie Taylor. As they explore the city and start to piece together the surprising secrets of Charlotte’s life, Kate finds herself wondering if a summer in Rome can mend a broken heart…

My review

The painting hanging in her parent’s dining room has always intrigued Kate Harper. So when her boyfriend shows an interest in it, and ends up actually buying it, her heart is a bit broken.
Unfortunately, her heart gets broken even more when she discovers that her own boyfriend hasn’t been that honest at all about the value of the painting, and cheated her family out of the proceeds of the sale.
However, Kate cannot forget The Italian Girl and she discovers that the woman in the painting is Charlotte Browne, a young woman that ran off to Rome with the artist who painter her, about two hundred years ago.
Wanting to know what happened to Charlotte, Kate takes the offer for a summer job in Rome, hoping to find more clues about Charlotte’s fate.
Rome wouldn’t be Rome if Kate wouldn’t be amazed by all the beauty the city has to offer, exploring it all with her new friend, English artist Jamie Taylor.
Will Kate find out what happened to Charlotte? And is one summer enough to mend a broken heart? Or is falling for someone else all too soon and too fast?

Thanks to Covid, it has been several years since my last visit to Rome. So having the opportunity to visit Rome again, even just by reading a book, I grabbed it with both hands!
Add a mysterious painting, a woman betrayed by some close to her, and romance, and it can’t be getting any better!

While I truly liked Kate, there was one tiny bit of frustration from my side. It’s obvious that Kate is a very kind and lovely character, I kind of was astonished in how quickly she believed Gabe, without any actual proof, what the worth of the painting was. Especially as Kate was working in a gallery, even if not being an expert herself. I would have expected her to want some actual proof, something written on paper.
But maybe that is just me, overthinking things, having read too many stories about dishonest people.

But with the exception of that small issue, I truly liked Kate. And reading how she is discovering Rome for the first time, seeing her being amazed about it all, made me appreciate again the beautiful city all over again!

I also admired the courage Kate has, because she has nothing than just a small reference to discover more about Charlotte Browne. And, even if it was only a summer job, making the move to an unknown city, is not something I would see myself doing.

But the real beauty of this story, was seeing how Kate was developing more and more. initially she wasn’t that self-confident, she doesn’t really know what she truly wants to do. Slowly we see Kate getting out of her shell, finding again her own passion for art again, and getting a serious boost of self-confidence.
She also is a very focused woman, as she doesn’t just give up after it would appear that nothing more can be found about Charlotte.

Seeing how her friendship is getting stronger with Jamie was very sweet to read. Their relationship is a slow – burning one. While there is attraction, reading how at ease they are with each other, while just being friends, was surely giving us a hint at what to expect when the time was right.

Of course, having a main character so focused on wanting to find out what happened to Charlotte Browne, makes also the readers very curious! While things wouldn’t seem to be going towards a happy end for Charlotte, I had a feeling I knew what happened to her. But obviously I had to know if I had figured it all out.

I adored wandering around Rome, with lovely characters like Kate and Jamie, but also her other new friends.
Rome was described just like it was, with its chaos, beautiful places, people accepting and opening their arms to new entries.
There are many moments show us, that sometimes doing something new and different, will give us all the answers to questions we had and even didn’t know we had. And that yes, even a city can gift us the most wonderful feeling in the world.

Getting together is only the start

Synopsis

The Parsons sisters are all loved up.

Sarah is living in Sydney with Josh and their cat, Domino, but is anxious about her fast-approaching fortieth birthday.

And Cat is still living in London with her flatmate, Jane, but is in a long-distance relationship with Jean-Luc, her childhood sweetheart and recently re-discovered love.

One of the sisters receives a surprise wedding proposal – it’s a yes! – and everyone heads off to Tuscany for a destination wedding.

Reunite with favourite characters from the Holiday Romance series in one of the most beautiful locations yet for love, laughter, wedding vows, and just a smidge of sisterly mayhem.

My review

Cat and Sarah as not only sisters, but also best friends, even if they live on the other side of the world from each other.
Cat is living happily together with her re-found love Jean – Luc in London, while Sarah is all loved up with Josh in Sydney.
When Jean – Luc pops the question, it’s obvious that Sarah is the call Cat makes. And a reunion is being planned, as the freshly engaged couple dream is getting married in Tuscany.
While everything seems to be perfect for Cat, she has doubts about where their future may lay.
And things aren’t all that easy for Sarah too, as turning 40 makes her anxious and makes her feel like she is missing something from her life. But what is it?
While planning a perfect wedding and gathering family and friends in a vineyard in Tuscany, there are big questions waiting for an answer, and rather sooner than later, as the sisters’ future depends on it. 

Oh oh oh, how happy I was when I started reading this new story from this amazing author. And having both Cat and Sarah as main protagonists, was just the cherry on top of the cake!
It may not come as a big surprise, but I absolutely adored them in their own story. But having them now together, at the same time, was just wonderful! 

I loved reading how Cat and Sarah may be very different, but also so very much alike! And I was amazed at how despite the miles separating them, their bond is just so strong and solid. They truly are not just sisters, but also the bestest friends you could imagine. 

Cat and Sarah are happy in their relationships, and things couldn’t be looking more brighter. Jean – Luc is just an amazing boyfriend, and the lengths he goes for Cat, well, can I get a Jean – Luc myself?
And Josh… while he may be younger than Cat, he is also the most understanding boyfriend Sarah could wish for… Can I get a Josh myself?
Oh wait, or can I get a perfect blend of Josh and Jean – Luc??? 

And seeing the real joy on both of the sisters as Cat is getting married, shows again how they wish the world for each other.
However… the author managed to put perfectly in words the doubts each sister is having.
Cat is doubting where she and jean – Luc should make a home. London is HER home, but she also understands that Paris is HIS home… how can a compromise be found when their dreams are set in different place? 

And Sarah… I could understand how the turning 40 was making her anxious. I felt somehow the same way when I turned thirty…
I felt for her, as she knew that something was missing in her life, but Sarah couldn’t grasp what that exactly was.
And seeing how that put a strain on her relationship with Josh, while Josh was the things she is the most certain of. 

Now, obviously this author wouldn’t write a story that is only filled with sad bits. Because I also had the best of times while reading.
Seeing the sisters back together warmed my heart, and seeing their friends reunited too!
Love sparks from all the pages, as we know that both couples are built to last, despite the doubts and possible signs from the universe (which are totally bonkers!).

Whatever setback is being encountered, nothing cannot be overcome, and joined forces are building a strong team!
Even the most despicable sister – in – law cannot stop what has been written in the stars! 

Sisters, friends and family all back together was just perfect, add a wonderful setting in Italy (totally not biased as an Italian here!) and the great writing skills of an author I absolutely adore, turned this story in an amazing book. I felt like I was part of the family, being in Tuscany myself, but also finding myself sometimes blush over the heated moments showing the passion the couples still have for each other!

A crime never comes alone…

Synopsis

One unexplained disappearance is strange, but two are sinister.

In Lower Hembrow, an idyllic village nestled beneath Ham Hill in Somerset, the villagers are preparing to enjoy the autumn traditions of the rural English countryside until Joe Trevillion, a curmudgeonly local farmer and the father of six children, vanishes.

When Adam Hennessy, the ex-detective proprietor of The Plough, the village’s popular Inn, investigates, he finds ominous undercurrents beneath apparently harmless rumour and gossip.

Meanwhile, a vicious campaign of vindictiveness forces Adam and his three amateur sleuth friends to dig deep into the secret lives of their neighbours to expose the source of a cruel vendetta and prevent another death.

As they uncover the disturbing truth, the friends learn they must also lay their own past lives to rest before they can hope to make their dreams for the future come true.

My review

Everyone is ready to celebrate the Harvest Festival in Lower Hembrow. Imogen is adamant that this event will go without the extra ‘surprise’ as happened the last few events.
But no such luck, as Joe Trevillion, a local farmer and a father of six, disappears…
As the local forces don’t see an actual crim, with the help of former detective and current proprietor of The Plough Adam Hennessy, Imogen tries to figure out where Joe went.
But finding out the truth may seem harder than thought as the villagers are all ready to tell all the gossip and rumours about Joe.
However, not only Joe’s disappearance is troubling Imogen, as doubts around her own relationship with Dan, even at their second chance at love, isn’t going all that well.
And when weird things appear to happen to Dan too, the four sleuth friends (Steph included) need to dig out the whole truth try to prevent things to get even worse.

Whenever I am reading a story, never mind the genre, I always am looking for the happy moments for the main characters.
And how things ended in the previous book of this series, things were definitely looking good for our main characters.
So yes, I was happy to return to the village in Somerset, to see what the next adventure would be for our sleuthing team! 

And luckily for us, but not for the village, this time there is a mysterious disappearance to be investigated.  
What I like about this team, is how they all have their own forces, but it’s by joining their forces, they unravel the truth.
Even if the disappearance may not be a high priority for the actual forces, when things escalate, it’s thanks to Imogen and Adam that the mystery gets solved. 

In this third chapter, there is also more focus on the entwined relationships. And seeing how Adam and Steph are getting more and more in sync was just lovely to read.
But on the other hand, seeing how Imogen and Dan seem to appear to be reaching the end of their story, broke my heart a bit.
While I wanted this couple to last, I understood how they got to this point. And even when a new appearance may be the final nail on the coffin, I still kept hoping for the best, because as a reader we knew more intel.
However, it was great to see how in times of need, everyone just was there, offering help and support, no matter how awkward things got before. 

This was again a great, cosy mystery to read, and showing that my sleuthing abilities are close to those of our main characters.
I loved to get to know all the main characters even better, learning about pasts that scarred some, making them even more real in my eyes, as sometimes in books the past of a main character doesn’t matter and doesn’t affect the present and the future.
Here the author shows us that the past made us who we are now, with all our fears and scars.
But even if things get too heated, we can get all the answers and closure that we need, and dare to show our true emotions and intentions.

When you lose, how do you get up again?

Synopsis

When Lily’s husband dies, she moves to the edge of a tiny village, settling into a solitary life, her only real company her brother and his family. A quiet life becomes her safe space, with no risk of getting hurt.

When her brother offers her spare room to his oldest friend, Jack, Lily’s reluctant – but knowing how much she owes her family, can’t say no. 

A lodger takes some getting used to but to her surprise, Lily begins to enjoy Jack’s company. Slowly but surely, Jack encourages Lily to step outside her comfort zone. 

But taking risks means facing the consequences, and telling people how she really feels, means Lily might have to face losing them. But as the saying goes – you only live once – and being brave could mean Lily gets a second chance at love…

My review

Lily never expected to be a widow so soon and in so a tragic way. Having loved and lost, made her change her life into a solitary one. She lives now in a tiny village, close to her brother and his family as her only company.
So when her brother needs her help, as letting stay his best friend in her spare bedroom, it’s clear that Lily isn’t all too happy.
But with Jack’s presence in the house, Lily slowly learns to step outside and out of her comfort zone. And enjoys Jack’s presence…
However, can Lily find the courage to open her heart again, and not let her fear of losing again to take the upper hand? Because in the end, you only live once… 

There are some authors that you know you will immediately like, even if you haven’t read one single word of their latest book.
And Maxine Morrey is one of them! 

It’s obvious that Lily is a sad, lonely character and I mean this in the literal sense, she IS sad and lonely. We feel how she is still grieving over losing her beloved husband. And I could also understand how she kept to herself and didn’t wish to socialise and pretend everything was okay, when it obviously still isn’t.
But we also see the amazing Lily, as a sister, a sister – in – law and great aunty to her brother’s kids!
And she knows how much she has to thank her brother for, so if repaying him somehow means allowing Jack, her former crush, to stay in her spare bedroom, how can she say ‘no’? 

I absolutely adored reading how Lily and Jack are living at the same place. Reading their banter, their stubbornness but also being there for each other was just so amazing.
Jack may be part of the higher society, but he want nothing to do with it. In fact, he couldn’t be more normal!
He helps Lily, not because of duty or sense of obligation, but because he is just that kind of good guy.
And how he gently pushes Lily out of her cocoon, sometimes doing it the right way, but also messing up, made my heart melt. 

This isn’t a story about a maid in distress and a knight in shining armour, but I felt it more like equal distress and equal helping hands. And obviously mutual attraction but trying not to give in.
As a reader, we know that there will come a moment where resisting is impossible, and when it FINALLY happened, even if the author skipped the whole build – up and leaving us using our own imagination, I think I was as happy as the main characters! 

While I wanted Lily to make a quicker move, I could also perfectly understand her. There isn’t a timeline on how long grief takes, this is different for each person. And while frustrating for me, I could also comprehend why she was afraid to get closer to Jack. She barely survived losing her husband and if she has to go through it all again, I could see that it would truly break her.
But should we truly let fear let us miss out on the best thing in life, love? 

During this book, I went through a rollercoaster of emotions. It made me happy, made me swoon, made me sad, made me angry, made me frustrated but also made me understand even better how grief and fear can change a person into only a shadow of how she/he was before.
But it also showed me that no matter how much someone suffered, or was afraid, for having the right person by your side it’s always worth of taking that terrifying step and turn into the glorious you again.

A surprise wedding, wonderful right?

Synopsis

Some people are romantics. Some aren’t. When Sophie and Maddie are summoned to a mysterious, top-secret meeting by their best friend Kate’s partner, and told that he’s planning to whisk Kate away for a surprise wedding in Gibraltar, it’s immediately clear that bubbly florist Sophie is a total romantic. And that freewheeling, purple-haired Maddie is not.

Soon, Maddie finds herself reluctantly organising venues, planners and ceremonies; trying not to think of her own memories of Andalucia, and those she’s lost touch with there. Meanwhile Sophie’s hoping this dreamy gesture might spur on her own boyfriend to similar plans . . . and absolutely notthinking at all about Kate’s gorgeous brother-in-law-to-be.

But Kate’s got no idea what’s going on. And as the stress piles up and the group jet off to the sunny south, it seems it’s not just Kate who might get a surprise in Spain – one that could change everything . . .

My review

Kate is looking forward to her holiday in June in Spain. But what Kate doesn’t know, is that her boyfriend is not only planning to propose to her, but to actually marry her there!
Obviously Steve needs help, and who better than Kate’s best friends are perfect for the job. While Sophie is a romantic at heart and swoons by this idea, Maddie isn’t a big fan of it. And Steve adds his brother Josh in the equation as his best man.
But how can you prepare a wedding without the bride’s input? And will the result be just what Kate likes? But more important, will Kate accept Steve’s proposal? And how will these stressful months affect the organisers? Will there be an ‘I do’ in the end or not? 

Obviously, in my opinion, is a secret wedding surprise a terrible idea. No matter how good my best friends and fiancé knows me, I will always want to have my own say in it, put somewhere something that is just typical *me*.
And then I’m not talking about the dress, flowers, food, locations etc.
So as far as I could see, this would be indeed a wedding disaster! 

However…
I loved reading how Sophie and Maddie were doing everything they could to get everything perfect, together with Steve and Josh.
And trying to keep it a big secret, making up lies down the line was funny to read as it was just getting sometimes over the top. 

I found it also funny to read how the organizers were trying to get the information out of Kate without being too obvious about it.

But even if it was all about the wedding, for me it was about the friendship between the three women. Because no matter how different Kate, Sophie and Maddie are, they are a close unit, they would do anything for each other, even putting on a dress as a bridesmaid! 

Of course, there is romance in this story, and it’s not only about Kate and Steve. And I will not talk too much about how things are going, but it was nice to read how emotions and affections can shift during a couple of months.
And how our own perceptiveness can fool us and won’t allow us to see what is obvious… 

This was a funny, sweet, lovely story to read, about what we would do for our loved ones, but also how sometimes things don’t go 100% as expected.
But the love, in all the aspects, just sparks of the pages!

What prevails, nature or nurture?

Synopsis

Maggie Pink is a lot of things to a lot of people, but does she know who she really is?

Maggie is a mother to a stroppy teenager, a wife to a befuddled husband, and a daughter to two very different women. She has always known she’s adopted, but has she ever understood what that means? Not really.

Following the death of her mother, Maggie finally feels able to go in search of her birth mother Morag, and heads to the Highlands of Scotland with her disgruntled daughter Roxie in tow, leaving her crumbling marriage to worry about another day.

The family reunion is bittersweet, but everything is blown wide open when Roxie unearths Morag’s explosive teenage diaries. Why did Morag give Maggie away? What really happened all those years ago, and how have the echoes of the past resounded through the generations, like ripples in a puddle?

And when all the secrets and promises are out in the open, will Maggie finally have an answer to the question – who do you think you are Maggie Pink?

My review

Now that her mother has died, Maggie Pink is looking for her biological mother. She always knew that she was adopted as a baby, but until now never wanted to know more about it.
Looking for her biological parents before seemed unfair to her adoptive parents, because they truly loved her.
But now, Maggie finally finds the courage to find out more about her birth mother Morag. So she head up with her reluctant teenage daughter Roxie to the Highlands of Scotland, and leaving the worries of her failed marriage home.
Finding her family and roots is bittersweet, especially when Morag’s diaries are found and the truth about her pregnancy is revealed.
Slowly Maggie is finding answers to her questions, but will she also find an answer to the most important one, who she truly is? 

When reading a book about the main character being adopted, it’s easy to have prejudices. But how can we have an opinion about something when we don’t have all the information? 

What I loved about this story, is that it isn’t a sad story. Maggie was loved by her parents, even if they weren’t always on the same page about things.
And I appreciated how Maggie knew that she was adopted and out of respect for the people who raised her, didn’t have the need to find more about her biological parents. 

But while she was being truly loved by her adoptive family, her own family appears to be falling apart.
And while initially the reason of it isn’t clear, slowly we see the tragedy her family had to endure and how it changed not only Maggie but the dynamic of the family. 

Morag’s story was difficult to read, because slowly we get to know her better. Reading that getting pregnant as a young teenager and not getting the needed support from everyone, was heart – breaking.
We learn that giving Maggie away was the hardest thing Morag ever did and it scarred her…
But I found it lovely to see how Morag still kept the hope that Maggie would find her again. 

This story is about four generations of women, facing difficulties in their lives. We have the mother of Morag, who may seem like a dragon, but her own tale is also a sad one. And while I wanted to despise her, her own truth made me feel with her.
We have Morag, forced to give up Maggie, is heart – broken, lost but hopeful that the wrong will be undone.
There is Maddie, trying to find out about her family, finding out who she is while grieving over her own tragedy.
And then Roxie, a teenager who wishes that her parents get back together but has to learn that not always everything is what it seems. 

While there are so many other things happening, and many other side characters appears and you love immediately, the feeling of hope and longing emerged above every other feeling.
And reading how Maggie suddenly discovers that nurture made her the woman she is now, nature also had an input in making her the Maggie Pink she is now, was a lovely discovery as a reader too.
Because we may never underestimate the love and care we receive from our parents, whether biological or adoptive…