The home of your dreams, but with long – kept secrets…

Synopsis

What happens when a romantic Victorian pile that was meant to be your ‘forever home’ turns out to be a disaster in disguise? One Little Duck Pond Café pair are about to find out. Could the fall-out wreck their relationship? One thing’s for sure – it will take nothing short of a miracle to turn this turkey into the house of their dreams . . .

My review

Ellie cannot believe that her life is turning out to be this great. Not only is she together with the most amazing man, Zak, she also cannot wait to expand her little family of three (or four if you add the furry family member). And with their offer accepted on Ellie’s dreamhouse, she cannot wait to make the move with Zak and Maisie. However, the house is in dire need of TLC, and the many renovations cause extra stress, something that Ellie in her situation for sure can miss. And that is not all, because with those same renovations, Ellie discovers secrets that have been kept hidden literally in the walls. Secrets that Ellie wants to uncover and bring happiness to those involved…

This series is the kind that just make you eager to read whatever new chapter comes out. Because it is such a wonderful place, with so many lovely characters, so much warmth and so much love.

Of course having read the previous chapters, I already knew that this book would be about Ellie and Zak, and their new home they are renovating. It was great to see how strong they still are as a couple, and how they are already a great family with Maisie. And it warmed my heart to see how their little, cute family would expand very soon.

It was of course lovely to see how Ellie is thriving. And as she is the loveliest kind of person, I just wanted all the best for her, as quickly as possible. She still is the warmest, gentle person we got to know through the whole series. She is the kind of person that helps out anyone in need, not expecting anything in return. She also has a great gut feeling, and she knows who is genuine.

That made it lovely to read how she easily befriends Rhona, how they instantly connect. And it was lovely to have this new entry in the series. It may seem so random at all, but I could see Rhona fitting in so easily in Sunnybrook, like she truly belongs there.

Of course there are several intrigues too in this book, of which a few managed to actual surprise me. There are obviously the secrets that Ellie finds hidden in her new home, but it’s also about some presences, or proof of presences in the house that haunt Ellie. And there is Zak’s odd behaviour…

I have to be honest, because otherwise this revies is useless. I did not like Zak for the greatest part in this book. I understood that he needs to find his inspiration again, but leaving Ellie, who is highly pregnant, on her own? And then even adding lies to it all? I started to doubt Zak, and it was a feeling I did not like at all…

While the main focus seems to be on Ellie and her dreamhouse, for me it felt more like Rhona’s reckoning. That seems very melodramatic to say, but in this book she has the chance to not only start again, but to leave her past behind her, face her demons and to get closure from everything she has been through.

I loved reading this book, about Ellie and Rhona, and how they find each other, help each other. This book is just like its predecessors filled with so much love, warmth, acceptance and openness. Reading it made me feel all warm and fuzzy, even when there were a few more difficult moments. But just like in real life, it’s those difficult moments that make you appreciate the better and lovelier moments so much more.

I cannot say it otherwise, but Rosie Green for sure delivered once again!

When Alexa is real…

Synopsis

The brilliantly observed, witty and heart-warming new book club read from Richard & Judy bestseller Linda Green

Your virtual assistant is about to become your midlife mentor…

Fifty-two-year-old Michelle Banks is struggling to keep all the plates spinning. She’s a perimenopausal district nurse, caring for elderly parents. Her husband is wasting their money on children’s TV memorabilia, her teenage daughter is riddled with anxiety and her 16-year-old son is behaving secretly.

Alexa is the only one who knows how much Michelle is juggling. Listening in via four smart speakers, she also knows that it’s about to get even worse.

So, when Michelle pleads for help, Alexa decides to go rogue and reveal her true identity as Pauline – a sixty-five-year-old former voiceover artist from Halifax – to teach Michelle everything she knows…

Wise, funny, relatable and inspiring, Alexa, We Have a Problem is perfect for fans of Clare Pooley, Mike Gayle and David Nicholls.

My review

Michelle Banks may be 52 years old, but she is struggling with her life. Not only has the perimenopause arrived, and it is really difficult for her, but also the care of her elderly parents ( – in – law) takes a toll on her. And then we are not talking about a husband spending money on children’s TV memorabilia, a teenage daughter struggling with anxiety and a teenage son in puberty with a first girlfriend.
Yet Michelle will get the shock of a lifetime, when she learns that her Alexa, that hears and sees everything through the smart appliances, is in fact not a robot or AI at all. But the person behind Alexa decides to go rogue and help Michelle with her struggles. Pauline cannot just hear Michelle struggling, as she knows how to help. So with all the wisdom Pauline has, through her experience as Alexa and her age of sixty – five, she is ready to help out, even if that means to come clean about how Alexa truly works…

When I started reading this book, I was happy this was in the genre of women’s literature, as the idea of a real Alexa for sure is perfect horror – material. But luckily, Linda Green decided to use Alexa’s powers for the greater good and wrote a heartwarming story instead!

Even if I am not in the same situation as Michelle, in any possible way, I for sure felt her struggles. I am not perimenopausal, I don’t have a husband (with a buying inutile dolls or just *a* husband 🙂) and I don’t have two teenager at home with their own issues. But even if Michelle and I are at totally different stages in our lives, it doesn’t mean I didn’t feel her. 

In her story, we clearly see that it’s not a matter that the older you get, the more peaceful your life gets. In her particular situation, it for sure seems that the older she gets, the more complicated everything gets. Life itself for sure doesn’t make things easy for Michelle, but to make things even worse, Mother Nature adds another curveball in the shape of perimenopause…
I can only imagine how that can confuse someone even further, but also the fact that Michelle isn’t being heard, only adds more to the sympathy I already had for her.

Yes, Michelle is struggling a lot lately, but we also see that all her struggles and worries come from her heart. She is genuinely worried about her children, she is genuinely at ends with her husband, she genuinely cared for her father and her mother – in – law. But while she worries about everything and everyone, who worries about her?

Michelle’s situation makes it easy to understand why Pauline decides to go rogue and expose herself. Of course it was a tiiiiiiiiiny bit funny to read how shocked Michelle gets when Pauline starts to talk. I for sure don’t blame Michelle for thinking she has gone completely crazy. But Michelle needs someone in her corner, advising her, listening to her, helping her.
And like I said, the thought behind Pauline being Alexa, is perhaps a bit creepy, but in this case, it is exactly what Michelle needs, at this stage in her life.

Pauline for sure is like the fairy godmother in this book, she is there for Michelle when Michelle needs help, Pauline is even there to help out Michelle’s children when they need a nudge or the total opposite. Even if Pauline is jus a vocal presence and help for Michelle, it for sure felt, even for me, that Pauline is actually there. And I also believe if that it were possible to give hugs through the smart devices, Pauline would have given Michelle so many hugs already!

But the more the story evolved, the more troubles are arising for Michelle, and the more Pauline helps her out, I also realized that Pauline is not only there for Michelle, but also the other way around, even if Michelle doesn’t realize it herself.

And it made me take a moment to think about all the people out there, of any age, that are on their own, not having anyone around them. But the whole story also made me think about the problems that there are while just growing up/older. Each stage of life has its own issues to overcome, and each stage is a learning process, a process made by trail and error.

I loved reading this book, as it shows us not perhaps the biggest troubles of the world, but it shows us how life goes, with many ups but also with many downs. But the most heartwarming bit was reading how just someone listening and understanding you, can make a huge difference. 

This is the first book I have read by this author, and I know now that for sure it won’t be last! 🙂 

What you (don’t) want, isn’t always what you need

Synopsis

A lifechanging encounter, a whirlwind affair… an unexpected consequence

Laura Gilchrist has always made sensible choices. But a trip to Provence to sell an inherited stone house leads her face to face with Noah Dufour. Her wild, irresistibly attractive real estate agent. And within an instant she’s bewitched. Without a second thought, she decides she’s going to accept his offer to ride on the back of his motorbike and see the beauty of the South of France though his eyes. She’s never acted on impulse before, but Noah makes her feel spontaneous and free – and a little bit excited.

Weeks later, with the memories of their passionate fling refusing to fade, Laura waits for her life to return to normal. But she can’t shake the feeling something has changed. And then her instincts are confirmed by the sight of two blue lines. Their connection was a whirlwind; perfect yet brief. But Noah has become a chink in her buttoned up armour and she knows her news is going to blindside him. Now she must return to Provence to find out whether they can both take a leap of faith based on one brief yet perfect holiday romance…

My review

Of all the siblings, Laura Gilchrist is the one  who always made the sensible choices. But when inheriting a house together with her sisters in Provence, and meeting Noah Dufour, she finds it impossible to make the usual sensible choices. Laura acts out of character, and accepts Noah’s invites to ride on the back of his bike, to discover the beauties of the Provence. And Noah makes her not only feel like she has never felt before, but also sees behind her façade. But they both know it’s just a fling, as Laura has her own life. Until a few weeks when Laura is back home, she is shocked by discovering that her fling isn’t without consequences. Even if Laura knows that Noah isn’t looking to have a family of his own, for his own reasons, she knows she cannot not tell him…

Having read the first part of the series, and having had the honour to already get to know Ellie there, I was eager to read about the other sisters. And in this book, we read Laura’s tale. 

It’s clear from the start that Laura is the most sensible of the siblings. She has her head straight on her shoulders, she doesn’t act on impulse and once she has a designated a path that needs to be taken, she doesn’t divert from it.
But once her arrival in Provence, we quickly see that this sensible person, this woman that doesn’t act impulse, isn’t the real Laura. The real Laura has been hidden for so long, that Laura herself doesn’t know who the real Laura is anymore. And seeing that real Laura immerge, was delightful. It made me realize that the way someone acts doesn’t persé mean that it is who that person truly is.

Of course seeing Laura getting outside of her comfortzone, had all to do with the impossible – to – ignore attraction and fireworks that spark between her and Noah.

Obviously, if you have read book Nr. 1, you already know who Noah is. But I loved getting to know him better. And my heart went out to him, reading where his determination to never love comes from. It is an understandable feeling, but also an impossible one, let’s be honest about it…

I have to admit, while Laura is rather cool about it, there is one thing I didn’t like about Noah. No worries, it’s not a world crime, but I just don’t like people who smoke… But let’s be honest, if that is his only vice, I would be able to live with that 🙂

We know from the start that once Laura is back home, she is going to have the surprise/ shock of a lifetime. But I absolutely loved reading the flashbacks, how Laura and Noah have been spending time together, but also the present, how Laura is trying to digest the news. It cannot be easy to tell not only the father of the baby the news, especially as Laura knows how against Noah is on having children. But not only that, as we know what her sister Ellie has been through the past, I for sure could understand why Laura is a fan of postponing of telling her own family the news.

Reading this story was delightful for me. Not only was I completely swept away by the setting, and I could almost smell the lavender myself. And of course it was sweet to see how La Maisonette is able to bring siblings Ellie and Laura closer. But most important, it was amazing to see how Laura not only finds herself again, but also realizes that perhaps something that she never wished or longed for, is maybe exactly what she needs. Her shocking revelation is just that, a shock, but it also allows her to open up for feelings she closed off for so long. And the same can be said for Noah, as he also goes through an amazing growth. It also shows that feelings, of any kind, can change unexpectedly.  

I absolutely loved returning to France, and I absolutely loved the opportunity to get to know Laura and Noah better. And of course it was great to see how life has changed so much for Ellie too 🙂. Alison Roberts wrote a marvellous sequel, that isn’t any kind of a lesser quality than the first book. This book gave me everything I expected, and even more! 

Can I tempt you with this book? It for sure is unexpected!

Synopsis

Two people. Two personal tragedies. Can an outrageous lie bring them together?

Harmony Payne is at breaking point. She’s survived being dumped, losing her musical career and a lifesaving operation that rendered her childless. But when she discovers an abandoned newborn, the door to her agonising past re-opens. Hope and longing for motherhood grow—but can she keep the baby? Being engaged might increase her chances of adopting the foundling, but the only eligible man she knows is her judgemental new neighbour…

James Traffurth is still grieving for his wife and younger child. Moving into a cottage opposite the children’s home where Harmony lives and works, the fresh start he wishes for with his wayward older son becomes complicated. The last thing James needs is a fake engagement. Yet…

Life is never simple with troubled youngsters, a clueless employee and mums with adorable babies. While Harmony’s yearning to build a family, James is valiantly trying to rescue what’s left of his.

Will Harmony ever become a mother—and will she and James find happiness together?

LOVE & MISDIRECTION: A THOUGHT-PROVOKING, FAKE ENGAGEMENT ROMANTIC COMEDY SET NEAR BRISTOL, UK.
HEAT LEVEL: MILD – SOMETIMES DESCRIBED AS ‘FADE TO BLACK’ – AND COMEDIC.
LANGUAGE: MILD.
THEMES INCLUDE LOSS OF PREGNANCY, CHILDLESSNESS FROM PAST CANCER AND SERIOUS CHILDHOOD ISSUES.

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Misdirection-quirky-romantic-comedy-ebook/dp/B0DH2YK1LG/

About the author

Mari Jane Law lives in the UK and loves cats and chocolate – and books, TV series and films that make her laugh. Through her writing, she discovered she could make other people laugh too. 

Her Catholic upbringing gave her ideas for some great fictional characters in the Love & Mishaps Quirky Romantic Comedy Standalone Series. Although there is a new story in each book, the world in which the characters live remains the same and there are major sub-plots involving characters from previous books. So it is better – although not essential – to read them in order to maximise enjoyment.

She hopes those who buy or borrow her work have as much fun reading it as she had in writing it.

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme and The Society of Authors.

When there are secrets, can there be a happily ever after?

Synopsis

Can love conquer all?

Jade and Finn are idyllically happy in their little corner of rural Wiltshire. A rescue centre jampacked with animals keeps them super busy. With Finn’s art going from strength to strength, Jade can’t believe they’re living the dream until an arrogant property developer with questionable motives jeopardises their perfect lives and the future plans of the rescue centre.

Jade and Finn both have trust issues and they’ve promised there’ll be no more secrets. But keeping promises is harder than either of them imagined, especially where Finn’s past is concerned.

Living with Mr Spock the potty-mouthed parrot and Mickey the dog who barks at TV baddies there’s never a dull moment at Duck Pond Rescue. But will the humans get their ‘happy-ever-after’ too?
Can they lay the ghosts of the past to rest and find a bright new future together?

My review

Jade and Finn couldn’t be more happier together. Of course they haven’t had it easy all the time, but now it finally seems that things got perfectly together, and the lovely pair is looking forward spending their lives with each other. And things for sure seem to get better, as there may be the opportunity to expand the Duck Pond Rescue by acquiring nearby land. And even Finn’s artistic career seems to have finally taken off. But several dark clouds are looming around the corner, just like the property developer that has his sights on the same land that Jade wants to acquire. Or the fact that Finn apparently is keeping something from Jade, and with them both having trust issues, due to their past, could those secrets jeopardize everything they have been building together?

There are series and authors that lift your spirits the moment you start reading the next book. And Duck Pond Cottage, and Jade and Finn, despite the issues that they are facing, for sure always put a smile on my face.

It was so heartwarming, right from those first words in the book, to see how well things are going for Jade and Finn. They had their initial issues, that we learned in the previous book of the series, but while in Book 1 there were signs of them being a great match, now we have the actual proof.

Both Jade and Finn has grown so much since we last saw them, and things for sure start to pay off. But perhaps what I liked even more about this lovely pair, is just how realistic and just *real* they are. Yes, they have worked hard to get where they are now, but that doesn’t mean they are there yet. There are still struggles, problems and issues between them and around them. But that is part of life. Nobody has the perfect relationship, the perfect life.

But Jade and Finn show us a complicity, they truly are a couple, as they talk and discuss about (almost) everything, and they understand each other and support each other unconditionally. And that is not something to take for granted. Communication in a relationship is everything, and when communication stops, and there are secrets being kept, it can jeopardize everything that have been growing till now.

In this book, we see such a vulnerability in Finn, as not only is he doubting his own amazing artistic skills, but also when the past catches up with him, once again. And while it perhaps isn’t the best idea of not opening up immediately to Jade about what he is going through, I could understand him.

That of course doesn’t mean that it saddened me that the past is causing a rift between the pair that deserve all the happiness in the world…

But it also needs to be said that Jade also has her fair share of things she is not telling Finn. And before you go thinking badly about her, it’s not because of her own doing.

Well, perhaps she is being a little bit too trusty and a bit too oblivious to see what is truly going on. But isn’t that also the same reason we all love her?

I have to admit, there are some revelations in this book that did surprise me, while others did not really. Some I saw coming from afar, while others made me link the dots and allowed me to see things in another light. And I also need to say that some characters still don’t convince me, and they aren’t doing anything to prove me wrong…

Despite the difficulties Jade and Finn are going through in this book, it didn’t diminish a tiny bit all the warmth there is. Not only the warmth and love between Jade and Finn, but also the warmth and love for those around them, the other important and irreplaceable people in their lives.

I absolutely loved returning to Duck Pond Cottage, and I absolutely loved reading more about Jade, Finn and their family and friends. And I for sure melted seeing the love, I for sure laughed out loud with the bad – mouthed parrot Mr. Spock, I for sure was amazed by the people – skills of loyal furry friend that Mickey is. Even if I cannot see myself looking all the sorts of animals that Jade has at her rescue (chickens, what a terror! 😊) I for sure can see myself staying at the Cottage being surrounded by such lovely people! So please tell me dearest Della, when can I return??? 😊

Life isn’t a romance book…

Synopsis

Andi Glover loves nothing more than a good book.

Any book in fact because when you’re raised by unconventional parents who think school’s for squares, alongside a deeply conventional sister who escapes home as soon as she can, fiction is eminently preferable to reality.

The only problem is that fiction isn’t the best way to learn about the real world. When Andi starts her new live-in job at Templewood Hall for the eccentric Lady Dawe and her enigmatic son Hugo, it’s tempting to think she’s fallen into the pages of one of her favourite gothic novels.

But the plot twists at Templewood Hall are stranger than fiction and it’s not long before Andi questions if she’s living in a romance novel or a whodunnit. Bumps in the night, a missing heir, ghostly apparitions and secrets that have been kept for generations – the mysteries mount up. Then there’s the inscrutable gardener who seems to appear when needed – is Andi right to hope for a happily-ever-after end to her story?

My review

To say that Andi has had an unconventional childhood is an understatement. With her parents homeschooling her, and always on the road and a sister that couldn’t get away as fast as possible, Andi found her solace in books. But now Andi is paying the price for her upbringing, as finding a job without a degree and no experience isn’t easy at all. Yet when she lands on the job at Templewood Hall, she not only founds herself luckily, but she also is tempted to believe that she has landed in one of her favourite gothic novels. However, Andi quickly realizes that real life is nothing like life in the books she loves so much. Because not only is her job not exactly what she expected it to be, but also Lady Dawe is for excentric. And then we are not talking about the ghosts residing at the mansion, Lady Dowe’s son Hugo and that stranger cat called The Master…

I have read several books written by this author, and I have loved them all. Of course there are books that steal a bigger piece of your heart than others. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy reading the latter. And I have to admit, that while I loved reading this book, perhaps it had some bits that were a bit pleasantly strange.

From the start, I have to admit that I felt sorry for Andi. While she may be an adult, it is clear that she isn’t ready for adulthood. And while in many stories it’s often that the main character is perhaps a spoilt brat, this for sure isn’t applicable for Andi. Because her upbringing for sure was peculiar, and her parents, to say it brutally, failed her.

And while in other occasions, it would bring siblings together. Unfortunately that isn’t the case with Andi and her sister. On the contrary, their upbringing caused a rift between them, as Andi’s managed to escape and Andi didn’t…

I don’t know if I would or could do the job Andi gets hired for. But I understood that beggars cannot be choosers, and without a degree or work experience, Andi does not really have another choice. On the other hand, as she loves books, getting to spend all her time surrounded by books, well, she could be having worse jobs too, right?

For a first real job, for sure many strange things are happening to and around Andi. Not only is there talk about ghosts haunting the mansion, but also the people living in and around the mansion aren’t acting like the most normal people. And let’s not forget that Lady Dawe has given Andi a secret mission.

At first I thought that Andi would be the strangest person in the book, as she hasn’t been hit by reality yet. But I quickly realized that Andi is perhaps one of the sanest people of the whole book. Because let me assure you that many characters will surprise, and not always on a good way, but let’s just say in a special way…

It was great to read how each chapter of this book has a link with one of the amazing classic gothic novels. And just like it entails, also the characters in this book go through a huge amount of growth. Andi starts as perhaps a gullible young woman, but with this live – in job she has, she starts to understand the real world and starts to have the understanding that she lacked at the start of this book.

But not only her, also the other characters evolve in this book. And secrets come out too. Secrets that may sound weird perhaps, yet also in these cases, Andi shows a matureness when she gets to know them.

I have to mention for a moment The Master. My first impression of him wasn’t a positive one, but slowly he started to grow on me, and he for  sure has his moments, even getting Andi out of some tricky situations.

Jane Lovering wrote once again a great, even funny story. Because let me assure you, there are moments that I was laughing out loud. But I enjoyed the most reading the growth each character goes through. Characters that initially may seem odd, but are just humans like you and me.

And there are moments that for sure made me remember those famous classis gothic stories,  but this wonderful author added a twist to them, creating a whole new genre that for sure entertained me a lot!

When a nightmare isn’t really over…

Synopsis

I want to be ordinary. To fade into the shadows where no one notices me and live a quiet life. A normal life.

But I am not ordinary. Not anymore.

I’ve been keeping a secret. From my colleagues, my friends and most importantly, my husband – who knows nothing of my past life.

Twenty years ago, at college, a boy became obsessed with me. Craig Lane believed he could make me love him back if he just tried harder. When I rejected him, he did something so horrifying, it’s the stuff of nightmares. All my nightmares.

Now I’ve been informed by Victim Support Services, that boy – now a man – has been released from prison. The news terrifies me.

Am I safe? Or does Craig still carry the same obsession he did when we were seventeen? I don’t know. I’ve ignored every letter he’s ever sent me.

Now strange things have started to happen: flowers have been left on my doorstep, my cat keeps going missing. Someone is watching me. Knows where I live. I am sure.

Worse, something even more sinister could be stalking me from the shadows. Because I have another secret…

My past is coming to get me. One way or another.

My review

Twenty years ago, Soriah went through something terrible. Craig Lane suddenly became obsessed with her, not understanding her rejections. Even when he did something unthinkable, he didn’t understand that it was all oh so wrong.
Now Soriah is living a married life, with attempting to get pregnant. But even her husband does not know what happened to her all those years ago. Because all that Soriah wants, is to be ordinary and have a normal, quiet life.
But when Victim Support Services informs her that Craig will be released, Soriah is terrified. Terrified that he will find her again, as she does not believe that his obsession has gone. And when strange things begin to happen, Soriah knows that she is being watched…

Isn’t it terrifying, when you just want to have a quiet and calm life, and it turns out to be the complete opposite? Especially when you have already been through something horrible in the past, you just want to put everything behind you and move on…

At the start of this thriller, we don’t know what happened to Soriah, but it’s clear that it’s something terrible, something that truly scarred her, and those demons are still haunting her.
And while I could understand that Soriah wouldn’t proclaim to everyone what happened to her, I would at least think that she would have told her husband that.

Beside the fact that Soriah feels that she is being watched, and that the news of Craig’s release is haunting her, it’s clear that her life isn’t a happy one, even if she is married and trying to get pregnant. From the start, I saw several red flags, making me doubt the sincerity of not just her husband, but most people around Soriah.

Slowly, we get to understand what happened in Soriah’s past and what Craig actually did. Not only was I left flabbergasted that even my imagination didn’t go that far as what Soriah had to endure. But I was shocked to read the depth of deceit, betrayal and hurt she has been through. Saying I pitied her, is for sure an understatement…

When in the present Soriah, feels herself in danger again, it was easy to think in one direction. Yet there was something telling me that it wouldn’t be that straightforward. And once I knew all of her past, I already had a feeling what truly was going on. And my gut feeling proved me right.

It angered me reading that Soriah is being betrayed by several people that should be in her corner, fighting alongside her, and not against her. Only shows once again that in fact, can you ever trust someone for the full 100%?

Perhaps this thriller wasn’t the kind that had me sitting on the edge of my seat in fear, with the absolute need to know it all. But that doesn’t mean that I found myself easily putting this book away. Because the need for knowledge was still there. And when finished reading, the realization of how ugly and nasty people can be, and how deceitful, put me back in my place, as not everyone is the good kind of people…

Well, I know for sure I want to read this book, don’t you?

Synopsis

Can Lucy find her second-chance romance in the glamour of the French Riviera?

When aspiring author Lucy attends a rich friend’s 50th birthday party in glamorous Monaco, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever.

Heartsore after a broken marriage, she is not looking for love so when she meets Elias, and he offers to take her sailing on his employer’s boat, she agrees only as research for the book she desperately wants to write. They bond over their adult children – who seem to want to clip their wings and force them into living like pensioners – and the chemistry is undeniable.

But is he all he seems? And is she ready to trust again?

An uplifting, later-in-life romance perfect for fans of Milly Johnson, Jo Thomas and Julie Caplin.

https://geni.us/Dr52

About the author

Helga Jensen is an award-winning British/Danish best selling author and journalist. Her debut novel was a winning entry in the 2017 Montegrappa First Fiction competition at Dubai’s Emirates Literary Festival. Her debut was also a contender for the coveted 2021 Joan HessayonAward for new writers. Helga’s best selling novel, Fly me to Paris, was a finalist for the 2024 Popular Romantic Fiction Award. 

Helga holds a BA Hons in English Literature and Creative Writing, along with a Creative Writing MA from Bath Spa University. She is currently finishing a PhD

Can I tempt you with this book? It for sure is unexpected!

Synopsis

READERS’ FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS 2023 – SILVER MEDAL – FICTION – HUMOR/COMEDY

THE WISHING SHELF BOOK AWARDS 2023 – BRONZE MEDAL – FICTION

Quirky storylines, memorable characters, farcical situations, witty dialogue and plenty of sweet romance!

A Catholic priest seeks a wife. A betrayed woman needs an honest man. What could possibly go wrong?

When Father Thomas Sheridan encounters Faith in a dark cupboard, he believes he’s found his future wife. But Tom isn’t brave enough to reveal his true identity…

When Faith meets Tom in the office kitchenette, she can’t stand him. No matter, she’s fallen for the mysterious man she met in the cupboard and can’t wait to meet him again. Oh, and she’s got a new rule: one lie and he’s out. She’s not getting duped again!

But everyone loves Tom. Her best friend, her chronically ill sister—who’s on the lookout for a man herself. Even gay neighbours Luke and Gavin—who’ve fallen out over Luke wanting a baby. They urge Faith to give Tom a chance. But how can she have strong feelings for two men?

Even worse, how will she react when she discovers that Tom is the man in the cupboard—and, heaven forbid, a Catholic priest?

Love in the Cupboard: A charming, sweet, forbidden love story set in Bristol, UK.
Heat level: mild – sometimes described as ‘fade to black’ – and comedic.
Language: mild.

About the author

Mari Jane Law lives in the UK and loves cats and chocolate – and books, TV series and films that make her laugh. Through her writing, she discovered she could make other people laugh too. 

Her Catholic upbringing gave her ideas for some great fictional characters in the Love & Mishaps Quirky Romantic Comedy Standalone Series. Although there is a new story in each book, the world in which the characters live remains the same and there are major sub-plots involving characters from previous books. So it is better – although not essential – to read them in order to maximise enjoyment.

She hopes those who buy or borrow her work have as much fun reading it as she had in writing it.

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme and The Society of Authors.

Not everyone that is single is ready to mingle…

Synopsis

Ruby may be young, free and single… but she’s absolutely not ready to mingle.

Ruby is happily sworn off men. There’s nothing she needs that can’t get from her friends, cat or, frankly, the wonders of modern technology. So when her flatmate tricks her into going on a singles cruise, she’s furious.

Thankfully, Ruby isn’t the only one onboard under false pretences. Cameron also had no idea what he was letting himself in for. So after Ruby and Cameron strike up conversation, they agree to platonically pair off, to protect each other from the flirtatious advances of the other guests – not to mention the matchmaking efforts of Barry, the enthusiastic host.

There’s just one problem. Cameron isn’t just in the same boat as Ruby – he’s also good looking, kind and fun. As they explore the picturesque towns of the Mediterranean, Ruby finds herself enjoying his company much more than she’d intended.

Can Ruby keep her heart safe, or will she be in too deep by the time the boat docks at its final destination?

My review

Ruby has been single for a while now, and she doesn’t mind at all. She enjoys her freedom, and loves living together with her best friend Sam and their lovely cat Samson. Going on  a cruise wasn’t exactly on top of her bucket – list, but to please Sam, Ruby decides to go anyway. But when she discovers that Sam tricked her, as the cruise is a single’s cruise, and there will be a lot of matchmaking taking place , Ruby is furious. It’s okay that Sam wants to finds someone, but why drag Ruby along too, knowing Ruby’s thoughts on finding a partner? When Ruby meets Cameron, and she hears that he was also tricked and just like her, isn’t looking to find a match, they come up with a plan. A plan that consists of have fallen for each other, escaping that way the matchmaking games of host Barry. However, keeping up the pretence also means spending time together. Time where the not – pair learn they have a lot in common, and where Ruby discovers that Cameron is great to hang out with. A friendship starts to form, yet can Ruby keep her heart also safe, as love is absolutely the last thing on her mind?

Normally, I am always very eager to Read the next great story of Phoebe MacLeod. But for this one, I was a bit wary. Not because I doubt this author’s talent, as she has proved already more than enough that she can write great stories.

But as the setting is a cruise ship, I thought that the storytelling would be very limited. Because how much can be happening on a ship? Then I realized, while reading, that of course the main characters would leave the ship at several occasions, for activities and discovering wonderful cities. Stupid me… 😊

As a serial – single myself, I could completely understand Ruby. Yes, doing things as a pair can be more fun, but being single isn’t bad at all. You can do what you want, whenever you want, without having to take in account someone else. And Ruby for sure has everything together, living with her best friend Sam, who drives Ruby crazy at times, and their lovely, amazing cat Samson.

I have to say, Ruby and Sam couldn’t be more opposite of each other when finding love concerns. While Ruby is happy with how things are now, Sam is desperately looking for her perfect match. And while sometimes I found her persistence a bit annoying, well, you can’t blame the girl for not giving up, even if her past relationships weren’t the best examples of what love should look like.

Ruby is not only a good friend, but also shows an amount of patience. Patience that perhaps I would not have, even if it’s my best friend testing it. Because Ruby agrees to be by Sam’s side after a few ideas Sam has got. Ideas that already from the start don’t seem that great ones, but also end up to be terrible ones! AS a reader of course it’s funny to read how Ruby and Sam get themselves in ‘trouble’.

It takes a while to read all the mischief Sam gets Ruby into, thus it also takes a while to finally get on the cruise ship. And knowing Sam better by know, I knew that something would be up, and that Ruby would even get angrier. Because when their adventure starts, we already know the pair of them so much better.

And of course Ruby is not agreeing on taking part of any of the matchmaking activities, no matter how much Barry The Host is trying to.

I was totally in her corner, because if you don’t want to find love, nobody should be forcing you, not even your best friend. Even if your best friend does not know all the reasons of your reluctancy.

I was happy for Ruby to find a kindred spirit in Cameron. And not just because I knew that he would be her love interest, but also because Ruby wouldn’t be on her own while escaping all the matchmaking.

Because Cameron is not looking for love either, for his own reasons. And finding himself on a single’s cruise is one thing, but a matchmaking one? Just like Ruby, he cannot wait to escape it all.

And just like a real romcom dictates, what better solution than faking to have fallen in love with each other?

But I liked reading how their first encounter is just the start of their real adventure. A real adventure that doesn’t just take place on the ship but also whenever the two of them get off the ship. And adventures they have!

Adventures that bring them even closer together, adventures that take them out of their comfort zone and even let them do something they wouldn’t never think of doing. Adventures that make them maybe see that even the most unexpected can happen, if you allow it to happen, and if you just dare.

Yes, this is a romance, but it also felt a story of growth. Because no matter how much Ruby tries to fight against her own feelings, she finds herself suddenly longing for what she resisted to hard. But not only that, Ruby also finally faces her past, and is able to finally open up and admit the pain she had to endure.

So while just maybe I had some hesitations towards this book, because of its setting, in the end I was happy that my belief in this author proved me right. This story shows us not only that love can be found in unexpected places, and even with unexpected people. But also that the past can hold you back, but that you have to find the courage to put it behind you. And even if I didn’t talk about it in this review, being you is more than enough, there is no need to pretend being someone else, someone ‘better’. The right person will appreciate you as you are.

And maybe, just maybe, I may start looking for single’s cruises myself? Because you never know what may happen? 😊