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‘Too Much To Hope For’ – written by Rachel Debrave #BookReview @racheldebrave @rararesources

When getting together was the easy part…

Synopsis

Scarlett Hope has found a surprising rhythm at Haddon House. Just months into life with Laird Edward Cameron-Reid, their chemistry is electric, and the future feels full of promise – but something inside her is stirring. She’s traded city charm for estate calm yet still feels caught between worlds. 

Then Harry shows up. A famous music producer – and a blast from Scarlett’s past – he’s in town to film with a renowned band. His arrival is magnetic, disruptive, and the last thing she ever expected. Scarlett loves Edward, but Harry’s presence reawakens the version of herself she thought she’d left behind. 

When Edward’s daughter announces she’s pregnant and moves in full-time, the pressure only grows. And when Scarlett meets Sophie, a young woman struggling to make a home for her unborn child, one small act of kindness turns into something far bigger – a project that might just change everything. But as tragedy strikes, Scarlett faces a deeper choice – not between two men, but between who she was and who she’s becoming. 

Too Much to Hope For is a high spice, emotionally layered story of love, legacy, and identity – about staying rooted in love while growing into something more. Perfect for readers who loved the emotional fire of A New Hope in the Highlands, the small-town heart of Things We Never Got Over, and the soul-deep reckoning of After I Do.

My review

Scarlett Hope couldn’t be happier now that everything fell into place. The bond with her mother is slowly restoring, and she is happily in love with Edward Cameron – Reid. After everything she has been through in the past, she has finally find a place to call home in Haddon House, with people she can trust and love. Yet Scarlett cannot shake the feeling that she cannot be truly be herself, as she also doesn’t has all the answers to her own questions about who the real Scarlett truly is and what would give her real purpose. To add further complications, not only is Edward struggling with holding everything together, but also an old friend from Scarlett arrives and ads extra pressure on the already frail relationship. And then there is unexpected news from Edward’s family that shakes the boat even more. How much can both Scarlett and Edward take and how strong is their relationship, as there must be a limit to their strength…

In many books, the story ends when the main characters finally get together. But in real life, we all know that getting together is the easiest part. Being in a relationship means to open up, let the other person completely in, to find compromise, to communicate and be honest. All easier said than done, but it is always a work in progress, no matter how big the love is.

We know that there is a lot of passion and desire between Edward and Scarlett, but we also know that Scarlett comes with a lot of baggage and that Edward needs to find a way to open up and let Scarlett truly in. And they should not just give in to their desire to each other, but also find a way to openly communicate about, well, everything.

And to be honest, while I loved reading the passion and the love between Edward and Scarlett, it was a bit frustrating to see how especially Scarlett is always facing a brick wall. Edward does his best, but it is difficult to let go of some habits. And it also frustrated me a bit reading how Edward doesn’t always seem to understand Scarlett. And mainly, it angered me also to see how he doesn’t always think before he speaks, hurting Scarlett more than just once in the process.

Now, I need to admit too, that Edward for sure has a lot on his plate, and things are just added on the immense pile… He truly is trying to be the man that Scarlett deserves, but you know, old habits…

When Harry enters the scene, I was truly worried about Edward and Scarlett, because not only does Edward shows a level of jealously (righteously or not…) but I could see how Harry’s presence could risk things even furthermore…

On the other hand, I was happy for Scarlett to see her old friend back, as he could remind her of the Scarlett she used to be. And perhaps that remembering the shared past, Scarlett could find her real self again. And I could see that Harry was a real supportive friend to her, even if it was crystal clear to me that his feelings perhaps weren’t just amicable…

Another thing I need to admit, is that the author for sure has a cruel streak, because Edward, Scarlett and their families are going through several hardships. Life for sure isn’t always fair to any of them, and they are all tested to their limits…

Cruel author too, as Rachel Debrave at one point made several hearts break in this book, but mine included… Again it shows how Life goes, and just how unfair and frail it all is…

In this book, Edward and Scarlett for sure are tested, not only as individuals, but also as a couple, especially as a couple. The both of are on a learning journey, where Scarlett learns and rediscovers the old Scarlett again. And she learns to stand up for herself and knows that love isn’t a free pass for one’s behaviour.

And Edward learns that love is worth the change. That being the old Edward is not what will keep the love alive and being his old self will only push Scarlett, and his loved ones further away.

This book is about change. Change that is necessary, change to just be your real self, change to let love win. Change to survive whatever curveball Life throws you. Change to become a stronger person than you already are. And that all for love’s sake…

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‘Healing Hearts At The Forever Cottage’ – written by Jill Steeples #BookReview @jillesteeples @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks

When things start to settle, do they really?

Synopsis

The winds of change are sweeping through the idyllic Cotswold village of Lower Leaping.

After a tumultuous few months, Tess Alexander is ready to welcome her first guests to The Garden Retreat, a beautiful lodge in the grounds of Hollyhocks Cottage.

With her daughter Hannah home from her travels in Australia and her mother, Marjorie, acting out of character, Tess has to juggle many demands on her attention. Even her flourishing relationship with dashing Rob Templeton is put to the test when he faces an emotional dilemma from his past and Barney, her beloved beagle, has her at her wits end.

Tess can weather most storms with the unbridling support of her close friends Dilly, Gina and Suzy but when a passing remark in the local pub causes her to question one of those friendships, she wonders who can she really trust?

Can Tess overcome the obstacles in her path to find the happy ending she truly deserves?

My review

Tess Alexander had to face a lot of changes the last few months. But now things are finally coming along, and Tess is ready to welcome her first guests to The Garden Retreat in her garden. And even if things started a bit rocky, her relationship with Rob Templeton made her believe in love again. However, Tess quickly realizes that her worries are far by over, as her daughter is back home from Australia with more than just a broken heart, Tess’s own mother is acting completely out of character, and even Rob is acting differently as his past is catching up with him again. And even a passing remark in the local pub makes her question the loyalty of her best friends. So can Tess find her silver linings again, can she reclaim her happy ending that she for sure deserves?

It is always a bit scary starting a second book in a series. Because the story previously wrapped up perfectly, and with a new book, you are a bit afraid for what is looming around the corner once again for the main characters.

We left Tess previously with a happy feelings, as after her marriage falling apart, with her own ‘stubbornness’, she has been able to turn her life around, find a purpose again and even found love again. At the start of this book, I was still proud of how far Tess has come and how she was looking forward to her changed yet better future.

But of course life always keeps on throwing curveballs, that is just how life goes. And with each curveball, we see how much Tess has grown.

For example: when her lovely daughter is at a crossroad again, it would be easy as a mother to tell her what to do. But Tess knows that the best way to learn, is to make your own choices and perhaps even mistakes. And Hannah is old enough to know what she wants, or what she doesn’t want, or that she just doesn’t know yet. Tess is being the supportive mother that Hannah needs her to be, without judgement, but just being by her side.

However, Tess is still a worrier 😊 Not only does her daughter cause Tess worries, but also her own mother. We know that all the women of the family are strong women, so seeing the matriarch acting out of character, made me worry too. It couldn’t be that something terrible would be happening to this fierce woman?

And when Rob also starts to act different, or is apparently keeping things from her, we see how previous doubts and insecurities start to resurface. It was for sure recognizable, because no matter how growth we have been through, it is easy to fall back into traps of the past.

But we see with the struggles that Tess is facing, whether it is with her own thoughts about her daughter, her worries about her mother, the doubts with Rob, that communication is key. Of course communicating openly about things is easier said than done, as there is the risk that you may hear things you don’t want to hear, but especially in this case, it would have avoided many worries for Tess.

Yet also in this story Tess keeps on growing, she is more courageous. She has the guts to stand her ground, to clearly show her borders, and doesn’t let anyone walk over her that easily anymore.

And like the title says, also her heart is healing. Where it already was opening up with Rob, matters of the heart are always a work in progress.

This isn’t a story that is filled with drama over drama over drama. Yes, there is *some* drama 😊 but it isn’t always earth – shattering. There is drama that could happen to any of us, and how it is handled is how any sensible person would.

But no matter what curveball is thrown, Tess never loses her ‘Tess-ness’, as she doesn’t act indifferent no matter who is in front of her. She never stops caring, worrying and loving. And that is the strength of her character, but also of the story in itself. Because with heart, even if it is still a healing one, the right thing will always be done. And with heart, even a healing one, love (any kind of love) always will be victorious.

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‘The Fly-Half And The Fling’ – written by Lasairiona McMaster #BookReview

Do to damage control with the person you and your family despise the most…

Synopsis

Rhiannon
I walked out of my wedding and straight into the arms of a stranger.
One night. No names. No regrets.
Until I find out who he really is—Robert McAllister, the investigative journalist who nearly destroyed my family. Now the tabloids think we’re a couple, and the only way to control the chaos is to fake-date the man my whole family hates.
Smile for the cameras. Lie through your teeth. Try not to punch him in the throat.And whatever you do, don’t fall for the enemy.

Robert
Sleeping with Rhiannon Morrigan hours after she jilted her fiancé wasn’t my smartest move.
She’s a rugby icon. A walking headline. Off-limits in every way, and the one subject I swore I wouldn’t write about. But my editor’s ultimatum is clear—write her story or lose my job. Now we’re faking it for the press, and I’m holding the biggest scoop of my career…

If I write it, I’ll lose her.
If I don’t, I might lose everything else.

My review

After discovering the betrayal of her fiancé and her supposed best friend, Rhiannon choses to expose them on her own wedding day. Together with her sisters, she decides to let some steam off and she ends up acting out of character and has one steamy night with a complete stranger. So many people have nights with complete strangers, with no regrets and no one exposing the fling on the tabloids. Weren’t it that Rhiannon is a rugby icon, and her family name Morrigan is known by every rugby fan over the world. And that the man she spent the night with, is her family’s worst enemy, investigative journalist Rober McAllister. Robert, who has made it his mission to expose everyone who isn’t clean in the sports world. And his eyes are set on the Morrigan family for a while. So Rhiannon is off – limits in so many different ways… However, when Rhiannon needs him to control the chaos that erupted, Robert agrees to fake – date her. And when his own editor demands from Robert to write a story about Rhiannon, Robert does not know what to do, write a scoop and lose the frail relationship that is building, or lose not only his job, but everything else?

I got to know this amazing author with her books about hockey players. And I loved every story so far. Even with her other nickname, and not – hockey – related books, she got me hooked. So with now expanding the horizon towards rugby, I was more curious than other times.

And also with rugby, I have to admit that even if my sister – in – law is a big fan of it, I don’t know much about it. I just see the players running, jumping on each other, and a weird shaped ball… Don’t ask me about the rules, because I just don’t know! 😊

Even if I didn’t know anything about rugby, I felt an immediate connection with Rhiannon. Not because we have a lot in common, as our worlds couldn’t be more different. Yet there was something in Rhiannon’s character that resounded very loudly with me. I cannot pinpoint exactly what, but I just clicked with her.

I am single at the moment, but is there a bigger betrayal than discovering that your fiancé and your friend are hooking up together? My heart broke for Rhiannon, but at the same time I also admired her. Because she has planned to expose their betrayal in front of anyone, at the actual wedding! You need some big balls for that!😊

What saddened me also, was reading how she didn’t get the support from her father. Because yes, the humiliation is there, but as a father, a parent, you have to stand by your daughter’s side and protect her from the person that harmed her.

Luckily, Rhiannon has the best sisters and *real* friends in the world. They support her through the worst day of her life. They for sure know how to put a smile on Rhiannon’s face, and mine too! And they are always there for Rhiannon, also seeing through the ‘lies’ Rhiannon tries to tell them. This shows how well they all know each other and as they don’t judge her, just how much they love her.

Now, I am not the kind of person to have a fling for just one night, that is just not my cup of tea. But I can understand why people have them, and I could understand Rhiannon needing to feel different. Although, perhaps there would have been a better location, and a more laid – back outfit 😊.

And hooking up with a complete stranger, you never know who you have in front of you… And in Rhiannon’s case, she couldn’t have picked a worse match. Or for book – purposes, a better match 😊.

Not that Robert is a bad person, but being an investigative journalist, having already haunted Rhiannon’s family, he not exactly persona grata in the family…

And he also has a big baggage of his own, with he still hasn’t come completely to terms with, and his past is still haunting him, on so many several levels.

Obviously he knows who Rhiannon is, and even if he knows that hooking up would be a terrible idea, he just cannot resists Rhiannon. And I cannot blame him! 😊

Of course we know that their fling will come out, and that they will have to start fake – dating. Yet there is always the curiosity of reading how it all will start, will they get along at least at some level, or are they enemies from the very start? So many questions, and the only way to get answers, is just keep reading!

Rhiannon and Robert have their own agenda of why agreeing to the fake – dating, and in a way it angered me. Because, why should a woman be brought to shame of having a fling, after being betrayed? Especially if it were a man instead of Rhiannon, nobody would care, or worse, they would applaud him…

And Robert is forced to write an article about Rhiannon, which he absolutely does not want to write. Not only would he lose his job if he refuses, but he is also partnered up with the scumbaggiest of scumbags…

Both of them have a lot at stake, and they want to pretend when needed, but they want to keep their distance, for self-preservation. They don’t want to show the real Rhiannon and Robert to each other, out of fear. And that is somehow the red thread throughout the whole story, the fear of being just Rhiannon and Robert. And not only towards each other, but also to others, even their loved ones.

And that saddened me a little bit, because no matter what you have been through, are going through, what your baggage is, you should be able to be just yourself, to know who you are.

What I liked in this book especially, is reading how Rhiannon learns to talk and help Robert with his disability. His disability is not a secret, as you can clearly see it on the cover. It is easy to pity someone like him, but Robert makes it clear to Rhiannon and the readers too, that pity is the last thing that is needed. And he explains very clearly what the do’s and don’ts are. Because just because you want to help out, doesn’t mean it is the right thing to do. And that was very informative and eye-opening too.

And also, we see how the right support can make you believe in yourself more, and understand yourself more. Because Rhiannon is a great player, but also very much under the influence and pressure of her own father. And Robert makes her understand that she is great, but that is on her, even without her father she would be awesome. And Rhiannon learns in this book to go more with her own gut feeling. And she knows that Robert will be in her corner. Isn’t that a great thought, knowing that you will always have someone ready to fight with you?

There are of course dilemmas in this book, to let the other one in, or keep your distance? Be loyal to your editor, trainer, manager, or trust your own (gut) feelings? So many issues are addressed in this book, and the amazing Queen that Las is, lets the main character go through the whole process, even if they are filled with doubting thoughts.

This was once again a marvellous story, about how life can break you, but also how with the right people surrounding you, you can become a stronger version of yourself. And yes, of course there is some spice in it. But in a way, those heated moments weren’t doing it for me, but the growing mutual respect, understanding and care between Rhiannon and Robert did more to me than any spice between them ever could…

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‘On The Wings Of The Storm’ – written by Maggie Craig #LBTCrew #Bookstagram #OutNow #PublicationDay @Maggie_E_Craig @LoveBooksTours @LBT.Crew

Happy publication day!

Synopsis

Summer 1745: Prince Charles Edward Stuart has landed in the Highlands, igniting a rebellion that will set Scotland ablaze.

Redcoat Captain Robert Catto has painful personal reasons for hating all Jacobites with a passion. Except for one. Christian Rankeillor is a fiercely intelligent apothecary in Edinburgh. Her loyalty to the Jacobite Cause is unshakeable.

Now, as the Rising gathers force and loyalties harden into life-or-death choices, Catto must confront enemies on and off the battlefield as well as the ghosts of his troubled past. On opposite sides of a brutal conflict, can Robert and Kirsty dare to hope against all the odds they might have a future together? Or will the coming storm destroy their last chance at love?

The renowned and well-loved author of Damn’ Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 and Bare-Arsed Banditti: The Men of the ’45, Maggie Craig brings to life the drama, danger and defiance of 1740s Scotland with a storyteller’s touch and a historian’s insight.

Buy Links 

🇬🇧  – Buy on Amazon UK

🇺🇸  – Buy on Amazon US

About the author

Maggie Craig is a celebrated Scottish author whose passion lies in bringing Scotland’s rich history to life. She’s written well-loved family sagas set in her native Glasgow and Clydebank, while her Storm Over Scotland series is a tale of star-crossed lovers negotiating Jacobite intrigue and political tension before and during the 1745 Jacobite rising. She’s equally renowned for her non-fiction: Damn’ Rebel Bitches: The Women of the ’45 and Bare-Arsed Banditti: The Men of the ’45 highlight the personalities of the Jacobite Rising, and her latest, One Week in April: The Scottish Radical Rising of 1820, examines radical eighteenth-century movements. She’s also written a social history of Red Clydeside and a vivid biography of wartime nurse and Jacobite historian Henrietta Tayler. Renowned for her meticulous research, Maggie has been described as writing with a brilliantly authentic voice.

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‘Gilded Locks’ – written by Lydia Michaels #BookReview @lydia_michaels_books @lydiamichaels_pr

To hide with the enemy of your enemy…

Synopsis

A Dark Reverse Harem Romance

She broke into the wrong house.
Now, three brutal men will make her pay—with her body, her secrets, and her soul.

When runaway heiress Marigold Calder crashes into the forbidden Isles of Kassel during a blizzard, she’s desperate for shelter. The isolated mountain lodge seems like salvation, until she realizes it belongs to The Bears, three massive Russian brothers who own the most exclusive—and dangerous—private men’s club in Kassel.

HUNTER – The violent one who takes what he wants🔥
STONE – The cold mastermind who’ll break her with a single look🔥
ASH – The deceptively gentle one who’s anything but safe🔥

In Kassel, trespassing has a price. And once they catch her sleeping in their bed, eating their food, and wearing their clothes, these territorial predators decide she’s theirs.

Trapped by the storm and their obsession, Marigold discovers a dark connection between their families that turns their hospitality into a hunt for revenge. Now, they won’t just keep her, they’ll ruin her.

A scorching hot, morally grey, billionaire reverse harem featuring possessive anti-heroes, forced proximity, primal dominance, explosive chemistry, and a heroine who refuses to break. This standalone dark romance contains mature themes and explicit scenes that will leave you breathless.

Step into their den… if you dare.TROPES: Reverse Harem/Why Choose • Dark Romance • Forced Proximity • Snowbound • Captive Romance • Morally Grey Heroes • Touch Her and Die • Possessive/Obsessive • Enemies to Lovers • Found Family • Russian Heroes • Private Club • Billionaire Romance • Secret Identity • Revenge Plot • High Heat 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

My review

When Marigold Calder escaped, she never expected that she would be literally crashing and would have to fight for her life. So when she finds an isolated mountain lodge on the forbidden and very private Isles of Kassel, she believes that she is safe. But what she doesn’t know, but will realize soon, is that the owners of the lodge, the Bears, three Russian brothers, don’t allow anyone in. And whoever dares to trespass, has to pay a price. And all three brothers, Hunter, Stone and Ash, have decided that this trespasser with golden hair, is now theirs, to do as they please. As a storm rages on, Marigold has no other choice to submit to the three brothers, with their own different character but all also having a pull that Marigold finds strangely to ignore. And then Marigold discovers that the Bear Brothers are seeking out for revenge as someone of Marigold’s family hurt the one person the brothers love the most. Turning Marigold into a pawn in a very dangerous game…

Having read the first book of the series The VIllians of Kassel, I knew that not only it would be a complete retelling, with many liberties of the author. Lydia Michaels may use famous tales as inspiration, yet she changes so much in her own story, that while there still are a few similarities, a lot is, well, just not. And I also knew that there would be a lot of explicit scenes, and even moments where the female main character would be acting against her own will. But there are several of warnings at the start of the book, so I as warned well beforehand.

At the start of the book, it is obvious that Marigold is literally running away from something and someone (or rather, several people). But the exact who, why, when, etc. is not made obvious further along in the book. But her desperation is obvious from those first few pages. And reading what she had to endure, at the hand of the people that perhaps should protect, cherish and love her the most, isn’t that the worst possible betrayal?

I could understand that her need to survive was bigger that questioning whose house she would be trespassing. And I could also understand the reason that she lies when the three brothers find her. Again, that need to survive at any cost…

If she would have literally crashed anywhere else but this lodge, perhaps she would have met someone who would show her kindness and help her out. Unfortunately, she crashed the lodge of the most fearful, savage, revengeful brothers of the whole continent.

There are so many signs that the three brothers are not to mess with, they have laws of their own, no law stopping from what they want to do.

Hunter, Stone and Ash are the closest as siblings could ever be, and I am close to my brother, but not to their extension! They have been through a lot, together, but there is nothing that would tear them apart. On the contrary, their family bond is just unbreakable.

And when there is a threat, in any form or shape, they are united to protect what is theirs and what they love.

So when they find Marigold in their home, they won’t just let her walk away. Because nobody comes to their home and just walks away… And they also now that Marigold isn’t telling the truth, and one way or another they will get it out of her…

I cannot say that the brothers sparked something inside of me from the start. They are controlling, intimidating and also scary… Yet even if they are brothers and have a lot of similarities, they are all different characters. Where Ash shows a gentle side (but don’t get fooled by it), Stone is a cold mastermind and Hunter seems to be the most violent and vengeful one.

United they are a force to be reckoned with, but somehow, Marigold is their weak spot…

Of course I knew they wanted to use Marigold for their own benefit and pleasure. And I knew that Marigold would have no other option than complying, as these men saved her but also as she has no other place to run.

And yet, there is something about these brothers, and it isn’t just their power that emanates from the pages… We see this when they let Marigold know why they are seeking revenge, as they want to protect and avenge the person they love the most.

We also see how Marigold starts to see behind this strong façade all the brothers have. I am not saying they are suddenly saints, because they are not. But there is just something about those three Bears, a hidden vulnerability in a way, that made me understand the attraction…

Talking about attraction… or rather, I need to talk about the spicy and all the action that is taking place. First of all, while initially Marigold does not have a choice and has some with all the brothers, I could see how it would be an impossible choice to just pick one. Not my cup of tea, a reversed harem, but I am not judging someone else’s choices, if it makes them happy and they don’t hurt anyone else in the process.

Secondly, pfew, there is A LOT of action taking place! And even if there was a moment I was wondering about the logistics about a certain scene, I perhaps needed to take a break myself, as sometimes it got a bit too hot! 😊

Of course it is a spicy story, that perhaps is not for everyone, but I also saw something else in this book. I saw how a hurt, broken woman may have found herself in the lion’s den. But the lions, or rather Bears, that she encounters, make her understand that she is not completely broken, that she in fact is a strong fighter. And those three strong brothers, they realize that no matter how much they protect what is theirs, no matter how closed up they are, there may be one woman with golden hair that is able to open their hearts in a way they never expected. 

Lydia Michaels also with this story turned a well – known tale into something completely different. But different isn’t a bad thing. Different is just another way of looking at life, different is just understanding that there are more ways to see things. And that one evening where you need to survive, can open a gate (or a door) to a whole different life that may fit you better than you may ever believe…

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‘Anyone But You’ – written by Olivia Spring #BookReview @ospringauthor @BoldwoodBooks

When your match is exactly what you don’t want…

Synopsis

A BRAND NEW spicy summer romance set in everybody’s favourite matchmaking hotel 🌞🌴💖

For fans of Meghan Quinn and Ali Hazelwood!

Tropes: 🌶️ Matchmaking 🌶️ Rockstar romance 🌶️ Grumpy sunshine 🌶️ Opposites attract 🌶️ Forced proximity 🌶️ Fake dating 🌶️ Celebrity comeback 🌶️ Playboy with hidden depths 🌶️ Luxury hotel setting

They say opposites attract… right?

Ex-rock star Jake used to have it all. But a fall from grace has left him with a career in tatters. Trying to salvage his reputation, his agent suggests a trip to sunny California’s brand new five-star Love Hotel. The plan is to instigate a fake whirlwind social media romance to reignite his star power. Simple. Except, Jake barely knows how to use a hashtag. And he’s definitely not looking for love.

Looking for a second chance at finding true love, Halle has categorically sworn off musicians and social media after a painful break-up. So, when matched with notorious bad boy Jake, they’re a dating disaster waiting to happen, right?

Jake’s here for the clicks. Halle is craving a connection. ¬ Except the Love Hotel’s matchmaking team are the experts for a reason. And after two weeks of forced proximity in paradise, Halle and Jake discover that the pairing which at first seemed so wrong starts to feel so right…

Perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez, Meghan Quinn and Sarah Adams!

Praise for Olivia Spring:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘ADORE Olivia’s pitch perfect romances – one of the few who can have me swooning over her male characters.’ Bestselling author Kristen Bailey

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I was hooked from the first chapter. An absolute delight!’ Bestselling author Laura Carter

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Through Olivia’s wonderful writing style, I honestly felt as though I was there’ Reader Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Well what can I say apart from this book is a rare gem. It has everything book lovers will adore’ Reader Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Once you get hooked into the story you won’t want to put it down.’

My review

Halle has been seriously burnt by love, but is ready to find it again. So when with the help from her friends, she gets a spot in The Love Hotel resort in California, Halle is over the moon. The Love Hotel is known for finding perfect matches, and the only thing that Halle doesn’t want, is to be matched with someone famous, like a musician and someone very present on social media. So when she learns that her ‘perfect match’ is ex – rock star Jake, she is rather angry. Not only because Jake used to be famous, but over the years he has created a notorious bad boy reputation. What Halle doesn’t know though, is that Jake needs to salvage his reputation somehow. And according to his agent, instigating a fake romance plastered over social media is the perfect solution. Where Jake is looking for redemption, Halle is looking for a connection. And with this match, it would seem that The Love Hotel made a mismatch. Or could it be that in the two weeks Halle and Jake are spending together, they realize that perhaps their mismatch isn’t so mismatched at all?

When I started reading this book, I was excited as a little child 😊. Not only because I was so ready for another couple in The Love Hotel, but also because we see Sammie and Romeo from the previous book working as Love Alchemists!

At the start of the book, I was a bit angry with Halle! How dare she use her connections to gain a spot on the Love Hotel, and I don’t even know how to apply for it! 😊

It’s clear that Halle has been hurt by love before, and I could understand how she saw that fame is the cause of it. Because since her then – boyfriend became famous, he changed and he hasn’t been the perfect boyfriend. Nobody is a perfect partner, but he for sure does know how to treat his girlfriend in an awful way.

So I could understand how Halle wants to find her perfect match, that has to be anything but a famous person! But I also felt a tiny bit offended in the name of any musician (not that I am one 😊) because it isn’t fair to paint everyone with the same brush.

Yes, Jake is the perfect example how volatile fame is. He has made mistakes in the past, and he has a bad boy reputation and he lost everything. And initially, I didn’t pity him, because I only based my opinion on the little details that I knew. But just like Halle, I had to get to know Jake better and learn about his history.

I also found it a bit a dirty game of his agent, whom I just immediately disliked, without even a real piece of evidence. I understood that Jake needs to do something to change the world’s perception. Jake may think that his match will be playing along, and knows about why he is in the resort, but we all know better, don’t we? 😊

When Halle and Jake meet, of course they don’t get along. Halle does not want to be around Jake at all, and makes her disdain for him and his reputation very clear. I for sure liked her playlist, making her feelings very very very obvious!

Being at the Love Resort means that Halle and Jake are ‘forced’ to spend together. And initially even on the pictures it is clear how they feel about each other. But slowly, the more time they spend together, it becomes clear that they both have a misperception of each other, and that they share a lot of common thoughts, interests and ideas.

And the more time I spent getting to know Jake, the more I not only understood him, but also how everything fell into place. Because with his story, not only we see how bad choices and decisions can affect your life and reputation, but also how one tragic event changes just everything.

With Jake, we see that behind every tabloid cover is a story, a reason why that persona acted in that way. And that is something important to realize, that behind every façade there is a person that perhaps has been broken and is just trying to pick up the pieces of his/her life again.

Halle and Jake slowly start to comprehend that The Love Hotel Resort didn’t mess up with them matching up together. Halle has a lot of baggage of her own, and Jake is so understanding, non – judgmental and  comforting. His acceptance of her and her ‘faults’ makes Halle realize that she in fact does not have anything to feel ashamed about and that Halle being Halle is more than good enough.

And Jake finds someone that is willing to listen, without expressing any kind of judgement. With Halle, Jake feels that he can open up, not only about his mistakes but also about what haunts him, and what broke him. With Halle, he finds someone that is just there for him.

We see with this pair that opening up can release a burden, and that it can make you feel more confident too. Jake gives an extra incentive to Halle, to believe more in herself and her capacities, he makes her understand that why shouldn’t she pursue her dreams? He also becomes very protective of her, wants to protect her from all the evils of the world, even if that evil is his own agent. And Halle makes Jake understand that not everything bad that happened to him, is his fault. Halle makes Jake see that even the most terrible thing that he has endured, can be turned into a lovely remembrance.

I feel with each review that I write for Olivia Spring, that I am repeating myself. Because also with this next book in a great series, she just swept me away. Because despite the hurt both main characters have been through, with their match, they find not only each other matched, but so much more. They find strength, acceptance, resilience and self – confidence.

Yes, this is a romance, but it shows so much growth in the main characters, there is an evolution. And seeing that movement is the strength of the book, seeing how not only perceptions can change, but how also you can change yourself, into a more confident, stronger person.

Once again a perfect score for Olivia Spring! 😊

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‘How I Learned to Stop Saluting Magpies A Lifeline List and Letting Go of Fear’ – written by Lynn Farley-Rose # @lovebookstours @LBT.Crew #LBTCrew #Bookstagram #OutNow #PublicationDay

Time for a promo!

Synopsis

Lynn grew up believing that saluting magpies could keep bad luck at bay. But after a string of disasters—illness, financial ruin, divorce—she’s forced to admit: the magpie magic isn’t working.

At rock bottom, she turns to a lifeline—a list of treats and adventures she’d always meant to try but never quite got round to. As she slowly ticks them off, what begins as a quest for distraction becomes something deeper.

A train rattles across America. Flamingos flap. Secrets surface. There’s clifftop terror. And step by step, old fears, inherited wounds, and superstitions begin to loosen their grip—creating space for forgiveness, of herself and of others.

How I Learned to Stop Saluting Magpies is a funny, thoughtful memoir about letting go, moving on, and inching—slightly suspiciously—toward joy.

Buy Links
🇬🇧  – Buy on Amazon UK

🇺🇸  – Buy on Amazon US

About the author

While working as a research psychologist, Lynn Farley-Rose became fascinated by how people cope when things get tough. 31 Treats And A Marriage is a personal account of reconnecting with life after unforeseen calamities, and in The Interview Chain she talks to remarkable people about things that help to make the world a kinder and more connected place. She grew up by the sea in Devon and then lived in London until a move to rural Sussex resulted in a complete change of lifestyle. At one point she was responsible for the welfare of thirty-two animals and eight species including her four children. She now lives in Hampshire and loves her adult children but has no pets.

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‘Too Hard To Resist’ – written by Olivia Spring #BookReview @ospringauthor @BoldwoodBooks

When even at The Love Hotel it doesn’t go as planned…

Synopsis

Welcome to the Love Hotel 🏝️🌞💖 Check in for a hilarious and spicy opposites attract summer romance set in a matchmaking hotel in Italy 🇮🇹

NEW FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR OLIVIA SPRING

Perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez, Meghan Quinn and Sarah Adams!

Tropes:

🏝️ Opposites attract

🏝️ Forbidden romance (staff and hotel guest)

🏝️ Banter to b*nging

🏝️ Forced proximity

🏝️ Grumpy sunshine

🏝️ Matchmaking

🏝️ Spicy !!!!

Sparks Fly…but with the wrong guy?

Sammie Gordon knows of The Love Hotel’s infamous reputation for making happy ever afters a reality. So when she gets her coveted invite to the hotel’s exclusive resort in Italy she’s packed her bags before she’s signed on the dotted line. What could be more perfect than sun, sea, culture and… her perfect match?

Except Sammie doesn’t get the immediate flutters of excitement when she meets her date. He may be perfect on paper, but their connection is more lukewarm than red hot passion! And when he leaves abruptly, Sammie is left alone in paradise. This is a disaster!

But The Love Hotel always goes above and beyond for their guests. And so Love Alchemist Romeo steps into the breach to keep her company on all the planned dates and intimate dinners. In a professional capacity… obviously! When sparks fly instantly, Romeo knows he’s in trouble. With a strict no-dating guests rule, Romeo has to try and keep things professional. But like magnets, Sammie and Romeo are drawn to each other. Their chemistry is forbidden and so they must, at all costs resist the temptation to cross the line…

Praise for Olivia Spring:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘ADORE Olivia’s pitch perfect romances – one of the few who can have me swooning over her male characters.’ Bestselling author Kristen Bailey

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I was hooked from the first chapter. An absolute delight!’ Bestselling author Laura Carter

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Through Olivia’s wonderful writing style, I honestly felt as though I was there’ Reader Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Well what can I say apart from this book is a rare gem. It has everything book lovers will adore’ Reader Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Once you get hooked into the story you won’t want to put it down.’ Reader Review

My review

Sammie is over the moon when her application for The Love Hotel has been approved. She knows about how the Hotel is able to find perfect matches, and Sammie cannot wait to meet her perfect man. To make things even better, the resort she is going to, is in Italy! However, when meeting her match, there aren’t immediate sparks, and his remarks for sure aren’t always the right kind… And then her match just leaves her, without any clear explanation or apology! Luckily, The Love Hotel always goes lengths for its guests, and Love Alchemist Romeo makes sure that Sammie doesn’t feel like the odd one out on all the planned activities. But even where Romeo wants to keep things professional (especially as he already is fighting against rumours), the attraction between him and Sammie is yet so strong, yet so forbidden…

I have said it before, and with this book, I will only confirm it once again: I want to go to the Love Hotel myself to find my perfect match! Not only because of its perfect location, but how everyone there goes lengths to your match, but also look after you, even when bad things happen!

Right from the start, I found Sammie a real delight to get to know! She is looking for love, but that doesn’t mean that she let someone walk over her, criticize her or let her have a bad feeling about herself.

This we see in the very beginning, at a terrible date, with her sarcasm she put people in place, letting them understand that they have crossed a line. That openness, the fact that she talks before she thinks, is not only great to read, but in a way (although on a lower level),so recognizable for me! 😊

Also her search for a perfect match is recognizable, as I still haven’t found my match yet. So once again: where can I send my application to? 😊
Just like Sammie, I don’t need a man, but for sure it is nice to have someone by your side, who loves you just the way you are.

And when she learns that she is finally to go to the Love Hotel, I was over the moon for her, even extra when learning she will go to Italy (not biased at all 😊). But also how she learns about her trip, made me laugh, because her confusion and her nearly missing out on this amazing opportunity!

Even if I knew beforehand that her match wouldn’t be the perfect match at all, I was almost disgusted by this man looking supposedly for love. Everything he said or did, was not only cringy, but so ugly. He was not only lying, but also body shaming Sammie, while Sammie is just perfect with all her curves.

So while it broke my heart for Sammie seeing how she is being abandoned, I was happy to see him gone, and let the real story start!

Another admission of mine, while Romeo is a lookalike of a famous actor, I can understand the appeal, but that specific Italian actor isn’t doing it for me. So I hope that Olivia can forgive me, but in my mind, Romeo looked a bit different, still the typical Italian but not so much of a lookalike 😊.

Romeo, with such a name, would you expect a terrible person? Of course not!

But I also felt sorry for him, because rather quickly when he appears in the book, it becomes clear that he is being objectified by women. And while at the resort he keeps absolutely his professionalism, some women make it difficult to not believe the rumours about him. All the while he is just being the perfect gentleman, professional Love Alchemist.

With him we see how not only women being objectified, but also men, and how that objectification can ruin careers, lives. Because we see that despite the person that Romeo is, he is afraid to act the right way, in fear of being misunderstood or as it can be seen as something wrong.

Because he truly cares about his guests, not just about Sammie. He wants everyone to have a good time and enjoy their match. And he just doesn’t understand how Sammie’s match just left, while Sammie is just perfect…

While he is looking after Sammie, without crossing any line, we also learn that he has been burnt by love before and that makes him very wary. Also the fact that he sees in what an unhappy marriage his own mother is, makes him rather reluctant to give another chance.

Talking about his mother… Romeo is for sure an amazing son. Not only would he walk on water for his mother, he also wants her to be happy, and he knows what would make her happy. Romeo is the kind of son that will make sure that his mother gets her own happy ending….

No matter how hard Romeo and Sammie are trying to keep their distance, and not cross any line, sparks fly around whenever they are together. But it isn’t just something physical, Sammie understands Romeo, and they have a lot of things in common. And Romeo just loves Sammie’s creativity, her spontaneity en just how she is in general. There cannot be a more perfect match! Weren’t it forbidden…

Olivia Spring once again surprised me with this book. Not that I expected I wouldn’t like it, on the contrary. I didn’t expect it to love it just so much… I was rooting from the start until the very end for Sammie and Romeo to find their happiness. And I found myself getting angry at moments, but also I also and especially found myself smiling, swooning, laughing throughout the story.

There wasn’t one bit I didn’t like (even Sammie’s original match couldn’t change my happy feelings). Although, there was just one thing… that I finished it… Because this book is so captivating, so wonderful, that you never want it to end! 😊

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‘Hush Darling’ – written by Lydia Michaels #BookReview @lydia_michaels_books @lydiamichaels_pr

When your desire for freedom doesn’t bring it…

Synopsis

Lose your innocence to one of the wickedest men alive in this DARK and TWISTED Peter Pan retelling by bestselling and award-winning author Lydia Michaels.

Some adventures lead to happily ever afters. Others lead to ruin.

Wendy Darling is desperate to escape the gilded cage of her childhood, but her parents’ obsession with wealth and status has her trapped. Suffocated by their expectations and starved for freedom, she runs off with the duplicitous billionaire Peter Pangbourn to the Never Lands—an exclusive playground for the lawless elite. But once there, Wendy finds herself stranded and at Peter’s mercy—powerless to get home.

When pirates storm the island, Wendy is kidnapped by the cruel and vengeful Captain James Hook. James has waited a lifetime to punish his brother, Peter, and he plans to use Wendy’s innocence to exact his revenge.

Dark secrets are revealed in a battle of wills, and a dangerous obsession ensues between Wendy and her ruthless captor as his dominance is met with stunning surrender. While Hook is determined to dominate and destroy Wendy, she is set on saving his dark soul.

“Fans of Haunting Adeline and Twisted Love will devour this enemies-to-lovers, dark billionaire romance! Hush Darling sizzles with taboo degradation as Wendy, a virgin captive, faces off with one of the most vengeful and villainous pirates alive.”

Tropes: Dark Romance, Billionaire Romance, Virgin heroine, degradation kink, Daddy vibes, Abduction, Pirate Romance, Enemy Brothers, enemies-to-lovers, good vs. evil

My review

Wendy Darling hasn’t known any different that her family, especially her parents, are obsessed with wealth, money and status. That made Wendy grow up in a gilded cage, so when Peter Pangbourn, a billionaire her parents want her to end up, but is not as a do – gooder he makes everyone believe, offers Wendy to her with him to The Never Lands, Wendy sees this as a chance to escape her personal prison. But Wendy quickly learns that The Never Lands is where the elite play around without taking any law to heart. To make things even worse, while Wnedy tries to find her way back home, pirates capture her, and she finds herself at the mercy of Captain James Hook, who is seeking revenge against Peter. While Wendy has no other choice to surrender to James’s will and desires, she understands that his dark side comes from his past he tries to hide. And she makes it her own mission to show him that his soul isn’t completely lost at all…

I don’t think that there is one person in the world who hasn’t heard of the story of Wendy and Peter Pan, and the evil Captain Hook. While not exactly a fairytale, we all see the good and the bad in the original story, loving Peter and despising the Captain.

But what if someone uses the original tale and gives it not just a twist that it is set in the present, but also a definite darker one too, where nothing is off limits, where Wendy finds herself at the mercy of wicked minds?

When I started reading this book, I thought I knew what to expect, but the more I was reading, the more I realized that my initial thoughts were wrong, on several levels.

Not only is Peter not that innocent boy we all knew, but in fact he is a rather despicable man, used to use his wealth to get what he wants. And he isn’t used of getting ‘no’ for an answer. Not only that, but once we are on The Never Lands, we also see that his moral compass is just completely off. We see how he uses people, especially women for his own pleasure.

And seeing how Wendy, innocent in so many aspects, falls at his mercy, made me even fearing for her, with her. Innocent, because Wendy has truly been living in a gilded cage, not being allowed to do what she truly wants, or understand what her own passions and desires are. Growing up with parents with only wealth and status on their mind, isn’t a way to grow up, so even when Peter visits her and tempts her to get away, I could understand Wendy(s desire to at least go rogue…

At Never Lands, Wendy is obviously in shock, not only seeing how Peter behaves, but also his friends. If I were Wendy, I would be screaming around, trying to find a way away from it all, wanting to get home (even if that is a prison) as fast as possible. If only that were the only shock Wendy would have…

Because of course, just like the original story, there has to be pirates and a Captain Hook!

Now, I need to admit, while his behaviour is totally not okay, I could understand why he is out for revenge. Right from the start we know about his connection with Peter, and yes, while he is the bad guy, I felt sorry for James…

That doesn’t make up for his behaviour towards Wendy of course, but it made it easier for me as a reader to understand the character of the Captain much better.

Now, this book isn’t for the fainthearted, as we see how James shows his dominance towards Wendy, and she has no choice but surrender to his whims. And Wendy being rather innocent also in that aspect, is not ready for the tornado that James is.

But at the same time, being captured and having no choice to go into submission, also frees her in a way. Wendy has been living her whole life in submission, but this kind of submission is liberating for her, as she understands not only her body better, but also her own darker side.

The more Wendy freely submits, the more James finds Wendy irresistible, impossible to just ignore or just use her as he initially planned. And the more these two people, who couldn’t be more different, find a connection somehow…

I have to admit, I made a mistake while I was reading this story. And that was that I was reading it during my lunchbreak at work. And some bits, well, they weren’t fit for reading at work! 😊

There is a lot of ‘action’ in this book, and we were warned for it at the start of the book. And while perhaps there were a few moments that went a little bit too over the top for my own personal liking, I could also see further than just that action.

Because that action is also the reason that Wendy discovers who she really is, and that what she feels and thinks and desires, is not weird or strange. And we see Wendy getting stronger, more courageous throughout the story. At the same time we also see this fierce, vengeful Captain melting at the hidden force that Wendy in fact is.

Lydia Michaels clearly took her inspiration from the story of Peter Pan, but made her own story, changing the narrative. And perhaps it took me a bit to forget about the old Peter Pan and Wendy. But once I made that click in my head, I found myself totally drawn into this dark and twisted story, that somehow also shows strength, courage, self – discovery, passion and a connection that makes no sense at first but is undeniable and perhaps stronger than anything else in the world!

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‘It Could Have Been Her’ – written by Lisa Jewell #CoverReveal @lisajewelluk @thebookdealer

I am already prepared to be hooked, are you?

Synopsis

PREPARE TO BE HOOKED by the brand new thriller from Lisa Jewell, author of No.1 bestsellers None of This Is True, Don’t Let Him In and Then She Was Gone.

—-

It was the night she almost died.

Jane Trevally, newly divorced and feeling a little lost, agrees to accompany a man she doesn’t know to his house in the darkest corner of Hampstead Heath. She’s offered a drink, goes in, and then – a scream and the sound of something falling upstairs – Jane senses she’s in a bad place. She runs.

Twenty five years later, Jane finds herself outside the same house, this time to return a small white dog who’s been found near her home in the country; a dog whose owner has just been reported missing.

A fleeting glimpse of a haunted looking woman through the window sends Jane on a mission to uncover the house’s secrets – secrets more terrifying than she could have ever imagined, especially when she realises it could have been her …

A missing woman, a dysfunctional family and dark, dark secrets … Prepare to be hooked: it’s the new Lisa Jewell thriller.

Bestselling author Lisa Jewell’s brand new thriller IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER is out on 2 July 2026

Waterstones have signed copies by Lisa for half-price at this link: www.waterstones.com/book/it-could-have-been-her/lisa-jewell/2928377363833

The cover