Can a strange dream tell you your future?

Synopsis

Alisha Jones, or Princess Christmas as she is affectionately known, is joint heir to her Grandpa Frost’s family fortune, but being third behind an older sister and brother means she has to work three times as hard to prove herself.

Marsha Underwood, her grandpa’s PA and ever-present thorn in her side, is determined to undermine her at every turn and Alisha finds herself powerless to prevent this.

An encounter with a fortune teller at the Frost Christmas Ball leads to a bewildering dream of the future; and the added complication of Tom Walker, the son of Frost’s new business partner leads to a tumultuous year.

With her friends by her side, will she be able to turn things around? And what exactly does the strange dream mean?

A story of family, friendship and love at first sight with a sprinkle of Christmas magic

My review

Alisha Jones is working for the family business, with her Grandpa Frost at the reins. While she is known as Princess Christmas, life isn’t exactly going how she wants. Because being the younger sister to her siblings, she has to work three times as hard. And her Grandpa’s PA Marsha is taking advantage of every opportunity to put Alisha in a bad light. When at the Frost Christmas Ball Alishe meets a fortune teller, it makes her have one of the strangest dreams involving a cranberry. And according that same fortune teller, her dream will tell her about her future husband. But while that dream keeps lingering around, Alisha is facing the most difficult year in her life, as she finds herself in the middle of more than just one turmoil. And then there is Tom Walker, son of Frost’s new business partner… Will things turn around for Alisha with the help of her friends? Or will this year will end in another disaster?

Even if I am not a believer of fortune tellers, I can enjoy their presence in a story, especially in a Christmas story. And of course in this book, that presence is adamant as it gives Alisha some clues about her future!

I can only try to imagine the hardship of working in a family business. And Alisha being the youngest of the siblings, it for sure is clear that Alisha is being compared to her siblings all the time.

It’s not only that Alisha is doing her very best at her job, and she is rather good at it, but it angered me to read how Marsha is seemingly keeping her pushing out of everything, not only out of her job but in a way also out of the family.

It felt like Alisha can’t do anything good, can’t live up to the extreme expectations, can’t show her worth. Luckily she has a strong clique of loyal friends, that not only push her to stand up for herself, but would walk on water for her.

I have to admit, while reading, I felt a lot of anger. Not because that story was a bad one, but just because the behaviour of those around Alisha. I am not only talking about Marsha, who is so obvious yet nobody sees her true character.

But what truly made me furious, was reading how her own family acts towards her. Now, it isn’t that it’s a bad family, because they aren’t. However, when Alisha needs their support the most, she finds herself all alone in her fight.

Alisha is in this book going through a few mindfucks. She is worried about the business, as there is something going on there, and not the legit way. But only on a personal level things aren’t that straightforward. Her ex did something really dirty on her, and that he is still around for sure doesn’t help.

And the appearance of Tom only adds even more worries.

It was sweet to see how Alisha and Tom meet, as he for sure seems the perfect gentleman. But I have to say, he didn’t really do it for me. Not only because he has his own issues that need to be solved (and those are big issues!), but he isn’t honest from the very start. It’s not that he is a bad guy, but I didn’t fall in love with him like I often do with the love interest of the main character.

Nevertheless, I could understand why Alisha finds herself attracted to him, as he is down to earth, easy to talk to and sparks do fly around them.

Initially I thought this would be a real romance, how Alisha would find that special person. And I was expected some kind of drama before a wonderful ending.

But I realized rather quickly that this wasn’t just a romance story, but “just” a story about a woman going through a difficult period.

It’s a story about Alisha learning to fight for what and who she loves. She fights for her place in the business, she fights for the business in general. She fights against wrongdoings, even when cast away from and by her loved ones. But Alisha also learns that what she sees, isn’t always how the cards are truly laying.

She fights for love, trying to find out where her future lays, with the help of people that will always have her back.

Obviously there are several funny moments in this book, created intentionally by the characters or not. So there is a lot love found around while reading. And that is the most important, because no matter what happens in your life, if you have that love and support, you can come through everything. While Alisha feels alone at some moments, by not knowing what truly is going on, she doesn’t see the bigger picture and trust that she is in fact not alone.

At moments this felt like a heavy book to read, as Alisha is struggling through a lot. But with the addition of Christmas, and its magic, it added extra lightness to it, with also the help of Alisha’s friends and just Alisha’s bubbly character. A character that is also very recognizable, as that bubbliness cannot be constantly present.

Despite everything happening to Alisha, I found this a heartwarming story, about a lovely character on the search. A search that doesn’t come easy as there are a lot of hurdles to take. But with determination, inner growth and believing in yourself and in your own strength, even the worst of situations can be changed. And that one thing you are looking for, can be found, as long as you don’t let yourself hold back.

To protect your family, to protect your heart

Synopsis

Can love survive once the Earl’s Dangerous Secret is revealed?

From her country house to the glittering ballrooms of Regency London, Emily Ellerton finds herself ensnared in a treacherous dance, when the Earl of Thornburn, notorious for his icy manner and ruthless ambition, strides into her life.

Lord Nathaniel Renwick, Earl of Thornburn, conceals a dark past—one that threatens the safety of Emily’s own family. When her injured brother, George, becomes the target of Lord Thornburn’s urgent mission, Emily must play a dangerous game of deception—posing as an innocent debutante, all the while guarding her brother’s life.

But as the tension between Emily and Nathan simmers, so does their undeniable attraction. Sparks ignite, and enemies become lovers, their hearts caught in a web of desire and danger. But betrayal stalks their every step and they must unravel the truth before the secrets of the past tear them apart forever?

“The Earl’s Dangerous Secret” is a captivating Regency romance filled with intrigue, passion, and the promise of redemption.

My review

Emily Ellerton is shocked to learn that her injured brother George is suspected of being a traitor. But as she trusts him implicitly, she doesn’t hesitate to not only look after his injuries, but also cover for him. Because George is being chased the Earl of Thornburn, Lord Nathaniel Renwick. And Nathan is determined to find George, even if that means following Emily at every step she takes.
But Emily won’t betray her brother, no matter what evidence Nathan may have. However, beside the tension there is between Emily and Nathan, with the tricks they are both playing, they cannot deny the attraction simmering between them. 
As the attraction keeps on growing, where will the loyalty lay in the end? Especially when it becomes clear that Nathan is keeping secrets from Emily too, secrets that could break the bond that has been growing between them.

People often think that Regency books (or even romance in general) are a dime in a dozen, as you know how it will end, and there won’t be any big surprises.
But what these people don’t understand it that it isn’t about the end in these kind of books, but it’s about the journey.

And there is a big journey in this book, for both main characters.

First of all there is Emily. What I liked the most about her is, is her unwavering belief and trust in her brother George. She doesn’t believe for even one minute that he could betray his country. She would walk on water for George, she would even lie to people in order to protect him. And that love was just amazing to read, because not everyone would do what Emily (and the other relatives) are doing for George.

Emily is also very inventive, especially when it means to deceit Nathan. And with deceit I mean it in a good kind of way, because she does this for the protection of her brother. And she doesn’t do anything evil to Nathan, but just telling a few lies.

But the more she interacts with Nathan, the more impossible it becomes to ignore the sparks that are flying around, despite his icily manners and strong determination to find George.

Nathan for sure is the perfect example of a determined and fierce man. He doesn’t give up easily and gives everything for whatever his mission is.
But it’s also clear that his determination came at a cost, and that cost is still haunting him, in a way that is limiting him to live his life at the fullest.

And that saddened me, because what happened in the past, yes, he was involved in it, but to keep blaming himself isn’t right. And his self-blame is forbidding him to allow love back in his life.

There are heated moments in this book, but they are not only showing the physical attraction between Emily and Nathan, but also a deeper connection. Because no matter what their mission is, they don’t want to hurt each other, and even try to protect each other, even so when a devastating revelation is made.

While there is this dance between Emily and Nathan, there is also the matter of the traitor. Who is it really? Could George be betraying his country, his family and his friends? Or is the traitor someone else? There are for sure a few twists and turns, making me eager to discover the real truth about it.

I truly enjoyed reading this Regency novel, that is not only filled with romance, but also with growth, understanding, compassion and mystery. And it also makes us see that with the right person, guilt can be erased and happiness and joy can be found once again.

When your perfect match is your ex…

Synopsis

What if the one who got away is really the one?

When Stella finds herself back home with a string of disastrous dates under her belt, she’s certain she’s hit rock bottom. Until she discovers her mother has signed her up to The Love Hotel: a luxury matchmaking service where a perfect love match is guaranteed! Stella is adamant she’ll have nothing to do with this nonsense! But then a match is found faster than she can say ‘Not.A.Chance!’ So, how bad can two weeks in the scorching Spanish sunshine be?

Very bad, actually. Because when Stella arrives, she’s mortified to learn her date is no perfect stranger. In fact she knows him a little too well. Because Max is the childhood sweetheart who broke her heart, who her heart remembers and who is more gorgeous than ever.

With no refunds, Stella reluctantly decides to stay and enjoy the holiday – all she has to do is keep Max at an arm’s length…right? Easier said than done when Max is impossible to ignore. And as the Love Hotel begins to work its matchmaking magic, Stella can’t deny that the sparks still sizzle between them. And maybe, the experts were right afterall…

My review

Stella has given up on finding love, especially after disastrous date after disastrous date. But her stubborn mother loves her too much to let her give up so easily, and has signed Stella up for The Love Hotel, a matchmaking service where the perfect match is a guarantee.
Stella doesn’t believe that the matchmaking hotel will be able to find her perfect man, but spending two weeks in the Spanish sun, what could possibly happen?
That is until she meets her match Max… Because Max isn’t the complete stranger Stella expected to meet. But Max is the man who broke her heart when he was Stella’s childhood sweetheart.
So the last thing Stella wants to do, is spend time with him. Easier said than done, as refunds aren’t possible and keeping him at distance isn’t easy with all the planned and won activities.
However, for Max this is the perfect opportunity to explain what happened all those years ago. And how much his life has changed due one event.
What the both of them aren’t expecting, is that the attraction there once was between them, is still very much alive. And that the Love Hotel always delivers…

This was a book that made me choke on my drink already in the first chapter! Correction, already in the first sentences! 😊
But Olivia Spring for sure shocked me and made me laugh so loud! Because not only was it funny, but also recognizable! 😊
But beside that start, what an amazing story this was! I enjoyed reading it from the very start until the very last word!

Emily is such a likeable character, she is lovely, funny and just so recognizable. There wasn’t one bit I didn’t like about her! The relationship she has with her mother is just wonderful! I don’t think that everyone would support their mother’s career choices, but Emily takes it in her stride and has no qualms about it all. On the contrary, she has a good laugh about it too!

So despite being a wonderful persona, it saddened me to read how she hasn’t found love again, and how she is still heartbroken about how her ended relationship with Max so many years ago. Perhaps that is what I found a tiny bit annoying about Stella, how she was still hanging on to that badly ended relationship, while I would assume that she would have gotten over it by now.

Yet I found it hilarious to read how her own mother, of all people, signed Stella up for the Love Hotel! Talking about a mother determined to let her daughter find and believe in love again!

The Love Hotel for sure is something special, and I wonder if I could sign up to be matched myself? I could even live with the ridiculous job descriptions the people have over there. But it’s clear that all the people there are working with a passion, and want to find the perfect match for their customers and let love prevail!

The shock Stella gets when meeting her ‘perfect match’ was just so funny to read, even if we as a reader know beforehand who it will be. To discover the man you were ogling before is your ex, just too funny!

What a spectacle Max is! it would have been too easy to dislike him if we would base our opinion on Stella’s experiences. But as we get to read his own thoughts and get to know him better from his own thoughts and actions, gave me a better insight in his character.

Not only we see that he is a good friend, and a wonderful godfather, but we also see his determination to take his business next level.
But it broke my heart to read what he has been through in the past. Not only about his injury and how it still affects him, but also how he had to make some choices that in fact he didn’t want to make…

Seeing Stella and Max together was just hilarious. They initially just don’t get along, what is made clearly with the obligatory playlists they have to make.
And how Stella antagonizes Max, just wonderful!

But slowly, even perhaps sometimes slightly forced in a way, we see them growing closer again, and their history makes sure that they understand each other’s fears even before they are spoken out at loud. And seeing the support in those moments, just heartwarming!

And then there is the sexual tension, that sparks from the pages! And causes some for sure even more hilarious awkward situations!

I had the best of times reading this book! I had extremely high expectations and they for sure were all fulfilled and even exceeded! I loved reading every little bit, even the sadder and heart – breaking moments, surrounded by the truly laugh – out – at – loud moments, the moments that made me swoon, the moments that were just lovely and sweet. And I was so eager to discover how these two lovely people would overcome their hurdles. 
To just say it very clearly what I have not said yet that outspoken: this book was just AH-MA-ZING!!!

Searching for many answers, in a bookshop

Synopsis

Everyone’s story has some magic. You just have to turn the page to find it…

As the sun rises over the little Provence village where single mother Adeline has escaped with her little girl Lili, she breathes deeply. This is their new beginning. Here, she can forget the lies her family told her. Here, she can start her story again.

Later she opens the door to the town’s tiny bookstore, where she is to work, ready to meet the mysterious owner Monique for the first time.

She expected an ordinary bookshop. But this bookstore feels somehow different… magical. Breathing in the smell of books, she feels a jolt of something. It feels like a new chapter beginning.

As she gets to know the villagers – including the handsome Andre and friendly Michel – she starts to believe in the magic of this new start. But can a runaway like Adeline ever find what she’s looking for? Or is a happy-ever-after just another fiction?

A totally gorgeous, escapist, romantic novel – set in rural Provence – by the bestselling author of A Year at the French Farmhouse and The Bordeaux Bookclub.

My review

Adaline is at loss after discovering something devastating after the death of her mother. Not knowing who she is anymore, she decides to accept a new job in a book shop in a quaint little village in the French Provence, together with her little daughter Lili. But working with and for Monique is for sure interesting, to say the least. Because whenever Monique is around, there is something in the air, even something magical. Adapting to the French way of life, and learning more about Monique and her beliefs, Adaline starts to feel more at home than she ever imagined. She truly liked life in this community, meeting new and interesting people, like the customers of the book shop, Andre of the bakery and Michel, who looks after his aunt Monique. But will Adaline also find the answers she is looking for?

Gillian Harvey is the kind of author that doesn’t write the stories that are all happy – happy – joy – joy. Not that she writes depressing stories, but she writes stories with characters that have been through or are going through a lot.

And that is exactly the kind of character that Adaline is. Even if it isn’t made known from the start what is haunting her, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand what she had discovered and why she is at loss.

I admired her in a way to just pack up and leave her London life behind and start over in this little village in the Provence. I don’t know if I would have the courage to do that, leave everything and everyone you know behind. Especially as Adaline chose Provence on the tiniest clue she could have to find the missing answers.

Working in a book shop for sure is a dream coming true for booklovers, like me, and I was eager to learn how Adaline would embrace her new life and new job. But just like Adaline, I was a bit thrown off my game reading how Monique runs her shop, and just the way Monique is in general.

And I mean this in the kindest possible way, but Monique for sure is something special! I don’t truly believe in what she believes, but it fits her perfectly. That doesn’t mean that Monique is a gullible or ‘simple’ person, but more that she is open to everything around her.

Even if our opinions differ on that matters, it’s clear that Monique is a lovely character, a warm person.

It was sweet to see how Adaline is adapting to her new life, meeting new people, all the while trying to find the answers to her so many questions. And seeing how the ‘Monique – ness’ is rubbing off on her, was a nice touch.

Of course Lili is the real delight of the book! Children are so resilient, and I liked it how easy she adapted to her life in France, and how she just embraces everything that comes on her way.

In this book we see how a bad revelation can turn in something good, as Adaline starts the story on a bad way, but slowly we see her finding joy and happiness again. We see Adaline change from a broken person in a person that becomes lighter, fights off even the loneliness and finds so many things she needs in her life, people, sense, family and more.

It was great reading this story about a young woman in search of something, but finding so much more than she expected. There is a special something in this book, not exactly magical but something close to it. And that something for sure added an extra sparkle to this book that I loved devouring!

When it’s a Christmas that is just too much…

Synopsis

Christmas cheer was dead, to begin with.

The world rests on Eliza’s shoulders. The kids, her husband, work, her elderly mother and don’t forget her newest friend, perimenopause. It’s too much to carry, but she’s been doing it for years. It’s just what a good wife and mother does, isn’t it? 

When another Christmas rolls around, Eliza is drained by all the expectations and logistics of the holiday season. She’s fast approaching her breaking point, only no one around her notices she’s on the edge.

After an incident at her in-law’s on Christmas Eve brings things to a boiling point, she finds herself with three unexpected visitors. The spirits of the past, present, and future take her on a journey through her life to shake her out of the rut she’s gotten into. Their messages leave her with new possibilities: reconnect with her past, reclaim her present, or forge a new future, and you, the reader, decide which option is best! 

My review

Eliza feels the pressure pulling her on every side. Everyone relies on her and expects her to jump as high as possible whenever they need her. Not only her kids, but also her husband and her own mother seem to be taking Eliza and all her help for granted.
But this Christmas, Eliza feels like it’s becoming all too much. And to add even more headache, her husband tells her that this year, they are going to spend it with Jacob’s obnoxious brother Edward and his second wife.
And right there, Eliza finally reaches her boiling point after an incident. But what she doesn’t expect, is that that same night, she has the visit of three spirits: the spirit of the past, the spirit of the present and the spirit of the future. They take her on a journey through her life, showing her how she used to be, how she has become, and what her future may look like. And after the visits, it’s up to her what to do with all the new possibilities.

Unpopular confession: I have never read A Christmas Carol… I have seen several film adaptations but the book itself, that I have never read.
So I know what the story is about, based on the screen, but as always, the depth of the words on pages didn’t always come to realization in the films.

While the original of course is a classic, it was great to read the same kind of story but in the present setting. But it also needs to be said, that Eliza isn’t a real Scrooge, but just a woman struggling in life, as there are just too many people relying on her and assuming that she will just go with the flow.

I felt sorry for Eliza the greatest part of the book, as she is doing her best, but it needs to be said, both her husband, children and even her own mother seem rather ungrateful, or just not understanding what Eliza is going through, or how she is experiencing every change, every not – listening moment or every demand.

While for Eliza it is a frustrating Christmas, when she reaches her boiling point, I have to say that as a reader it for sure was a funny moment. Because it’s so clear that there is a lot simmering, ready to explode. And in a way, I also felt it was her fully right to say that she has had enough. But perhaps the way she does it, isn’t the most diplomatic one.

I have to say, if I were in Eliza’s shoes and I would get a visit by these spirits, I would be screaming like crazy out of fear. I already scream when I have nightmares about spiders, so I think you can imagine how loud I would be screaming if actual spirits would show up 😊.
So I liked it to read how after her initial shock, Eliza was open for what was going to happen.

Seeing how Eliza goes on a journey to her past, present and even her future was so heartwarming but also eye – opening in a way.
With her past, she not only sees an old relative of her, but she also sees how her life was in the past. Not only does she see a less stressed Eliza, but her voyage to the past is also a reminder of so many memories she lost over the years.

And in the present, even if this spirit is more vague than the spirit of the past, she learns that what she sees or thinks about certain people is in fact not what those people actually think. With the spirit of the present, she gets a better understanding of the people around her, and that makes her realize perhaps her own thoughts were in the wrong.

Perhaps the most shocking trip was the one of the possible futures she makes with the spirit of the future. Because, and I am trying to stay as spoiler free as possible 😊, her future does not look at all as how I expected it would be! In fact, I still have still a few questions about it! 😊
And I have to admit, it took me while to completely understand what happens in the end!

I truly enjoyed reading this book, as it shows the reality of the present, that our lives are getting busier, more stressed and more demanding. And that it’s only natural to explode as things are getting too much. But what this book is about, is that it’s never too late to make a change in our lives. While that can be by doing something that is a tradition and expand that tradition, or just get away from it all, there are several possibilities to make that change.
Just because life is stressing, dull and one day flies into the other, it doesn’t mean that it has to stay that way.
And we sometimes all need to remember about moments in the past of true joy, and make the effort to sometimes relive them.
But sometimes change is good, as who knows what the future will bring us!
With the three possible outcomes in this book, we can see how change can be made, one way or another. That added an even extra special Christmassy layer in this wonderful book that just swept me away!

A scandal to avoid a worse outcome, but still so much deceit…

Synopsis

Wallflower at risk of ruin…

Secret femme-fatale in training Millicent Whittenburg needs to escape her unpleasant betrothal. Taking matters into her own hands, she plans her eventual ruin! Then she can disappear from society to carry out the Queen’s deadly missions. Step 1: seduce the one man who despises marriage more than her!

However, she hugely underestimates her target. Major General Beaufort Drake. Fearsome private investigator, he’s notoriously cold and visibly battle scarred. But Millie’s scandalously public kiss awakens a deeply suppressed desire in Drake. Instead of allowing them both to succumb to shame he does the unthinkable, and offers for her hand in a convenient marriage.

Nothing prepares them for the fireworks when a fearless damsel collides with a dangerous Major General! And as their secret missions align they face their hardest test on the glittering battlefield – a week long wedding house party where there is nowhere to escape…only new and wicked lessons to be learnt!

My review

Millicent Whittenburg never expected that one day she would be forced by her father and stepmother into marriage. And that with a man she truly despises for so many different reasons. But as an event many years ago almost became her ruin, she has no other option. That is, no other than causing a scandal and force another betrothal by publicly kissing  Major General Beaufort Drake, a man that despises the thought of marriage above everything. But when Millie kisses him, Drake finds him doing the one thing he never expected him doing: offering a marriage as the kiss ignites something in him. However, what Drake doesn’t know is that Millie is secretly being trained to work for the Queen herself, and on a mission that clashes with Drake’s own mission as a private investigator. But what they don’t know is that they will have to face the biggest challenge of them all: hosting a weeklong wedding house party, where many secrets are still being kept and secrets are being discovered. Secrets that can bring them perhaps together, or even further apart…

I love it when in a book, the Lady of the story isn’t a damsel in distress, but a fierce woman, a woman that can literally fight and won’t stand up for any kind of BS.

And that is exactly the kind of young Millie is, even if she is only being trained in becoming that fierce woman. But we also clearly see that fire already burning in her, and with the protection and lessons of Lady Philippa Winterbourne, she is becoming a real force of nature.

Weren’t it for… Because there is always a ‘weren’t it for’, isn’t there?

And that ‘weren’t it for’ is a sad one. A sad one that truly angered me, because the people that should be protecting her, are the ones that are actually kind of selling her off to the highest bidder. It angered me because at a younger age, Millie made one mistake. A mistake she is still paying the price for.

But what angered me the most was the behaviour, the despicable behaviour of Millie’s stepmother Patricia. What an awful and deceitful person she is! Not only did she force a distance between Millie and her father, but she isn’t afraid of using violence.

All the while Millie just deserves all the love and kindness of the world. Luckily she can count always on Philippa, but also on her friends Hannah and Ivy always standing by her side and protect and fight for her. That also means come up with a plan to avoid marriage to a horrible man.

And thus Millie finds herself compromising herself in a situation that will hopefully give her a better outcome than her current prospect.

Of course Millie had to find a way out of her betrothal, but was it truly fair to lure someone else into the trap Lady Philippa set? Now, I understand the reasoning, and it was needed for the story, but still…

And to do that with Major General Beaufort Drake of all people… at first I thought he was a typical man, not wanting to give up his freedom and wanting to keep on using his skills as an investigator. A man of career, not wanting love to stop him.

However, the more I got to know the man, the more I realized that his physical scars are just the tip of the iceberg, because this magnificent man has loved in the past but has also been burnt by it. So could I really blame his reluctance in giving love another shot?

On the other hand, it was great to see that no matter how hard he is fighting against it, he cannot resist Millie. Not only is there the absolute physical attraction towards her, but also the ay he wants to protect her was just so sweet to see.

It is only fair to say that while for both Millie and Beau the weeklong wedding house party is a true nightmare, for us readers not only it was great chance to see them working as a pair, and getting small victories, but it was also great to see the attraction growing and even exploding!

There is also the mission both Millie and Beau are working on. A mission they don’t know they are both working on. While it is the same mission, to discover the responsible of the trafficking of young country ladies, they are seeking for a different kind of outcome. But it also means that they have to learn to trust each other, and rely on each other. Not an easy task, when they are so set on their independency!

I truly enjoyed reading this book, as it shows to never underestimate a woman. But it also shows that scars can run deep and it takes courage to put your trust in someone. We also see a lot of determination, passion, heart and complicity in it, making this a sequel living up to the expectations after the first book of the series!

When broken people find each other in an unexpected place and way

Synopsis

Two people are about to take off on a journey that could change their whole lives…

As the plane surges up into the clouds, Stevie finds herself clutching the hand of the stranger sitting in the seat next to her.

It is a moment that will change everything. But Ned is heading to see his dying mother, and Stevie is returning to France to escape a terrible loss in her past. Neither of them can think about that tiny flame that just flickered between them.

But then their paths keep crossing, leading them both to the same beautiful community garden in a small French village; run by a mysterious old man named Zeke – a man with many of his own secrets.

As it becomes clear that fate is going to keep bringing them together – the two of them have to ask – are they ready for a happy-ever-after? Do they even know how to find it?

As the seeds grow into plants and flowers all around them, Stevie begins to wonders if Zeke – and his garden – might just have the answers…

The Making Of Us is a heart-warming, uplifting novel about love, heartbreak, and living your truest life. Perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond, Beth Moran, and Nicholas Sparks.

My review

After losing her parents in a terrible accident, Stevie finds herself flying back to a small French village, to feel closer to them and hoping to lose that feeling of loneliness. While gripped by fear on the plane, she meets Ned, who is going back for the celebration of his mother’s birthday, only to have his world falling into pieces right after the party. Just as Fate seems to be interfering, Stevie and Ned keep on crossing paths, and slowly getting to know each other much better. But at the same time, Stevie and Ned also meet Zeke and Fay. Zeke, who is responsible for the allotments, letting people grown their own vegetables, with the knowledgeable help of Zeke. But Zeke also believes not only in paying it forward, but also in signs. Thus, him crossing paths with Fay is for sure a sign. Because Fay just flew over from London, at loss and not having a purpose or an understanding man… Each person is at loss for their own specific reason. But with their lives suddenly connecting and changing forever…

Whenever I pick up a Debbie Howells’ book, I know that I will be in a whirlwind of emotions. And while I thought I was mentally prepared for it, I just wasn’t…

As I count myself lucky and blessed that my parents are still around, I could only try to imagine the heartbreak Stevie has endured. Not only because losing her parents is a terrible event, but also the way it happened was a devastating one. And it for sure explained her fear of flying.

Fear that clearly sparks from the pages, as Ned isn’t unaware of Stevie’s turmoil on the flight to France.

Now, I have to admit that I am one of those people that want to be left alone in moments of distress, and I think that if I were in Stevie’s shoes, I would bite off Ned’s head, no matter how well – intended his actions are. But that is just me, and if Stevie would act like I would, well, then we wouldn’t have this story to read, right? 😊

Ned starts in this book with big dreams and not that many complications in life. Of course his dream of making it in the music scene, is a real big one, and many before him have failed and many after him will.

But after meeting Stevie, slowly his world is falling apart, as the rock of his family, his lovely mother, has the worst kind of news to tell her children.

While Stevie slowly tries to pick up the pieces of her broken life, it’s Ned’s life that is falling apart. And even if Ned isn’t the kind of person of taking about his emotions and feelings, somehow, being with the right person, he is able to open up in the most wonderful ways to Stevie.

While the focus is mainly on Stevie and Ned, we also get to know Zeke and Fay. And we see how a place, no matter how foreign it is, can truly feel like a home. But in this book we also see that finding that home, or accepting it as ‘home’, can be a real struggle. And it’s about people accepting you in their community, without prejudice, just like Zeke does at his age. It’s also about paying it forward, kindness, and just helping people out.

Zeke for sure is a force of nature, as he does how he pleases, but in a good way. He somehow has this wisdom in him, an overall knowledge and turns out to be person everyone goes to for some words of advice, not only concerning how to grow vegetables but also in general terms.

This book shows us that no matter age you are, you can always come home, wherever that may be. And just like with Fay, even with grown – up children, it’s never too late to come to life again. 

Sometimes a change of scenery is needed to make a change in yourself.

I found this a truly heart – warming story in so many ways. Of course there are a few heartbreaking moments, yet that is all part of the journey our characters are in. We see every one of them grow so much in this story, not only learning more about themselves, but also about each other, and the amazing community they found a home in.

Debbie Howells truly once again captivated me with this wonderful, strong book, about people struggling in life but mainly finding each other in those most difficult moment. And how meeting a few people can make the greatest change in your life!

When the dream of the perfect Christmas together turns out to become the total opposite

Synopsis

A simple Christmas just got complicated …

Amy’s in love. She’s looking forward to spending her first Christmas together, as a blended family, with Matt and their two sons, Harry and Oliver. What could be more perfect than a romantic escape to the remote and beautiful Lake District farm where Matt and Amy met?

However, an unexpected and difficult guest threatens to disrupt the festivities, and undermine her relationship with Matt. With Harry and Oliver around to create mayhem, and a snowstorm closing in, it seems that nothing is going to be romantic about Christmas at Elder Fell Farm.

Can their relationship weather the storm?

My review

Amy cannot wait to spend Christmas with her new love Matt, her son Harry and Matt’s son Oliver. They both have had their hearts broken in the past and it took meeting each other to believe in love again. And the prospect of celebrating their first Christmas as a new blended family at Elder Fell Farm makes Amy the happiest woman. Weren’t it that Matt’s former mother – in – law doesn’t know about his new relationship and isn’t ready to have someone replace her daughter Stella in both Matt’s and Oliver’s hearts. What was supposed to be a romantic holiday with the four of them, suddenly it becomes a holiday filled with secrets, unexpected guests and sneakiness. And with suspicions around every corner, is this new found love strong enough to even survive an actual and a figurative storm?

I have to admit, it took me a moment to realize that this is a sequel of a book that I loved reading. But even if I knew the ‘backstory’, it also felt that this book could be perfectly read as a standalone.

It was amazing to see how that blooming love we saw in the first book, has truly flourished in this book. Amy and Matt are going from strength to strength, and how there is a lot of passion still burning in this couple.

And seeing how also Harry and Oliver are not only getting along, but have become the best of friends too, warmed my heart.

But it saddened me a little bit to see how Matt couldn’t find the courage to come clean about his new relationship to his mother – in – law Diane. Life goes on and lingering in the past won’t help. And it also doesn’t help that Diane isn’t the easiest of characters.

Yet I also have to acknowledge Diane’s pain… Because no parent should ever lose a child. And I could understand Diane’s fear of not only losing her remaining connection with Stella, but also losing Oliver at the moment Matt would truly move on.

Of course it was amazing returning to Elder Fell Farm, this time at Christmas. The place for sure felt more magical than during summer! And I was eager to read how this new family unit would be celebrating Christmas, while they all have their own past traditions. And of course it was lovely to return to the place that in fact was the start of Amy’s and Matt’s love story.

But even in books, relationships take work. As it’s not only Diane’s interference, stubbornness and just her presence putting a damper on what was supposed to be a great holiday, but also the realization that there are more kept secrets. And just like in any relationship, doubts arise at out of character behaviour…

In this wonderful, Christmassy story, there is obvious a lot of laughter, with the delightful help of Harry and Oliver. But there is also a lot of sweetness, also bittersweet moments, but also a lot of realism in it. Because a new relationship is something exciting, but the past will be also always be there. It’s about finding not only the right balance between the past and the future, but also about finding the perfect balance between two families. We see what love can do to people, but that love needs courage and care. And not let fear put a damper on it, or even jeopardize what has took courage to build.

I absolute loved reading this story, even if some moments I got a bit frustrated over the antics of some characters, but that didn’t erase all the warmth and laughter present in the whole book. We see the progress of a love story, with its struggles, but never losing its heart. And that made this book a real delight, especially with the antics of two young boys, ready for mischief but also extracting the best out of each other!  

Christmas is a great time to think about your life and your choices

Synopsis

Christmas has been all but forgotten as a negative pregnancy test makes Rachel reconsider her future with Todd. The realisation sends her to the small town of Abbeyglen where the opening of Caulfield’s Café is all anyone’s talking about. But it also has her beginning to see returning colleague at Blackwater Financial Services, the loud, hilarious Owen Larrson in a new light.

Natalie has decided she needs a change. In the midst of Christmas craziness, with the grand opening of the café and the excitement of her two children’s Christmas concert, Natalie can only hope the people of Blackwater Financial Services can help her find the job that will change her life. But as ex-boyfriend Darren returns, she realises luck might not be on her side for a bright Christmas after all …

Join two women who are trying to figure out what the rest of their lives hold, in the midst of the mayhem of the most wonderful time of the year in the most wonderful place to be!

My review

After a pregnancy scare, Rachel thinks about her relationship with Todd. As it was crystal-clear that they were on a different level when thinking that a baby was on its way, and that now Todd has also lost his job, are they truly that happy together?
Spending some time with her best friend Bex in the small town of Abbeyglen, and her job at Blackwater Financial Services is the right mindset to think about her future. And now she also has the chance to see her colleague Owen Larrson in a different light than just being that loud and hilarious man.
But during this Christmas period, Rachel isn’t the only one thinking about her future. Because in Abbeyglen, Natalie also needs a change. As a single mother, she is struggling, even if her two children are absolute angels.
However, a new job would be great, and she tests her luck for a job at Blackwater Financial Services, with the cheering of Bex. But when her ex Darren reappears out of the blue, Natalie is afraid that things will turn back to what they were, while in fact she needs a change…
Two women, both in Abbeyglen, connected through mutual friends, are having a Christmas where they have to figure out where their future will be and what it will look like…

I have to admit, it was a while ago since I read a book written by this author. So in a way, it was like discovering her all over again! And what a delight it was!

Both Rachel as Natalie are somehow lost characters.

Rachel seemingly has is it all, she loves her job, she has the best of friends, and she is engaged to the most attentive man, being Todd.
Rachel and Todd are so alike, so in sync, that it would appear that nothing can come between them. Until Rachel thinks that she is pregnant…

I always like reading how a woman, initially a bit shocked, quickly becomes very protective over their babies. And seeing this in Rachel, even if she isn’t 100% sure yet of the baby being actually there or not, warmed my heart.

So on the other hand, reading Todd’s reaction somehow flabbergasted me. Okay, perhaps the pregnancy that wasn’t, came as a shock, but if you are engaged and you have had the talk about children, for sure slowly you would be happy about it? Even if it came before planned?
For me, that was only proof that not only Rachel and Todd aren’t a that great match, but also that Todd isn’t that mature at all.
I was even angered to read the avalanche of messages he sent to Rachel, take a chill – pill will you?

While it was sad to read how suddenly Rachel’s securities in life are collapsing, this also felt the right thing in a way. Because this event makes Rachel think about her own future. Perhaps making a pro and con list is not the best of ideas, but that list makes her realize that Rachel doesn’t laugh at loud with Todd. And isn’t a relationship so much more than just getting along and (dis)like the same things?

With her (love) life falling into pieces, Rachel can luckily count on her friend Bex, and stay with her temporarily in Abbeyglen, where she also meets Natalie.

Perhaps Natalie was an even sadder character than Rachel, because she just tries so hard. Yet being a single mother isn’t easy. And she wants her kids to have everything they could wish for, but she just cannot…

Her children are absolute delights, where Katie has that innocent enthusiasm, and Jamie is already a responsible young “man”, even if he is just a child himself. That only shows which values Natalie is passing on her children. And believe, it’s the right kind of values!

So seeing her struggling seemed so unfair, because in the world there are people that have everything and don’t deserve it, while people who do, don’t have anything…

Even if I didn’t agree with the choices she makes when her ex reappears out of the blue, in a way I could also understand Natalie. Because no matter what, Darren is and will always be the father…

Both women are at crossroads in their lives, as they both realize that the lives they were living wasn’t living their lives at the fullest. And that was eye – opening, because too often we are just content with our lives. But being content isn’t good enough. Sometimes we need to find the courage to make some tough choices and decisions, to have a better life. And I mean this to have a better emotional life. Life is too short to just stick to what we know.
Because with opening your perspectives, you don’t know what or who will cross your path! 

Love comes in so different kind of shapes and forms, and even in the most unexpected ones

Synopsis

A broken bond…

Wendy Tyler’s marriage ended when she discovered her ex-husband, Mike, had got his much younger new partner, Chloe, pregnant. Wendy’s over Mike, but suddenly she fears her own daughters will find a new baby much more exciting that their old mum…

A chance encounter…

But when Wendy bumps into Chloe at St Piran’s, it’s clear something is troubling the fragile young woman. Wendy doesn’t want to be sucked into Chloe and Mike’s relationship, but she can’t help worrying that Chloe needs someone to turn to.

A lesson in love.

And when Wendy realizes that Chloe is more fragile than any of them realised, she knows she has tostep up. She might not love Mike anymore, but Chloe is about to join their family and Wendy can’t just stand by. Sometimes life is hard, but the easiest lessons are built on a solid foundation of love.

My review

Wendy Tyler isn’t that sad that her marriage ended, even if it is no fun to catch your husband in the cheating. She even found love again, and she sees now what real love truly entails.
But what bothers her is that her ex – husband not only has found a new girlfriend that could be his own daughter and that she is pregnant, but she fears that her own daughters may prefer Chloe and the new baby and replace Wendy.
Wendy does not want anything to do with Chloe but when they bump into each other at St. Piran’s, it’s clear that Chloe is struggling. And with Wendy’s generous and kind heart, she cannot just walk away…

With each story in the series, I find myself falling more and more in love with not only the returning and new characters, but also with the place itself.
Such a warm, close and caring community, don’t we all want to be living and working in such places?

Basing on the blurb, I thought it would be Wendy’s story and with some appearances of her friends and colleagues. But discovering that also Danni has a rather important part in it, made me even happier than I already was!

While perhaps initially it may seem that Wendy is jealous of her ex, or that she doesn’t want their daughters to bond with the new partner and they half – brother on the way, I quickly understood that that isn’t the worry at all.
Because what truly bothers and worries Wendy is that she is replaceable and that her lovely daughters will give up their time together in order to be more with Chloe and the little baby.

Even if Wendy is an adult, and should know better, as a mother is never replaceable, her fears make sense, especially learning how her past marriage has been and how she doesn’t have in fact a lot of self-confidence. And that saddened me, because while Wendy is in a happy place now, she deserved that happiness all the time, and not only after a failed marriage.

Of course it isn’t easy for Wendy to see Chloe walk around, as her ex now seemingly has completely changed his tune.
Yet it was so sweet and heartwarming to see how Wendy doesn’t turn into a bitter person when in need. Her kind and good heart takes the overhand, and Wendy isn’t just that kind of person to not help out a person in need…

I have to admit, just like Wendy, I didn’t immediately liked Chloe. But slowly, as the story progressed, the more my heart started to break for her.
Of course being the new woman in a broken family isn’t easy, but Mike also isn’t proving to be a real knight in shining armour.
And we see a strong Chloe, who has been through so much already, but also a vulnerable Chloe, who needs love…

And then there is Danni’s story too, ready to continue.
I was so over the moon for Danni, as her life, after a disastrous moment, finally was on the right track.

Obviously, it would be better to have read the previous books in this series to be complete up to date, yet it isn’t that mandatory. But it’s just such a wonderful series, so just read it already 😊

With Danni we see that no matter how good things seem to go, there is always this inkling of doubt and fear. And her upbringing for sure didn’t help, even if she is surrounded by lovely and amazing people too.

This was a wonderful book to read. Not only because I loved returning to St. Piran’s and see all my friends again. But because this is a love story in the real sense of the word. We don’t only see romance, but just love in all its aspects. From obviously love for your partner, but also the love someone has for their children, how that love is reciprocated. And then the love between friends, that real friendship that nothing can break.
But the most wonderful kind of love in this book was the most unexpected love, for the person you wouldn’t ever think of.
Because no matter what, it’s someone’s character, struggles, honesty and genuineness that make you love someone, wanting to help them out through the most difficult moments of their life, stand by their side and hold their hand…

Jo Bartlett managed perfectly with this book to capture the essence of what love means. The love sparks from each page, even with drama taking place that made me hold my breath. I once again devoured a book from this amazing author!