When your job is on the line…

Synopsis

Ruby Oldbridge needs to learn to take her own advice. 

A brilliant counsellor at work in York, she is however floundering in her own life. Her romantic track record is woeful, her finances are in a pickle, and she’s back in a house-share after splitting up with her useless ex.

But one thing Ruby is brilliant at, is helping other people find a way through their problems, and she excels at the job she loves, doing just that. 

Happy-go-lucky, Mr Positivity, Zac Drewe also loves his job – the trouble is, it’s the same as Ruby’s, and the management have decided to ‘rationalise’ their department. There’s only room for one of them.

As the snow and winter close in on York, Ruby and Zac have everything to lose, and Ruby starts to wonder if the happy face Zac shows the world, might be disguising a sadder secret. 

Set against one another, they are unlikely friends. But perhaps, if they could take the time to understand each other, they might discover that rather than rivals, they could be the best thing that ever happened to one another…

My review

Ruby is not in a very happy place. After splitting with her boyfriend, her finances aren’t that great and she finds herself sharing a house with others.
Luckily, she still has a job she is good in, and not unimportant, she is the only one at the firm being a counsellor, helping people to find the job of their dreams, and solving the problems they struggle with.
But when suddenly there is a merge planned, she has to fight for not losing her place to Zac Drewe, aka Mr. Positivity.
But Zac also is ready to fight for his place, because he also has a lot to lose if the job isn’t his…
However, in the dark months of winter, Zac shows how kind – hearted he truly is, and even if they are played against each other, a friendship is slowly being made.
And Ruby learns that Zac has his own demons to face. So in the end, who will keep the job? And what will be the consequences? 

I always know from the start that I will love reading a new story from this magnificent author.
So before I began, I made sure I was comfortable, wouldn’t be disturbed for a while and I let myself dream away with again an amazing story. 

While getting to know Ruby better, and knowing what she had endured in the past, I surely wanted her to keep the job. Not only did she lose the boyfriend (not that I wanted her to keep THAT boyfriend), but splitting up and losing the house and having debts all over, made sure she lost it a little bit.
And then you find yourself sharing your house with other people, isn’t surely a great step forward for anyone… 

But I have to say, even if I pitied Ruby, and for that reason only, she deserved to keep the job, she is actually really good at it! She truly understand the people she is seeing and is great at discovering what each of one actually dreams to do for a living. 

However, when Zac enters the story, and his reality is revealed, my heart just broke…
The lengths he goes for his beloved ones, is just admiring. Not many would do what he Is trying to do. And that left me just in awe of his character, especially because he tries to see the positive in just everything. Of course, knowing his situation made it an impossible choice whom should have the job. 

It would have been easy for the author to make this a story of real nemeses, not afraid of playing dirty and just keeping an eye on the prize.
But I loved how Ruby and Zac saw how they were being played and decided to put their heads together.
And then reading how their relation evolved, it made me just swoon all over the place!

The author also turned the attention to some subjects that somehow are still taboo and points out that there is nothing to be ashamed of being in need of help. Life doesn’t always go as expected and sometimes we need that extra help to cope with everything we have to face.

But I found it inspiring that sometimes, one decision made above our heads, can be the catalyst of thinking about our own future. And is the life we are living at this moment, what we dreamed of? Or should we dare to jump into the unknown and dare to chase our dream for a better future?

Not only did I found this a beautiful, warming story to read, but also a story that made me think about how easily we just go with the flow, how we just sit comfortable in the position we are currently in.
The characters in the end did the only right thing that there was to do, and I found it a perfect example of how satisfying and rewarding doing the right thing can be.
I loved it, is there really more that I can say?

With a little help of a friend…

Synopsis

Eleanor Sharpley has been living a lie…

Needing to escape her London life quickly, Eleanor throws her things into the back of her car, and heads to her erstwhile best friend Charlie’s family farm. 

But Charlie isn’t there. Instead she finds Charlie’s grieving brother Daniel, her eight-month old daughter Hope (a daughter Eleanor had known nothing about), and a crumbling and unloved Damson Farm. 

Damson Farm lies at the edge of the village of Ferrington, with the river Maddon flowing at its heart. But Ferrington is a village divided by more than just a river – it is split in two by an age-old feud – between the Old Side and the New Side. Eleanor has run from her problems, straight into a family and a world that has problems of its own. 

But Damson Farm has magic too, and as winter gives way to spring, the old farm starts to come to life under Eleanor’s love and care. The orchard starts to blossom with daffodils and bluebells, and the sound of bees busy in their hives fills the warming air. Can Eleanor bring Daniel and the feuding village of Ferrington back to life too, or will her secrets catch up with her first?

My review

Eleanor Sharpley’s name is not a known name in the world of journalism, but her pen name Nora Sharp is often being feared.
However, writing the truth can sometimes be hurtful, and Eleanor now has a stalker, who finds her just everywhere she goes.
After another strike of the stalker, Eleanor decides to escape to her best friend Charlie’s family farm.
The trip to the farm isn’t a smooth one, so Eleanor is relieved when Daniel shows up to help her after her close encounter with a sheep.
Daniel appears to be Charlie’s brother, but he delivers some unexpected news: not only has Charlie passed away, but Daniel has also adopter Charlie’s daughter Hope.
Eleanor is welcome to stay at Damson Farm, which has seen its best time as long as she needs, to put her life back on track.
But slowly Eleanor realizes that Damson Farm needs her more than her London life needed her. And after finding out Charlie’s dream, Eleanor is determined to make Charlie’s dream come true, while trying to solve a feud that is dividing the village of Ferrington.

I know that when I start reading a story by this author, there will be a whole rollercoaster of emotions. Because this is not just a romance, but our main characters have to face so many different hurdles in their lives.

Eleanor is struggling with her work because she is being stalked. She has her suspicion, but as so often also in real life, people being stalked are minimalizing what is happening to them. But everyone has a limit they can endure, thus when Eleanor reaches hers, she sees no other option than running to her friend Charlie.

I have to admit, the sheep made me laugh, but when the news of Charlie was revealed, I felt utterly sad.
Because don’t we all have friends we don’t hear that often as we supposed to, but for some reason contact is limited to the bare minimum. However, not being aware of your best friend’s death, I can only imagine how Eleanor’s heart broke. And on top of it, learning that Charlie left a daughter behind… just tragic.

Together with Daniel, she now has to grieve over a person she loved, while taking care of the most innocent person, Hope.
Learning that Daniel has adopted Hope as his own, made me just fall in love with him immediately. Because he puts his own life and dreams on hold to take care of the most precious gift Charlie left behind.

I loved reading how Eleanor was adapting living in Damson Farm, and in the village of Ferrington. When she learns of the feud still being actual, and the harmful effects it has on its inhabitants, she is determined to put an end to it all.
I found it somehow funny how people, who generally have a normal sense of right and wrong, can be so single – minded over something that happened in the past.

This book was heart – warming, heart – breaking, bittersweet, even a bit mysterious because who was the stalker, and I found it a joy to read.
This isn’t just a feel – good story, but it shows us real emotions to events that could be happening in everyone’s lives.

The author managed to put all the feelings of grieve perfectly into words, without making a depressing story to read.
But she also managed to show us that there is light in the end of the tunnel. Losing someone is very hurtful, but in time, you can change that pain into something beautiful. And trying to change a dream into reality is a wonderful way of trying.

And as there is of course some romance in it, it shows us that love can wash all the pain and grieve away.

This was a hopeful story that shows a bit of the ugliness of life, but mainly the beauty of it.

The perfect getaway with many surprises

Synopsis

Tired of the city, Grace Clelland returns to Blue Sands, the quiet Cornish seaside village where she grew up. There she will meet old flames and old friends, rekindle old loves and ignite new ones in a novel that will have you dreaming of the soft crash of the waves on the shore, the feel of sand between your toes, overloaded ice-creams and smoky beach barbeques.

My review

Saying that Grace Clelland is having a hard time is surely an understatement… Her boyfriend Gavin broke up with her, and now she is fearing that a customer will press charges after a huge misunderstanding.
These last two episodes were just the tip of the iceberg, so being persuaded by her best friend Joan, Grace decides to return home to Blue Sands.
Quickly her summer back home turns out to be a blast from the past, and Grace faces her past decisions, and has new decisions to make, involving her own future.

In the first few chapters, I truly pitied Grace. Her boyfriend Gavin was in my opinion truly a wimp… His excuses are really the lamest ones, and Gavin should really start to grow some balls.
And also all the crap she had to endure at her work, I can honestly say I would have done what she did so much earlier!

When finally back in Blue Sands, she gets the shock of her life, because it’s obvious that Joan has been keeping a secret from her…

And I have to say, even if I would be initially angry with Joan with keeping that kind of information, I admired her positive attitude and willingness to be a happy person and not allowing to let something hold her back.

Being back home means for Grace that she has to face the decisions she once made. And also putting those decisions and consequences behind her. She realizes holding on to the past, is holding her back for a bright future that may lay ahead.

I loved reading how Grace started to feel home again, and shows that entrepreneurship on saving wat matters to her.
I was laughing when her artistic ideas turned out to be a disaster, but also felt a sense of proudness when finally the perfect picture was realized.

Going back home can make you feel like a failure, but sometimes going back home is exactly what you need. Memories are coming back, people that cared and you cared about, still love you no matter what.
And being back home, can make you realize what you truly want for life.
It can start with small steps, with starting back to surf, to use your old bike again to climb that mountain, and the wish to discover who the Masked Surfer is…
And maybe, why not, fall in love again with someone unexpected…

I found this a sweet, warming story about finding yourself again, fighting for the right cause and love. Love between old friends, lost loves, love for new friends and even love that shifts form.
The author wrote a beautiful story showing us that going back is not always a bad thing, but it can be the start of something new and wonderful.

You cannot fall in love while kept as prisoner, right?

Synopsis

An innocent maiden

And a legendary warrior

When captured and held prisoner in an enemy castle, Margery of Lyon is guarded by brooding mercenary Evrart, who’s been commanded to watch her—day and night. Margery’s determination to escape brings her closer to Evrart and the kind heart hidden beneath his granite-hard body. Now Margery is torn… Fleeing under the portcullis will mean leaving behind the man she’s falling for…

My review

Margery of Lyon has captured the attention of Ian of Warstone. His reputation is a cruel one, so Margery is surprised when he takes her along to his castle instead of killing her. Margery is now being kept as a prisoner, and is guarded by mercenary Evrart. While having no idea what Ian plans to do with her, she is trying to find a way to escape. However, slowly she learns that behind the fierce mask Evrart is showing, is a man who would do anything to keep his family safe.
So when the time comes, what is the right thing to do for Margery, run away, or stay with the man she is starting to fall in love with? 

A whole new chapter in the Lovers and Legends Saga! And again a story fitting perfectly with the other stories, yet being totally different!

We know Margery already a little bit from a previous book, but where there I had many questions for her behaviour, this story answered them all!
I found it refreshing, seeing how this story was taking place at the same time with ‘The Maiden And The Mercenary’, and how even at some points the storylines matched. 

Margery has not had the easiest of youth, and even had to make difficult decisions, to release her family of the burden she feels that she was.
Even if I somehow appreciated the sacrifice she made, I had the feeling that though her life, she has been passed on from man to man like an expandable object. And that is a feeling that no one should have, because we all matter.

However, when being kept prisoner, she is determined to get away, because living in just one room and living with the fear that each day may be the last, depending on the mood Ian is in, that’s no life. 

I found it both sweet and funny, seeing how Margery and Evrart interact. Evrart is not a man using many words, but somehow Margery understands what he is not saying, and is even pushing his buttons, almost forcing the words to come out of his mouth. 

As usual, and also a bit expected, there are many misunderstandings between our main characters, only making this story even better.
As a reader the feelings are very obvious, but for Margery and also Evrart it’s difficult to grasp what the other one is feeling or how deep those feelings are. 

I found this a beautiful, entertaining next chapter, answering many of my questions, giving me even more than I expected. I loved how this story fitted perfectly in what we already knew from the previous book, yet also managed to surprise me with new personas and their own specific and unique character traits.
The author managed to stay true to the greater picture, yet adding another wonderful layer to this series I hope more chapters will follow!

What will the Great War have in store for our Mersey Ladies?

Synopsis

1916 LIVERPOOL

Following the death of her father, Ruby Swift, and husband Archie finally move back into Ashland Hall.

As the Great War rages, fathers and sons take the King’s Shilling and head off to fight the unknown enemy, not knowing what horrors lie ahead. 

With Ned Kincaid in the Navy, Archie signs up to the volunteer constabulary and nurses Anna Cassidy and Ellie Harrington enlist to do their bit for King and Country. 

Soon the true casualties of war are being brought home in droves, Ruby converts Ashland Hall into an auxiliary hospital for wounded servicemen.

It’s not long before the true cost of war is brought closer to home and Anna and Ellie enlist in the British Military Nursing Corp and soon find themselves in the battlefields of France in search of the truth.

But they soon discover more than they bargained for…

My review

Ruby Swift and Archie can finally call themselves married after the death of Ruby’s father. And on top of it, now they can move back into Ashland Hall.
With The Great War raging on, both Ruby and Archie want to help however they can. So quickly Ashland Hall changes into a place for the wounded to receive the required help, with the assistance of Anna Cassidy and Ellie Harrington, living already under the care of Ruby and Archie, and now being nurses.
But the War has its casualties, and it’s not that very long before the cost becomes very personals for each one of this strong unit.

I was very happy to read this next chapter of the saga, because the previous part left me with a few unanswered questions.

Of course, I can only imagine how terrible the War has been. Yet I admired the courage and determination not only Ruby, but also Archie, Anna and Ellie showed. Each one of them wanted to do their bit to help out for those in need.
We already knew what a kind heart Ruby has, but she also managed to pass that desire to help to those around her.

After what Anna has been through, I felt very proud of the young woman she has become. She loves being a nurse, and is absolutely in love with Ned, who is in the Navy. Even if she fears what will happen to him, she is proud of him. and she still has the hope to find her beloved brother again.

When reading a story taking place during the War, you know that there will be some sadder moments. and some events were really heart – breaking, seeing what was in store of some characters we started to love.
But not only the War is cause for the sad moments, also loving the wrong person can change the wonderful future someone has ahead into a future full of despair.

The author managed to write a captivating sequel, showing us that even the consequences of the War, there are people with kind hearts, full of hope, looking for a way to help those in need.
I loved reading how our characters instead of falling into despair, found a way to find even more strength after tragedies.
And that somehow these fictional characters can be seen as an inspiration, that good actions do have rewarding consequences.

A glimpse in the lives of very different people.

Synopsis

An aspiring magician who gets a sinister pleasure playing all kinds of tricks on those around him. Two strangers running into each after 20 years and wondering what they’ve missed. A long-suffering husband who decides it’s time he started making big decisions. An unhappy child at Christmas struggling to deal with his new surroundings before a wonderfully surprising encounter. All this and more within the seven stories of Always Never, Rarely Sometimes, where a wide range of characters are forced to challenge long-held beliefs and powerful memories, accompanied by a sprinkling of magic. Always Never, Rarely Sometimes is the third book from Alexander Raphael, following on from his short story The Summer of Madness and his set of conceptual short stories Illusions, Delusions.

My review

Seven short stories, of people very different from each other, in different places in their lives. Seven short stories to realize as a reader that we never know what happens behind the curtains, or just allowing us to be part of a short period in someone’s life.
Stories that will surprise you, make you smile, give you hope, but also teaches you that sometimes Karma is a B*tch and that some things cannot go without consequences. 

I have to admit, there were a few stories I preferred more compared to other ones. But not because the other ones weren’t written as good, but because I just like stories that end well, or stories that give you hope. 

There were several characters I just didn’t like, and when you get to these stories, you’ll get me. But it also shows the reader that a book shouldn’t be always be about good people doing good stuff. Sometimes it has to be about the ‘villain’ not understanding when to stop, a button pushed too much and having to face the consequences of your actions.

Each story has its charm, and even if the characters weren’t all my cup of tea, I enjoyed reading those too!
There are however a few stories that were sweet, hopeful and heart – warming, even if the start wasn’t always that happy for these characters.
The lives of some characters took a turn for the better and it just made me smile, seeing how one event can make it possible to change a whole life course. 

I found it entertaining to see how apparently random chosen moments could give the reader a better insight of how people interact and what is going on in someone’s mind.
The author managed to put so much in such short space yet never disappointed in leaving too many open endings or leaving the reader with many questions!

It was fund reading each story and somehow I left with a sense of wanting to read more and see what other stories this author would be able to pull out of his magic hat!

When the worst thing that could happen to you is the start of a new chapter

Synopsis

Meet Katie: she’s about to marry the most wonderful man in the world. The planning is done, the checklist is checked. The future is set.

Having spent her twenties and thirties enjoying life with good friends, and building a career she loves, it’s taken Katie until her forties to contemplate settling down. And she couldn’t be more delighted she waited.

So, why is her perfect groom standing gawping at her, wearing mismatched socks and sweating buckets? This can’t bode well.

With her special day in tatters, Katie has a decision to make. Does she snatch back the reigns of her old life, and tighten her grip even more? Or should she take a chance on change? Will she find the key to happiness at a Pilates class in a smelly old hall? Or is the curve ball heading her way too huge to handle?

If you like British humour and a flawed protagonist on an emotional journey, you’ll enjoy reading Amanda Paull’s latest novel, Colouring Outside the Lines – a heart-warming tale of shattered dreams, self-discovery and finding true love where you least expect it.

My review

Katie never really felt any butterflies in her stomach, or saw sparks fly around when kissing someone. But she does know that she truly loves Connor, and is ready to start their lives together.
Yes, there is a small age difference, and while Connor has ‘romance’ written all over the place and Katie absolutely doesn’t, but when you love each other truly, all those differences don’t matter.
However, when on the wedding day Katie is ready to say ‘I Do’, Connor appears to have second thoughts, and the perfect wedding is suddenly off…
Now Katie has to decide what to do… will she go back to her old life, keeping people at distance and taking no chances? Or is this her opportunity to dare to take that leap of faith?

I found this an utterly entertaining story! Of course, the start isn’t a happy one because Katie finds herself being dumped practically at the altar.
And to be honest, I didn’t understand why Connor was acting that way. He knew how Katie was, and everyone has a own vision of how to act romantically.
So what if Katie didn’t understand why someone would swoon over the ending of Bridget Jones Diary? Each person is different and is allowed to feel the way they feel.

But of course, if Connor would go through with the wedding, we wouldn’t have been able to read this beautiful story about how Katie is rediscovering herself, and thanks with the help of her friend is daring to step out of her comfort zone.

Katie is easy to like, even if sometimes she is in a dark place. But her feeling down, made me feel like I truly understood her. She isn’t this perfect character without doubts, fearless for some new adventures.
No, she is wary of even going to just a class of Pilates, doesn’t easily accept new people and just the idea of doing something adventurous…

In so many aspects, Katie is recognizable, with all her fears and doubts. Even the relationship with her parents and brother isn’t a perfect one, no matter how much she loves them.
And her love for her parents is putting her in protective mode, even from her own brother.

It was not only fun to read how Katie is picking up the pieces after her non – wedding, but it somehow also made me realize that a change or taking a chance can be amazing. And yes, you may fall flat on your face in some cases, but most of the times, you discover a whole different side of yourself that is easy to like.

Yes, there is some romance in this story, and I found it wonderful how it was a bit different than what I expected to be. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it! The author managed to give it a beautiful twist, but showing us that love is love, and that’s what matters.
But this book is in my opinion about finding yourself, not being afraid and daring to colour outside the lines!

I know I am repeating myself, but for just one last time: I found this a beautiful story, with a strong message, and I love reading every bit of it!