An impossible love during war, impossible choices to make…

Synopsis

A forbidden romance in occupied Norway…

Narvik, 1940. After Laila awakens to the sight of warships in the fjord, it isn’t long before she turns resistor to the brutal Nazi regime. She is horrified when local girls begin affairs with enemy soldiers, yet against her own principles, she finds herself falling in love with German soldier, Josef.

Josef is not like the others. He becomes involved in helping her and the locals with resistance activities, risking his life on more than one occasion.

But then Laila finds out she is pregnant. With Josef sent to the Russian front, and Laila cast out by her family, she turns to a home for women which promises to care for her and her unborn child. But instead, she finds herself caught in a system of evil far beyond what she thought possible…

My review

In 1940, many lives were changed, just like Laila’s life. Even in Narvik, Norway the Nazis find their way and occupy the place. However, Laila and many others try to find ways to resist the German occupation.
But not everyone is keeping their distance, and Laila is horrified when she learns that local girls are having affairs with the Germans. And this is just unforgivable!
Yet Laila also sees that not all Germans are the same. While some are convinced of their right, there are others that are just following the rules but are seeing the injustice and even help the locals. And one of them is Josef…
Before she knows is, Laila is falling in love with Josef and the feeling is mutual…
When she falls pregnant, not only when Josef is being sent to the Russian front, but also cast out by her own family, she has no other option to seek refuge in a home for women in her condition, with the promise of being taken care of.
However, Laila learns that there is more going on at the home, something more evil than she could ever imagine… 

We have all learnt about the horrors of the war. Yet with this story, I have learnt more disturbing aspects of the war I wasn’t aware of before. 

This book starts rather innocent, as Laila and whole Narvik are living all in peace and enjoying life. Laila herself is a young woman, with a great sense of responsibility yet also wondering when she will fall in love.
She still has this innocence over her, as she hopes in vain that perhaps even when the Germans invade, a lot will stay the same. 

I admired her courage when realization strikes and she sees the terrible things the Nazis are doing to her hometown. She sees the injustice, and wants to do her bit with helping the resistance activities.
We see Laila turn from a kind of gullible girl to a young woman seeing injustice and being unable to just stand there and watch. 

But she also turns into a young woman who sees that not everyone, even Germans, is the same. There are several characters in this story just confirming the horrendous things that happened during the war, but there are also characters that show us that there are people, Germans, seeing how wrong it all is, and are even risking their own lives to help out. 

Laila has very strong thoughts about familiarizing with the Germans, and she even despises the girls who are having affairs with Germans, just for the advantages.
Yet, as part of her growth, she falls in love with Josef, a German, but with his heart at the right place. 

This book is divided in several parts, showing also the different stadia Laila is going through. While the first part is mainly about her life in Narvik, falling in love with Josef, the second part takes an even darker turn.
Because now Laila has to live with the consequences of her love for Josef.  

I never heard of Lebensborn before, showing only my ignorance. Yet even if it’s thanks to this book I learnt more about it, when things are too good to be true, they mostly are.
I was very wary of when Laila arrived at the Lebensborn home, yet I was truly shocked by what happened there. 

Yet there were also small silver linings, as Laila befriends other girls in the same situation. Here again we see Laila maturing. She knows which fights to fight or when to keep silent. And she knows that something terrible is going on at that place, and is determined to not only discover the truth but also to get away from it as soon as she cans. 

This book was for me an eye – opener in many different occasions.
I saw the determination for fight for love. Because Laila is ready to lose everything she has for the man she loves and the child she carrier.
But I also understood that we cannot paint everyone with the same brush. Even at the most gruesome bits of history, people on the wrong side of the war are trying to undo the injustice.
And I learnt more about those horrors of the war, counting my blessings that I am living in a place and time without war.
However, mostly I learnt about the courage and determination people had. No matter what they had to endure, they would never stop fighting against abuse and crime… 

A really gripping story about the terror of the war, but also about the power of love and hope… This author managed perfectly to show us the brutality of it, yet also managed perfectly to keep shining the light of good things happening in a terrible time…

An impossible love during war, impossible choices to make…

Synopsis

A forbidden romance in occupied Norway…

Narvik, 1940. After Laila awakens to the sight of warships in the fjord, it isn’t long before she turns resistor to the brutal Nazi regime. She is horrified when local girls begin affairs with enemy soldiers, yet against her own principles, she finds herself falling in love with German soldier, Josef.

Josef is not like the others. He becomes involved in helping her and the locals with resistance activities, risking his life on more than one occasion.

But then Laila finds out she is pregnant. With Josef sent to the Russian front, and Laila cast out by her family, she turns to a home for women which promises to care for her and her unborn child. But instead, she finds herself caught in a system of evil far beyond what she thought possible…

My review

In 1940, many lives were changed, just like Laila’s life. Even in Narvik, Norway the Nazis find their way and occupy the place. However, Laila and many others try to find ways to resist the German occupation.
But not everyone is keeping their distance, and Laila is horrified when she learns that local girls are having affairs with the Germans. And this is just unforgivable!
Yet Laila also sees that not all Germans are the same. While some are convinced of their right, there are others that are just following the rules but are seeing the injustice and even help the locals. And one of them is Josef…
Before she knows is, Laila is falling in love with Josef and the feeling is mutual…
When she falls pregnant, not only when Josef is being sent to the Russian front, but also cast out by her own family, she has no other option to seek refuge in a home for women in her condition, with the promise of being taken care of.
However, Laila learns that there is more going on at the home, something more evil than she could ever imagine… 

We have all learnt about the horrors of the war. Yet with this story, I have learnt more disturbing aspects of the war I wasn’t aware of before. 

This book starts rather innocent, as Laila and whole Narvik are living all in peace and enjoying life. Laila herself is a young woman, with a great sense of responsibility yet also wondering when she will fall in love.
She still has this innocence over her, as she hopes in vain that perhaps even when the Germans invade, a lot will stay the same. 

I admired her courage when realization strikes and she sees the terrible things the Nazis are doing to her hometown. She sees the injustice, and wants to do her bit with helping the resistance activities.
We see Laila turn from a kind of gullible girl to a young woman seeing injustice and being unable to just stand there and watch. 

But she also turns into a young woman who sees that not everyone, even Germans, is the same. There are several characters in this story just confirming the horrendous things that happened during the war, but there are also characters that show us that there are people, Germans, seeing how wrong it all is, and are even risking their own lives to help out. 

Laila has very strong thoughts about familiarizing with the Germans, and she even despises the girls who are having affairs with Germans, just for the advantages.
Yet, as part of her growth, she falls in love with Josef, a German, but with his heart at the right place. 

This book is divided in several parts, showing also the different stadia Laila is going through. While the first part is mainly about her life in Narvik, falling in love with Josef, the second part takes an even darker turn.
Because now Laila has to live with the consequences of her love for Josef.  

I never heard of Lebensborn before, showing only my ignorance. Yet even if it’s thanks to this book I learnt more about it, when things are too good to be true, they mostly are.
I was very wary of when Laila arrived at the Lebensborn home, yet I was truly shocked by what happened there. 

Yet there were also small silver linings, as Laila befriends other girls in the same situation. Here again we see Laila maturing. She knows which fights to fight or when to keep silent. And she knows that something terrible is going on at that place, and is determined to not only discover the truth but also to get away from it as soon as she cans. 

This book was for me an eye – opener in many different occasions.
I saw the determination for fight for love. Because Laila is ready to lose everything she has for the man she loves and the child she carrier.
But I also understood that we cannot paint everyone with the same brush. Even at the most gruesome bits of history, people on the wrong side of the war are trying to undo the injustice.
And I learnt more about those horrors of the war, counting my blessings that I am living in a place and time without war.
However, mostly I learnt about the courage and determination people had. No matter what they had to endure, they would never stop fighting against abuse and crime… 

A really gripping story about the terror of the war, but also about the power of love and hope… This author managed perfectly to show us the brutality of it, yet also managed perfectly to keep shining the light of good things happening in a terrible time…

The sky is the limit…

Synopsis

Penny is not living her best life.

Her job is far from thrilling and her long-term boyfriend shows no sign of wanting to commit.

She has just turned fifty and is going nowhere.

Wanting a new start, Penny applies for a job as cabin crew, to find out if she can push herself out of her comfort zone.

Her new job brings the adventure she craves, even if she does keep bumping into impossibly handsome but deeply annoying pilot, Matt Garcia. 

Stuck in Paris on an unscheduled stopover, the chemistry between them grows. But the path of love never did fly smooth, as Matt’s past threatens to come between them.

Beside which, Penny is not looking for love. But what if love finds her?

A romantic, uplifting and inspirational read all about taking chances later in life – fans of Milly Johnson and Sandy Barker will love this!

My review

Penny is living  rather dull life. Her job brings her no joy, and her boyfriend is showing no signs of commitment, even if they are together for a while now.
So even if she has just turned fifty, she decides to apply for a job as cabin crew, to get a fresh start and get out of her comfort zone.
Her new job takes her to places she only dreamed about, and friendships between the crew are begin made. But no matter how much she loves the comradery, there is one person who annoys her… pilot Matt Garcia.
Yet their schedules put them on the same flight on several occasions. And when they find themselves stuck in Paris on an unscheduled stopover, they realize that what they feel in not annoyance…
However, Penny is not looking for love, and Matt comes with a baggage that may put a halt to everything… 

At the start of this book, I could easily relate with Penny in some aspects. Even if not having the most exhilarating life, things work for her just like they are.
Just like her, I was a bit flabbergasted when her boyfriend instead of proposing turns out to break up with her. And things get even worse when he tells her that, well, there is someone else! 

But while my heart went out to her, the sc*mb*g boyfriend is also the catalyst for Penny changing her life completely!
Being a flight attendant has never been a dream of mine (I still hold on dearly when the plane takes off or starts it landing!), yet I admired Penny and her decision to just jump into it. 

If I were in Penny’s shoes, I don’t think I would have made it through the trainings! Just like one of the trainees, I think I would freak out by learning all the things that could go wrong.
So extra kudos for her, as she persisted and didn’t give up after one failed test! 

The funny bits were whenever Penny and Matt were each other antagonists. They kept irking each other for each little thing. And while I understood Penny’s frustrations, it only added more fuel to me finding it funny, because I knew what direction their relationship would go. 

And while Matt initially didn’t have to try very hard appearing to be as obnoxious as Penny thought, once they are both “stuck” in Paris, we also see this vulnerable side of him. And while I didn’t agree with his actions, I could understand his emotions, and lack of knowledge of how to handle the situation. 

But what I liked the most, was seeing the evolution of Penny. At first, she is an insecure woman of fifty, just tagging along, not daring to take any chance.
Yet we see her grow more confident of herself,, ready for new adventures. She also becomes more assertive, but never loses her kindness. While at one occasion it would have been so easy to say ‘no’, she shows everyone, in the book but also the readers, that being kind and helping out is never the wrong thing to do.  

I found this a wonderful, even sweet story about finding the courage to finally chase your dreams. It’s never too late to embark on a whole new journey, as you will never know what will cross your path. And even at the age fifty you can find the most amazing things if you can find the courage to make a change. Penny made a great change in her life to just show of what can happen, but why cannot great things be found also in small changes?

Can a curse stop you to find love, or will it make you find Love?

Synopsis

CELESTE thought she had long forgotten the sweet, citrusy kiss she shared with TRAVIS during a game of spin the bottle. Splitting her time between her accounts office in super Instagrammable Notting Hill, and her tiny apartment in quirky Exmouth Market, modern-day life is simply too busy for men. Besides, whenever she tries to find The One, it always ends in disaster. From Tinder tragedies to trampolining tribulations, Celeste is starting to think that she’s cursed.

But then Travis begins to pop up wherever she goes, and Celeste knows with stomach-sinking clarity that fate has finally caught up with them. Inspired by the idea of fake dating, Celeste is convinced the only way out of this mess is to call the curse’s bluff. But will Travis agree to it? And how can she manage not to fall in love?

Pour yourself a lemonade and escape with this gorgeous will-they-won’t-they rom-com set between London and Gibraltar!

My review

Celeste truly believes that the game of Spin The Bottle she played years ago has cursed her. Every date she had, has turned out into a disaster somehow. To make things even worse, now she starts to see Travis, whom she shared a kiss with during that game, everywhere.
As she believes that to lift the curse there is only one option, she is ready to bluff fate over, by fake – dating Travis. But is Travis willing to play her game?  

Whenever I start to read a story by this author, I know I have to keep an open mind, and not overthink about things like curses, spells and even time – travelling.
Even if those things seem impossible in reality, why can it not be happening in books?  

I was very intrigued about the whole aspect of a little game to be an actual curse. And how it affected Celeste in her love life.
And I found it a bit bizarre how Celeste truly believed in that curse, even as an adult woman and even going that far to avoid anything with lemons.
For a moment I even thought, just like her best friend, that Celeste was getting a bit delusional when she sees Travis suddenly everywhere. 

Now that I mentioned her best friend, can I just say that for a big part of the story I didn’t like her? I found her patronizing and even selfish at moments… but I was glad that towards the end she saw the light. 

Back to Celeste and Travis now 😊 

For us readers, the idea of fake – dating, we know that it will never end up like just that. We *know* that things are going to evolve somehow, no matter how hard the main characters try to avoid that.
Yet these fake dates turned out to be the weirdest ones I have ever read…
If it’s not the small talk that doesn’t work, there will for certain rise another issue! It made it difficult at moments to like Travis and his lacklustre behaviour. But at other moments he also had me in complete laughs.  

However, he redeems himself when the truth comes out and we can actually see that his behaviour is not because of his disinterest, but because of his own feelings of shame concerning his situation.
That only shows us that there is more to people than they will initially show is. 

There were several moments that put a smile on my face, but also moments that broke my heart… Yet what didn’t take away I truly enjoyed reading this funny, magical story, about how one ‘silly’ game may be exactly what we need, even if we don’t know that yet as a teenager or even an adult.
With this story we see that somehow love always finds its way to us, no matter how long or how far it takes…  

And as a cherry on top of the (lemon?) cake, there are a few cameo’s that I absolutely adored!

When a trip takes everything from you, but also gives you everything…

Synopsis

To find true love, first you have to truly love yourself…

Fleur French does not have the best of luck when it comes to life and love, and her current boyfriend Jasper is yet another person who only seems to like Fleur when she moulds herself into his idea of the perfect partner. So, when she finds herself single, jobless and homeless, Fleur has to decide if she’s ready to finally be herself – if only she knew who that was.

Matt Morgan saw things he’ll never forget when he was deployed in the military, but now back home in Wales, the recuperative powers of the stunning countryside are working their magic.  And when Fleur takes a job at his mother’s hotel, Matt senses she could benefit from that same magic – if only Fleur realised it too.

It’s hard to be yourself, when you’ve never felt you quite fitted in. But with new days come new opportunities, and as Fleur begins to flourish and find out who she really is, her luck in love might be about to change too.

My review

Fleur French never thought that her trip to Wales with her demanding boyfriend Jasper would end in her being single, homeless and jobless. With nobody telling her what she should, do, say, behave, and even wear, Fleur doesn’t know who the real Fleur is…
Luckily she can count on the goodness of the Morgan family, as they offer her a job in the hotel she was staying in.
Matt Morgan knows that the hotel and his family could be exactly what Fleur needs and that she can find her own voice. But despite his good nature, Matt too has his struggles, especially after he has returned from where he was deployed in the military.
Fleur and Matt find that they can count on each other as friends, but while finding themselves, perhaps they will also find each other? 

This
Was
A
WONDEFUL
Story!!! 

My heart broke from the start for Fleur. And it’s not only because Jasper is a complete sc*mbag, which he absolutely is, but especially because despite Fleur being an amazing woman, she doesn’t see it herself and she lets her fears hold her back. 

Of course, with her past it makes a lot of sense why she is the person she is now. But why can’t she see that Fleur is perfect as she is? Why should she listen to whatever anyone has to say about her, or wants to change her into someone she is not? 

She also finds herself in the position of apologizing for Jasper’s behaviour in Wales, and I have to say, I admired her patience… because I would have slapped that b*st*rd so often in those moments that it’s wouldn’t have been nice! 

While my heart was already broken for her, seeing how she is treated by Jasper, dumping her, even abandoning her at the hotel, really broke my heart in even smaller pieces. 

Luckily there are people like the Morgans in this world, seeing more in Fleur than she does herself, and give her everything she needs, from a place to stay, to a job, to kindness and friendship.
And from there on a wonderful journey for Fleur begins. 

It was so great to see how Fleur start to open up and finds herself. Seeing her realize that she is good enough (even more than enough), and how she feels at home in Wales, doing a job she loves, was the best thing ever.
But the even better bits were seeing her confidence grow and how she learns to speak out her feelings and even adding several layers of banter. 

Banter that was mostly directed to Matt…
Matt is a man who speaks his mind, sometimes too bluntly, only realizing afterwards that how he said it hurt people.
Yet we can clearly see his good heart and kind nature. There isn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for his family, friends and Fleur.
However, sometimes wanting to help out could also turn in his disadvantage… 

But it’s not only Matt, it’s his whole family that turn out to be a wonderful package. They all easily accept Fleur in their lives, they also stand behind her every step and protect her no matter what.
Even when there is someone suddenly looking for Fleur, they have her back and give her all the support she may need. 

Matt and Fleur together, just friends at first, are a delight to read about. They find with each other that person that they can talk freely to, who won’t judge their thoughts and decisions. They have a great understanding. 

There are several things happening in this story, like Fleur trying to discover who she is, the ‘thing’ with Matt, but also an unexpected visit that may be life – altering for Fleur.
But I never had the feeling that the author rushed into any of these subplots, she takes her time to develop things and makes everything make sense. 

This was, like I said a wonderful story to read, about self – discovery, self – acceptance and self – love. But it’s also a story about family, bounded by blood or not. Because when you are surrounded by people that love and accept you, it’s always easier to love and accept yourself, as you never have to doubt that what you do or think is the right thing, because it is…
And surrounded by these kind of people, you will find out that you are stronger than you thought to be.

The author wrote once again a sweet, heart – warming, lovely, even inspiring story about finding yourself even when you thought you lost it all.

Can a city girl adapt in the Italian countryside?

Synopsis

Jenn has always prided herself on being a city girl – she insists on easy access to good coffee, great food from around the globe, not to mention an easy commute. So, when her job takes her to one of the most famous Italian wine regions in search of the perfect Prosecco, travelling to meetings on a tractor is a bit of a culture shock.

Tiziano hates the city.  He was made for the mountains and vineyards of Veneto, and generations of his family have earned their living from the land. But times are changing even in the Italian countryside, and the arrival of Jenn at his grandmother’s B&B opens up a window on a different world.

Jenn has two months to persuade the Prosecco producers to trust her with their business, and Tiziano has one summer to persuade Jenn that there’s more to life than the rat race. But can a city girl and a country boy ever find enough in common to see a future beyond one long summer of sun…

My review

Jenn is a real city girl, loving her shots of coffee to be found at each corner, she knows perfectly how to the public transport. So when her boss asks her to go to Italy, to find the perfect Prosecco, she isn’t ready for the complete culture shock.
Because where she is used to taxis, and public transport, in Veneto and its vineyards, it’s more about tractors…
But also the people are the complete opposite, especially country boy Tiziano. They aren’t exactly jumping at the occasion to do business with Jenn.
Jenn has now only two months the time to persuade them. And Tiziano has the same time to show Jenn that there are more important things… 

A book set in Italy, with the male main character sharing my name, how could I not read it??? 

To read a story about two total opposites, two people who don’t immediately like each other but have to spend time/ work together to have both important realizations, that for sure is a trope of mine! 

There is one thing rather at the start that annoyed me a tiny bit… No Tiziana/Tiziano in the world would shorten her/his name to ‘Tits’. It will always be ‘Tizi’ or ‘Tiz’, to be pronounced as ‘TEATSEA’.
But no worries, this is the only thing that annoyed me, otherwise I loved this wonderful book. 

Jenn is obviously a strong character. She has fought already many prejudices, being the daughter of a single Korean woman. With her background, and her upbringing, Jenn has always had the need to show everyone her worth and proof that she is capable to even grow in the business.
She is also very obviously a city girl, accustomed to have everything in reach.
So that made it very funny to see her in Italy in the countryside, with a dodgy WIFI – reception, and the Italian mentality. 

Ooh, because Italians are a particular kind of people (and yes, I can say that, as I am an Italian myself!).
I could so easily relate to Tiziano, his family and his friends. If we don’t want to do business with you, you won’t do any business with us. And we will help you when you are in need, but on our terms, even if that means that you have to take a ride on a tractor! 

Tiziano was a hard nut to crack, as he and Jenn clearly didn’t get along from the start. He is a typical male, cheeky side included!
Yet he also has a protective streak, and a gentleness that shows his complete character.  
However, he also has a dark cloud around him, keeping people at distance. And it was difficult to comprehend his reasons, but once it was out there, my heart broke for him… 

What I loved the most about this story wasn’t necessarily the romance between Jenn and Tiziano. But it was more seeing how Jenn finds herself understanding the Italian way of living. It’s not because the Italian characters are stubborn for refusing to do business with Jenn, but they want Jenn and everyone else to understand the process and importance of what is needed to create the perfect Prosecco. It isn’t about money, but about respect and understanding. 

The change in Jenn in these two months is very palpable. We see how at first she keeps her distance and is even afraid to cut of a vine, but slowly we see how she starts to understand the Italian country life. It was great to see her accepting that way of life and her realization that perhaps she isn’t a complete city girl at all. 

But of course, seeing Jenn and Tiziano together, finding unexpectedly someone who understand them, without prejudice was great to read about too. Somehow they find out they that are kindred spirits and they learn from each other. Jenn learns that there is more than work, and that she is worth more than she thinks. But also that what we want isn’t always what we truly need.
And Tiziano learns that no matter what happened before, there is always a second chance. And that moving on doesn’t mean forgetting the past. 

This was absolutely a marvellous story, in a great setting, about people who see that with the right people, the furthest thing from our comfort zone may be exactly what we need. And that the most frightening thing may give us the most beautiful feelings…

When a surprise turns out to go a whole different way

Synopsis

Sometimes the best surprises reveal the most shocking secrets.

After three decades of marriage, Brenda Jones has decided to leave her husband, just as soon as they both return from a mystery trip with their daughter Zara. But she has no idea that Zara is flying them to Las Vegas to renew their vows.

Zara Jones has recreated almost every detail of her parent’s original wedding – now her only challenge is tracking down the two friends who were pictured with her mum and dad back in 1993.

Aiden Gregg is dealing with his own relationship woes when he receives an unexpected message from a complete stranger. WIth the help of Facebook, Zara has tracked him down and is asking if his parents are the other couple in the old photo? And if so, could he bring them to Vegas for a surprise reunion?

What Zara and Aiden don’t know is that thirty years ago, One Moment In Time changed everything.

Will rewinding the clock right the wrongs of the past?

Or are they all counting down to a rendezvous with disaster?

My review

Zara Jones has made it her mission to celebrate her parents’ thirtieth marriage anniversary by taking the whole family on a trip to Las Vegas. Not only is it Zara’s plan to recreate every detail of their wedding, but she also wants to track down the people pictured together with Brenda and  Colin in Vegas in 1993.
But tracking them down is harder as expected, that is until she finds online an Aidan Gregg, who could be the friends’ son.
However, even if Aidan is indeed Eileen and Gary’s son, he is having his own problems, as he has been jilted at his own wedding.
Perhaps a trip to Vegas with his parents will be the perfect distraction and even an opportunity to make his parents become at least nice again towards each other.
What Zara and Aidan don’t know though, is that thirty years ago, the four friends didn’t leave Las Vegas on good terms, as one moment changed their whole lives… 

Having read several books of this author, I knew I would be in a rollercoaster of a story. And I thought I was mentally prepared for all the twists and turns and shocking revelations.
Yet again, despite all my preparations, I wasn’t ready for the outcome of this book! And yes, I mean this in the best way possible! 

First of all, I found it so sweet of Zara and Millie, wanting to recreate their parents’ wedding, with every detail checked off.
It only shows what a close unit this family is, as they all would go lengths for each other. 

But I also liked how different each member of the family was. Especially when in Zara and Millie’s case it’s a case of being total opposites, COMPLETELY!
While the sisters obviously love each other, they couldn’t be more different, even at a frustrating level. And reading those irritating bits, had me in laughs! 

It’s clear from the start that things aren’t going that well between Brenda and Collin. I could understand that Brenda needed something more from her life with Collin. And it saddened me that for the sake of the girls (young women!) she never expressed it before.
But I also understood that she wanted to have this last trip before breaking the news to both Collin and their daughters. 

With this author, we know that we will get several separate stories, that are entwined, yet giving us the perfect opportunity to get in depth with each character.
So having Aidan having his own space in this book, gave us the chance to get to know him for real. 

And while I thought that his wedding cam rather quickly, I also liked how romantic he was. Because he truly believed he has found his perfect match. So yes, my heart broke for him when the bride didn’t show up…
On the other hand, it was sweet to see how his mother and his best friend would give him the consolation and time he needed. 

Even if the chances were a bit too good to be true, Zara finding Aidan over social media, I was very curious to see how the reunion would be. I was eager to discover what happened thirty years ago, to make these close friends part ways. 

Obviously the first meeting wasn’t a jolly affair, but did we truly expect that? Yet as a reader you could sense that some bridges weren’t burnt completely, and something was still fixable somehow. 

With every party in the same place, all the secrets of the past are being uncovered. And some came as a total surprise to me, while others didn’t completely shock me. But it only shows that one moment in a whole lifetime can change its entire course. If it’s for the better or for the worse, I leave that in between… 

But it’s also a fact that one moment thirty years ago, made it possible for our characters in the present to make some important realizations. Like the grass that isn’t always greener on the other side, or that people aren’t always who we think we are. But also that we may find people that may be our perfect match, even if there may be some hurdles that seem impossible to overcome. 

Shari Low wrote again a great story about how lives can take a different course, and even more than once. Filled with twists and turns, and even great cameo’s, I fond myself totally invested in this wonderful story!

When a contest turns deadly…

Synopsis

The competition is fierce….

Desperate to try and rebuild the reputation of Hopgood Hall, owners Alexi Ellis and Cheryl and Drew Hopgood agree to host a realty TV baking show, spearheaded by their arrogant but enigmatic head chef Marcel Gasquet. Hopefully the ratings will bring in bookings to the struggling hotel and Cosmo, Alexi’s antisocial feral cat, is hoping to get a starring role too!

The temperature is high…

Fiery and hot-headed, Marcel’s antics makes for brilliant television, but off-screen trouble is brewing. One of the contestants, femme fatale Juliette Hammond, makes it clear that she will do anything to secure the winning prize – even if it means sweetening up the prima donna chef.

The results are deadly!

So when Juliette is found dead, all eyes turn to Marcel. Has his fiery French temper got the better of him or has someone else fallen victim to Juliette’s devious ways?

With the reputation of the hotel in tatters and Marcel’s liberty on the line, Alexi needs answers and fast. And the only person she can turn to for help is her old friend and private eye Jack Maddox. Jack’s working his own case, but he can’t refuse Alexi and he knows more than anyone that this murder could cost them everything!

My review

Alexi Ellis is determinate, even on the verge of desperate to rebuild the reputation of Hopgood Hall, now that she owns the place with her friends Cheryl and  Drew Hopgood. So they agree to be hosting a reality TV baking show, with amazing yet arrogant head chef Marcel Gasquet. They have their fingers crossed that the show will get high ratings, and also a lot of new bookings, especially as Alexi’s feral cat Cosmo is becoming a show’s favourite too!
The contestants of the show couldn’t be more different, and one of them, Juliette, is making it even bluntly cleat that she would do anything to end up victorious.
But when Juliette is found dead, and all fingers seem to point towards Marcel, it’s up to Alexi to find all the answers and clear Marcel’s name. And is there someone better to help her out than Jack Maddox? Especially as there is still some unfinished business between him and Alexi… 

I was very eager to read this next story in the series, as I was hoping for some nice developments for Alexi and Jack.
And of course, even if murder is something horrible, how a next murder would be solved by this great duo. Oh, and I wanted more Cosmo too! 😊 

Initially I was a bit disappointed reading that Alexi and Jack weren’t the happy couple I expected them to be. But on the other hand, well, we have this book for things to develop in the right way (hopefully!). 

I absolutely liked the combination the author made of having a reality TV baking show, with a murder mystery.
We all know that TV reality shows are always a bit premeditated and even have more drama backstage than in front of the cameras.
And we also know that there is always one contestant who would do anything to be the winner at the end. 

So while even if Juliette doesn’t make the best first impression, looking down at people, making them feel inferior and even parading around with her looks, well, murdered isn’t how I wanted her to end up. 

And then a great whodunit starts… because even if everything points towards Marcel, we know that despite his arrogance he isn’t a murderer.
The more I was reading, the more I was reading more into things, perhaps even making me more paranoid that I should.
The author manages perfectly to make you doubt over every character/ contestant. And she even manages to link two separate mysteries without making it seem impossible and implausible. 

Having Alexi and Jack joining forces again, was great to read, as they complement each other, not only with the sleuthing! Yet, their romance (or lack of it) is not the main attraction of this story, however a great addition! 

This story made me have my own suspects, to only have them discarded when once again it appeared I was thinking in the wrong direction.
And perhaps, when the truth truly came out, I was a tiny bit disappointed as there wouldn’t to be a great scheme behind it all…
But that didn’t take away I truly enjoyed reading this sleuthing adventure, with some great developments for our main characters and a Cosmo that for sure stole the show!

When you have no other choice than going to Bellbird Bay…

Synopsis

When successful university lecturer Alison Wells’ life unexpectedly falls apart, she follows in her brother’s footsteps and escapes to the coastal town of Bellbird Bay on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Neil Simpson loves teaching and his position as principal at a prestigious boys’ school in Brisbane. But when scandal rocks the school, and he learns his father’s health is failing, he has no choice but to return to his hometown of Bellbird Bay.

Determined not to be a burden to her brother and his new partner, Ali is considering her options when her world and Neil’s collide. Having avoided commitment all her life, Ali is unprepared for the force of her attraction to the man who is trying to come to terms with the upheaval in his own life.

As fate conspires to keep them apart, can this small town work its magic on these two lost souls?

My review

Alison Wells is a successful university lecturer. But faced again with the unchanging  ‘man’s world’ at the university, she decides to take a temporary step back and escape to Bellbird Bay, where her brother is living.
She sees this as the perfect opportunity to think about her future, and whether she sees it still at the university, knowing it will be a constant fight against sexism.
Ali isn’t the only one seeking refuge at Bellbird Bay. Neil Simpson has always enjoyed teaching and loves his position as a principal at a prestigious boys’ school. But even if his name has been cleared after a scandal, it takes more for people to truly believe it. And  with his own father’s health problems, returning back home is the only thing Neil can do.
When Ali and Neil, neither one of them is prepared for the mutual attraction… But with Ali not believing in love and romance due her parents’ history, and Neil’s problems, is this the time that Bellbird Bay’s magic won’t work?

Returning to Bellbird Bay is always a pleasure, and I can never wait to start reading the next story taking place in this wonderful place.

And I have to say, I didn’t get disappointed! Although, I did in several occasions…
Now, it has nothing to do with the story itself, but more with what our characters have to go through, and the injustice of it all.

Let’s start with Ali.
We can clearly see she is passionate about her job and she truly cares about her students. But it angered me to see how easily not only her concerns were dismissed, but how she had to keep on fighting for equality. The men at the university were absolutely archaic, sticking together no matter what and not having a sense of righteousness.
I completely understood why Ali had to put some literal distance when she was (not so) slightly forced to take some time off.

And then there is her sad background. While I was over the moon that she found her brother again, the fact remains that her parents for sure scarred her in her vision of love, romance and commitment. It saddened me to see her refusing any kind of bond with someone she is interested in, because of that past.

Yet it was lovely to see how Ali slowly gives in to her feelings, even if she doesn’t see that those feelings are of the ‘love – kind’. It only shows that no matter how hard someone is fighting against love, when it comes, you can do nothing about it…

I don’t know what story saddened, or angered me the most. Because it’s clear that Neil hasn’t been dealt with amazing cards either…
While his name has been cleared after the scandal at his school, not everyone believes his innocence. And how can you change someone’s mind when they are so certain of it?
To make things even more complicated, his own father is not getting any younger and is having several health issues, making Neil wonder what the right thing to do is…
Oh why not, let’s also add the worries over his daughter and an ex – wife who doesn’t understand that their daughter should do what makes her happy, and not pursue a degree she isn’t passionate about.

With such characters, it would seem impossible that Ali and Neil would end up together, especially as they both have no idea where their future may be.
Ali has a chance to return to the university for a position she has been dreaming of, but is she willing to return to a place where she has to keep fighting for every little bit?
Especially when she has another opportunity, that perhaps can be more rewarding and satisfying in other aspects. And even more important too.
And a chance to be closer to her sibling again, to make up for all the lost time, even if it wasn’t their fault.

And Neil also has a lot to ponder… His daughter seems to be happier than ever at Bellbird, and is ready to stand on her own feet. But Neil himself is struggling with his own future. Is returning to teach the answer? Even if that will take him far away from his father, who may need him more even he won’t admit it?

While this story was very easy to read, it also makes you think… not only about the injustice of the past, or the scars we have. But also about the direction we want to take in the next phase of our lives, no matter what our age is.
Maggie Christensen manages again to write a compelling story about wonderful characters. And even if in this story it may have seemed impossible, she manages to put the magic of Bellbird Bay at work again, for people who truly deserve it.
And all of this, surrounded with lovely, kind, warm and even funny side characters that we all have loved before and still love!