How 1 random encounter can change your whole world.

Synopsis

Can love really be found when you stop looking for it…?

As Samantha Wishaw watches the love of her life marry another woman, she’s ready to give up hope of finding her happy ever after.

But when a chance encounter leads Sam to find friendship in Thomas – a lonely, grumpy elderly widower living at derelict Hedgehog Hollow – her life is about to change forever.

Glad to have a distraction from family feuds and match-making, Sam vows to fulfill Thomas and his wife, Gwendoline’s, dreams of restoring Hedgehog Hollow to its former glory, and to open a hedgehog rescue centre.

Throwing herself into the task at hand, little does Sam realise that the keys to love and happiness may also be found at Hedgehog Hollow, when she least expects it…

Escape to Hedgehog Hollow this summer with top 10 bestseller Jessica Redland for the perfect uplifting, feel-good read.

My review

Samantha Wishaw is heartbroken. The man she loves with all her heart, is marrying her niece. She gives up hope of finding her happily after.
When on the day of the wedding she gets lost and meets Thomas, it means her whole life will change.
Thomas is an elderly widower, living at Hedgehog Hollow. He doesn’t want to have Samantha around, but he needs helps and if Sam is ready to help around, he gives her permission to stick around.

When Sam gets to know more about Thomas, his late wife Gwendoline and their dreams, she finds a purpose in life again.

Talking about a story that broke my heart! And not because Sam is seeing the love of her life getting married with someone else, but because of awful she is being treated!
The way her whole family treats her, with the exception of her father, it left me flabbergasted! I couldn’t believe that people could be so horrendous towards a member of your own family. And if it was right, I could somehow understand it. But Sam is a real victim… she does whatever she can to please people but it’s just never good enough.
I admired her stubbornness to find a way to make everything right, but whatever she does, gets twisted around making her feel bad all over again.

So when she meets Thomas, and I saw how she was treated again, I almost wanted to tell her to get as far as possible away from Thomas too, because she deserves so much better in life.
Yet when she is resolute to help Thomas, and when Thomas is letting her in his life, I truly understood Sam.
She is a real good person, always putting someone else before her, trying to make everyone happy even if it costs her a lot.

I was so happy for her when little by little she is becoming happy again, together with Thomas and having a purpose again.
The length she goes for fulfilling Thomas’ and Gwendoline’s dreams is amazing. Here she shows how determined she can be, and even if the future of Hedgehog Hollow is at risk, she is not giving up, but fighting for the dream.

There is so much happening in this story, and even when I said “OK, this is the last chapter of today”, something happened and it was several chapters later that I found the courage to put the book away.

A special remark for the hedgehogs, even if their participation is not a huge one… I didn’t know that much about hedgehogs and what they would need. But thanks to this book, I started to love them just a little more!

A lovely book, about finding a purpose in life and never giving up. It’s also mainly about love. But not only love between a man and a woman, also about love of a family (or the lack of it…), love for a dear friend, love for animals and ok yes, also love between a man and a woman 😂

Perfect to dream away!

Synopsis

Kat swore off dating many years ago, after her marriage ended in a catastrophic mess. Having moved to the Canary Islands for a fresh start, she has never had much time for romance, channelling all her energy into managing all-male dance troupe – the Heavenly Hunks.

With golden beaches, sparkling blue water and relaxing after work with a glass of sangria – or three – for Kat, it’s summer all year round. But despite life being postcard perfect, Kat can’t help but wonder if she is missing out on the most important thing of all… love.

The dancers are all well-known for their flirtatious antics and aren’t looking for anything serious… except Jay. Sitting by the pool, watching the sun reflecting in the water, Kat feels like she can tell him anything.

Handsome, caring and a good listener, he ignites a fire in Kat’s heart that scares her witless. But her relationship with Jay should stay strictly professional… right? There is absolutely no way that she can be his boss and his date.

As the temperature rises, will Kat be able to take the plunge, let go of her past and find romance in paradise?

My review

After a terrible marriage, Kat started over again in the Canary Islands. She doesn’t need another man in her life, she has enough by managing the Heavenly Hunks. And yes, the Heavenly Hunks are totally what you expect by its name… they are an all – male dance troupe!
They are all flirty, and aren’t all looking for something serious. Exception is latest addition Jay.
He is different than the others and Kat finds herself suddenly attracted to one of her boys.

Can and should she keep it all professional?

This story was just what I needed, summer not yet here, and not being able to go anywhere (Thank you COVID – 19!).

I found myself imaging strolling together with Kat and the boys.

The boys have a reputation, being exotic dancers, and flirt with many women. Yet, they are close friends, trust each other with their lives. And even if Kat is their manager, they look after her. And they don’t feel hurt in their pride, being bossed around by a woman.

When we first meet Kat, she seems a strong woman, knowing what she wants. Only when we get to know her better, I understood she is also a scared woman, afraid to truly trust a man again. Yes, she trusts her boys, but giving her heart away to a man, well, she won’t just do that again.
But she is also very protective, she truly cares about her boys, and wants the best for them. Even if that means stepping aside.
When she meets Jay, initially he’s just one of the boys. Yet somehow he becomes more than that. But her past fears don’t allow her to trust him completely.

Jay is in my opinion just perfect… He opens Kat’s eyes, is there in time of need. But he’s also respectful towards her. He respects her decisions, even if it breaks his heart. And he is not afraid to show his emotions! A sexy man, being Alpha when required, but being vulnerable at the right time. Can I get one for me too???

This story was amazing with the locations, the shows, and hot men. But it’s also about opening your heart again and trusting the right people. And somehow putting your own interest aside for the bigger picture. And love in all its aspects, loving your friends, the right person and not being afraid to show your real emotions!

A perfect book to dream away, and forget everything around you, and even forget about Magic Mike, because we have the Heavenly Hunks!

Who would you choose?

Synopsis

How far would you go in the name of love?

Sarah Parsons has a choice ahead of her. After the trip of a lifetime she’s somehow returned home with TWO handsome men wanting to whisk her away into the sunset.

Pulled in two directions across the globe, it’s making life trickier than it sounds. Her gorgeous American, Josh, wants to meet Sarah in Hawaii for a holiday to remember. Meanwhile silver fox, James, plans to wine and dine her in London.

It’s a lot to handle for this Aussie girl, who had totally sworn off men!

Join Sarah after her adventure in One Summer in Santorini, for the heart-warming and uplifting third novel in The Holiday Romance series.

My review

After spending her summer in Santorini, Sarah has two men longing for her.
first we have American Josh… he’s a bit younger than Sarah, but she feels so at ease with him. Yet he is not looking for a relationship, and he refers to Sarah as his ‘buddy’… can there be anything worse???

And then we have silver fox James. He is a bit older than Sarah. He is a wealthy man, and uses all his charms to make Sarah his.

Sarah does not know who “the one” is for her, so she decides to spend time with both of them and then make up her mind. But will it be easy to “pick” the right man?

First of all, reading the first part of Sarah’s story is not necessary but it will make a lot of things clear, and it’s also a nice book to read!

I surely wouldn’t want to be in Sarah’s shoes! Despite having sworn of men, she finds herself attracted to two men! And both have their perks but also downsides…

Josh is younger, but also afraid to show his true emotions. And how can they manage to even have a future together, she being an Aussie and he living in the States? And also the fact he clearly states more often than not, that he is not looking for a relationship…
Yet it’s obvious there is real attraction between the two, and they feel so at ease with each other!

And James, that intriguing silver fox! Being older and have made his own fortune. He treats Sarah like a real princess! But can Sarah manage to fit in his world? And does age really matter?

I understand the dilemma Sarah is in, but I have the perfect solution: just melt Josh and James together and have the best of them both! J If only it would be so easy…
While Sarah is trying to figure out what her heart truly wants, she finds herself and even if it will break someone’s heart, I completely understand her choice. And honestly, I think I would have made the decision!

The story is made into 3 parts, a part where Sarah is with Josh, and we get to see how that world would look like. Surely it would be fun, but it’s hard to know where you stand if the other part cannot express himself.
The second part is Sarah spending with James. A world of luxury, having no worries in the world and just do what you want. Who wouldn’t want that future!
But how compatible are Sarah and James really? 

And the third part is the apotheosis! It all comes together and a decision is made.

What I loved about this story is that while Sarah has no idea what she truly wants, she gets to know herself better. She knows that she has to make a decision, but which choice wouldn’t devastate her? It’s a story about finding love, but meanwhile also finding yourself.

I enjoyed devouring this book and even if we’re having a ‘staycation’ this summer, I enjoyed being on a vacation with Sarah and her suitors!

Choosing the lesser of two evils.

Synopsis

Marriage…To the highest bidder

Lady Lydia Barton cannot seem to avoid Owen Wolfe since he returned after being wrongly transported for stealing her family’s jewels! But Lydia has more pressing problems―like her impending arranged marriage. Until Owen makes her father a counter-offer for her hand. Is Owen purely after her society connections? Or does Lydia dare hope that the charming stable boy she once loved is still within her ruthless, wealthy new husband?

My review

Lady Lydia Barton finds herself part of a bidding. Due her father’s bad finances, he sees no other option than offering his daughter to the highest bidder.
When the highest bidder at the moment is just a nasty man, Lady Lydia is truly disgusted.
But when suddenly Owen Wolfe is also a contender, she has to choose which one will be the better choice.
Because Owen Wolfe is part of her past, and they did not separate on good terms…

Will Lady Lydia and Owen find a way to put the past behind them?

Oooh, Virginia Heath did it again!!! She wrote a story that I found hard to put away!
She wrote not only a story about lost loves, broken hearts trying to be mended, but also about family dynamics, and how ugly it was in that period!

I totally loathed Lydia’s father! I honestly cannot comprehend how a man can be so heartless… The only thing he cares about is money, his own wellbeing and maybe a little bit his son. But Lydia is nothing to him, just a pawn in his game to stay in his wealth.
And even when Lydia did everything in her powers to satisfy her father, even then he turned away from her and didn’t care about her!
Whenever he appeared in the story, I just wanted to slap him in de face!

I don’t understand how Lydia is the total opposite, thinking about how she grew up… She is a kind young woman, wanting to do whatever she can to help her family, even if that means to marry the man she despises… Yet she tries to make the best of her situation. And she has a sense of righteousness.

Owen may sound like a scumbag, but from the very start I liked him. Despite being accused of theft, and being convicted, he wants to make something of his life, and he is managing it with his friend. Even if he denies it in every way, and makes up excuses for his behaviour, he still cares about Lydia.

The way Lydia and Owen act towards each other made me laugh, as I felt that the attraction of the past was still there, no matter how hard they denied it!
And how Randolph is there with his banter, just hilarious! He just speaks out what everyone is thinking! And yet he is a caring husband towards Gertie!

Again a masterpiece added to the list of books I love by Virginia Heath! A story about lost love, trusting your heart, and how true love always finds his way back, even if it starts with a forced marriage!

A magic lamp + a genie = not always Aladdin

Synopsis

What if wishes really could come true? 

When Jinnie Cooper is dumped by her fiancé, and exiled to a job in an antiques shop in a sleepy Scottish village, little does she know a battered old lamp is about to shake up her life. 

Genie Dhassim grants wishes. But he also wants a few of his own to come true. Letting him explore the outside world proves nerve-wracking as Dhassim has an uncanny knack of putting his pointy-slippered foot in it. 

As Jinnie grows closer to her employer Sam, Dhassim discovers his time on earth is running out. 

Can both Jinnie and Dhassim find true happiness? Or are those wishes that cannot be granted?

My review

After being dumped by her fiancé, Jinnie decides to move to a new town and get a new job. It may seem as an extreme action, but her fiancé was her boss AND they were leaving together…

Trying to get her life back on track, she starts working part-time at an antique shop for Sam. There she finds a lamp that somehow she’s attracted to.
When suddenly a real genie appears from the lamp, ready to fulfil her wishes, her world turns upside down!

This story gave me two main emotions: happiness and compassion.

Happiness, because there were moments I laughed really loud (sorry family, you know me!). the situations with Dhassim are so hilarious! The genie is does not understand how to keep low profile, causing embarrassing moments for Jinnie.
And the moments with Wilma, Jinnie’s grandmother were just wonderful to read!

And compassion, because there are some other characters you cannot feel anything else but sorry… It shows how unfair sometimes the world can be…

Jinnie in this story is an insecure woman, after a relationship with a man who thought he was better than Jinnie. But being out of that toxic relationship, she becomes more independent. Yet she remains a bit insecure.
Because when she finds herself attracted to two men, she believes she’s not good enough for either of them!
While when we get to know her better, we know she’s just an amazing person. And proof is the wishes she makes. She doesn’t make wishes just for her own benefit, but wishes also things for the people around her, as she wants them to be happy.
And when she makes 1 wish truly for her own benefit, well, the result was so sweet!

Dhassim will of course not make you forget the most famous genie of the world, but he’s a good second place! He is also heart – broken yet he tries to be the best genie he can be for Jinnie!

All the other characters, no matter how tragic they are, add to the magic of this story. If you would remove just one person from it, it would still be a good story, but not a complete one…

This story was about starting all over, finding yourself and accept yourself just the way you are. And that yes, there are some nasty people on the world, but there are so many good people, ready to take you in and help you wherever they can. This small community was perfect for Jinnie, making Jinnie feel home.

And that when you have your heart at the right place, love always pays you back!

Unfolding secrets of the past

Synopsis

Two women, a world apart.

A secret waiting to be discovered…

VE Day 1945: As victory bells ring out across the country, war bride Ellie Burgess’ happiness is overshadowed by grief. Her charismatic Newfoundlander husband Thomas is still missing in action.
 
Until a letter arrives explaining Thomas is back at home on the other side of the Atlantic recovering from his injuries.

Travelling to a distant country to live with a man she barely knows is the bravest thing Ellie has ever had to do. But nothing can prepare her for the harsh realities of her new home…

September 11th 2001: Sophie Parry is on a plane to New York on the most tragic day in the city’s history. While the world watches the news in horror, Sophie’s flight is rerouted to a tiny town in Newfoundland and she is forced to seek refuge with her estranged aunt Ellie.
 
Determined to discover what it was that forced her family apart all those years ago, newfound secrets may change her life forever…
 
This is a timeless story of love, sacrifice and resilience perfect for fans of Lorna Cook and Gill Paul.

My review

Sophie Parry returns after 10 years back to a tiny town in Newfoundland. She is back with clear instructions from her boss.
The return is not an easy one, because ten years ago, she landed there being September 11th 2001… In 2001 she meets her estranged aunt Ellie and Ellie’s family.

Why didn’t Ellie keep in touch with her family? What happened after the war causing a drift between them?

And what will the consequences be when the truth is out?

Before you start reading, a small tip: to avoid confusing, read carefully whose story you are reading and keep an eye on the year. This will make it easier to understand everything.

When we first get to know Ellie, she is engaged to George. But war is not an easy period to live in. Ellie is a kind woman, caring about everyone around her. The way she takes care of her sister is admirable, even if Dottie is being a brat…

Yet her fate changes when she meets Thomas… she makes a difficult decision, thinking of her own for once.
She longs for a future with Thomas, but their happiness is more than once jeopardized by Dottie.

Dottie is someone I did not like at all… she wants the world to revolve around her, and even sabotages whenever it seems fit to her.
The way she acts when Ellie moves away, just selfish. And what happens further in the story is just despicable.

Despite Dottie her behaviour I was cheering for Ellie, as moving to another continent is not easy, especially if your mother-in-law is not your biggest fan…
But Ellie makes the best of her situation!

And Sophie her story is a typical one… a young woman, wanting to make a career but forces to do something she is not keen on…
But when she meets Ellie, she feels more connected to Ellie than her own mother.
Slowly she learns a new way of living. And when she comes back, she learns more about her family.

The secrets that are being discovered, are not easy to be processed. They show how caring Ellie really was, how an ugly character Dottie was and that the consequences were still present, and even a reason for even more secrets.

This story captivated me, and didn’t let me go easily. I had no idea what secrets were still hidden in the dark, and when they were out, I was left agape…
But beside the secrets of the family, it’s also about true love, the sacrifices you sometimes have to make. And also about realizing where your future is and daring to take a chance.

Team John or will it be Team Ben after all?

Synopsis

Grab your strawberries and cream and get ready to return to the beautiful Swallowtail Bay!

Summer is in full swing and the locals are getting excited for the launch of the Swallowtail Bay strawberry food festival. But will all run smoothly when festival organiser Hetty’s heart is torn between lord of the manor John Thornhill and successful bakery owner Ben?

My review

Hettie Colman is great at organising children’s birthdays parties. But she knows she has more up in her sleeve!
So when the local community of Swallowtail Bay is wondering how they can reinstate the Strawberry Festival to its former glory, Hettie jumps at the opportunity she was looking for.

How will she be able to organise a festival in only four weeks? And where is she going to host it???
Hettie believes that the grounds of John Thornhill’s are just perfect. But will she be able to convince John it’s a good idea? And will he help her out?

And at the same time, Ben comes back in the picture. He’s her ex – boyfriend but he’s not ready to just give her up!

Be prepared when you start reading this story, because you won’t be able to put it away!

From the very start I liked Hettie and her enthusiasm. She is demined to make a success of the festival, and will not just take a “no” for an answer.
For every problem she encounters, she finds a solution. She does not take the problems lightly, but tries to please everyone with her solutions.

Her first encounter with John isn’t an easy one, as he does not want anything to do with the festival. Even if he seems just grumpy, there is more to his reluctance. When I got to know what’s really going on with him and his family, my heart just broke a bit…
It is a sad story, reading about how 1 misfortune is just the catalyst for his family.

Hettie and John are bonding during the festivals and its preparations. But when Ben makes clear he wants a second chance, Hettie is obviously divided. should she go back with Ben? Or does she need something new? This dilemma made me only like Hettie even more, because she does not take things for granted. She wants to be sure of her decision and does not want to regret it.

It’s wonderful how the festival is coming alive, how a community works together to have back what once was an institution!

I liked reading this book so much, because it was not a ‘simple’ story. There was more than just a love story, it’s a story about community, about real problems and facing them. Daring to be yourself again and dare to take a leap of faith.
And most important, that with the right people by your side, problems are easier to be solved and that you should always follow your heart, no matter how afraid you are!

It may seem like this doesn’t make sense, but once you’ve read this book, you’ll know what I mean!

But the last thing I will say about this book: you have to read it and just enjoy it!  

When your head and heart are telling you different things…

Synopsis

Jemima Dewberry wears her heart on her sleeve. Her weakness for bad boys, coupled with her track record for making bad decisions has led to endless heartbreak. The only trouble is, she can’t seem to kick the habit.

On top of that, her “dream” job at Yorkshire Portions magazine hasn’t turned out to be what she’d hoped, and she seems to have developed the knack of annoying her boss without even trying. It doesn’t help that the new girl seems to have taken an instant dislike to her. All that’s keeping her there are her best friends Anna-Lisa and Aidey, who have picked up the pieces of her shattered heart more times than they care to remember.

When Jemima’s latest boyfriend turns out to be no better than the rest, the hurt and humiliation is almost unbearable. She declares she’s finally through with love, and swears off men for life. But when charismatic Caspar De Verre walks into the office with his dangerous good looks and mesmerising smile, she’s utterly captivated, and her promises to Anna-Lisa and Aidey not to let her heart rule her head are soon forgotten.

But is Caspar all he seems? Anna-Lisa and Aidey have their doubts. And Herbert, the happy-go-lucky black Labrador Jemima’s looking after, doesn’t seem to like him either.

As Jemima falls for Caspar’s charms she finds herself being forced to confront the struggle between her head and her heart. But which one will prove the most powerful?

And will Jemima get the happy-ever-after she so desperately craves?

My review

Jemima (Mim) is not enjoying her job that much… Instead of having the dream job, she feels like she’s more the “coffee – lady”. But luckily for her, she has two great colleagues who have become real friends, Anna – Lisa and Aidey.

When there are two new colleagues announced, she has mixed feelings. Caspar is REALLY good-looking and charming. And then we have Honey… There is some bad history between Mim and Honey, yet Mim is adamant to put the past behind her and make the best of it.
But does Honey have same resolutions?

When Mim and Caspar go a bit further than being just colleagues, Ann – Lisa and Aidey try to warn her, as they are having doubts about Caspar’s good intentions. And when Mim’s dog Herbert also dislikes Caspar, there must be a reason to it, right?

While she is struggling with her job, and now also struggling with her heart, will her head be the voice of sense and truth?

It often happens that when somebody starts a relationship, and the friends are trying to warn him/her, the warnings fall on deaf ears.
But Mim show here what an amazing character she is… instead of just agreeing with Caspar, she actually listens to Anna – Lisa and Aidey.
She is not a nitwit, but she has a real mind of her own, and trusts her instincts. Only too bad for her she has a history of dating bad boys…

Mim is so much fun to be around, and together with her friends, it’s a recipe for hilarious adventures which were great to read about.
Also the bond they have is unique… because it’s not because you’re colleagues, you’re automatically friends. Yet they are always there for each other, having each other’s back and being friends in the true meaning of the word even if it means saying things you don’t want to hear.

There are many characters that will make smile, but also a few which you immediately dislike and mistrust.

It’s a lovely story about standing up for yourself, not being bullied in something you really don’t want to. But also about trusting your friends, and your gut feeling.
And that dogs always are right with who they like and dislike!

A eeny meeny tiny remark, I would have loved to read more about the ending. It was a bit too quick for me.  I would have loved to see more how that would go on in the future. I was all set for having more of it when the last words were already there.
But overall a nice story to read about friendship and love!