To buy a house, to find a home

Synopsis

When Sky Terran returns to the village of Middledip after losing the job she loves, she anticipates a quiet Christmas getting used to her new life. However, the annual street decoration competition is coming up and this year, the residents of Winter Street are determined to win.

As she is pulled into the preparations, Sky quickly grows to love the quirky, tight-knit community she is now part of. Including the extremely handsome Daz, who soon becomes more than just a friendly neighbour.

But when Daz’s ex turns up determined to win him back and it seems he might not be the man Sky thought he was, she remembers how much allowing people into her life – and heart – can hurt. As the snow falls, will she and Daz find a way through – and help win a Christmas victory for Winter Street?

My review

Sky Terran would walk on water for her foster brother Freddy. He was her rock when she felt the loneliest while growing up. She never expected that one day, she would walk away not only from his business but also from away. All because of the woman Freddy has fallen in love with.
So Sky decides to return to the only place she truly felt at home, the village of Middledip, to think what her future will look like.
However, before she knows, she is pulled into the preparations of the annual street decoration competition and quickly because part of the close community of Middledip.
And she even comes closer to Daz, one of her new neighbours.
But when the past starts to make several appearances, Sky remembers how easy it is to get hurt by people she cares the most.
However, this Christmas may appear to be one where Sky’s wishes may come true… 

I have read several stories of this amazing author, yet this was my first visit to Middledip. That means that I haven’t read the other books taking place in this lovely village. And I was glad that I didn’t have the feeling I missed important clues.
Although now my TBR – list has only become even longer as I fell totally in love with this place! 

Reading Sky’s story broke my heart. I can only imagine how difficult it can be to be in foster care. Sky didn’t won the lottery ticket with her mother and seeing more and more glimpses from her past, made me feel even more sorry for her.
Yet I was also glad she had her happy moments while staying in Middledip, and that she has found Freddy. 

But it is impossible not to see how much she misses to be part of a loving family, or just belonging somewhere.
So when Sky gets treated terribly by Freddy, I felt her pain as she lost the only person who has been truly there for her, but I also understood why she had to get away, even why she bought a place in Middledip. 

And returning in Middledip is exactly the medicine Sky needs… It’s not easy to move to a new village, where you have spend some time when you were younger, but after all, you don’t know who is still around and if you’ll be welcomed. 

So reading how Sky quickly becomes part of that community, warmed my heart. I loved reading how she start participating in the pub quiz, how she is gently forced to also decorate her house. But I also admired how she held on to her beliefs. She has a heart for nature and shows it in her own ways. And her being there for her new friends, and especially how well she understands young Wilf, only shows what an amazing person she is, even if she doesn’t see it herself.

There is obviously romance involved, how could it not with a character like Daz as a neighbour, but that was not the main focus in my eyes.
Because we see how a closed character starts to bloom in the right environment. That is the magic of Middledip and its inhabitants.
Sky feels more at home here than anywhere else, and also feels the need to make a difference just to give back to the people who gave her so much.

Sky goes through so much in this book, there is grief, loss, but also forgiveness, joy, love and friendship.
Sky moving to Middledip was the start of an emotional rollercoaster, not only for Sky herself, but also for the reader, showing us that sometimes it can be the apparently insignificant place in the world that can let us have the biggest change in our lives and in ourselves.
And that feeling home is mostly about the people we surround ourselves with. 

This was a wonderful book, with great characters, a lovely village to spend my time in, and with the wonderful addition of Christmas and its wonderful feelings!

Port Agnes, a perfect place for a new start…

Synopsis

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

But for single mum and busy midwife Nadia, it’s quickly turning into her worst Christmas ever.

Her marriage is over, and whilst her husband has moved on, Nadia finds herself back home, squashed into her mum’s spare room with her two small children. They might not be a perfect family anymore, but Nadia is determined to make this Christmas special for them.

Dr Hamish Spencer totally understands Nadia’s pain. As a fellow single parent, he’s struggling to cope with a rebellious teen daughter and a precocious six-year-old! Perhaps if he and Nadia join forces, they could make this Christmas slightly more memorable for everyone?

The last thing Nadia wants is a new man in her life, but she’d definitely like lovely Hamish as a friend. But Christmas has a way of melting the hardest of hearts and maybe a kiss under the mistletoe could change everything?

My review

Nadia has returned to Port Agnes from New Zealand as a single mum as her marriage is over. But it’s difficult to start all over again, while living at her mum’s place with two small children.
While the children are still finding it difficult being without their absent father, Nadia is adamant to give them all the love they need. And with Christmas just around the corner, Nadia wants this one to be special.
But being a single parent is not an easy task. And who better than Dr. Hamish Spencer understands Nadia’s feelings, as he is also a single parent of a rebellious teenager and an energetic six – year – old.
The both of them have their children’s happiness at top priority, but is it so wrong to start thinking about their own happiness too?  

Oooh how much I love returning to Port Agnes! When I started this series, I had no clue about the job and passion of midwives. But with each book I have read, my admiration for this calling has only grown and I have fallen in love with each character! The way they all do their utterly best for the parents – to – be, even going beyond, makes me respect them even more!  

In the beginning of this book, I felt truly sorry for Nadia. She has given up her own home, to follow the man she loved, only to return back home with her two children. 

Can I just say that I cannot understand how a man can behave that way? How can someone betray his wife that way, and even ‘forget’ his children on the other side of the world? The lack of communication infuriated me and it broke my heart seeing how those lovely kids were wondering where their father was… 

But I admired Nadia and her courage. It cannot be easy to return home, start all over again with the limits she has. Yet she rightfully prioritizes the kids, even telling some white lies just to see a smile on their faces.
No matter what will happen in the future, Mo and Remi will always be the most important persons in her life. 

When Nadia meets Hamish, she doesn’t know that she has found a kindred spirit. Not only because he is a single parent too, but he prioritizes his children too. No matter who enters his life, his children will be also first on his list, and the ‘new entry’ will be on a lower place on that same list. 

It warmed my heart to see how these two characters who deserved so much more from life, find each other, but also respect each other’s boundaries.
Nadia understands why Hamish’s teenage daughter acts the way she does, and Nadia wouldn’t want to be the reason to put a rift between father and daughter. Yet sometimes feelings can grow very quickly and very strongly…. 

Beside the story of Nadia and Hamish, there is also place for Frankie and her romance with Guy, and her own issues with moving on with her life.
Frankie ended her marriage as she was very unhappy, yet it saddened me to read how her own mother and son acted like Frankie was a madwoman.
But I was also proud that she stood her ground and wouldn’t let someone jeopardize her newfound happiness. 

Of course it was also lovely to see how my other friends were doing, and it was so sweet to see how characters I loved previously are living their love story even after finishing their own tale. 

In this book we see how it is possible to start to love again after everything we have been through. But we also see that the heart of a parent always put the children before own happiness. However, when sometimes things feel so good, it’s okay to let those feelings grow. And take a new, fresh chance on love.

Friendship can be found at the strangest hours…

Synopsis

Three best friends. One late-night lifeline.

Meet Aisha, Sophy and Mel. Three new mums. All absolutely shattered.

For her social media fans, influencer Sophy has the picture-perfect life. But why does she feel so lonely all the time?

Older mum Mel wasn’t planning on being a mum later in life. What does this all mean for the career that she loved? Can she ever go back?

And Aisha, whose much loved twin boys bring her so much joy, but have caused a rift in her own family that she isn’t sure she can ever fix.

Navigating this new world of motherhood is hard. And the only sanity these three friends have is their 3am mums’ club, where they can chat and support each other in the dark of the night as their babies, finally, finally sleep.

But in the still of the night, secrets are revealed that could turn all their lives upside down…. more than they already are!

Bestselling author Nina Manning is back with a brand-new story of mum guilt, parenting pitfalls and friendship around the clock.

My review

Sophy, Aisha and Mel are all three new mums, with their own struggles.
Sophy is an influencer, posting about a healthy life, but is struggling to keep up the pretence of not being knackered all the time. And for sure she won’t let anyone know how lonely she is feeling.
Aisha is mum of twin boys who she loves with her whole heart. But being the one who looks after the boys all the time is taking its toll. And Aisha feels that having the boys caused a rift with her partner and she does not know if that rift can ever be fixed.
Mel on the other hand is ‘an older mum’, doubting if she can get back to the career she left behind after getting pregnant.
Three women, all different from each other, yet bonded by being wide awake at 3AM. And thus the 3am mums’ club is born, where they can chat an support each other in the darkest hours of the day. And it’s in the darkest hours that real friendships can be made, even with secrets that could turn their world upside down. 

First things first, I am not a mother myself so I can only try to imagine how difficult things can get for a parent. I also know that having a baby is a wonderful thing, but I am fully aware that not everything is sunshine and rainbows.
And as I am someone who needs a good night sleep, I can try to comprehend how difficult it can be to be awake when your lovely baby needs you. 

And that is the beauty of this book. Because the author doesn’t sugar-coat how it feels to be a parent.
We get to learn know different people, each at a different place in their lives, and the only thing in common is that they all three have had babies at the same time.
While a sleeping or laughing baby is the sweetest thing on earth, and also the bits that everyone around you sees, Sophy, Aisha and Mel are struggling with the moments that are not seen by everyone. 

I cannot say which character touched me the most, because they are all unique and great in their own ways.
Is it Sophy, a young influencer who seems to have it all, but feels like a fraud by pretending how wonderful everything is?
And a partner who is rather selfish and is not giving the much needed support? 

Or is it Aisha? A mother of lovely twins, but is also has to face the fact that not everyone accepts that she is in a relationship with a woman? That same partner who seems to take more distance from her and the boys. And add the revelation that the person who appears to be stalking her is not a complete stranger? 

Or Mel? Who, despite only being in her forties, is being seen as an older mother? Deeply in love with her husband and her eleven – year old and her new baby. But while Mel may seem to have the better lot, is carrying around a secret that may stand in the way of restarting her career. 

As you can see, three total different women. But sometimes it’s exactly the opposite of us what we need to cope with the stressful moments of motherhood. And it was sweet to see how these women found each other, not only at 3AM, but also become close friends, despite only knowing each other for a short time.

There are also several secrets revealed, some more shocking than others. But I found it amazing how even during these most difficult moments, even if some of these secrets were linked to our main characters, these amazing women can still see the wood for the trees.  

This was a great story to read, showing the beautiful bits about motherhood, but also how hard it can be for a woman to cope with all the new things that come their way.
This is a great story about new friends, being exactly what you need, at the times you need. And real friends don’t mind if that need is at 3 AM, 6 AM or 3 PM… because they will be there for you with whatever woo you have, how insignificant or huge they may be…

To be found when you’re hiding

Synopsis

PR executive Anna Mortimer has clinched the deal of a lifetime for the hottest celebrity couple to have their wedding covered by a glossy magazine, but when things don’t go to plan and she loses her job, will a well-timed invitation to visit Reykjavik be the perfect distraction while she decides what to do next?

Ned Nokes has just left the safety of the biggest boy band in history to go it alone. With the eyes of the world on him, he escapes to Iceland in search of solitude. He makes friends with people who don’t know who he is but after a lifetime in the spotlight, can he trust anyone who isn’t on his payroll?

Visit Iceland at its most beautiful as autumn turns to winter and find out whether the magic that helped Anna’s friend Rachel find her happy ever after, is still there…

My review

Anna Mortimer never thought that a drone would turn her world upside down. Because a drone flying over the wedding of the hottest celebrity couple that Anna was hired as a PR executive, made sure that an exclusive deal was no longer exclusive. Despite her innocence, Anna finds herself without a job and sees that she has no life outside of work to fall back on.
When her best friend Rachel suggest to spend some time together, in Iceland, Anna sees this as the perfect distraction.
But what are the odds to meet Ned Nokes again? Ned, who was also a guest at the same wedding and also member of the most successful boyband. But who now has no clue of what to do next. Ned needs the solitude Reykjavik offers, and finds so much more. Because never having trusted anyone outside his band, he now finds genuine friendship and perhaps even love.  

Ever since reading the first book of the series, Iceland climbed higher on my bucket list. While waiting for the right opportunity to visit it in real life, I gladly used this book to take me away on another magnificent journey. 

Anna is a character that gave me mixed emotions. While it’s obvious what a great friend she is, supporting Rachel with her new life in Iceland, she also misses her best friend terribly. She is really the kind of friend who puts your own happiness before her own.
So in this case, I absolutely liked Anna from the start. 

Yet I also felt sad for her… because not only does she lose her job without a real good reason (only due a case of excluding other people), she also sees how lonely in fact she is.
While her life in London used to filled with many social events, without Rachel by her side, Anna realizes that in fact, she has no real friends.
It also made me sad to learn that Anna never had a real, meaningful relationship, that somehow she is scared to completely open up with a love interest. 

I know from previously the magical tricks Iceland can play, so I was very happy and eager to discover what Iceland had in store for Anna.
And I was happy to read that the one person who sparked something in Anna, would be playing a big part in her own quest for happiness. 

We all dreamed once in our lives to fall in love with a famous person, a member of a boyband, … but we are all also very realistic to know that those odds are almost non – existing.
But Ned is so much more than just a famous person. And I was eager to discover who Ned really was, together with Ned himself.
I could understand that Ned didn’t know who he is without the band. And also comprehended that he needed to get as far away as possible to discover who the Real Ned Nokes is. 

I can only try to understand how difficult the life of a famous person is, and how Ned finds is difficult to trust new people. But Iceland wouldn’t be Iceland if our old friends would just accept Ned between them, famous or not. 

Seeing Anna and Ned together was truly heart – warming, despite the cold in Iceland. These are characters that deserve to be happy no matter what. But for gaining that happiness, they have to learn themselves and learn to not only love but most important to trust.
And that is something that infuriated me a little bit in this book, as I know the background, but trust does not mean choosing sides or letting someone down. (this doesn’t make sense if you haven’t read the book, but it will…).

I found this a wonderful sequel, I enjoyed the time I spend with old friends, fell in love with new characters who are, even the famous ones, so recognizable and real.
This book shows us that falling in love is the easy bit, but building trust and let the high walls fall down is a slow process. People can make mistakes while thinking of doing the right thing, but we have to see behind those mistakes and allow ourselves to show forgiveness. Because being without that special person is harder than forgiving a mistake.
But most important is that we all have to take time to get to know not only each other, but also ourselves and see what will make us happy and where we feel the most at home.

Not everything always ends well…

Synopsis

On holiday in Egypt with Sidney and Dean, young writer Maisie is—in her mind—on top of the world. Her long-labored manuscript is finally going to be published, she and Sidney are deeply in love, and the future looks bright on every level.

In one moment, however, it all changes. Tragedy leads to overwhelming loss that Maisie can’t even begin to process. As the world itself turns upside down, there’s no solace for Maisie from the growing sense that her wonderful future is finished.

No dream about to come true. No certainties of new chances in life.

No Sidney.

Even if the first two did not break her, the last one is determined to. It’s up to Maisie to find her strength and determination to find a new future, even if—unthinkably—it may be nothing like the one she dreamed of.

My review

Maisie finally has it all, her book is ready for being published, she is living happily in Cornwall and is deeply in love with Sidney.
But after a wonderful holiday in Egypt with Sidney and their friend Dean, Maisie soon realizes that tragedy can quickly take everything away…
And while Maisie is sure that she can cope with several tragedies, as long as she has Sidney by her side. But what if one of those tragedies takes the Sidney she knows and loves away from her? Can Maisie find her strength and courage to imagine a whole different future? 

This book started with a warning. And while I was mentally prepared for seeing Maisie losing her happily ever after like she imagined it, it still crushed me to read this book… Yet I found it impossible not to read it. Because I know the journey Maisie went through, and not reading this book would be like being a hypocritical friend, who only stands by your side when things are looking up… 

With that same warning, my imagination ran wild, thinking the absolute worse. So while I was glad that wasn’t exactly the case, it also worried me because things would never be same again for Maisie, even if things weren’t that final. 

Maisie in this book has to mature extremely, and we see her struggling with the twists life throws her.
But Maisie wouldn’t be the Maisie we all know and love, as no matter how difficult things are getting for her, she doesn’t lose her hope and tries on keep finding her strength setback after setback. 

In this book, the author shows us, that just like in real life, even the most amazing love stories aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. And here we see it in the most heart wrenching,  awful way. But it’s up to us if we let that crush us or make us stronger.
We see that terrible things can happen to amazing people. And that one event can change people and become only a shadow of the person we used to know.
And the author managed perfectly to show us this involuntary change. Because the Sidney we love so much has changed… 

While this story broke my heart, and I kept hoping, just like Dean for a miraculous ending, somehow I felt it in my heart, just like Maisie does, that life has to follow its own course. And Maisie’s courageous decision in the end put tears in my eyes but I fully comprehended her reasoning… 

This isn’t a happy story, but it just shows how life goes. Yet it’s up to us if we allow tragedies to drag us down, or if we find the courage to remain strong and hopeful for an unsure future…

When one decision seems to be the catalyst of everything

Synopsis

Everyone has secrets but some are bigger than others.

Wendy Walker can count on two fingers the number of birthdays until she’s fifty.  She can also count on six hands the number of years she’s been married to controlling Derek.  Whatever happened to the boy she used to lark around with in the back of a Ford Escort? Just like Derek’s hairline, that lad has gone.

Wendy yearns for freedom but is resigned to her lot.  After all, there are others to think about.  Like daughter Ruby who – as a teenage single mum still at home – needs supporting, especially since abandoning her hopes of being on Love Island and achieving fame as a reality star.

But secrets dare to spill at the most inopportune moments.

Ruby is nurturing a mystery romance that she dreads her mother discovering, while Derek finds himself under the spotlight in the most disastrous of circumstances.

But just when Wendy thinks her world is falling apart, she discovers that sometimes unexpected joy is just around life’s corner…

My review

Wendy Walker cannot remember the last time she was happy in her marriage. The man she once truly loved and had so much fun, has turned into a controlling, commanding, obnoxious man. But no matter how often Wendy dreams of getting away from Derek, she still has too many responsibilities, even if she is nearing her fiftieth birthday. Like their daughter Ruby, a teenage, single mother still living at home.
However, when Freedom calls, it’s too hard to ignore the call. And when Wendy finally finds the courage to listen to her own desires and is taking the necessary steps, she for sure didn’t expect that the secrets Derek is keeping would be revealed in the most disastrous ways.
But no matter how Wendy’s world is falling apart, Wendy will realize that her desired freedom brings also joy, much closer than she realized. 

In the past I have always enjoyed reading Debbie Viggiano’s books, so I knew what to expect. Or at least I thought so… 

From the start, I felt truly sorry for the life Wendy was living. She is a kind woman, absolutely loving her family and being a rock for her daughter (after the initial shock of discovering that Ruby was pregnant).
Even the smallest kind of deception (you’ll understand when you are reading the loaf of bread part) will make her feel guilty.
But it’s also her kindness and sense of loyalty that is preventing her to live a happy life… 

And reading about her miserable marriage, the way Derek treats and belittles her, made me angry. Because no one should be feeling the way Wendy does…
So when she decides she finally had enough, I was happy for her, as she deserve to be happy! 

I am not going to give away too much about the plot, because it would take away several shock for you, but I can assure you that there were several twists that left me both flabbergasted as having tears in my eyes from laughing at loud.
Not only some encounters Wendy has are so cringe – worthy as hilarious, even when Derek’s secret is out, more detailed revelations were not something I saw coming! 

I also enjoyed discovering the depth of the mother – daughter relationship between Wendy and Ruby too. like I said before, Wendy truly is Ruby’s rock, having her back all the time, supporting her in every decision Ruby makes.
But it also warmed my heart to see how those roles were switched at moments. Where Ruby supports Wendy in her own decisions.
The love between mother and daughter is so obvious, and anyone who has an equal amazing parent/ child, will completely understand that precious bond, where you would to anything for each other. 

But this story also shows us it’s never too late to start all over again, no matter what your situation is. And that people in your life, old friend and new ones, will stand by your side every step of the way.  

While this is truly a hilarious book to read, it also shows us that just living your life and not having any joy in it, isn’t a good life. We only have one life, so why should we spend it being miserable? So it’s okay for every one of us to figure out what will make us happy and chase that.

Never fall in love at work…

Synopsis

From award-winning author Kathryn Barrett: 

Some days it was hell being leader of the free world. 

The Washington press calls him the “accidental president.” As a Medal of Honor recipient and national hero, Adam Dybikagreed to run for president during the country’s deepest crisis. 

Now that things have stabilized, he’s got problems at home: his 14-year-old daughter Katie keeps ditching her Secret Service protection and reminding him he’s the world’s worst father. And on top of that, he’s begun hearing the voices of dead presidents. Either he’s going mad, or the White House is haunted. 

As the new head of Katie’s Secret Service detail, Ellie Brody is trying to live up to the high expectations of her father, former agent Frank Brody. But her new job puts her in direct danger of succumbing to the president’s charm. 

Can these two find love in the White House, under the most intense media scrutiny—and the watchful eye of Lyndon Johnson?

My review

Adam Dybik never thought that him running for president would end up him actually becoming the new POTUS. The press doesn’t go easy on him, calling him ‘the accidental president’, running the country proves to be a mission impossible and his 14 – year – old daughter Katie is causing him even more headaches. Katie wants nothing more to return home, and keeps ditching too easily her Secret Service protection.
Being a single dad is never easy, but being a single dad while being also the President, is putting a strain on his relationship with Katie.
So Ellie Brody is hired as head of Katie’s Secret Service detail. Ellie, who has to live with the fact that her own father actually took a bullet as a former agent.
Ellie also is seeing behind Katie’s façade and tries to show Adam the struggles Katie is facing without breaking Katie’s trust while trying to resists the president’s charm… 

Falling in love at work has always been a trope of mine. But what if the characters have one of the most important jobs in the whole world and one character is somehow the boss of the boss?
Obviously I cannot imagine such a story taking place at the White House with the current president, but I was glad with the imaginary president this author made up. 

Adam is not only a president, but also a war hero and a single dad. Each and every one of these aspects would have been a great start for a main character, but having them all combined in one person made it even better.
Add also the fact that he is having real and recognizable struggles, made it even easier to just like him with all his (in vain?) efforts. 

Despite him being the president, he is just a normal man. He wants to help those in need, he wants to be a great father to Katie, raising her on his own and he is feeling lonely, making him even hear the voices of former presidents.
As he is being seen as a hero, he is struggling with that heroism and he doesn’t see that what he did made him earn his medals. 

This book also shows us somehow how difficult it can be to be a president. You can have all the visions and ideas and plans that you want, but if you don’t have the people to support you, it is all useless. And seeing how Adam struggling with this fact, he wants to do so many good things, but he just can’t, even pushing him to his limits, made me feel sorry for him. 

And then Ellie enters the scene…
Maybe it’s because we are so used in seeing male Secret Service Agents all the time, but I truly liked Ellie being that tough, strong, no – nonsense woman. She may seem a bit fragile but her actions show that you cannot just mess with her.
And reading how she also majored in psychology and how she seems to understand Katie, made her only rise in my esteem for her. Ellie sees how difficult Katie finds everything and tries her best to  

But she also is facing her own demons. Not only because she is feeling more and more attracted to Adam, but also because she has to fill her father’s shoes. Everyone still speaks highly of her father and she hopes she is up to her job. But she is also worried about her brother and how her father is acting out. 

I loved each interaction between Ellie and Adam. Very quickly they start to feel a spark, yet their jobs won’t allow to take it any further. And I liked it how they restrained from crossing a line, even if at moments it was infuriating as sparks truly were flying around!
Yet the flirting between the both of them was so obvious and funny, I don’t think I can have a normal conversation about cake again! 

This story shows us a wonderful love story, but also shows us many issues of the world. Single – parenthood, struggling teenagers, too high expectations, too low expectations, passion (also for your job), the desire of wanting to do the right thing but not being able to, discrimination, fear, even low self – esteem and some form of PTSD. 

But I totally fell in love with this story, I loved each character, as even the most improbable one shows us that redemption is possible.
All the characters felt so real and the kind of person I wanted to have myself surrounded with, as their personalities were just every inch of right (even though it’s rather improbable to have e great president as a friend or even as an acquaintance!). 

This book is slow – paced but while reading it, it doesn’t feel like it. I devoured page after page and only realized how much I was invested in this story when I reached the ending too quickly!

Will it ever be the right time, not only for them but for joy?

Synopsis

Marie Kondo for the soul.

Anna and Will have been passing in and out of each other’s lives since they were just kids.

Now 20 years later, Anna is married – she has a lovely house, a step daughter in university and a husband with a good job.

What she doesn’t have is joy. When she runs into Will it sparks something in her, a longing for the Anna she used to be.

Together they embark on a journey to find what brings them joy, to discard what doesn’t and to become the people they always wanted to be.

But in finding themselves, can they also find each other?

My review

As teenagers, Anna and Will fell in love. But after losing his mother, Will took his distance. Over twenty years, Anna and Will kept passing in and out each other’s lives, never feeling that it was finally their moment.
Now Anna is married and she adores her step – daughter. But when she bumps into Will again, this time she realizes that her life isn’t a bad one, but it isn’t a joyful one.
Will is coping with being the only surviving member of his family, a marriage torn apart and fighting over his daughter with his soon – to – be -ex – wife.
Walking with Anna, having long talks, Will also sees that perhaps now is the time to figure out what makes him happy.
But what exactly will make Anna and Will happy? Will they find it out? And is that happiness to be found with each other? 

I don’t know how this author manages to do it, but it is so easy to relate to her characters, and for my poor heart, to feel their emotions too, the good ones and the bad ones.
What she describes in this book, is also so recognizable in so many aspects… 

Anna fell in love with Will as a teenager. But we all know that no matter how amazing things appear to be when we’re that young, we know as an adult that somehow as a teenager we were ignorant and did not realize how the world turns and how life works.
When the relationships ends, it’s heart-breaking, but I also understood how hurt Will was after losing his beloved mother. 

Through flashbacks we get to read how both Anna and Will move on with their lives, and how sometime Fate brings them back together, how short that period may be.
And I found it sweet to sweet how they think fondly of the times they met again, how no grudges were being held, but understanding that those are just those things of life… 

When Anna and Will meet again in the present, every bone in my body was screaming that this would be it, this would finally be their moment. Even if Anna was still married, and Will is struggling with his soon – to – be -ex – wife, the both of them know that this is the moment to be some kind of selfish, and wit their talks they know they have to chase their happiness, as life is too short to just settle down and be content with what you have.
If only it would be that easy, once you made the decision… 

This is a slow book, hopping from past to present and back to the past. But it allows us to get to know Anna and Will so much better, as we can see the journey they made to become the persons they are now.
Because, especially in Anna’s case, it was a long and difficult journey. And yet with their last encounter, they learn the most vital lesson, that you only have one life and it should be a happy one. 

I think I was approximately half way through the book when I thought every piece of the puzzle would fall perfectly. But then the author wrote some twists (even terrible ones!) jeopardizing everything all over again.
How angry it made me at that point, it was also part of that journey that our characters had to endure. Because finding happiness does not mean necessarily that you have to have a person by your side. Because you can find happiness also by just being on your own. 

With this author, I knew there would be heart – breaking moments, moments that I would cry very ugly. And the further along I got in the book, nearly reaching the end, I was hoping that no tears would be shed. Only to realize that those last chapters were the worst for my dear heart…  

And without giving away too much, that is just how life goes, good things happen but also bad things, and we are not in control of what happens when…
While it can seem like a dark thought, it also makes you think about what *you* want from life, and it lets to make the choices to follow your heart. 

This was a slow – paced story, showing us a whole lifetime and makes us reflect about our own lives and realize how precious our lives are. And we just never settle for just living our lives, but we just live it to the fullest.
And that may be with a long lost love by our side, but it may not be. Most important is to feel that joy again.

A knight, a thief, a kiss and a mystery

Synopsis

Captured by a knight…

Rescued by his kiss!

When orphan Eva loses the father-figure who’d protected her on the streets of London, she suspects the Knights of Fortitude. But when she steals information from them, she’s caught by brooding knight Nicholas. Learning he might not be the villain after all, she puts her distrust aside to work with him, yet Eva must stay focussed – and not get distracted when they share a stolen kiss!

My review

When Eva loses the only father figure she had in her life, who thought her everything on surviving on the streets of London, she blames the Knights Fortitude of his death.
So when she accepts an offer to steal something from knight Nicholas, she doesn’t only do it for the silver, but also for some kind of revenge.
But she didn’t expect that Nicholas would chase her for her theft, and even more, that he would need her for the important work he and his fellow knights are doing.
While working together, Eva slowly learns that the Knights may not be as guilty as she thought, and that with one stolen kiss, Eva finds herself more and more distracted In the presence of Nicholas. 

Ooooh I loved returning to my good old Knights! I have read the first book of this series and I couldn’t wait to read this next chapter with new main characters. 

Eva is a strong character that I immediately liked. She lives on the streets, and has learned how to survive thanks the unexpected help from a man who was almost like a father to her.
It saddened me to read the way she lost him, and I understood why she held a grudge towards the Knights, even if she initially didn’t have all the information of what happened to him. 

I found it also hilarious how she manages to trick everyone around her, and her ‘skills’ for sure helped her un surviving.
And it was very sweet to see how she took a young woman under her wings, as she saw that this woman was in the same situation as herself many years ago.
This shows that not only Eva is a resourceful woman, a survivalist, but also a caring woman, who looks after her beloved ones. 

We all also know the reputation of Knights, how they serve and protect. And seeing how Nicholas acts very chivalrous, not because of being a Knight, but because it’s the right thing to do, made me like him even more.
Learning about his past, how his father behaved and how Nicholas deeply loved his mother, made me understand his behaviour better, and while my heart broke over his past, seeing the man he has become, made me swoon more over him!  

Eva and Nicholas are obviously from different worlds. But nevertheless, they have the most important things in common, as the need to protect their loved ones.
But obviously the play of pushing and pulling is going to start… And I had so much fun reading the bits where they clashed but also made me ‘aaaw’ over the sweeter moments, showing that it doesn’t matter what your background is. 

Of course, there is also the mysterious part a little bit, and it shocked me also to read how close to Nicholas it all got. And with so many questions left unanswered, I am looking forward to the next part of this series. 

I truly enjoyed reading this story, as it was about a woman who learnt the hard way a way to survive, by also pretending to be someone she is not, about a woman who is loyal but also about a woman who doesn’t see her strengths, but learns to.
But it was also about a man, protecting not only his Country and his King, but also the woman he found while he was on his quest.
But most important it was about love, and its unconventional ways to pair up two strong characters and show them that loving someone is finding someone you trust unconditionally, you find yourself safe with them and that you would do anything to protect them from any harm…

Even in wonderful places murders happen…

Synopsis

A remote retreat…

Nestled high in the Tuscan hills lies Villa Volpone, home to renowned crime writer Jonah Moore and his creative writing course. It’s also the last place retired DCI Dan Armstrong expected to spend his retirement! Dan’s no writer, but maybe this break will help him to think about the next chapter in his own life story?

A gruesome murder…

But only days into the course, Jonah Moore is found stabbed to death with his award-winning silver dagger! And Dan finds himself pulled out of retirement with a killer to catch.

Eleven possible suspects.

The other guests all seem shocked by Jonah’s death, but Dan knows that one of them must be lying. And as he and Italian Commissario Virgilio Pisano begin to investigate it quickly becomes clear that everyone at Villa Volpone has secrets to hide…

But can Dan discover who the murderer is before they strike again?

My review

DCI Dan Armstrong has received a retreat for creative writing as a retirement gift. Not that Dan is a writer, but spending time in the Tuscan hills in Villa Volpone may perhaps inspire him and give him time about his own next chapters.
Dan meets the owners and the other guests and quickly discovers that the retreat is not what he expected. While he is just going with the flow and feeling more at peace in Tuscany, the owner Jonah Moore is found stabbed to death.
But who did it? Dan is glad to help the local forces to find the killer, but with the only witness being Oscar the dog, eleven suspects and too many hidden secrets, can they catch the killer? 

I have read several books from this amazing author, and even if they were more into the romance – section, I knew  just had to read the start of this new series too.
And I wasn’t left disappointed! 

It was easy to like the main character Dan. He has just retired, has a great bond with his daughter, but unfortunately his marriage has just ended. Just like in real life, sometimes it’s difficult to find the perfect balance between work and home. And it was bittersweet to see how Dan still thinks fondly of his soon – to – be – ex – wife but knows that he has to move on. 

Now, I know this author has a great imagination, but I wasn’t expecting the retreat would turn out to be for writer of a special kind of books. So I was as shocked as Dan when he realized where he ended up to be! Yet it was also hilarious to read all about it, how Dan, despite everything he has already been through and has seen, can be left flabbergasted! 

As a reader we know that a murder will take place, and with what we see from Jonah, well, I cannot say I was saddened by it. But like the characters say in the book, that is still not a reason to murder someone…
Just like Dan, initially I didn’t have a clue of who the culprit could be. But slowly, together with Dan and the Commissario (who somehow in my mind looked like Commissario Montalbano from another author and tv show), I realized that not everything was as it seems. 

I was amazed (in a bad way) how each character could have a reason for being the killer. Some reasons were paper – thin, you never know what will drive some people to get their revenge. 

Being a cosy mystery, it wasn’t a dark story, as Dan realizes how at home he feels in Tuscany, how he makes new friends and even becomes attached to Oscar. While he is investigating, he also has some nice moments spending with the other retreaters, and has the chance to do some inner investigations about his own future. 

With this author, I knew beforehand I would be able to feel like I was walking around Villa Volpone myself, and almost taste all the deliciousness Dan would eat and drink.
While at moments I felt I was in an Agatha Christie book, at other moments I felt I was wandering around Tuscany with  the calming voice David Attenborough explaining everything I saw. 

This was a very promising start of a new series, and I cannot wait to read more about Dan and his loyal, not to be underestimated, new friend Oscar!