The things that can happen in just one day…

Synopsis

One day, five lives, but whose hearts will be broken by nightfall?

It started like any other day in the picturesque village of Weirbridge.

Tress Walker waved her perfect husband Max off to work, with no idea that she was about to go into labour with their first child. And completely unaware that when she tried to track Max down, he wouldn’t be where he was supposed to be.

At the same time, Max’s best friend Noah Clark said goodbye to his wife, Anya, blissfully oblivious that he would soon discover the woman he adored had been lying to him for years.

And living alongside the two couples, their recently widowed friend, Nancy Jenkins, is getting ready to meet Eddie, her first true love at a school reunion. Will Nancy have the chance to rekindle an old flame, or will she choose to stay by Tress’s side when she needs her most?

One Day with You – two fateful goodbyes, two unexpected hellos, and 24 hours that change everything.

My review

Max and Noah have been best friends for years. Max is happily married to Tress, who is heavily pregnant with their first child. And Noah still absolutely adores his own wife Anya, after all these years.
But while everyone expects life to go its usual way, nobody sees it coming that secrets will come out that will devastate each and every one of them. And that on the same day that Tress goes into labour.
And then there is neighbour Nancy Jenkins, a rock for both couples, who is ready to meet Eddie, her first true love and the one that got away… Will that old flame spark again? Or will Nancy be where she is needed, by Tress’ side and not where she wants to be, dancing with Eddie?

I have to admit that I was wrong, when I started to read this book. I was questioning (just a little bit though!) how this author would manage to write a wonderful story that just takes place in one day.
Would a good story need more time to really touch its readers, to understand the characters?
But what was I thinking, questioning this amazing author???? Because I KNEW her ability to write compelling stories! 

First of all, I liked it how Noah and Max have been best friend for ages. It always warms my heart to see how friendships can stand the test of time. And seeing that Noah and Max were vey close despite their personal differences, made it even sweeter for me. 

No matter how different their lives went, with Noah being marred to Anya for years while Max was known in the past for not doing long relationships and has not been married to Tress that long, their friendship for sure has been the one certainty in their lives. 

This one day not only turns out to be a turning point of both couples, but it is also a heart – breaking one, also for the reader.
And for me, it felt the worse kind of betrayal that could be taking place…
When you start this book, you already have a hunch of what secrets may be revealed. At least, that was in my case.
And even if these are fictional characters, my heart broke when the truth came out. And not only the truth but the depth of betrayal… 

Can I just say that in my humble opinion, Noah deserves a statue… Despite his discovery, he shows what a good friend he is, especially towards Tress. While Tress is in labour, Noah stand by her side despite his own heartbreak. He is the kind of person who puts his own pain and struggles aside to help whoever is in need of his help. 

While reading, I felt the whole experience as a rollercoaster. Every kind of emotion, it’s all there. Obviously, this book made my own feelings surface very strong. I absolutely loved Noah and Tress, while my feelings for Max and Anya were the complete opposite.  
It made me realize that people don’t always do the right thing. And the secrets made me ask the same question time over time: Just how could you do that to your beloved ones???? 

Luckily, to lighten the sometimes heavy mood, we have Nancy to brighten it all up. She is the kind of neighbour everyone should have. Although that wouldn’t do her justice, as she is so much more than just a neighbour. She is everyone’s friend and ready to help out in her own unique yet marvellous way. Her story may not be the protagonist, but I had my fingers crossed that her meeting with Eddie may be exactly what she expected. But also in this case, Shari Low surprised us and added a twist, perhaps even making Nancy’s little story even better! 

I feel like this book is not to be taken too lightly, as there are many things happening in it that unfortunately also happen in real life. It makes the reader think about what kind of person they want to be. Do they want to be like Noah and Tress, the best kind of man you can imagine and a woman stronger than she may seem like? Or is their path just like Max and Anya, knowing what they are doing is wrong, but not being able to let go? 

Even with the heavy subjects, and the tissues I shred, I found it impossible to lay it aside and I just had the urgency to keep reading until the finish!

An unexpected wife, an unexpected turn

Synopsis

The laird’s bridal bid…

Is love too high a price to pay?

When new laird, Ewan Stewart, comes across a wife for sale at a market, he outbids everyone to rescue her. He never intended for Catriona to become his bride, but a convenient marriage could secure his clan’s future and her freedom. They agree that their arrangement must stay free of love, yet Catriona’s bravery and fire intrigue him. Can Ewan resist falling for his wife—the one rule he must not break?

My review

Ewan Stewart has just recently become laird. He is still trying to find his own way to be laird, but feels the pressure of the Elders. Especially as they want him to marry to secure his clan’s future. However, he does not want to rush into a marriage, with him believing that love will only end in hurt. But when he comes across a wife for sale at a market, inexplicably he feels the rush to rescue her. And perhaps this convenient marriage to Catriona may be the perfect answer. Catriona agrees to the arrangement and to keep everything free of love. But the more Catriona shows her strength and fire, the more Ewan is attracted to her… will the arrangement stand? Or will their attraction and feelings prevail? 

This may seem like an easy, fun book to read, but the more I got to know the characters, the more I sensed that this was more than the typical Highlander Romance. 

First of all, we have a heroine who despite what she has been through lately, is a strong woman, fighting for her freedom. And her fierceness is something I admired, especially after learning how her past is a mystery to her.
Catriona made the best of how the cards had turned for her. No matter how much she had endured, each event she turned into a life lesson, making her realize that the most important was for her was to gain her freedom. 

But she also has good people skills. She sees how people truly are within the blink of an eye, and easily understands the dynamic between people. And that for sure came in handy for Ewan and his wish to be a good laird. 

It’s crystal-clear that Ewan is one of the good guys. Not everyone would buy a woman at a market, but he sees that Catriona is a victim, and he wants to help her. He also shows his great character in wanting to be a good laird, not too tyrannical but also not too soft. And we see him struggling finding not only the right balance, but also showing the clan that he is worthy of being their Laird. And having endured a previous heart – break made the readers understand why Ewan choses to refuse to fall in love again.  

I loved reading how these two characters started to warm towards each other, despite their clear arrangement of not letting any feelings grow. Of course that plan was doomed to fail! And seeing how their own strength strengthened each other was amazing. 

The author surprised with a twist that I didn’t see coming. And while I was glad that a few questions got answered, it was also frustrating to see how this beloved couple were not nearly reaching their happy end… 

This is a part of a series, but can be perfectly be read as a standalone. But having read the previous book, it would help to immediately like a few side characters, who come back in this story after having had their own tale to tell.
For me, this was the best story of the series, as I felt that the roles were switched, as we have a strong female character, wanting nothing more than just to be free to do how she pleases. And then we have a male character, who is obviously also strong, but is still trying to find his own feet, trying to be himself but not showing any weakness. 

Maybe, my only point of criticism (if we can call it like that) was that I had to consult my good friend Google to figure out the amount that Catriona was sold for. I did not have a clue if that guinea was a big amount or not! 😊  

This was a lovely story, with that little more, making it more exiting for the readers to keep turning the pages!

Lilo Moore, douze points!

Synopsis

The song contest is hotting up, on and off the stage!

Rose writes twee pop, smiles a lot, and believes in magic and rainbows. When the cheesy love song she wrote is chosen for the European Song Contest, her luck seems to be turning around – especially when a chance encounter leads to the hottest one-night stand of her life. It’s almost too bad she’ll never see him again.
But then Rose discovers it wasn’t a chance encounter. The hot German DJ with the sexy deep voice is her rival for song contest glory.
Grumpy Emil is incredibly talented and the song he spins with his sister could be a winner, even if he doesn’t appreciate the playful spirit of the contest. As the continent falls in love with Rose and Emil’s competitive banter on social media, they must hide their history from the press or risk losing credibility – and a future songwriting career.
With an anonymous gossip out to ridicule the colourful contestants and a plot to undermine European public broadcasting bubbling under the shiny surface, Rose must be strong in the face of criticism and stand up for everything the contest means to her.
If this Canadian girl can save the contest, maybe she can believe that her feelings for Emil are the real deal.

My review

Canadian Rose has her dream come true: her song has been selected as the British entry for the European Song Contest!
She feels that it’s finally her time, especially after the most amazing one – night – stand with Emil.
However not much later she realizes that Emil is not just someone, but he is the entry for Germany, together with his sister. And his act may be the winning one.
Emil is everything that Rose is not. Where Rose is sunshine and rainbows, Emil is grumpy and wary. Yet Rose cannot stop bantering Emil on social media, while also hiding their brief history together.
But there are more darks clouds surrounding the Contest, and it’s up to Rose to save the Contest, and think about her feelings for Emil… 

So, there are a few thing sacred to me… Like never putting up a Christmas tree before Sinterklaas has come, or any occasion, how ridiculous it may be, is a great reason to eat cake. And those three special days where Eurovision is on.
Yes, I am the kind of person that watches both semi – finals, the final and even afterwards keeps listening to all the songs I loved on Spotify (and, yes, I still listen to last year’s songs now!). Especially now that it’s again more about the song and the act, and not as much about neighbourly favouritism.  

Thus it makes perfect sense to read a book about a Contest that I adore! And I can proudly say that I D – E – V – O – U – R – E – D this book!
The author grasped perfectly what the Contest is about, and even added some great drama in it. 

If I would ever be so lucky to be part of the whole concept of the Contest, I would expect it to be just as described in this wonderful story.
I not only felt the sense of a close community in it, but it was more one big (sometimes not so) happy family. All the contestants were there to enjoy the moment, absorb the magic of the whole event, and that sparked from each page. And even the drama that surrounded the event was something I could actually see happening for real (although I really hope it won’t!!!) 

And Rose is just the perfect character. I think that if I were in the Contest, I would be the Rose of the gang. She is just a happy, joyful, warm character. She loves every other contestant, and tries to befriend them all. But she also respects them. And I loved it how she ‘tributes’ each entry on her own ‘Rose-esque’ way. 

We also see a growth in Rose the more the story evolves. Because Rose realizes that not everyone always has the best intentions. And she is determined to find out who the saboteur is, to protect who and what she loves.
She is also realizing how deep her feelings are and how quickly they are growing. And she slowly learns that yes, love is worth the risk and yes, she deserves to be completely loved too! 

And the sparks that fly between her and Emil, pfeew! While at the start I didn’t really like her behaviour by not giving Emil her real number, I somehow understood her too. Sometimes it’s better to cut all ties and not getting a bigger disappointment later.
But what I loved even more was how despite her constant online teasing, in real life they just couldn’t keep their hands off each other! And that while they couldn’t be more different. These two lovely people show us that opposites absolutely attract! 

It would be easy to just see Emil as a grumpy man, but the more I got to learn him, the more I started to fall in love with him myself! He has his reasons for seeing things not as amazing as Rose does. And then there is his protectiveness towards his sister Daisy, that just turned me into a complete a puddle!  

Now that I addressed Daisy, I just have to say how much I admired her strength and her courage. It was not easy what she has been through, but her resilience and how she turned her situation into something that works for her, just respect! 

This story is perfect for the lovers of Eurovision, but also for those who don’t. it’s the perfect occasion for people who don’t actual follow it, to understand the magic around this wonderful event. And the author managed marvellously to capture all the aspects of the event, but also major subjects that matter in the real world. 

I fell in love with every bit of this story and its characters, I just finished it one long session, regretting nothing at all, having a big smile on my face with each page!

Well, I know what I want to read!

Synopsis

Meet Steph Barnacle, an English teacher at a private school, married to Dan. Her son has just left for university, her life is feeling a bit stale … and something weird is going on with the skin on her neck. And then Charles Kurmudge, the man she’s never forgotten, walks back into her world.

Charles’s life has blown up spectacularly – he’s lost his job, his house and his marriage. Determined to get back on track, he’s changed career. He’ll now be working for Steph, whose heart he broke over twenty years ago. He still finds her very attractive. What a shame she’s married.

Her husband, Dan, knows he loves Steph more than she loves him. And now that Charles is back in his wife’s orbit, he’s worried about their marriage. But surely Steph wouldn’t dream of leaving him for Charles, who’d treated her so badly … would she?

Can Steph resist her first love? Or will she give him a second chance?

Publication Date: 3rd February

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSDPGWMD

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BSDPGWMD/

About the author

Clare Hawken was born in Zambia and has lived in England, France and Australia. She now lives in Wiltshire with her family and a stubborn springer spaniel. She writes about families, relationships, and the blind spots, mistakes and mishaps that can change life in a heartbeat. Apart from writing, she enjoys reading voraciously across a wide range of genres; other people’s gardening efforts; and long walks, if she can persuade the dog to come with her.

Social Media Links –

https://twitter.com/clarehawken

https://www.instagram.com/clarehawken/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069410435467
clarehawken.com

The cover

Finding yourself in the place where you need to be

Synopsis

Sometimes, the Last Place You Intended to Go is Exactly Where You Need to Be.

When 26-year-old Daisy’s life in London comes crashing down around her, the only thing she can think of is getting away – far away. That’s how she found herself stumbling off a train in England’s picturesque Peak District – 150 miles from home, with no idea why she’d gone there and even less idea how she intended to get home.

As Daisy explores the gorgeous village of Upper Finlay, she glimpses the possibility of a different life. The Derbyshire Dales offer up new friends, new opportunities, and a distractingly dishy object of attraction in the form of local bookstore owner Alex (and his bumbling Great Dane.) When Daisy discovers Alex’s business is in trouble she steps in to save the day.

But London’s Calling – literally. The life Daisy ran away from is calling her back. Why then, is she so reluctant to heed its call?

Daisy’s got a decision to make: Will she play it safe, and return to what she knew? Or is she brave enough to take a leap of faith and create a bold, new life for herself in the last place she’d ever expected?

Daisy Does it Herself is a sweet, uplifting romantic comedy about the power of self-confidence, friendship and of course love! Fans of warm and witty romantic comedies with a guaranteed happily-ever-after will be entranced.

My review

Daisy believes that this day will turn out great. She has a meeting with her boss and she truly feels that she will get the promotion that she deserves, even if she cannot present the right degree. But what was supposed to be a great day, turned quickly into a nightmare, as she finds herself without a job and she finds her boyfriend Phil in a compromising situation…
Wanting to get away as far as possible, Daisy finds herself suddenly in the village of Upper Finlay. And with the help of local bookstore owner Alex, she finds new friends, new opportunities and plenty of time to think about her own future. A future that perhaps will keep her in Upper Finlay? Especially when she learns that Alex’ business is in trouble and maybe Daisy can find the solution.
But what when London, and Phil call her back? Will she return back to the hectic of London and to Phil? Or is her place in Upper Finlay? 

I truly hate it when a nice character has the most terrible day in the world. Especially when she has absolutely nothing to blame!
Just like Daisy, she has shown her worth at her job, and instead of being grateful, her boss just dismisses her with the lamest of excuses.
And if that isn’t bad enough already, she finds her boyfriend Phil in the arms of another woman! Can you blame her for wanting to run away as far as possible? 

In normal circumstances (well, whatever you call normal…), someone in this situation would to her family or friends. Well, I was left flabbergasted by the reaction of Daisy’s mother! How can a mother act that way? Instead of standing by Daisy’s side, she acts like it’s all Daisy’s fault… the audacity.
And it broke my heart to realize how few friends Daisy has she can actually rely on, something also to blame Phil… 

But of all the places Daisy could find herself stranded, Upper Finlay was just perfection! Not only because the kindness of Alex, but the whole community! It felt like a warm place (figuratively speaking 😊) where anyone in need of help could just find it there. 

And Alex is just the kindest man in the world. Not everybody (excluding the inhabitants of Upper Finlay) would open their place to a stranger and offer more than just a meal. It made me believe again in the goodness of people. 

I could perfectly understand the attraction between Daisy and Alex. But I had also great respect for them. It would have been easy to just give in to that attraction, but that would have also been the wrong thing to do, as Daisy was officially still with Phil, and she has planned to return to London.

Daisy ending up in Upper Finlay may have been the best thing that could happen to her, because slowly she starts to believe in herself again. It was great to see how her confidence grew, and how that confidence made her confident that she could help out with the problems of Alex’ bookstore. And it shows us also the kind of friend Daisy is. Because she would do anything to help out a friend, even if that means to do something she isn’t sure of herself. 

Don’t expect in this story a lot of ‘action’, as the characters never cross that line. But that doesn’t mean that sparks don’t fly around. Because they do for sure! 

I found myself enthralled with Daisy’s tale, on her journey to find herself, her self – confidence but also trying to understand where her future may be. It’s easy to stick to what you know, but is it the right decision? Or is the right decision to take a step into the unknown, not knowing where it will take you, but it may be the perfect thing for you?

The power of lavender…

Synopsis

With nowhere else to go, Harriet Colgan has returned to the sleepy village of Cranfield to sell her beloved aunt and uncle’s cottage, the only place she ever called home.

When she arrives at Lavender Cottage, Harriet discovers plans to replace the beautiful lavender fields, her uncle’s pride and joy, with an industrial warehouse.

With time on her hands, she realises she must fight to protect her family’s legacy and the village of Cranfield as well.

Workaholic businessman Joe Randall was expecting an easy purchase of the lavender fields. But suddenly his quiet life is disrupted by protests from angry locals, organised by Harriet.

Can Harriet show Joe that there’s more to life than just business? And can Joe change his mind and help Harriet save the lavender fields?

Over a long, hot summer, and with the help of a stray dog, perhaps Harriet and Joe can find their way home too.

My review

After being forced to close her beauty salon in London, Harriet Colgan has no other option to return to Lavender Cottage, the place she inherited from her beloved aunt and uncle in Cranfield.
Despite it being the only place she ever felt at home, her initial plan is to sell the place as soon as possible, as she needs the money.
But when she discovers that there are plans to replace the lavender fields that her uncle has taken care of, by building an industrial warehouse, Harriet is determined to fight to protect not only her family’s legacy, but also the village of Cranfield.
And that is not something businessman Joe Randall expected, as the purchase of the fields would have been an easy purchase.
Will Harriet succeed in saving the lavender fields and show Joe the benefits of not only the wonderful fields, but also the beauty of Cranfield? Or is her fight doomed to fail? And how can there be an attraction between enemies? 

Alison Sherlock absolutely knows how to captivate her readers! With something as simple as a lavender field, she has written a compelling story not only about retuning home and fighting for the right cause, but also about finding a home, and finding peace. 

While reading, I felt so sorry for Harriet, as her own family just doesn’t seem to understand her. Even if she is a member of the family, she doesn’t fit in. Her parents and siblings are successful in whatever they do, and have an ‘important’ job, while Harriet is a ‘simple’ beautician. (For the record, absolutely nothing wrong with being a beautician, I just want to make clear that Harriet is not like the rest of the family!).
Yet she wants her parents to be proud of her, even if that means that she had to open a salon in London where she cannot afford the rent. 

It broke my hear to see her return to Cranfield, where she always felt at home, only to be faced with the absence of the only people who accepted her just the way she was.
I felt her pain every time she saw something specific in the cottage, remembering all the happy moments she has there. 

Yet I also admired her fire… because it would have been easy to just walk away from Cranfield, and making the inhabitants face their problems on their own. But that is not who Harriet is. The lavender fields are important to her, and she will protect them anyway she can! 

And seeing how the community was initially wary of her actions, it was marvellous to see how slowly they all started to stand by Harriet, fighting against the injustice. 

Somehow I think that the ‘powers’ of lavender, which are made clear throughout the story, also made sure that Joe wasn’t the big villain in this book.
First of all, it was nice to see which uses lavender has, I for sure have expanded my knowledge about them! 

But the calming effect of the flowers also had an impact on Joe.
Joe may seem as a strict businessman, but his own tale saddened me and I wished that he could find the courage and the strength to do the right thing and also put the hurtful past behind him.
The more I got to know Joe, I could see that he was being held back by what happened in the past. And reading how he couldn’t do something as easy as dancing, broke my heart… 

Seeing Harriet fighting together with the community against the injustice and seeing how Joe is also putting his weight into it (at the right side obviously) was lovely to read. And all the side characters, even those with a not so great reputation but with their heart at the right place, trying to change the situation and their personal situation too, show again what a close community can do. Because no matter how dire they situation may be, a solution may be found in the most unexpected ways. 

This was a marvellous story, and a great start of a brand new series. It was heart – warming, sweet and at moments I could practically smell the lavender while reading, and I could sense its maybe underestimated powers! The characters learned themselves and showed us that home is where our heart is and I cannot wait to return to this beautiful place!

To find love as a New Year’s Resolution

Synopsis

A Hilarious and Heartening Take on the Pitfalls of Modern Dating

As the clock strikes midnight over a disastrous New Year’s Eve and happy couples celebrate all around her, Kate makes a resolution, hastily scrawled on the back of a napkin, that next New Year’s Eve she will have found someone of her own to kiss.

But when you’re a forty-something cat-mom who’d rather binge Netflix than brave the singles scene, finding someone to kiss turns out to be harder than it sounds. Kate is totally unprepared for navigating hook-up apps, speed-dating, and sliding into somebody’s DMs.

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, Kate seems further than ever from reaching her goal. As relationships crumble around her and dark long-kept secrets spill out, could Kate’s fixation on her quest cause her to let true love slip through her fingers forever? 

Someone to Kiss is a wry and witty romantic comedy, tackling serious issues with real heart. The perfect new read for fans of Beth O’Leary, Jennier Weiner and JoJo Moyes.

My review

Surrounded by happy couples on New Year’s Eve, Kate makes a slightly drunk resolution to find someone to kiss for next New Year’s Eve. And to make it more binding, she has written it down on a napkin.
But finding that someone is easier said than done, especially as Kate is the kind of person who prefers a Netflix evening over an evening out. And for sure she isn’t ready for the dating scene, filled with dating apps, not so nice DM’s and speed dating.
With the expertise of her best friend Julie, Kate is on a mission. But being so focused, could it be that Kate is not seeing that her true love is closer than she thinks? And with that same focus, she is also not seeing what is happening around her, making her being shocked when dark secrets are being revealed… 

I like it when a character decides to make a New Year’s resolution that will, in the end, make her find love.
And having a character that in many cases is similar to me, makes it easier to keep turning the pages. 

I could absolutely understand Kate in so many aspects. Being on her own, wanting to find that special one, is something many people could relate to. But the fact that Kate prefers a nice evening in instead of just going out, is something I agree on completely. Also the fact that she isn’t the kind of woman that has a great confidence and is more ‘prey’ than ‘predator’, resembles in my own character. 

Of course, seeing her taking those scary steps into the dating scene, was funny to read about! I felt her being uncomfortable, wanting to escape but also being determined to stay at the same time. And seeing how some events turn into disasters, made me laugh and also be glad it was Kate and not me!  

And as Kate’s best friend Julie is just everything Kate is not, it was easy to understand Kate’s lower self – esteem, and copying (and absolutely failing) Julie’s behaviour.
And while it was funny to read about it, I found it also a bit sad at the same time. Because a grown woman should always be able to be who she really is, and not trying to be someone else…
Also knowing how little she can take her alcohol, yet keeps on drinking, trying to be fun, made me think Kate should know better…
But that is all part of the process of growing and finding Love… 

While the focus is definitely on Kate, getting to know Julie and her brother Ben was a nice diversion. Because it only shows that everyone, no matter how confident and strong they may seem, has demons to face. And some demons may be bigger than we think… 

I enjoyed reading this book, even if I felt that towards the end, things were a bit rushed. I knew how I wanted the story to end, and when the author took an apparent different road, I wasn’t ecstatic, but I could understand her motivations. So when another twist and turn was made, it felt like my knowledge of some characters were just deleted and were actually not who we thought they were. 

But that kind of rushed ending didn’t take away the joy and fun I had while reading Kate’s story. I laughed a lot, but I also felt a connection with Kate, and hoped that she could find her real prince between all the frogs in the world of dating.

Searching for one thing, but finding so much more

Synopsis

Marion Miller needs a fresh start.

Her childhood in Northern Ireland wasn’t easy, with a father who passed away when she was young and a mother who got lost in grief. Now grown-up and with family relations as tense as ever, Marion heads to England, to find out the truth about her father’s mysterious past – and hopefully an extended family who will love her as much as he did.

Scarlett Obermann runs a holiday park in Sherwood Forest with her daughter Grace, but what’s she’s best at is making people feel like they belong. With her merry band of waifs and strays, Scarlett welcomes Marion with open arms, and it isn’t long before Marion finally understands what it means to find a home. 

As she tries to uncover her father’s story, Marion slowly blossoms, even daring to indulge in her crush on Reuben, the son of the Lord of the Manor, but she hasn’t quite out-run her past. And as Scarlett faces her own tragedy, it’s Marion’s turn to take care of everyone. 

Because you can’t choose your family, but you can make your friends the family you choose. 

This novel was first published as Making Marion.

My review

Marion want to know more about her father’s past and that’s why she is going to Sherwood Forest in England, hoping to find all the answers to her questions.
With a difficult childhood in Northern Ireland, losing her father too young and the difficult relationship with her own mother, she hopes that in Sherwood Forest she will find new family members that will love her as much as her own father did.
Little does Marion know that her meeting Scarlett Obermann, who runs a holiday park and welcomes Marion with open arms, will bring Marion everything and more than she wanted, just not in the way she expected… 

I have read several books by this author, and have loved reading them. So I was looking forward to devour this one.
However, this story was not what I expected it to be… it turned out this book and its characters touched me on a deeper and more emotional way than I thought it would be. 

With my mind initially set on a different kind of book, it took me a while to get into it completely. But once my mind made the switch, I could see and appreciate the beauty of it. 

Reading about Marion’s past was heart-breaking. Losing her father at a young age is already a traumatic experience, yet things only are getting worse. It made me want to jump into the book and help out Marion… And it made me understand why Marion was such a grey mouse and acted the way she did. 

But while it broke my heart to read about it, it was also wonderful to see how Marion found a place where she could be herself. Seeing her blossoming and seeing how she herself confirmed to me how lovely she was, was just amazing.
This shows us that with loving and supporting people around us, related or not, will allow us to open up and be the best version of ourselves. 

Having this story taking place in Sherwood Forest, with so many references to the tale of Robin Hood, was a nice and funny addition.
And with an amazing community, all also ready to jump in and play along with the myth, put a smile on my face. 

But also reading how welcoming and accepting the whole community was towards Marion, was just so sweet. Not only Scarlett, but everyone at Pigs and Peace, are allowing Marion to get out of her shell. Marion is turning into a strong woman, finding herself again and finding her own self – chosen family. 

This is a wonderful, heart – breaking and heart – warming story about feeling lost, but finding a place to call home, feeling alone but finding a whole new family, feeling weak but becoming strong, feeling misunderstood and silent but finding your courage and your own voice. And yes, why not, also about finding love…

A Life – changing trip

Synopsis

Newly single at sixty, Elin Anderson decides it’s finally time for an adventure of her own. With her marriage to tedious Tom now officially over, Elin plans to visit the family she hasn’t seen in years. First stop: Australia!

But going home is harder than Elin thought. Everywhere she turns Elin sees brightness and colour, which only makes her own life seem even more drab and beige. How has she let herself fade away?

Determined to have some fun, Elin reluctantly agrees to join The Silver Surfers – a group of seniors who travel the coast, only caring about their next big adventure. Because life’s too short to watch the ocean when you could be making waves…

There’s only one catch – her road trip companion, Kit Pascoe. Kit is a man who doesn’t know the meaning of the word fun and makes it clear to Elin that this adventure will be subject to his own strict rules.

But with every new day, Elin slowly begins to rediscover who she really is. And she’s certain that rules are meant to be broken…aren’t they?

My review

Now that she is divorced from her husband Tom, Elin Anderson can finally do what she wants, even if she is in her sixties.
So that means that she can finally visit her family in Australia that she hasn’t seen in years. However, how lovely the reunion may be, it makes is also more clear to Elin that she allowed Tom and life in general to let her fade away. Because Elin sees how bright and full of colour life can be, no matter what your age is.
Befriending and also joining The Silver Surfers, a group of seniors looking for the next great adventure, Elin decides to have more fun in life.
But where does Kit Pascoe fit in, a man she met on her flight to Australia, linked to her sister’s partner and also having apparently forgotten the meaning of having fun? 

I always find it inspiring how people, not matter what their age is, dare to turn their lives around. Or are ready to start a new adventure, not knowing where that adventure will bring them. 

So while initially I pitied Elin, I quickly admired her! I felt sorry for her, because let’s be honest, Tom is not the most likeable person in the world, on the contrary! I couldn’t understand why Elin stayed so long with him, allowing him to drain all the joy and colour out of her life.
And I disliked him even more when reading how he juts walked away yet assumes that Elin would be jumping at every command. 

I found it great to see how Elin in Australia turned from a literal grey mouse into a bright woman again. I felt that she finally allowed herself to be Elin again, an not the Elin Tom turned her into.
And the old/new Elin is the kind of woman I somehow hope to be myself, ready for a new adventure, fearless and going with the flow! 

The Silver Surfers are a great bunch of friends, not acting like their age, but acting how they feel. Who has ever said that their a age restriction for surfing or having fun? But not only that, the Silver Surfers are also a group of friends, looking after each other and helping out however they can. 

And then there is Kit… we get to see two sides of Kit, which I found a bit difficult to put together. During the flight with Elin, he seemed like a genuine nice guy, however, when their paths cross again, he is the total opposite…
But the more I was reading the book, the more I understood Kit’s character and I could put all the dots together.  

This was a lovely story to read, about yes, people older than myself. But that didn’t make it impossible to connect with not only Elin, but with every character. I enjoyed being on an adventure with Elin, I loved seeing her life getting full of colour again, and even put people in place! This was a uplifting story, showing us that age truly is just a number and that surrounded with the right people you can feel as young as you want and no adventure is off limits!

To experience college in all its aspects…

Synopsis

Opposites attract like a magnet to steel, or in this case, Emerson to Steel

Emerson Powers has been so focused on obtaining her science degree that she’s neglected the more social aspects of college life. With the new start of her junior year, she’s determined to fix that with a real hands-on lesson in biology. The assignment is simple enough—teach the rock star’s son how to be good, while he shows her how to be very bad. Two objectives, one outcome … will the lesson be love or heartbreak?

Steel is no longer the bad boy Emerson knew from prep school, and he’s set to prove it by helping Emerson complete her secret list of desired college experiences. And if he can convince her that they are meant to be together along the way, even better!

While teaming up on experiments, both in and out of the classroom, Emerson discovers a new side to Steel. Leaving her to question everything she thought she knew. Still, is it enough to forgive the past or just mere chemistry?

My review

Emerson Powers has had one focus on college, to get her science degree. However, that focus has also made it impossible for Emerson to enjoy the other aspects of college life, the fun part.
With the start of her junior year, she makes a list of things she wats to experience. But what she didn’t see coming, is that Steel, the famous rock star’s son, volunteers to help her to complete the list. And that is not to Emerson’s liking, as she knows Steel from High School and he made her miserable. But Steel now wants to show Emerson that he has changed and has become serious. So while working on their biology class project together, he wants her to show her how to have (safely) fun and show her that they are meant to be together. 

Could there be more two different people than Emerson and Steel? But could there be also more two people alike than Emerson and Steel? A contradiction yes, but that is the feeling I had after finishing this wonderful novella. 

I could understand Emerson’s focus on getting her degree, especially after having had a few glimpses of her parents. It’s always difficult to live up to the high standards our parents have. But getting to know Emerson, I quickly realized that Emerson getting her degree wouldn’t be a problem at all. However, I also understood her desire to experience the social and thus fun part of the college experience. 

I also understood her reluctance of working together with Steel, both on the biology project as on her own project. Because the way Steel behaved in High School, with his mischief and the way he acted towards Emerson, well I don’t know if I wanted to hang out with him! 

But just like in real life, sometimes we have to ‘forget’ about the past and see the people how they are now. Because Steel absolutely has learned from his mistakes, and is looking at life totally different now. Also reading about his heart – crushing discovery ad how difficult he finds it to process it, made me change my opinion of Steel.
And then I am not talking about his protectiveness towards Emerson! I just loved it how he wants her to experience everything, but stands also as a knight in shining armour to protect her! 

The downsize of reading a novella, is that the end is there way too quickly! I truly loved it how Emerson and Steel turned from enemies to friends to more. From initially frosty moments to moments where sparks fly around, this book is easily devoured in one session.
And while it takes place in college, it shows a matureness in both characters, people who know (or learn) how to have fun, but also being there in the more difficult moments. 

This was for sure a sweet story about love, redemption, and second chances for characters with great chemistry, trying to show that people can change for the better.