Moving to The Big Apple, a dream coming true… or not?

Synopsis

When her husband David announces he’s been offered a job in New York, Saoirse is thrilled. The glamour of the big city, the shopping, the culture, not to mention the free Manhattan apartment and business class air fare – what’s not to like? There’s just the small matter of making it work for their daughter, five-year-old Anna, who isn’t so keen to leave her friends and school behind.

The Big Apple in the middle of summer isn’t quite the holiday Saoirse envisaged, and with David away with work, New York apartment sizes on the miniscule side, and the pace of life faster than the sleepy London suburbs, solo ex-pat parenting pushes Saoirse to her limits. 

And as the pressure builds and ‘faking it till she makes it’ isn’t cutting it, there’s only one thing for it – Saoirse and Anna need a new plan, and ‘Winging It’ might be their best option…

Emma Murray returns with this laugh-out-loud funny, compulsively page-turning adventure about parenting, travelling, and finding your tribe – on both sides of the pond.

My review

Saoirse is over the moon that her husband David has been finally offered a new job. And not just any job, but a job in New York! Doesn’t everyone dream of living in New York, with all that glamour, shopping, famous places to visit? And even if their five – year – old Anna is sad for leaving her friends and school behind, she shows how flexible she is and sees the move as a big adventure.
But quickly Saoirse realizes that their move isn’t exactly how she envisioned their year in New York. Not only is their apartment way too small for the three of them, the pace New York works, is too fast for Saoirse to keep up. And so Saoirse feels herself abandoned in the Big Apple, with no friends around, and David being away with work, and her limits are quickly being reached.
Saoirse knows that this is the opportunity of a lifetime for David, but just faking it for a whole year suddenly seems an impossible mission…

What I like about the books from this author, is that the story she tells, is always genuine.
And again with the next chapter in Saoirse’s life, it’s not a wonderful adventure we set to. But it’s filled with everything that normal people like us would encounter.

I think that most of us, when we think about living in New York, we see that perfect life in front of us. We imagine walking in Central Park, walking into famous shops and have some crazy moments in there.
And that is also a bit what Saoirse imagines her stay there.
But the truth is the total opposite…

Ooh how I pitied Saoirse… Being stuck in a too small apartment, sharing beds with Anna, a concierge who should learn about customer service and the list is endless…
However, how bad her own situation is, I admired her determination, because she knows that this is David’s moment. And she knows how hard he is working and doesn’t want to add extra stress.
But how far can someone keep up the pretence without crashing completely?

So I was very happy that with a little help from her friends, she finally finds a new place, more like her own place in London, where the too fast pace of New York is not existing.
and the funny thing is, no matter where you are, London, New York or Chakamaka (in case this is a word only used in Belgium, it’s a non – existing, far place), life is everywhere the same. Everywhere you go, you have like – minded people, you have obnoxious people and you have people – pleasers, like Saoirse.

Yes, of course, I had many laughs during my reading session and I didn’t expect anything less as I have already read the previous parts (but you can read this as a standalone, but why would you only read one when you can read more???).
But there were some serious twists that I didn’t see coming at all, but then twist after twist they were marvellous!

I loved reading about the real issues a move can bring, and the struggles someone has when you cannot acclimatize in a whole different lifestyle. But this story is also filled with determination, good intentions, love and friendship.
A real treat to read!

What will the return of an old friend mean?

Synopsis

Ella Welford’s done with love. After having her fingers burnt, she’s been resolutely single for the last year and has sworn to stay that way.

Joss Campion’s still reeling from a messy divorce and has vowed never to open his heart to love again.

Growing up in the picturesque village of Lytell Stangdale, with the North Yorkshire Moors as their playground, Joss and Ella were best friends. The pair were inseparable.

Until the day something happened to ruin their friendship and Joss moved away.

An urgent telephone call summons Joss back to the village. His father’s been rushed to hospital and he’s needed to run the farm. When he returns, with his loyal canine companion, Sid, in tow, it isn’t long before he realises things aren’t as they seem. Why is his brother, Rich, being so evasive? And why does he get the impression the farm’s in trouble?

Teaching Assistant, Ella, has just broken up for the Christmas holidays and is looking forward to spending more time on her parents’ farm, tending her variety of rescue animals and recharging her batteries.

It isn’t long before the pair run into one another and sparks of attraction begin to fly – not that either of them will admit to it. But, just before Christmas, they find themselves thrown together in an unexpected turn of events as a fierce snow blizzard rages around them.

Could this be the moment that changes everything? Or is their past too big to ignore?

One thing’s for certain, life’s never dull in this little corner of the North Yorkshire Moors.

Join Ella and Joss – and all the usual Lytell Stangdalecharacters – for a heartwarming festive read.

My review

Teaching Assistant Ella Welford is happy that the Christmas Holidays means that she doesn’t have to go to school, and can put all her love into helping on her parents’ farm and tending the variety of rescue animals.
And even if everyone is asking her about her love life, she is a happy single, after her last relationship, and determined to stay single.
But then suddenly Joss Campion returns in town… Joss and Ella used to be best friends, and just did everything together, until one day something happened that changed everything and Joss moved away…
Now Joss is forced to return with his adorable dog Sid as his father has been rushed to the hospital and needs help. Not only his father needs help, but also the farm and his brother Rich isn’t a real help.
The only silver lining is that Joss and Ella quickly rekindle their friendship. And even if they both aren’t admitting it, sparks fly around…

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Lytell Stangdale and its inhabitants!!! So returning there, and for another Christmas story, made me very very happy!
Beside the love for this cute little village, I ADORED Ella and Joss!

Ella is just the perfect girl next door, with a kind heart and not only for her friends and family. The lengths she goes for the children at school, no matter how difficult they can be, and her readiness to help animals anyway she can, how can you not like Ella?
She is also a great friend, as will be clear how she behaves with Portia. Even when something happens that breaks her heart, but makes her friend happy, she puts her own feelings aside.
And when a certain feeling evolves, she cannot shake off that feeling of guilt towards her friend…

And Joss… even if most of the time I loved him, sometimes he made me also very very angry!
Initially we don’t know what happened in the past to make him move away, or what happened between Joss and Ella.
And first I thought that something really really really bad happened between the friends, but I was happy that my wicked mind was very wrong! Okay, it changed everything, but what Joss did, wasn’t as terrible as I thought.
But his tale about his move and the strained relationship with his father broke my heart. Especially when the truth comes out…
The angriness from my side came when Joss acted typical as a male, thinking with his lower regions and not with his heart and head. Because of course as a reader we want a certain ending and him doing the opposite made it difficult!

However, seeing these former best friends finding each other again, and reading how that companionship of the past was so easily back, truly warmed my heart.
And I laughed at the way they both try to resist the obvious!
Somehow, the community also made me a bit jealous, because no one hesitates when helping hands are needed, and everyone does whatever he/she can. Just a perfect place to live! And even when injustice is being uncovered, the kind hearts of those with the correct sense of right and wrong, beside the anger, it made me feel happy and proud as it didn’t become an act of ‘ an eye for an eye’.

This was a lovely story to read, bringing me back to a wonderful community, with new and old friends.
It shows us also that the past isn’t always in the past, and that mistakes can be redeemed. And forgiveness can be given, no matter how much time has passed.
But most important, feelings come also when you least expect it, even towards people you least expect it. However, how scary it may be to give in to these feelings, fear (and the past)  shouldn’t be holding you back, because what you gain instead, is so much more rewarding!

The author managed again to write a captivating story about lovely people with a shared past, and a past that changed them. And this all around the Christmas period. Is there truly something else you need to grab this book and enjoy every beautiful bit of it???

Well, I know what I will read in a not so far future!

Synopsis

A haunting Anglo-Saxon time-slip of mystery and romance

Can echoes of the past threaten the present? They are 1500 years apart, but can they reach out to each other across the centuries? One woman faces a traumatic truth in the present day. The other is forced to marry the man she hates as the ‘dark ages’ unfold.

How can Dr Viv DuLac, medievalist and academic, unlock the secrets of the past? Traumatised by betrayal, she slips into 499 AD and into the body of Lady Vivianne, who is also battling treachery. Viv must uncover the mystery of the key that she unwittingly brings back with her to the present day, as echoes of the past resonate through time. But little does Viv realise just how much both their lives across the centuries will become so intertwined. And in the end, how can they help each other across the ages without changing the course of history?

For fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Courtenay.

“In the best Barbara Erskine tradition …I would highly recommend this novel” -Historical Novel Society

“Amazing …a really great book …I just couldn’t put it down” -Hazel Morgan

“Well-rounded characters and a wealth of historical research make this a real page-turner” -Amazon review

“Enthralling” -Amazon review

“Julia does an incredible job of setting up the idea of time-shift so that it’s believable and makes sense”  – Amazon review

“Viv/Lady Vivianne … lovely identifiable heroine in both time periods….I love her strength and vulnerability. And Rory/Roland is simply gorgeous!” – Melissa Morgan

“gripping … a very real sense of threat and danger, an enthralling mystery … a wholly convincing romance, across both timelines” – Anne Williams

Purchase Links

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shape-Air-haunting-Anglo-Saxon-time-slip-ebook/dp/B09J43ZKZP

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Air-haunting-Anglo-Saxon-time-slip-ebook/dp/B09J43ZKZP

About the author

Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and the concept of time. She sees her author brand as a historical fiction writer of romantic mysteries that are evocative of time and place, well-researched and uplifting page-turners. Her current series focuses on early medieval time-slip/dual-time mysteries. Julia read English at Keele University, England, specialising in medieval language/ literature/ history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. After a turbulent time in Ghana, West Africa, she became a school teacher, then a university academic and researcher. Her break as an author came soon after she joined the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme in 2015, with a three-book deal from Lume Books (Endeavour) for a trilogy (Drumbeats) set in Ghana in the 1960s. She has published three other books, including A Shape on the Air, an Anglo-Saxon timeslip mystery, and its two sequels The Dragon Tree and The Rune Stone. Her work in progress is the first of a new series of Anglo-Saxon mysteries (Daughter of Mercia) where echoes of the past resonate across the centuries. Her books will appeal to fans of Barbara Erskine, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanna Kearsley, and Christina Courtenay. Her readers say: ‘Julia’s books captured my imagination’, ‘beautiful story-telling’, ‘evocative and well-paced storylines’, ‘brilliant and fascinating’ and ‘I just couldn’t put it down’.

Two friends, a gaming hell, and an unforgettable Christmas

Synopsis

GAMING HELL CHRISTMAS – VOLUME 1: Mysteries abound at the newest Hell in town.

A Gift for the Duke’s Illegitimate Daughter – Kathy L Wheeler

Miss Alexandra Blessing, the Duke of Winsome’s illegitimate daughter longs for anonymity and a home of her own where her younger half-siblings don’t commandeer every moment of her day. Escape is imminent—right after her family’s annual Christmas fete.

But Alexandra is missing from the ball, and Theodore Millburn must find her before he loses something important: his chance for love.

The Merry Widow’s Christmas Adventure – Amanda McCabe

Annabelle, Lady Ranstruther, after a year of lonely widowhood is ready for new love—and she knows exactly who she wants—her wild friend, the gorgeous William, Lord Deansley. She fears he doesn’t want her, until they meet again at the exclusive, discreet gaming hell la Sous Rose, at Christmas.

Will it mean a future of love—or the end of all her dreams?

“Miss McCabe’s talent for lively characters and witty dialogue is always a winning combination.” ~ Romantic Times Reviews

My review

A Gift For The Duke’s Illegitimate Daughter – Kathy L. Wheeler

Alexandra Blessing is the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Winsome. However, despite society’s standards, she has been accepted by her father, and even better, she is living with him and his wife and half – siblings. But privacy and her own place is something Alex really longs for, especially when her younger half – siblings need her every time of the day.
When one night, she goes with her best friends to a masked gaming hell, she doesn’t know that meeting Theodore Millburn will change her whole life and everything she thought to know…

The Merry Widow’s Christmas Adventure – Amanda McCabe

Now that Annabelle, Lady Ranstruther, has been a widow for a year, she is ready to take of the cloak of mourning.
But putting her loveless marriage behind her is easier said than done, as her stepson keeps harassing her, threatening her to take everything from her.
And then there is her handsome neighbour William, Lord Deansley. She has always found him very attracted but never gave into temptation. Now that she is a single woman again, could William have the same feelings as her? According their meeting at the exclusive gaming Hell La Sous Rose, he surely does!

What I loved about these two stories, is that the female characters are very good friends since childhood. They have each other’s back no matter what and understand each other with just one look.
And I also appreciated that even if these are two different tales, they take place at the same time and we get to see occasionally the same event through different eyes.

Maybe Alex’ story was the most surprising one. First of all, I found it very sweet to see how Alex, despite her being illegitimate, has been truly accepted by her family and isn’t being treated less compared to her siblings. Also her stepmother truly loves her as her own.

I thought it would be a ‘simple’ story, where two people fall in love, and after fighting shortly against all odds, they get their happily ever after.
And yes, Alex and Theodore quickly have a passionate encounter and feelings are growing rather fast.

But there are also a few mysteries that our main characters are not aware of. As a reader, you have a hunch about what is going on, but that didn’t spoil reading for me at all!

(Anna)belle’s story was a shorter one compared to Alex’. And while I understood that there was already some history between her and William, I would have loved to see just a bit more!

Belle knows what/who she wants, but she also wants to enjoy her freedom, now that she finally can do as she pleases.
And that was something I understood so well, seeing how young she was when she got married. But of course, when love is involved…

In her tale there is not that much of a mystery going on, rather a bully who doesn’t want Belle to enjoy life as earned.
But when William appears as a knight in shining armour, I liked the man even more than I already did!

I enjoyed reading about these two women, wanting their own freedom, finding love ‘despite’ their status in society.
The friendship between these women, and their other friends, was something to be jealous of, because it stands the test of time, even if all the women couldn’t be more different.

The other friends made me also very curious for their tale and I am also very intrigued and want to know who the mysterious Lady X is!

A marriage of convenience and pity, that could never work…

Synopsis

An imperfect proposal…

But a perfect match?

Major James Rossington, Viscount Austerfield, survived Waterloo, but can he survive the Season as London’s most eligible bachelor? Convinced his battle scars make him unlovable, and to escape Society’s matchmakers, Ross proposes a wedding in name only to shy, sensible Carenza Bettridge. Liberated from her cruel stepmother and bullying half-sisters, she blossoms into a confident, altogether desirable woman. He promised Carenza a convenient marriage, but inconveniently finds himself wanting more…

My review

Carenza Bettridge absolutely adores her father and doesn’t hesitate to look after him. unfortunately, her stepmother and half-sisters aren’t applying the same kindness that Carenza is known for. On the contrary, her stepmother is cruel and her sisters bully her. Cinderella was treated like a queen compared to the things Carenza had to endure!
When Major James Rossington, Viscount Austerfield, also known as Ross, returns from Waterloo, he is the most eligible bachelor. But even while the unmarried ladies flirt with him and he is victim of his sister’s matchmaking skills, he knows that people are terrified and horrified of his scars.
So while her stepmother wants one of her own daughters to be the one to get married to Ross, it is Carenza that received the proposal. However, it is a proposal for a wedding in name only, as for Ross it will make him unavailable for more matchmaking, and after seeing how Carenza is treated, a way to escape her stepmother.
But Ross doesn’t expect to see Carenza blossom into a confident and caring woman. Maybe the marriage will become a real one?

I am one of those women that even at the age of 35, truly enjoy a good fairy tale. And with this title, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity reading this book!

But I have to say, the way Carenza is treated by her family, with excepting of her lovely father of course, gave me the shivers. There are so many examples in the world where new families are created, and people love each other, no matter if blood – related or not.
However, in a different era, things may be different, and if the characters were all kind to Carenza, we would have a complete different story.

Despite her stepmother and her sisters, Carenza remains that kind person, not fighting back. And not because she doesn’t mind the bullying, but because she knows how that would affect her father. so for his sake, she keeps enduring all the nasty nudges…

I loved reading how Carenza shows her true self after being ‘saved’ by Ross. After years being seen as a just a maid, she now can be the real Carenza. And obviously, she remains the same kind Carenza as before, but now she won’t hesitate to stand her ground, become more confident and trust her own gut.

Talking about Ross… being a Major, makes it obvious he is a courageous man. He admits himself that he loved his years in the army, and he was reluctant of become a Viscount, after losing his beloved brother. And his scars don’t make things easier for him. and seeing how there are predatory women flying around him, pretending to like him and not being disgusted by him scars, made it understandable why he proposed to Carenza.

I found it very sweet to see how, once married, these two lovely people started getting closer. But it also broke my heart seeing how the war had not only scarred Ross on the outside but also on the inside. But on the other hand, it warmed my heart to see how Carenza kept on showing him that she isn’t bothered by it.

This story may look like the fairy-tale at first glance, but while reading the comparison totally dissolved. This was a book about two people who deserve the world, but the world hasn’t treated them very kindly. Both characters are facing the reality that not all people are as kind and gentle and honest as themselves.
But when you find a kindred spirit, who wants to give you the world, it doesn’t matter how nasty some bits of the world can be.

I loved reading this book, not because the rather predictable ending, but because of how the characters find each other, and find a way to help each other out.
It shows us that love can cure a lot, and with the right people, friends and family, everyone can get that fairy-tale happy end, even when you thought it would never happen to you.

A second chance for two broken souls?

Synopsis

An unforgettable Greek escape…with the man she never forgot! 

A-list actress Catherine Wilde has it all, but behind closed doors she is fighting personal battles. So the chance to escape to the private Greek island of her best friend’s brother, Alaric, offers the tranquility she craves. Except seeing Alaric again sets her heart rate soaring. Life might have changed him, but he can still make her feel alive—and when the torch she once held for him reignites, it’s impossible to ignore!

My review

Catherine Wilde is known to the world as Kitty Wilde, A-list actress. But when she isn’t standing in front of the cameras, she now is facing the most difficult time she ever had.
She needs to find some peace again, and what better way to find that tranquillity again on a private Greek island, owned by her best friend’s brother, Alaric.
But even if seeing Alaric ignites something in Catherine, Alaric is doing his best to avoid her. Because Alaric is not only scarred on the inside, but also on the outside. And all he wants is to be left alone.
However, maybe being back together, on a remote island, is what they both need to feel alive again?

When the weather outside is dreadful, dark, rainy and cold, a story about second chances on a wonderful island, written by the amazing Rachael Stewart surely cheers me up!
And reading about someone famous, being rather normal and having ‘normal’, human feelings, also easily warms my heart!

Catherine is known all over the world, because she is an amazing actress. But the life of an actress is not an easy one. Not only is she standing all the time in the spotlight, but everything that happens to her, the good and the bad, it’s written everywhere and not always things are described as what truly happened.
And after what happened to her, wanting her to escape everything, trying to cope with her feelings of guilt, made me see her from another perspective.
The lives of the famous ones aren’t always filled with glitter and glam, and reading also what Catherine had to endure, even at a younger age, go get he where she is now, was a real eye – opener, but also a tale that made my heart break…
Catherine is carrying a feeling of guilt that not is justified, but it’s always easier for an outsider to make that realization…

And talking about guilt… Alaric surely knows what it means to carry that heavy burden. Because of one event, his whole life got turned upside down, and not only. His action had consequences for people he truly cared about, and he cannot face them anymore.
Also in his case, I understood his desire to disappear, but I didn’t agree with it.
From what we understand, Alaric was a real handsome, and talented man. But now he is scarred, and he believes that because of what happened in the past, he cannot create the same talented paintings/drawings as before.

Rachael Stewart managed perfectly, as I am used from her, to grasp the pain both our main characters have to endure.
But she also managed perfectly to show us those shimmers of hope and new beginnings. What starts as a ‘just one night only’ or ‘giving in into those feelings of lust’, is obviously changing into the realization that old feelings can resurface. And that meeting an old flame can make you feel alive again and understand that those feelings of guilt aren’t always justified.
Love always finds a way, no matter how hard you resist, and that love makes all the scars, inside and outside disappear.

A beautiful tale about second chances, broken people, a beautiful grand gesture, written by an author that succeeded my high expectations and delivered exactly what I needed on a droopy day!

Giveaway

And try a shot at this amazing giveaway:

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Ghosts, suspicious white vans, Christmas and… maybe love?

Synopsis

The chance to spend a night ghost-hunting alone with Hudson Holmes at Brambleberry Manor seems like a dream come true for Ruby Watkiss. Maybe, she thinks, this is their chance to get closer? But when mysterious goings-on start happening which have nothing to do with the spirit world, the pair are catapulted off on another sleuthing adventure. And as the snow starts to fall and emotions are rising at the Little Duck Pond Cafe, Ruby is faced with a double challenge. Can she be braver than she’s ever been, in order to rescue something very close to her heart? And can she convince Hudson that Christmas really can be the most wonderful time of the year?

My review

Ruby Watkiss enjoys having sleuthing adventures with her friend Hudson Holmes. So when there is an opportunity to do some ghost- hunting at Brambleberry Manor, Ruby grabs this chance with both hands. Because not only can they debunk the myth, but maybe it’s also a chance of finally getting closer.
And when white vans starts to appear, and a rescue mission is required, Ruby and Hudson join again forces for a hopefully positive outcome right before Christmas.
Beside the sleuthing, can Ruby convince her friend that Christmas *is* the most wonderful time of the year? And will she find the courage to admit her feelings?

I am rather late with reading the Little Duck Pond Café series, and it’s a long list to catch up with everything that happened in the previous, first books.
But even if I missed out (SHAME ON ME!!!) I totally fell in love with the books I’ve read so far.
And I absolutely adore Ruby and Hudson!

This series in a series is the perfect combination of mystery and romance. Of course, our power couple aren’t facing world threatening mysteries, but mysteries they are still!
These mysteries aren’t those of the kind where the readers know immediately what’s going on, but they take us together with the main characters on a sleuthing adventure!

And then the romance… *triple swoon*!

Both Ruby and Hudson are wonderful characters, and from the first book I wanted them to get together. But of course, when there is a bond of friendship and feelings start to change, it takes a lot of courage to admit these feelings.
And there are so many doubts for Ruby: Does Hudson feel the same? Will this ruin the great friendship? Is it all worth it?

I loved reading this new chapter and I had several times where my heart melted (not all of them involved Ruby and Hudson), but also a few times where my heart broke (again, not all of them involved Ruby and Hudson) and this combined with several gasps of fear (even a few ghostly gasps!).

The author managed again to write a lovely story that you will read in just one session. It’s a Cristmassy story, about showing the real beauty of this holiday, about strong feelings and finding the courage to take the risk, all with a touch of mystery, both real and supernatural (or not?).

And for me personal, the ending was even better than I expected it to be! Not only about how things went for our main characters, but also how our ghost story ends. And instead of giving me the extra chills, it made me feel extra warm inside!

On a TV dating show, how do you know what’s real?

Synopsis

Toni Spielman and Will Thomas have no plans to date — anyone — but when fate throws them together on a TV dating show, they have to smile, pretend, and rethink their plans.

My review

After a devastating event, Toni decides to spend some time with her father Rick Scott, who own Scott Productions in England.
When after the contestants of one his most (in)famous shows, Could This be It?, have had their own catfight, Toni has to step in as a last minute entry.
And she finds herself paired up with Will, and they go together on a skiing trip, followed by camera’s, all for the show.
Even if both Toni and Will made up some answers and pretended to be someone else, they have a click and truly start to like each other.
But both of them are hiding things, and when those secrets are out, how will they know what was pretended and what was real? 

I always enjoyed reading a Rosie Dean, so I was very happy when  started to read this one.

But my happiness quickly evaporated when Toni has her dream quickly crushed…
Having that next step in a relationship is something many people dream of, and when in that same relationship you do not want the same thing, it’s hard. Especially when the inevitable thing happened to Toni, she didn’t have the much required support from her partner.
So yes, I understood why she took some time off and decided to go to her father, even if they don’t have the best relationship. 

It wouldn’t be for everyone, stepping into a TV show as back – up because your father asked you to, but that only shows that Toni truly cares for her dad, and doesn’t want him failing.
But I loved how she went off the script, even if she didn’t realize it, and didn’t pretend to be just someone else for ratings’ sake. 

And being matched with Will, things could be worse right?
As a reader we know what Will has been though in the past and what his current motivations are. So we *know* that he isn’t actually very happy with participating on a TV dating show but it’s just a means to an end.
What we get to know from Will as a person, is that he may be a bit impulsive, but he has the biggest heart you could ever imagine. 

Of course, both characters have their own agenda in this story, and seeing how they are trying to avoid discovery was very funny.
But most important, I found it lovely to see how two persons with their own broken hearts, find unexpectedly someone and see that broken hearts can be mended, no matter how fast or slows things going.

There is a clash, obviously when the truth comes out, but even then, the lovely personalities shine through. And the kindness shown during another devastating event, made my heart melt. 

I found this a wonderful, lovely read. It shows us the beauty of a blooming love, but also about how secrets, no matter how small they are, can make even the most loyal of us doubt about the real intentions.
But even when doubt clouds our vision, if it’s love, the dark clouds will disappear if you would only give it a chance…

How do you know when love is worth of risking the pain?

Synopsis

It’s winter at The Vineyard in Alsace, and wedding bells are in the air

How do you know when you’re ready for love?

Ellie Robinson has spent her life running from commitment following the breakdown of her parents’ marriage when she was young. She doesn’t believe in happy ever afters and the last thing she wants is to settle down in one place when she could be travelling the world.

Having moved from place to place throughout his childhood, Henri Weiss now calls the vineyard in Alsace home, and he loves the stability the vineyard and the people on it give him. While he enjoys travelling, it’s always good to come home again.

Following an extended travelling trip together, Ellie and Henri find their differences more marked than before, despite their love for each other being even stronger. Then a series of shocks in Ellie’s personal life throws things into turmoil, leaving Ellie unsure as to how to get everything she wants. And Henri facing the loss of the future he has dreamed of.

Can Ellie and Henri reconcile their very different desires and take a leap of faith on their love for each other? Will they get the happy ever after they’ve both been longing for?

Escape to The Vineyard in Alsace once again for this uplifting, romantic read and enjoy Christmas at Domaine des Montagnes.

My review

Ellie Robinson has the so – called travelling bug. Staying at just one place and settling down at one place is surely the last thing on her mind. And that is all thanks the divorce her parents went through when she was young.
But Henri Weiss, her boyfriend who she truly loves, enjoys the stability and security of living at the vineyard with his friends in Alsace. And he cannot wait to settle down definitely. Every time he goes away, he is more than happy to return home.
As both want different things, will their love be strong enough to find a compromise? And is their love enough to take that leap of faith, while both their lives are suddenly changing quickly, with Ellie receiving one shock after the other and Henri feels more alone than ever as his future may not be as secure as he thought.

Oh how I loved returning to the vineyard and see all my old friends again!!

But my feelings towards Ellie were shifting ones.
I understand how someone wants to see as much of the world as possible, don’t we all have that dream? But of course growing up, means also settling down, being together with the person you love and even start a family of your own.

So seeing how Ellie, just returned and already looking for a new place to go to, while she could have everything anyone would wish for, made me not really really like her… I found her a bit selfish, and perhaps even afraid of making a commitment. And not only a commitment with Henri, but also not wanting a commitment towards her friends and career-wise.

Of course there was more to her desire to wanting to have an escape, and the more was revealed about her past, and how the break – up of her parents made an impact on her feelings, a lot made sense now.
Seeing your parents breaking up, isn’t easy, but Ellie’s tale was even a worse one, because all what she thought was the truth, suddenly appeared to be untrue..

And while Ellie has her own struggles, Henri is also in limbo… he loves the stability that the vineyard gives him, but a bad harvest put the whole business in a bad situation. The one thing he needed the most, after losing his parents, a place he truly feels at home and welcome is now suddenly not a security anymore.
And while he is ready to definitely settle down and make a real commitment with Ellie, those feelings are not reciprocated, making him question if there is a future together in store for them.

This was not a story where it’s clear that love is enough. Because how perfect that sounds, life gets in the way. And events of the past have an influence of how you see things now. Both Ellie and Henri have been through difficult moments, and they reacted each differently, making them wish different things.

But what I loved about this story, was how both are determined to not give up on what they have together. Relationships is about finding a compromise, and Ellie slowly starts to see what a treasure she as with Henri and her friends at the vineyard. And that makes her wonder if she is ready for taking that leap of faith, hoping that love will be enough…
And of course it was great to see how the other couples are doing!

Discovering the true Spirit of Christmas (and not only that…)

Synopsis

From disco balls to Christmas baubles …

Ex-dancer Emily Williams turned her back on the sparkle of popular dancing show Strictly Dancing with Celebs to help those in need. Now the only dancing she does is teaching lonely pensioners to waltz, and the closest she gets to disco balls is making baubles with the homeless people in her Christmas crafts class.
She’s certainly not star-struck when Hollywood heart-throb Blake Harris is sent to her at short notice for community service, and has no desire to babysit the arrogant actor with his bad boy antics and selfish ways. Christmas might be a time for miracles, but Blake seems to be a lost cause.
But Emily’s reasons for abandoning her dancing passion means she understands the Hollywood wild child more than she’d like to admit. Could their time together, coupled with a dash of Christmas spirit, lead to a miracle change of heart for them both?

Book 3 in Helen’s Spotlight series but they can all be read as standalone stories.

My review

Emily Williams had a short appearance on dancing show Strictly Dancing With Celebs, and she loved every minute of it.
But she has turned her back on the world of dancing, and the only time she gives in to her passion, is when she is teaching the waltz at the community centre where she works.
So when Hollywood actor Blake Harris has to do community service, Emily surely is everything but star-struck.
Especially when Blake appears to do whatever he pleases, is never on time and whatever he does, has a selfish reason.
But what nobody knows, is that Emily understands Blake’s behaviour better than anyone else, because she left the dancing scene for a reason…
And maybe that is exactly what Blake needs, someone who truly understands him, without prejudice. And with the preparations for Christmas at the centre, maybe these two broken souls find each other to mend what has been broken…

When I read a story from this author, whether it’s Christmas or not, it’s always something magical…
The inner – Tiziana would love to stand in a ballroom and feel the thrill of dancing a waltz, salsa, rumba and I don’t know what else. But me being clumsy, it’s just something to dream about 😀

When we first meet Emily, she is starting her dance with her celebrity partner on Strictly Dancing With Celebs, but it’s obvious that her partner won’t be winning the final.
So when we see present – Emily, I was surprised seeing that her passion had been stored away and now she is working in a centre, helping those in need.
Of course it’s a noble thing she is doing, and she truly wants to make a difference, even if it’s on a smaller scale compared to the rest of her family.
But I couldn’t see what would have caused such a change of plans for her.

However, seeing Emily trying to help everyone at the centre, with limited resources, but with passion, was something I admired.
Not everyone can handle or behave correctly, without showing pity to those less fortunate.

I have to be honest, that’s the whole point of writing a review… for a big part of the story I did not like Blake.
He has issues, like so many, and when it’s time to pay for his mistakes, he doesn’t take his task serious. He arrives late, leaves early, and when he does something good, he makes sure it’s mentioned in the paper… And that is not the kind of people Emily and the other volunteers need at the centre.
But he redeems himself, because when I got to know where he is coming from, and he shows his true emotions, well, it made more sense.
And the more he shows the real Blake, the easier it was to like him and in the end he even stole my heart…

This was a wonderful story about people that made mistakes, but also are doing their bit to make the world a better place (wow, sounds rather melodramatic 🤣). Every one of us can make a difference, no matter how big or small it is. Not everyone is as lucky to have a comfortable life, and sometimes bad luck can strike us all.

It’s also a story about seeing behind the mask some of us carry, and even if we think that someone is not a nice person at all, we can be wrong, because we don’t know what caused to make that person behave in this particular way.
And just maybe, the real person is someone worth of falling in love with…