When you both like an unavailable man and a mysterious online man…

Synopsis

Two people. One desk. A million Zoom calls. What could go wrong?
When Ada and Fraser find themselves freelancing from the same café together every day, they strike up a mutually beneficial friendship. Fraser saves her the best biscuits and Ada protects the best table when he’s running late.
As they work side-by-side Ada can’t help but notice how attractive Fraser is, and how well they get along. But then Ada signs up to an Agatha Christie fan fiction site and she starts chatting with a guy online. His interests are the same as hers, and the anonymity helps them both be more honest and open. As Ada’s messages with the mystery man become deeper and more honest, she thinks she’s falling for him.
Ada is torn between Fraser and Myster-E – but can you have real feelings for someone when you’re virtual strangers?
A modern You’ve Got Mail meets When Harry Met Sally.

My review

It’s been a while now since Ada returned back home with a broken heart. Her mother wouldn’t be more happier to look after her daughter again, but let’s be honest, living back with your mother isn’t the ideal situation.
Slowly Ada is putting her life back on tracks, and has set up her own PR firm, working from a coffee shop where you can rent office space.
When she meets journalist Fraser, Ada couldn’t predict they would become friends, and even go to interesting assignments together. But even when Ada starts to see how attractive Fraser is, and what a nice guy he is, and how well they get along, he is totally off limits, as he seems to have a girlfriend.
And then there is also Myster – E…. a man she has been chatting with on an Agatha Christie fan fiction site. While she doesn’t know a lot about him, she cannot ignore how easy it is to talk openly to him about just everything.
But what can you do when you start falling for two men at the same time, and yet you cannot have neither of them? 

When I started to read this book, I didn’t think the author would manage to surprise me very much. But I was gladly proven wrong! I thought this would be the kind of book that would be a dime a dozen, however it turned out to be much more hilarious, more surprising but also more deeper than expected. 

We all know the dangers about online dating, how to be careful with people we haven’t met in real life. We are surrounded by stories in real life where things have gone wrong.
But we also have read several fictional stories where the online dating turns out to be very quickly the real thing, making it also rather unrealistic. 

But in this book, I found the perfect balance. 

Ada isn’t really looking forward to do the whole online dating stuff, as she knows the dangers of it. But being gently persuaded by her best friend, to get back in the game, she gives in.
Ada gas been burnt in the recent past, and isn’t ready to fall in love again, as her trust has just gone out of the window.
And while I understand her reasons for wanting to stay alone, I also understood why she was being pushed to step outside again. 

Not only from her past, but also by her current behaviour, it is clear that Ada is someone who doesn’t want to hurt other people. She starts dating again because her friend asks her to, even if she doesn’t feel a spark, she continues to see her blind date. She doesn’t tell that same date that hiking is absolutely not something she likes to do.
All signs that she does things because she is ‘supposed’ to do and not because she actually wants to do them.
Also the too many lengths she goes to help her only client, shows again that she does too many things that she shouldn’t be doing. 

So reading how Ada finds an outlet at the Agatha Christie fan fiction site, felt like she finally did something for herself. And having the author to pick a genre that is the opposite of this book, well, for some reason, it put a smile on my face. 

I completely comprehended how easily Ada opened up towards her mysterious friend. Because sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone outside your circle to be able to speak freely but also to see another perspective.
And I liked it how Myster – E turned out to be a great listening ear, but also felt able to open towards Ada himself. 

But Ada also befriends Fraser, a journalist who at first instance stole her ‘spot’ at the coffee shop. And I absolutely liked to see how their friendship evolves from being just people working at the same place, to going to ‘interesting’ events together (I will never think about ‘Ghost’ when someone says the word ‘pottery’ again! 😊), to becoming real friends. 

This story may seem like an easy read, and I for sure relaxed and laughed while reading. But I also felt that the author managed to show us the difficulties in life. Not only finding the courage to trust again, but also finding the strength to do the right things for you, and not the right things for someone else. But also the difficulties and struggles of parenthood, as shows by Ada’s best friend Amal shows that some things are not easy to talk about, even if there shouldn’t be a taboo about it anymore. 

I truly enjoyed reading this book, it is the kind of romcom that makes you relax and put all the hectic of your life on the side and this all taking place in wonderful Edinburgh. I found myself laughing, at moments even feeling surrogate embarrassment, but I also found myself nodding along with each eye – opening lesson and I have found a new amazing motto: “I would fight a bear for you.” Just how amazing is that kind of love???

A past coming back, but in an unexpected way…

Synopsis

Welcome to Pepper Bay. A small close-knit community where you’ll find chocolate box cottages, quaint shops, love drama, and a happily ever after.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Phillipa Ashley, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories that intertwine with recurring characters. Best enjoyed when read in order,

Silver Blooms Flower Shop: Lexi and Bryce have never been friends. She views him as her childhood bully. So, she finds a way to stick it to the fancy-schmancy businessman by using his name as her pen name for the erotic romance books that she writes. That way, when potential clients try to check him out online, all they will see is fishnet stockings, sexy CEOs, and steamy sneak previews. But, when Not-Nice-Bryce comes back home to confront her, their past comes flooding back, and maybe it wasn’t as bad as she remembers.

My review

Lexi has always seen Bryce as part of her childhood bullies. Now as an adult, she has found the way to take some kind of revenge, as she uses his name as her pen name for the erotic romances she writes. By doing so, whenever a potential new client of him does some online research, they will see something they didn’t expect.
Bryce has now returned back home to confront her and demands her to put things straight. But with Bryce being back home, old memories resurface. And Lexi may come to the realization that not all memories were that bad, and that not everything she seems to remember was how it truly was… 

You may know that I am a big fan of the Pepper Bay Series, and how much I loved reading each new chapter. And with each new part in the series I fall in love with more and more characters. So I was very happy when I turned to the first page of this brand new book!
And it left me very sad, when I reached the end of it, because now I have to wait again too long before I can return! 

Starting a new book in a series is always a little bit terrifying… will the author manage to write something different than before, yet keeping the bits that made me love the previous books?
Well, I can say with a clear conscious that I absolutely fell in love with this amazing book! 

Let’s start with Lexi…
While reading her flashbacks, I felt sorry and even pitied her for the kind of childhood she had. Now, she had and still has an amazing family, but her years at school weren’t easy…
I can only imagine how difficult it can be going to school when being bullied. I guess I am a lucky one, never been bullied… 

But reading how Lexi has made it as an adult, made me proud of her. Lexi shows us that despite being bullied, you can become a strong person. And perhaps her revenge may seem petty, well, I couldn’t help but admire how well she thought about it and I found it hilarious to see the results! 

We readers are obviously prepared for the confrontation, but Lexi for sure wasn’t ready to see Bryce again. And reading how the main characters immediately clash again, was hilarious to read! Also reading how they try to outdo each other, was the best thing ever! 

Initially it was easy to see Bryce as the bad guy, bullying Lexi when they were younger. And I was for sure a fan of some sweet revenge.
But again those flashbacks…
They made me see a whole different side of Bryce, showing us that each story has in fact two sides. And while what Bryce did, wasn’t always the right decision he made, it was also typical for a teenager. Because we get to know the doubts Bryce had, and how he wanted to do the right thing, but didn’t always succeed… 

With younger Lexi and Bryce, we see that sweetness, but also the ignorance in a way, that describe perfectly teenage life.
We see how they are struggling with understanding their real feelings, and when they have it finally figured out, it’s too late… 

But with adult Lexi and Bryce, we see that the real thing never disappears… even if many years have passed. However, it’s also hard to decipher if the feelings that we have are genuine, or just a remembrance of those feelings years ago. 

There are so many lovely moments in this book… how Lexi finds her passion by working in Bryce’s Aunt Flower shop for example. But also moments that show us the strength of the character. For I can only admire the bravery in the choice that Lexi made early in the book…
And also the courage it took Lexi to make an important decision later on the book, as at that moment there was too much at stake…
Also Bryce shows what a great guy he is, how he easily accepts what Lexi’s future will be. And by giving Lexi in the end a wonderful gift, showing us that he truly understands and knows Lexi. 

However, there were also a few heart – breaking moments… Like learning how Lexi was being bullied and in which ways. But also learning about Bryce’s family and how he is still haunted by that past…
Those bits were not easy to read, but it made me understand the characters better, made me see where they were coming from and learn how much they have grown. 

This was a wonderful, heart – warming, marvellous story that I couldn’t start reading quick enough, only regretting how quickly I finished it…
It made me realize again that human nature isn’t always logical, as people do (or don’t) do things that make sense, and that hindsight a wonderful thing.
And it made me also believe that Real and True Love never dies and always finds a way…

A chance to prove your worth…

Synopsis

A steamy, hilarious read! Perfect for fans of Meghan Quinn and Penny Reid.

What happens when a New York City playboy, a Southern spitfire, and a hairless cat walk into a coffee shop?

Self-made mogul Chase Moore is a charming hound dog with a hairless cat and a family business to save.
He was fine being the spare to the heir until the family’s billion-dollar business threatens to go belly-up.
Now Chase will need more than his rakish good looks to fight his father for control.
Powerhouse marketing guru Campbell King returns to Texas and launches her own company after being chewed up and spat out by the city that never sleeps,
One phone call makes all the difference when a sauve and sexy male voice offers her the chance to redeem herself and help him save his swanky Manhattan store.
When the sexy redhead finally runs into her new billionaire boss, they’re both in for a shock.
But there’s no way Campbell is dating the boss. In fact, anyone but the billionaire would be better…
Previously published as A Little Moore Action by Sara L Hudson.

My review

Chase Moore is a playboy, uses his good looks to get any woman he wants. But even if he made his own success, he is still seen as the ‘spare’ of the family, and in the eyes of his own father, he is a complete failure.
But when shockingly his older brother walks away from the family business, Chase gets the opportunity to show his worth.
So he hires the best marketing business to help. Enter Campbell King…
This Southern redhead wants to show the world they wrongdoing after disregarding her so easily and wrongfully.
Bell is ready to turn Chase’s family business into a success story. But what neither of them expected was to feel that immediate attraction between them… 

While reading this story, I found myself laughing over several bits. First of all, there was the name of the cat… Initially I didn’t get the joke, but then after speaking the name out loud, the penny dropped and I couldn’t stop laughing.
I also laughed how the above mentioned cat behaves towards Chase at moments. Talking about killing the mood! Drama for Chase, hilarious for the readers! 

But I also have to admit, there were bits that I didn’t like at all.. especially the moments whenever Chase’s father appears in the book… talking about an horrendous character, and a person absolutely not worthy to be a father or even a husband! 

Luckily we have two great main characters, making this story a great read. 

Of course, Chase is an absolute player, thinking with just one part of his body. And yes, as a woman, it’s a bit frustrating to read how he is objectifying women.
And while initially he does the same with Bell, we see his character evolve into a ‘real’ man, a man that wants to get to know Bell for who she really is, and what her feelings are. 

He is also a great brother, well not specifically to his brother, but he is an amazing big brother for his little sister, a protective one. And seeing the two siblings pulling in the same direction, was how every relationship between siblings would be. 

Bell was just amazing from the start. We know that something happened in the past, making Bell more resolute than ever to show the world what she is worth, but it takes a while to get to that revelation.
I liked it how she stood her ground, she was too independent, too proud (in a good way) to just take what she was given.
But what I liked the most about her, was her natural charm. With just being herself, she can even make ice melt. And she isn’t nice with an agenda, she just *is* a nice person! 

Obviously there is an instant attraction between Bell and Chase, and reading their thoughts and seeing how they try to keep their thoughts to their own but sometimes failing, was very funny.
There are some heated moments in this book, it would be strange if there wouldn’t be, especially with all the fantasies (and let’s be honest, haven’t we all had the same fantasies at least once?). 

What I admired in this story, was that the author perfectly described the current world. Because no matter what happened with Bell in the past, or that Bell and Chase are consenting adults, in the end, it’s always the woman who gets an ugly reputation. And I could comprehend Bell for the full 100% why she was holding back, even if in reality she wanted to just give in… 

While the pace may seem a little bit too fast, and the love declaration wasn’t at the most romantic place in the world (however, made it even more hilarious!), I truly enjoyed reading this book. It shows us that love absolutely comes at the most unexpected moments, and that love is worth the risk. But also that with the right person by your side, and a family (or at least the most important members of your family), will stand by your side to do the right thing. 

And as any romantic person can confirm, grant gestures to show your love are never a bad thing to do. And why not, even involve a hairless cat in it! 😊

An unwanted column from a mysterious writer…

Synopsis

In a small town in Oregon, everyone wants to kill the local advice columnist, Mrs Bambi. If only they knew who she was.

Mrs Bambi’s advice is so snarky that people have long since stopped asking for it. Instead she eavesdrops on conversations and writes the letters herself. The readers would lynch her, but no one knows who she is.

In fact, Mrs. Bambi is not a woman. The column is written by Richard, a quiet widower with a young daughter.
The uneventful part of Richard’s life is nearly over: he begins dating Pam, a well-known realtor and a sports addict. When people begin to learn the identity of Mrs. Bambi, Richard is threatened and humiliated in public. Despite the pleas of his editor, his friends, and Pam, he refuses to stop writing the column.
The only thing that can prevent disaster is for the town to finally learn the whole truth about Richard, which is much larger than the simple mystery of Mrs. Bambi.

Set in 1995, Chris Mason’s skillful storytelling brings a tale of humour and romance – and not a little peril – charmingly to life in the mind of the reader.

My review

No one in a small town in Oregon knows that Richard is the writer of the most hated column in their local paper. The community has even stopped writing for advice, but Mrs. Bambi, as Richard calls himself in his column, loves to eavesdrops and gives unwanted, rude advice.
In real life is Richard known as the quiet widower with a young daughter. And in a place where everyone knows everything, it’s not easy to date. And how could he possibly ever explain that he is the hated Mrs. Bambi?
But even when everyone knows Mrs. Bambi’s real identity and threats are being made, Richard doesn’t want to give up on his alter ego…
Because Mrs. Bambi is more to Richard than just a column… 

I have to say, I have never had the need to ask an Agony Aunt for advice, but I have always been curious what advice has been given.
So having a Mrs. Bambi offering her (unwanted) advice was for me a recipe for a book filled with many many laughter. 

Reading those bit were absolutely hilarious, seeing how Mrs. Bambi ridiculed everything and everyone, taking sarcasm to a whole new level.
But Richard’s story was the total opposite of the total fun of the columns… 

First of all I can only imagine how hard it can be to raise a child on your own… yet I admired Richard and the way he is always doing his best for his little girl. And the stories he makes up whenever she wants to hear how her parents fell in love, just warmed my heart. 

And then there is the fact that Richard wants to start dating again. But being out of the game for so long, and having his girl being the top priority (like it should be), and having a community knowing everything of you, doesn’t make things easier.
When he then finally meets Pam, there is the issue of him being Mrs. Bambi. Because how do you tell your love interest that you are the person that everyone seems to hate? 

The more I was reading into this story, the more I realized that Richard’s life isn’t an extraordinary one. Yes, he has a good heart and does amazing things. And when everyone knows about Mrs. Bambi, some terrible things happen to him.
But for me, it felt more like a tale of seeing a real life, where a person tries to find some peace and love, in the midst of chaos. 

I liked how the author added some heavier levels into this story, and turning them into something normal. Like it’s normal for Richard to have friends that are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Why should it matter who his friends love? Because love is beautiful, in any form.
But also his determination to help a shelter for abused women… if only there were more people like Richard in the real world, it would make a great difference… 

This book may have started on a slower pace for me, but in the end, it turned out to be the perfect pace. It was a story that shows all the bits of life, the beautiful ones but also the bits where we are still searching our place in it, trying to find where exactly we fit in and how we can make a difference. And the author also shows us that finding yourself and love is not something that happens overnight; but it takes it time and trust. But with time and patience comes clarity and love…

The perfect place to mend a broken heart!

Synopsis

Welcome to Tilly’s Tuscan Teashop, the first book in a brand new series from the author of the Hummingbird Hotel and the Cornish Confetti Agency series.

When photographer Natalie Nicholson’s beach hut studio – and everything she’s spent the last two years working on – is destroyed in a fire, she doesn’t think things can get any worse. Until she sees her boyfriend Josh Clarke on Instagram frolicking on a palm-fringed Balinese beach with a fellow cabin crew member.

Devastated and heartbroken, she heads to Italy to help out at her sister’s English teashop in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, where she encounters sun-dappled hilltop villages with attractive terracotta bell towers, cobbled piazzas housing world-famous art and architecture, and a national fixation with getting from A to B as quickly as possible whether in a glamourous Ferrari, a scarlet Vespa, or a snail-like ape.

With handsome local filmmaker-cum-waiter Matteo Ferretti on hand to guide her, can Tilly learn to ditch her workaholic ways and embrace the Italian pursuit of la dolce vita? Or will she miss out on her chance at a happy-ever-after?

My review

Natalie Nicholson, better known as Tilly, is devastated when her beach hut studio goes up in flames. She worked so hard for the last two years as a photographer and seeing everything destroyed is just terrible. To make things even worse, she discovers that her boyfriend Josh has been being too close with a fellow cabin crew member in Bali and posted it on Instagram.
Heartbroken on two levels, Tilly decides to help out her sister in Italy. And working in the English teashop in a small Tuscan countryside village, may be the perfect place to mend a broken heart. Especially when Tilly is surrounded by beautiful architecture, inviting piazze, welcoming people. And one of those people is Matteo, a local filmmaker slash waiter, ready to not only guide her around and help her, but also to show her that life is too beautiful and colourful to be only filled by work.  

Oooh Daisy James, what do you do each time to me with each book you write? And no, I am not biased (okay, just a tiny bit!) as this beautiful story is set in Italy. I have read several books from this amazing author, and I loved them all, even when they were not set in Italy! 

Before I start with describing all the things that made me fall in love with Tilly’s tale… I have to get one thing of my chest…
Being an Italian (yes yes, I know I was born and raised in Belgium, but having both parents being Italian, that makes me also an Italian!) I felt my Italian fury rise a little bit whenever I read the word ‘fiesta’.
My dearest Daisy, ‘fiesta’ is not Italian, it’s Spanish… Italians say ‘festa’ for a party or a ‘fiera’ as it would be appropriate in this story as it concerns more a local fair. 

That’s it, that is all the negative I have to say about this book! Be prepared to be overwhelmed by positivism and happy thoughts! 

When I started reading this book, I immediately liked Tilly. Even her sad past, and the struggles she still had, made me not dislike her, on the contrary. I liked her even more and especially at the start I wanted to jump into the book and be there for Tilly as a friend. 

I also felt it appropriate that at the start, Tilly’s work was monochrome photography. Because that shows us as a reader that her life is also rather monochrome. We see that Tilly is passionate about her work and she is a great and supportive friend. But her life is a bit grey, dull… she doesn’t go on great adventures, she even doesn’t dress herself in colourful clothes.
And I liked it how her being that kind of photographer reflected perfectly on her life. 

Of course there has to be a reason why Tilly decides to go to Italy (but do we really need a real reason? Let’s just all go!). And I felt so sorry for her, I even pitied her as there were two heart-breaking reasons for her to leave her home. 

And then in Tuscany her amazing adventure starts. I can understand the cultural shock that Tilly had, as in Italy things are done completely differently. And I was glad for her that her vehicle of transportation was a Vespa and not a car. Even I don’t dare to drive in small villages (or even big cities) in Italy with a car. 

I completely agreed with Tilly that having a teashop in Italy wasn’t a rather great idea, but I liked it how Tilly tried to come up with ideas to make the business flourish, using Tilly’s own imagination and ideas.
But what I liked the most, beside the dedication Tilly has for her sister, was to see the evolution in Tilly. We see her literally become a more colourful character. What starts with wearing her sister’s clothes, ends with Tilly almost becoming a real Italian (or at least as close as possible 😊). 

Having been in Tuscany several times, it was so easy for me to see Tilly wandering around the piazza, sipping her coffee, absorbing the Italian sun and fall in love with not the place.
Because let’s be honest here, Matteo is rather easy on the eye! And no, I am not objectifying him, as he has a wonderful character too!  

In this book we see that life is supposed to be an adventure and that we should always follow our dreams. But we also see that dreams can change, and tat only time can show us where our heart truly is. And that can be from dreaming to become an actor, or to run your family business. Or even something more drastic like Tilly will discover in this book.
Life doesn’t always go as expected, as tragedies can happen to all families, in very different ways, but we shouldn’t allow those tragedies to take the light out of our lives. Instead, like written so well by this author, we should find a way to let the colour and light back in, even if it seems impossible.

I truly enjoyed reading this colourful book, that not only has an amazing cover, but also its content is filled with sparks of joyful colours. I had a smile on my face while reading, realizing that in this case, you can perfectly judge a book by its cover.
This was a wonderful journey in a wonderful place, with amazing and warm people that made me love them all so easily.

It’s the season to find love, for everyone

Synopsis

‘It’s not a fair world I’m afraid. Beauty or fortune carries the day. You have the beauty and I the fortune, so there’s every chance we’ll succeed’

In Regency England, marriage is everything. For young widow Sybella Lovatt, the time has come to find a suitable husband for her sister and ward Lucie. Male suitors are scarce near their Wiltshire estate, so the sisters resolve to head to London in time for The Season to begin.

Once ensconced at the Mayfair home of Lady Godley, Lucie’s godmother, the whirl of balls, parties and promenades can begin. But the job of finding a husband is fraught with rules and tradition. Jostling for attention are the two lords – the charming and irresistible Freddie Lynwood and the preternaturally handsome Valentine Ravenell, their enigmatic neighbour from Shotten Hall, Mr Brabazon, and the dangerous libertine Lord Rockliffe, with whom the brooding Brabazon is locked in deadly rivalry.

Against the backdrop of glamorous Regency England, Sybella must settle Lucie’s future, protect her own reputation, and resist the disreputable rakes determined to seduce the beautiful widow. As the Season ends, will the sisters have found the rarest of things – a suitable marriage with a love story to match?

My review

Sybella Lovatt is a young widowed mother, who is also looking after her younger sister Lucie. Even if their characters couldn’t be more different, the love between the siblings is very obvious.
As usual in Regency England, when the Season starts in London, it’s time to find a suitable husband. But with not so many suitors around, Sybella and Lucie decide to stay a while at the Mayfair home of Lady Godley, Lucie’s godmother who resides in London.
Going to balls, parties and making promenades, the search for Lucie’s husband must be easier, right?
But not only Lucie is finding herself having the attention of two men, but also and mostly unexpectedly Sybella has two total different men lurking for her attention.
However, Sybella’s first priority is to find  suitable husband for Lucie. Will it be Freddie Lynwood or Valentine Ravenell that will capture her sister’s heart? And what about Sybella’s own heart? Will she love again with Mr. Brabazon or with his rival Lord Rockliffe?
One thing is sure, both sisters won’t settle for anything less than love… 

The Regency era has always intrigued me. While I have always been fascinated by the balls, the etiquette of that time, the idea of ‘must get married’ also frightened me a little bit. But the great English Classics made me dream once and again of living in that era. If only we could have the perks of the past and the present at the same time, discarding all the disadvantages. 

So returning to that era with this book, surely had my interest. And reading how the focus is on two women who know what they want, not wanting to settle for less, was a nice extra. 

Sybella and Lucie are sisters of the wonderful kind. Sybella had found her love already, but lost it, while Lucie is looking for what her sister had.
They couldn’t be more different in character, but from the very start it was obvious that they love each other deeply. 

Sybella is the more responsible sister, which makes obviously sense, as she is a young mother and has to take care of not only the estate, but more important her young, adorable, son James.
She only wants the best for Lucie, and hopes that just like herself Lucie will be able to marry out of love.
But she also is the kind of person who believes that she had her shot at love once, and doesn’t deserve another one. Because how can she possible love someone again as much as she loved her husband? 

Lucie is much more a free spirit. I could clearly see her roaming in the woods, lacking a little bit the forced cultural norms of the time. She doesn’t care if it’s not done to walk on territory that doesn’t belong to her family, or being alone in a room unchaperoned. Lucie is also the kind of character that would fit in perfectly in the 21st century.
We also see the kind of friend she is, even ready to give up her freedom and her own dreams to rescue one of her friends. 

I liked it how the author divided her time in both sisters, so we get a chance to get to know both Sybella and Lucie much better. And it was sweet to see how each sister suddenly find themselves recipient of the attention of two men.

Obviously as a reader, we have our preferences, and even a better knowledge of the men. While in Sybella’s case it was clear who we should be rooting for, Lucie’s case was a different one. Because both her contenders were the ‘good guy’ kind of men, however very different in so many ways. And like I said, Lucie shows her character by wanting to help out when one of them is in need of help… 

This book shows us that everyone, in any era, deserves to be loved and find love (again). And while it can be hard to distinguish the good from the ‘evil’, just like Sybella said it herself, we have to follow our heart, even if that might frighten us. Because in the end, finding love is what will make us happy.

How can you fall in love with your enemy?

Synopsis

Kidnapped by the warrior

Tempted by the man…

Captured by the infamous Lord Rhys, a Welsh prince intent on revenge against her family, Viking healer, Helga, must keep her wits about her if she’s to be freed. Easier said than done when she desires him rather than fears him! Helga senses there’s good inside Rhys and feels compelled to reach his heart. First she must make him see there’s more to her than just his enemy…

My review

Helga is the youngest of three sisters. While her sisters are knows as fierce shieldmaidens, Helga feels like she is disappointing her family, as she is not as strong as a warrior, but has other talents, like healing and understanding the people around her. She also believes that there are signs out there, showing us what life has in store of us. Unfortunately, that made some even call her a witch.
One of those signs, told her by the runes, is that a black dragon will appear to be the love of her life.
Little did she expect that Lord Rhys, a Welsh Prince, known as the Black Dragon in Wales, would kidnap her in retaliation when Rhys’ sister disappeared with her bodyguard instead of marrying Halfdan, now happily married Helga’s sister Valda.
Even if Helga should be afraid of Rhys, she also senses the good in him. And while staying at Rhys’ homeland, she understands that there is more to him and his story than she thought. But can she trust her heart to the man who captured her and is a sworn enemy? 

Having read the previous parts of this series, I was very intrigued what Helga’s story would turn out to be.
I dare not to say she is the weakest sister of the three, but she clearly isn’t a fighter and has her focus on other things. 

And while her other talents are for sure admirable and perhaps even more helpful, I could understand why she sees herself as a disappointment. Having a mother and two sisters who are just so fierce and strong, while you are not, well, it’s understandable to have a lower self – esteem, even if your family loves you deeply. 

But I just wished Helga to see what we as a reader could see so clearly, and that is how amazing she just is by being herself… so what if you are not a fierce warrior? Helga’s knowledge, patience and understanding brought her so much more that anything else would have…
It’s obvious that she is a compassionate, kind, gentle person, ready to help out however she can, whoever she can. She sees behind the masks people put on, and understands them on a level no-one else could. 

And even if I am not the kind of person who believes that dreams can reveal the truth, or that there are signs out there, I was very curious to see whatever Helga would see and how it would turn out to be in reality. 

From what we have know  in the previous books (which I strongly suggest to read!), it was easy, almost mandatory to see Rhys as the worst kind of enemy. Who would ever think to capture just a kind person like Helga?
But of course, Rhys turned out to be nothing like we initially thought he would be like! What was I ever thinking, seeing him as a bad guy! 

First of all, it’s the way he treats Helga. While she is obviously his captive, he let’s his people know her as a guest. And when he understands her feelings of desperation and uselessness, he allows her to roam around, making her feel more at home and discover his world. 

And then when we know his own tale, well, even if I don’t agree with his actions, I could understand where he was coming from. And I admired his sense of duty and responsibility. He is the kind of person who would give up on his desires and own happiness, if that means that his people would gain from his sacrifices. 

I loved how this story was filled with reciprocity. Because thanks to Rhys, Helga starts to see whatever she thought as a weakness, as her strength. And seeing her bloom into a confident young woman was wonderful to read.
And thanks to Helga’s empathy, Rhys understand that he too deserves to be happy and that being happy isn’t at cost of the happiness of others. 

This was a wonderful, perfect ending of a series that captivated my from the first book. And Helga’s story was the one that I was the most eager to discover, it was also the one that I liked the most, as Helga was perhaps the most recognizable, relatable character from all the sisters. Because let’s be honest, we aren’t all fierce warriors, but there is nothing wrong with that!

Housemates that don’t get along…

Synopsis

Two reluctant housemates. One question: Is this your place or mine…?

When Serena is kicked out of her flat, an offer from her friend, Taylor, to house sit for her while she and her husband go travelling could not be better timing. But unfortunately for Serena she’s not the only one to have received this offer…

Enter Ziggy: arrogant, messy (and annoyingly handsome) musician, and friend of Taylor’s husband. Living with him is far from ideal, especially when he claims the best room, has loud parties – and the least said about his kitchen manner the better…

There’s just one solution for Serena – drive him out of the house by being twice as difficult to live with than he is! But Ziggy knows Serena’s game and as war ensues between them, being forced together under one roof may result in some unexpected consequences…

My review

Serena is shocked when she is suddenly kicked out of her flat. With having literally no place to stay, she counts herself lucky when her friend Taylor tells Serena that she and her husband go travelling and need someone to house sit their home.
If only Taylor’s husband didn’t make the offer to his friend Ziggy…
Now Serena and Ziggy are house sitting together, but things aren’t as great as they seem. Especially as Ziggy has claimed the bigger and better room, has loud parties and isn’t keen on cleaning.
But Serena has a plan, driving Ziggy crazy and out of the house by being more annoying than him. But Ziggy won’t let him chase away that easily and a war between housemates starts.
And between Serena discovering a despicable truth about her boyfriend, and being flabbergasted by the unknown side of her boss, she also may see that living together with Ziggy may take an unexpected turn. 

I just have to start by saying how much I laughed while reading this marvellous story by an author I know that is just amazing!
Having read several of her books, I wouldn’t think she would be able to surprise me anymore, but she did it again.  

Getting to know Serena was giving me opposite feelings. Not because she isn’t a likeable person, but just because what she has been through in the past and what she has recently endured. And that made me feel so sad for her, because it’s easy to see how lovable she actually really is. And seeing her without a home after the shocking passing of her boss Diana, felt unjust… Serena deserved to be in her happy place, in her flat and working at the lovely tea room.
And for sure she deserves a better boyfriend! 

So while all the above made me pity her, I also admired her. Because she is adamant on doing the right thing whatever concerns the boyfriend, but also how she won’t let walk over her by Diana’s selfish, spoilt, horrible children, was very admirable.
And reading how she starts plotting on chasing Ziggy away, well, that for sure put a smile on my face! 

And talking about smiles on my face… I was certainly glad that at certain passages I wasn’t in a public space, because people wouldn’t understand why I would be laughing out loud! I never saw it coming what Diana left Serena! And while Serena was discovering that place, well, it almost gave me red cheeks too! It only shows that we don’t always know someone completely! What a wonderful, delightful twist this was! Well done Portia! 😊 

I have to say, if I were living with Ziggy, I would be terribly annoyed too with him! His behaviour initially was so frustrating, I would have slapped him with great joy!
But the more time Serena spent with him, the more we saw the real Ziggy emerge. And the real Ziggy is kind, generous, and just a great friend. 

This story was a delight to read, it was easily written, filled with many funny moments, and while the characters were frustrated, I found myself laughing out loud.
Portia MacIntosh had the difficult task to fulfil my extreme high expectations, but with this funny, with unexpected twists, lovable main characters and amazing side character, she even exceeded those expectations! Although now the expectations will only be even more higher, so don’t start letting me down now! 😊

When loving two men…

Synopsis

The one that she wants…

Adam Bowers; handsome, funny and with the charm of a rock star, from the moment she laid eyes on him, teenage Erin was smitten. But first loves don’t always last, and after a whirlwind romance, Erin and Adam go their separate ways. Yet, Erin never lets go of the feeling that Adam may have been her soul mate…

The one that she needs…

Greg fell in love with Erin in their first week at university. Solid, trustworthy and hopelessly devoted to Erin, he knows he’s better for her than the feckless Adam, who is forever leaving Erin broken-hearted, before winning her back with his charm. As far as Greg is concerned, it’s easy to promise the world, but it’s harder to love someone for a lifetime.

The one that got away…

Years later Greg and Erin are married, and although life hasn’t always been easy, Greg’s love for Erin has never dimmed. But when Adam comes back, in desperate need of Erin’s help, everything changes.  Erin starts to wonder whether fate is trying to tell her something…

Will Erin risk it all for the man she had thought was ‘The One’?

My review

Erin is married to Greg for several years. While things didn’t always go that easily, Erin knows that Greg is the man she can always count on. Even when they just met, Greg stood by her side and even loving her from a distance while Erin was in a relationship with Adam. But his patience got rewarded as now they are happily together.
But when Adam resurfaces, Greg is not the only one feeling insecure. Because Erin always felt that Adam was The One, even if in the end he broke her heart. While Adam needs Erin’s help, Erin starts to question herself about her own feelings… 

I have to be honest, from the blurb of this story, I didn’t think that I would like Erin a lot. However, I knew that this author writes emotional rollercoaster and that I shouldn’t be fooled by the too short synopsis.
And I was glad I followed my gut feeling, because this book turned out to be so much more than expected and way deeper too. 

It was a great idea of Clare to write two different timelines, so that the reader can better understand the dynamics and the evolutions of not only Erin, but also of Greg and Adam. 

Although it saddened me to read how the love story of Erin and Adam ended in heartbreak for Erin, it was also comforting knowing that Erin would always have Greg by her side, offering her always a shoulder to cry on. And seeing how that strong friendship between them turned into love and marriage felt like the right direction for both characters. 

With Greg being so supportive and reliable, I couldn’t comprehend why Erin would even be tempted by the return of Adam. But obviously the author would make it difficult not only for Erin but also for us to pick a side, as not everything is as black or white as expected. 

While I initially disliked Adam for his past behaviour, his present broke my heart. I can only imagine the hardships he has been going through and is still facing. He obviously made mistakes in the past, but that doesn’t mean he deserves his current situation.
So seeing how compassionate Erin was, and despite everything still ready to help him, warmed my hear. 

Unfortunately Greg went to other direction… It took him a long time to get him and Erin where they are now, his path took him into a downward spiral (no spoilers here, you’ll just have to read the book!). And while I also know he cannot be blamed for the full 100% for the situation he is in, the desperation of trying to hold onto Erin, coming with completely the wrong solutions, made it difficult to keep on liking him. 

The more I was reading this story, the more difficult it was to just pick a side. And I started to understand Erin’s position. Especially when she learns new information about her own mother’s past and learns that her mother understand Erin better than Erin ever thought. 

As a reader, you know that there will be heartbreak anyhow. No matter what Erin decides to do, there is always someone getting hurt. But I have to say, Clare made the right decision here with her ending. It’s the perfect ending letting us see that neither the past or the present can show what the right decision is for us. But that our future is in our hands only and that we have to choose what is best for us and not what is best for others…