How two persons so wrong for each on first sight can be just…

Synopsis

Dean Baxter was everything a sensible thirty-two-year-old teacher should avoid. Five years younger, cocky, with a playboy reputation. Oh and guardian to Tom, one of her most promising students. But Lia was a rebel at heart.

Lia Stapleton was everything that was out of reach for an uneducated garage mechanic who’d made too many mistakes. Cambridge-educated, gorgeous and from a well-heeled background, she was his brother’s teacher. But Dean couldn’t resist her.

As Dean and Lia’s tentative relationship begins, can it survive Tom’s disapproval, her parents’ interference. And the dangerous return of his past.

My review

Lia Stapleton is a dedicated teacher who notices the potential of one of her students, Tom. While trying to persuade him to attempt to get into Cambridge, she also has to persuade his brother and guardian Dean that Tom has a shot.
But Dean always thought that one day, the two brothers would run their family’s garage together. And Tom for sure never mentioned Cambridge before.
Now not only Dean has to face that his plans may not come to fruition, but he also has to face that he feels himself attracted to Lia. But how can a sophisticated, gorgeous and well –educated woman like Lia fall for someone like him, uneducated, a mechanic who made plenty of mistakes and a past that won’t let him go?
And why can Lia not get Dean out of her mind, a man who is five years younger, cocky and seemingly to enjoy the female company a bit too much?
Yet resisting is in vain, but can they face so many odds that are against them? Not only Tom who disapproved, but also Lia’s snobbish interferences and Dean’s past that may jeopardize everything that they slowly built…

Kathryn Freeman just did it again! She wrote an amazing, impossible – to – out – away – story, just like I had expected from her!
And I keep being amazed how she manages to write out of the box, with characters that show you on different occasions that you should never judge a book by its cover!

I liked Lia for following her own passions, despite the wishes of her parents. Being a twin, but having a sister who is obviously the favourite, isn’t easy. Yet Lia found a way to do what she pleases, not being afraid to disappoint her parents, which she does anyway (in their eyes…).
And I loved the dedication she shows as a teacher. She sees the potential in her students, especially in Tom, and she does whatever she can to show Tom his own capabilities.

But it also saddened me a little bit, seeing how little she thinks of herself, thanks to her parents. And her own disappointments in the romantic parts makes her question about the honesty of what is being told to her.
How can she not see how amazing she is???

And Dean… in first instance, I had the same thoughts about him that Lia had. His actions spoke very loud, but slowly I realized that what we see, is only a glimpse of the real person.
He may have his looks in his advantage, but reading about the things he did in the past, how he did, and still does, for his younger brother Tom, made me change my whole opinion of him.
Yes, he also made mistakes in the past, but he did it all with the best intentions. And seeing how he gave up his own younger years for Tom, and how he even never got the chance to fall in love and experience a real relationship (and not the heated moments in a store room alone), broke my heart but also warmed my heart as he did it all for Tom…

In this book, there are some moments that made my heart melt all over the place, but also got me frustrated as both main characters just didn’t see that they too deserved their happiness. Even if it is with a person so different and unexpected. And at some points I even got angry with them as they were ruining a wonderful thing because of their own doubts and insecurities.

I absolutely devoured this book, as it shows that love comes in different shapes and forms, and that when you finally have found your perfect match, background, age, past, jobs, … don’t matter at all. What truly matters is the feeling of love, that can conquer everything, from resurfacing demons from your past, to too interfering/snobbish parents. Because in the end, love is all we need…

Life goes on, even with broken hearts…

Synopsis

Will it be tears or triumph for the Hat Girl from Silver Street?

 

It’s been five years since Ella Bancroft lost the love of her life, Harper Fortescue, and despite her friends’ encouragement, she’s still not been able to move on. The one thing keeping Ella smiling is the success of her hat shop, Ivella.  Her beautiful designs and fabulous creations are the first choice for the fashionable Edwardian ladies of Walsall, and her fame is spreading far and wide.

Darcie Newland won’t ever forgive Ella for stealing her fiancé and ruining her life, even though Harper was never really hers in his heart.  After being exiled by her parents to Scotland after yet another scandal, Darcie is now back in Birmingham and set on revenge.

As her hat shop flourishes, and the possibility of a new love appears when she least expects it, Ella finally dares to hope for a happy future. But storm clouds are gathering over the Black Country, and life might have other plans for the hat girl from Silver Street.

The Queen of the Black Country sagas is back with this page-turning story of friendship and fun, love and second chances. Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Lyn Andrews.

My review

Five years ago, Ella Bancroft got to know what it felt to lose the love of your life, as her fiancé Harper Fortescue passed away.
Even if her hat shop, ran together with former nemesis Ivy is a successful one, Ella hasn’t been able to move on and find a new love.
Darcie Newland never forgot how Harper left her for Ella and after another scandal being exiled to Scotland. But now she is back in Birmingham and is ready to let Ella pay for all the harm she caused Darcie.
With a business getting more happy customers and keeps on growing, does Ella dare to dream for her own happy future with a new man even? Or will Darcie succeed in her plans of making Ella pay for everything? 

I was glad to learn that Ella would get a sequel, as it made me hope that despite losing Harper (still trying to forgive the author for this!), Ella would find love again. 

It warmed my heart to read how Ella and Ivy became partners and run their business together very successfully. And it even put a smile on my face reading that even if the hatched got buried, Ivy still kept the bits that were typically Ivy, with her abondance while making hats and her small streaks of jealousy.
But mots of all, it warmed my heart to see how Ella still is that lovely young woman that we got to know so well in the first book, even if she is still mourning the loss of Harper.
And that was something that is very Ella, she loved and still loves Harper deeply, and she will never forget him… 

However life does go on, and Ella learns again that life never is dull, and both good as bad things can happen all the time.
Ella meets new people, even a new romantic interest, but is also faced with someone from her past, Darcie. And while things are going well for Ella, Darcie shows us that she hasn’t changed a bit at all. 

While I truly disliked Darcie and her schemes, and her selfish ways, and I enjoyed the bits where it’s clear her actions had serious consequences, what happened to her towards the end, made me feel a bit sorry for her too.
Because even if she wasn’t a great person, and her character and behaviour were hideous, I hoped that somehow she would redeem herself… 

In this second book, the author managed again to write a gripping story, showing us how strong yet lovely characters manage to be hopeful and remain kind, friendly despite everything.
Even if this story takes place in a past I don’t know much about, it is easy to feel close to Ella and her friends, old ones and new ones. And made me understand that life sometimes, past or present isn’t always justful, but as long as we keep our heads high and show kindness and forgiveness, life will also reward us, even with a second chance on love…

The hope and dreams of a Queen’s housemaid…

Synopsis

It should be a dream come true to serve the Queen of England…

When Violet Parker is told she will be Queen Victoria’s personal housemaid, she cannot believe her good fortune. She finally has the chance to escape her overbearing mother, a servant to the Duchess of Kent. 

Violet hopes to explore who she is and what the world has to offer without her mother’s schemes overshadowing her every thought and action.

Then she meets James Greene, assistant to the queen’s chief political adviser, Lord Melbourne. From entirely different backgrounds and social class, Violet and James should have neither need nor desire to speak to one another, yet through their service, their paths cross and their lives merge—as do their feelings.

Only Victoria’s court is not always the place for romance, but rather secrets, scandals, and conspiracies…

My review

Violet Parker couldn’t be happier when she learn that she is going to work as a housemaid for Queen Victoria. She sees this as the perfect opportunity to escape her mother who only uses Violet for her own and the Duchess of Kent’s benefit.
Violet is ready to discover the world on her own, but also to discover who Violet is without the threats of her mother.
Finding a kindred spirit not only with the Queen herself, Violet also befriends James Greene, assistant of Lord Melbourne. But James Greene has a reputation of being a ladies man, and the Queen’s court is not the most perfect place for romance, but more for secrets, scandals and conspiracies…

Not many may know this, but I have always been a fan of the British Royal Family. And Queen Victoria somehow always intrigued me a little bit more compared to the other royals.
So obviously, having a book with my favourite royal in it, was something I had to read!

The focus is of course not on the Queen herself, but on one of her housemaids, Violet Parker.
From the start, I had mixed feelings about Violet. Not because she is a character to dislike, but because of her background…
On one hand, I was as happy for her as she was herself at the opportunity to work for the Queen, but on the other hand it saddened me to see how her own mother uses Violet for her own benefit. And the way her mother just acts towards Violet, made my blood boil! I can’t grasp how a mother can be so evil, mean to her own children!

Violet enjoys her new life, but she is never truly freed from her mother. And when the Queen treats her very kindly, Violet is not knowing what to do… Should she betray the Queen’s trust to avoid her mother’s revenge? Or should she tell the truth, and be afraid of her mother’s repercussions?
While not always knowing what to do, we also see Violet maturing. She goes from some kind of gullible young girl, to a woman who stands up for herself and follows her own instinct.

Even on the romantic part, Violet learns the meaning of love. She is wary of the attention of James, as she knows his reputation. But I found it very smart of the author of linking Violet’s growing feelings towards James with the Queen falling in love with Albert.

We cannot truly speak of a real friendship between Victoria and Violet, as obviously Victoria is the Queen and Violet a mere housemaid. But being around the same age, somehow bounded these two total different women, trusting each other and even at times being confidantes.
And that is something I truly enjoyed reading, how despite many differences, also in stand, so many likenesses can be found.

I also enjoyed reading how despite Violet knowing her place and things that James can never be hers, her feelings cannot stop growing.
And more towards the end, we see how Violet decides to be the kind of woman she wants to be, and not what everyone wants her to be.

This story shows us that it’s in our right to live our lives as we want it to, without interferences of people who don’t have our best interest. But also that even if we are afraid of loving a person, or not knowing if it’s love or not, we are allowed to have these kind of feelings. And that it doesn’t matter how high or low you stand on the social scale, because whenever it concerns real love, or friendship, it’s the person that matters, not the title they carry around.

Does love just like the Christmas movies happen in real life too?

Synopsis

Hollywood comes to Roseford, as Christmas wishes really do come true…

The sleepy Somerset village of Roseford is the temporary home for the cast and crew of the latest Christmas movie, and there’s an excitement in the air that can’t be ignored. When Lucy Cameron, the owner of Roseford Café, is asked to fulfil a last-minute catering order on set, she can’t believe her luck.

Lucy’s erstwhile teenage crush, Finn Sanderson, is the star of the film, alongside his glamorous co-star, Montana de Santo, with whom he has been linked on and off the screen, and their sprinkle of stardust around the village is intoxicating.

With Christmas approaching and the snow starting to fall, Lucy’s path keeps crossing with Finn’s, and she starts to get to know the man behind the movie star. As her feelings grow, so too do Lucy’s reservations about even considering becoming involved with someone so well-known. And when Lucy becomes the centre of a social media storm, her fears seem to be justified.

Are happy-ever-afters just the preserve of romantic Christmas movies, or could Lucy and Finn star in their very own, real-life festive love story…

Revel in the perfect country Christmas romance from Fay Keenan, just right for all fans of Julie Houston, Cathy Bramley and Holly Martin.

My review

Lucy Cameron, proud owner of Roseford Café, enjoys living with her daughter in the Somerset village of Roseford.
And when she is asked for a last – minute catering order on the set of the latest Christmas movie, actually filmed in Roseford, Lucy cannot believe her luck.
Especially because the star of the film, Finn Sanderson, is Lucy’s teenage crush. While the world is hoping that Finn and his glamourous co – star Montana de Santo will get together in real life again, Lucy slowly gets to know the man behind all that glitter and glamour. And slowly she starts to fall for that man. But will Lucy’s reservations hold her back to fall completely in love and do happy endings only life in the movies? Or will Lucy and Finn live the perfect love story for real? 

First of all, it was a real joy to return to Roseford. I truly enjoyed the first book in this series so obviously I had to read this book too. While it’s not mandatory having read book one, as this can be perfectly be read as a standalone, why would you skip the chance to fall even more in love with Roseford? 

But back to this book and this story, that made me even love the place even more than before! 

Lucy is a single mother, loving her life. And even if she doesn’t have a man in her life, she doesn’t see this as a missing part.
She loves her Café, she adores her daughter and she is a great friend, and has also great friends. 

I found it refreshing that even if she is divorced from the father of her child, the relationship is still very amicable. Too often when divorced people are depicted in any kind of story, often things didn’t go well, and even turned into a real hostile divorces.
While in this case, both parties realize that it wasn’t working for them but they still care for each other, and look after each other, even when they are on different continents.
But this isn’t about Lucy’s divorce, but  about a total new love interest! 

I think it’s safe to say that everyone has had a teenage crush or dreamed about a movie star and imaging a whole love story around it.
But with growing up, we know that no matter how much we wished as a teenager for that dream to come true, the odds are almost non – existing.
And I love reading stories where the impossible is made possible! 

Finn is just so perfect… even with his imperfections! He may have the perfect looks, but the more we get to know the real Finn, the more I started to fall for him too. He has had his own demons to fight, yet I admired how he was able to turn his life around for the better.
And seeing this kind, gentle man doing a ordinary things, even with some perks of being a star, made me swoon all over the place. 

In this book the author manages to let the readers completely comprehend the struggles both Lucy and Finn are facing.
Suddenly Lucy finds herself being in a media storm, and she is not sure that that is the life she wants to live. She has feelings for Finn, she doesn’t deny them, but how can she live with the fear of never being left in peace? Especially when she also has her daughter to think about…
I could completely comprehend her thoughts, even if I cannot imagine being in that position myself. 

And Finn, he has finally found someone he has fallen in love with, but he quickly realizes that he was in a state of wishful thinking when he thought they would be able to keep their peace.
For someone in the business, it’s easier to live with camera’s pointed at you the whole time, making it also harder to comprehend that such a way of living is not for everyone. 

What made me love this story even more, and perhaps a even a little bit less ( because I think a whole book could have been written about them too), was the other love story. I am not going to give anything away about this one, I want you to discover it yourself but it made me feel even more gooey seeing that romance blossom, showing the reader that loves comes in different shapes and forms. 

If it’s not clear by now that I absolutely adored reading this book, I will make it very clear: I ADORED IT!
The story shows us that love never comes when and how we expect, but with daring to take that step, daring to give it a chance, daring to open up, and with a swoon – worthy grand gesture, you can get the most wonderful love story of your life.
And in a wonderful setting as Roseford, who needs a Christmas movie when you can have it all in this marvellous tale?

Fake – dating your nemesis, just perfect…

Synopsis

Love was never supposed to be part of the deal…

Independent and free-spirted Annika has no plans to settle down anytime soon… if only her parents felt the same way. But when her father unexpectedly falls ill, she’ll do anything to make things better. Even if it means suddenly blurting out she has a boyfriend.

The only issue is, he doesn’t exist.

Then, by chance, she bumps into handsome entrepreneur Rav, and she can’t believe her luck. He’s single, sworn off relationships and looking for a date to attend work events with. He’s the perfect solution to her troubles. Or is he?

Because there’s just one slight catch – he also happens to be her childhood nemesis.

It was only ever supposed to be a simple, temporary arrangement. Nothing more. Certainly love was never part of the terms and conditions. But Annika’s about to discover that some deals are made to be broken…

My review

Annika loves her work, that brings her all around the world. She would never give up her independence or her free – spirit, especially not for a man.
However, her parents would love to see her get settled, rather sooner than later. And with her father’s poor health, Annika does not want to add extra worries.
So a fake boyfriend is what Annika needs. But where does she find one? For sure making an agreement with Rav is a bad idea. Not only because he is handsome and successful, but he is also Annika’s nemesis, as while growing up, her parents compared her and her siblings to the great achievements of Rav.
But Rav also needs a fake date, to attend work events… And the more the two of them have to pretend to be madly in love, the more they realize that the thin line between pretend and reality is starting to disappear…
But love was never part of the arrangement… 

I have always loved reading books about fake dating but also about enemies to lovers. So reading this book just perfect to me, as it combined two of my favourite tropes. 

Annika is a very free – spirited woman, living literally from one bag. While that lifestyle would not be something for me, I could understand her wanderlust and I admired her desire to do some good in the world.
Even if she feels that her parents don’t understood or support her (while they let her live her life like she wants), it’s obvious that she truly loves her family and she doesn’t want to cause them any pain.
Her love goes even that far that she makes up a boyfriend, as it stops her family worrying about her.
However, no matter how much she loves her family, she isn’t the kind of woman to just give up on her dreams. 

And oh, how much did I enjoy reading whenever Annika and Rav are together! Despite her dislike of him, she knows she needs him for her schemes, and he needs her too. And while they are on the same page on the relationship – part, I found it sweet to see how Annika slowly discovers how she got Rav totally wrong. She has an opinion of him, based on their past, but it only shows that sometimes how we remember things, isn’t always the truth! 

Obviously I found it amazing seeing Annika wondering if Rav was truly such a great pretender or of there was some truth in the things he was saying.
Turning page after page, discovering how their feelings and emotions grow and develop warmed my heart, as the both of them deserve to find their perfect match, without having the feeling to give up a piece of yourself.
And when Annika and Rav both realize that no matter what you plan beforehand, love comes whenever it wants, even when you least expect it, involving the person you least expect. But it’s in the unexpected that the greatest things emerge…

This could have been the kind of story you could have read a dozen of, but having these two strong characters, both passionate about what they do, but are also loving and caring added extra layers to make this even a greater book.
And having both main characters being from a foreign descent was not something that was strictly mandatory to elevate this lovely book, showing the cultural differences but also showing the similarities, made my awe only grow.
Because it doesn’t matter where your origins lay, after all, we all love our family and would do anything for them, without losing ourselves. And love doesn’t follow your strict plans, or doesn’t demand to make you give up on your dreams, love just makes you realize that dreams can change…

The magic of Christmas works even when you don’t understand or like it…

Synopsis

She can’t abide Christmas. He’s not sure what it’s all about. Together they’re in for a festive surprise.

Ambitious software developer Holly may have a festive name but the connection ends there. She despises the holiday season and decides to flee to the remote island of Mull in a bid to escape from it.

Syrian refugee Farid has made a new home in Scotland but he’s lonely. Understanding Nessie and Irn Bru is one thing, but when glittery reindeer and tinsel hit the shelves, he’s completely bemused. Determined to understand a new culture, he asks his new neighbour to educate him on all things Christmas.

When Holly reluctantly agrees, he realises there’s more to her hatred of mince pies and mulled wine than meets the eye. Farid makes it his mission to inject some joy into Hollys’ life but falling for her is an unexpected gift that was never on his list.

As their attraction sparkles, can Christmas work its magic on Holly and Farid, or will their spark fizzle out with the end of December?

My review

Holly is an ambitious software developer and while her name suggests the opposite, she hates everything that involves Christmas. Christmas songs? She hates it. Mince pies? She hates it. Christmas songs? She hates it.
What she needs now the most, is to escape from everything and everyone and the best place to do that, is the remote island of Mull in Scotland.
But what she didn’t need, was to have Farid as a neighbour. Farid is a Syrian refugee, making a new home in Scotland. Adjusting is not easy, especially with his family still so far away and not understanding all the traditions of Christmas.
And is there a better person to explain him everything than his new neighbour Holly?
While reluctantly, Holly agrees with Farid’s proposition. And slowly, beside all the sparks flying around, Farid learns the reason of Holly’s despise of this holiday. And maybe Holly can appreciate the holiday again by seeing it all through someone’s eyes? 

I love Christmas stories and I don’t care where in the world the story is taking place, as long as we have easy – to – love characters and I can feel the Christmas feelings flying around!

I don’t go big myself around Christmas, but I decorate the tree, buy the gifts (or let Santa know what to deliver 😊), prepare all the required dishes and spend the actual day with my family.
I do all the basics, but I don’t overindulge in it.
I understand the people who go all crazy about it, but I also understand the people who don’t. 

So even if I didn’t know all the details of Holly’s past, I comprehended that she was the kind of person who just doesn’t like the holiday.
And beside the Christmas – issue I could also understand why she wanted to just get of the radar for a moment.
I can only imagine the peace when you are unreachable or only reachable on your terms. 

It’s obvious that something happened to make her dislike the holiday so much, but before we know the whole truth, the author managed to trick her readers by making it appear something complete opposite.
But once the truth was revealed, my comprehension only grew more! 

Farid is the kind of person you can only admire for his courage. Not only did he have to escape his home, but he also has left his family for their protection. Yet he is making the best of his current situation. And even if he cannot use his skills and knowledge anymore, he appreciates the fact he is still alive and has found people willing to help him. 

I found it sweet how Farid was confused about the whole hype around Christmas. And it sure doesn’t help when he hasn’t mastered the English language and all its saying. I have to admit, I had a few laughs when he got confused!
But we see what kind of man he is, kind, gentle, open, loving and also curious and ready to learn new things. 

When Holly and Farid meet, it was an immediate attraction. And while this bothered me tiny bit (I understand attraction and lust, but for a Christmas love story, I was hoping for something on a deeper level), I quickly understood that this instant attraction was just a way of the author to make things work. 

I loved to read how Holly tries to explain everything to Farid, even if it goes against her nature in a figure of speech.
But what I loved the most was the enthusiasm Farid kept showing, making Holly thinking more about the true meaning of Christmas and the way how things work around this festive holiday, how nothing is impossible. 

It warmed my heart how these two persons, totally different in every possible way, find each other and learn from each other and learn to love (again).

This was a lovely, heart – warming story to read, showing us that while we sometimes take things for granted, that is not the case for everyone (shouldn’t we all reflect on this a little bit more?).
But also that no matter what our visions and thoughts are of Christmas, or even how we lack in the knowledge, its magic always finds a wonderful way…

Everyone has a different life and feels it differently

Synopsis

This collection of short stories gives a glimpse into life, love, loss, and the inexplicable in between.

Including themes of grief, finding hope and second chances, facing the consequences of your actions and getting help from the unlikeliest of places.

·        As Cecilia helps the dying, she questions what happens to their spirits. But is she ready to find out?

·        Can a mother’s race through the New Forest save her son?

·        Will visiting a medium bring Christina the closure she needs?

·        Can an intruder help an old lady with her loneliness?

·        Will the start of another wet and miserable Monday morning end with Maeve’s happy ever after?

This anthology includes the prize-winning flash fiction story – ‘Spirit Song’.

Judge’s critique – ‘Unusual, emotional, warm, surprising — a warm, unusual story. It moved me when I read it.’

Full story list:

Spirit Song

Goodbye Forever

Garden Therapy

Starting Over

A Cat-Shaped Hole

The Phone Call

Knocked Off Her Feet

Catalyst

Not Just For Christmas

A Mermaid’s Tail

From the author of fantasy novels Visions of Zarua and ‘Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy’, this short story collection features multiple genres including romance, supernatural and thriller.

My review

A collection filled with short stories, showing how each person react or experience life, love, loss and the inexplicable differently. 

Full story list:
Spirit Song
Goodbye Forever
Garden Therapy
Starting Over
A Cat-Shaped Hole
The Phone Call
Knocked Off Her Feet
Catalyst
Not Just For Christmas
A Mermaid’s Tail

What I like about short stories, is how easy it is to read them even if you only have a short free moment.
And with such subjects, I was for sure intrigued.
While I just said what the advantage is of a collection of short stories, I have to admit that I finished the whole book in one session… 

But I also have to admit that reading each story put me on a rollercoaster of emotions. There were sweet stories in it, heart – warming ones, heart – breaking ones, hopeful stories. But there was also one story that gave me the creeps… So that one story I was glad I finished it quickly! 

What touched me in this collection, is that life passes by for everyone, and everyone is faced with moments of love and loss. Each moment is different from what you have read before. And that is good for the reader, as you don’t have the feeling that the author is falling back to what has been written earlier. 

Of course, with short stories, I sometimes wished they were longer, as I would have loved to get more details or glimpses of ‘what next’.  That obviously doesn’t apply to each story (as one, as stated before, was gruesome enough with what I’ve read). 

There were some fantasy bits in it, and I wouldn’t have minded if they were completely absent as I am not such a fantasy fan myself, but even with my reluctance, I could appreciate their presence in some of the stories, as I felt how they helped the characters. 

I was positively surprised by this author with this first encounter. She managed to find different perfect blends to show us how life can turn around and define us, in a good way or unfortunately also in a bad one…

To experience a real Christmas…

Synopsis

She’s here for the perfect Christmas escape…

When Sharmila discovers her late friend, Thomas, has gifted her the holiday of her dreams, she can’t pack her bags fast enough. Arriving in Pineford, it’s everything she’d ever hoped for and more.

But she’s in for another surprise, because Thomas has left her with one last request: if she completes his Christmas wish list of festive activities, her chosen charity will receive a big donation. Or so Sharmila thinks.

…He’s there to reclaim his family’s legacy

Little does she know, she’s set to inherit Thomas’s estate too, much to his nephew Zach’s disbelief. Determined not to see his family’s legacy left to a stranger, he’s come to Pineford to do whatever it takes to stop Sharmila from fulfilling that list.

When Sharmila and Zach meet, neither are prepared for sparks to fly. For Sharmila’s sworn off love, and Zach doesn’t trust her. But with every passing wish they find themselves growing closer. And amongst the twinkling town lights and fallen snow, Sharmila can feel her heart opening up to Zach. But when she learns he’s been keeping a secret from her, can Sharmila forgive him and get the happy-ever-after she’s always wished for this Christmas?

The Twelve Wishes of Christmas is the perfect book to snuggle up with on those cosy wintry nights. Perfect for fans of Heidi Swain and Jo Thomas.

My review

Sharmila never expected that her friendship with Thomas would result into experiencing the real feeling of Christmas and all its festivities. She always enjoyed those Christmas movies with an unsurprising ending, and with Thomas’ gift of spending a holiday in Pineford, is the perfect way to experience those clichés herself as Thomas has made a Christmas Wish List she must complete in order that a charity of her choice will receive a big donation.
But what she doesn’t know is that Thomas left her also his estate. And his own family, included his nephew Zach won’t allow a stranger to get their hands on the family’s legacy.
Zach is determined to sabotage the Christmas wish list, but what he didn’t expect was to find that sparks fly around whenever Sharmila and her look on the Christmas festivities are around… 

This book is a perfect book filled with clichés about Christmas romance that can easily be turned into a perfect Christmas movie too! 

What I liked about this book, is that our main character Sharmila in some ways isn’t the typical heroine that you would expect yet in so many other ways she just is.
The close friendship she had with Thomas, was so sweet to read about, and it warmed my heart to see how two persons in a total different stage in their lives, found each other and learned from each other.
Sharmila and Thomas found each other, in a total innocent and genuine way, at a moment they needed to find each other. 

And reading how Thomas became a part of Sharmila’s family, meeting her parents, and even going to India, shows us that cultural differences can only expand our perceptiveness of the world.
Not only because Sharmila and her family come from originally from India, but also because they are living in the United Kingdom while Thomas is typical American.
It was also interesting to see how Sharmila used to celebrate (or rather not celebrate) Christmas yet how much she wishes to feel that experience herself. 

That brings us to Pineford… Because this place for sure is the most welcoming, helping place in the whole world! Even some (smaller) strings are being pulled to make it possible to complete the Wish List.
And while Sharmila is a rather closed person due a past event, she finds herself opening up little by little. 

Of course there has to be a love interest in this story. And while it did not come as a total surprise, I was glad that the love interest was Zach and not his cousin Lucas. While Lucas is for sure the most friendly, open, nicer character of the two, it’s always those intriguing characters that make me swoon.
And while it was wrong of the cousins wanting to sabotage Sharmila, I could also understand them, as they didn’t know the whole story. 

Even if Zach may seem like a real Grinch or Scrooge, we also see bits of this kind persona, who has been hurt in the past too and his determination of not getting fooled again, makes him also kind of blind to see how genuine Sharmila is. 

Of course you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to guess how this story will end, but that doesn’t mean you should just ignore this book.
I loved reading it, bringing me totally already in the Christmas spirit, even if it’s so far away yet. I loved reading how Sharmila checks of her list, discovers new times, but also learns to open her heart again.
This was a lovely, Christmassy story, to read while sitting in front of a fireplace, enjoying a hot chocolate and swoon away over lovely characters, maybe predictable yet not less lovable!

With Christmas on its way, will everyone get their wish granted?

Synopsis

Winter has arrived in Primrose Woods bringing with it new loves, new adventures and warm hugs on cold days.

Abbey Carter, her boyfriend Sam and their trusty canine companion Lady, relish living in the picturesque village of Wishwell at the edge of their beloved Primrose Woods.  The woods and the country park are full of activity as the festive season approaches.

Lizzie Baker is flat out at the Treetops café, serving all sorts of winter warmers, festive goodies and lashings of hot chocolate. And when her daughter and grandchildren arrive to stay, the run up to Christmas is set to be even more magical than she had expected.

Rhianna West has finally found the perfect man to fall in love with – if only Luke wasn’t moving away in the New Year. 

As the snow falls on Primrose Woods, and the village of Wishwell sparkles with Christmas lights, could this be the year that every wish comes true for the three friends?

Snowflakes Over Primrose Woods is the perfect feel-good love story to snuggle up with this winter. Just right for fans of Cathy Bramley, Heidi Swain and Julie Houston.

My review

Abbey Carter cannot grasp how much her life has changed over a year… Not only did she not get married, she even ended her relationship and is now deeply in love with Sam. And she absolutely loves her friends Lizzie and Rhianna, even if on paper they couldn’t be more different.
Lizzie Baker loves working at the Treetops café, with her new friend, and Abbey’s father, Bill and is over the moon when her daughter Katy and her grandchildren stand in front of her doorstep.
And Rhianna West has returned from her trip to Australia, even more certain of her feelings for Luke. Only, she seems to have friend – zoned and to make things even worse, Luke is moving away in the New Year.
With Christmas approaching, will the three friends have their greatest wishes granted? Or should they just enjoy all the wonderful things they already have? 

I was over the moon when I could finally start reading this book, as I fell completely in love with Primrose Woods with the first.
Now, you can read this as a standalone, as the necessary bits are shortly explained, but I truly recommend you to read book 1 too. And not only for being completely up to date, but because it is a wonderful book! 

While the focus is again mainly on Abbey and Sam, I felt my heart grow with love for each woman and her partner in crime.
While they are very different from each other, I recognized bits of each woman in myself too, making it even more easier to like and love them. 

I loved reading how perfect Abbey and Sam were together, with the sweet presence of Lady too! It’s obvious from every interaction that this couple is endgame, as I could see the love in their eyes from each look they give each other, every hug, every kiss,…
But no matter how perfect they are for each other, what made these marvellous even more real, was that despite everything going so well, doubts sometimes keep creeping in. It can be from a ghost from the past, a found gift that has not been given, or just doubting yourself being right for the person you love.
Those bits show us that even the most perfect characters have so much in common with the real people out here.

But even I was happy with Abbey’s and Sam’s part, I was the most curious about Rhianna…
I knew her feelings for Luke and I was very eager to know if they would or wouldn’t. And seeing how Rhianna is being friend – zoned, which breaks her heart, is also something many of us can relate to. Yet I admired her for valuing her friendship with Luke so much. While it breaks her heart for not being together – together with him, she wants to be his friend anyway. If that isn’t love… 

And Lizzie… she is just the perfect (grand)mother. She loves her daughter Katy deeply, even if she misses her and the children so much as they live in Australia. I could feel her happiness emanating from the pages when Katy stand in front of the door. I loved her for understanding Katy’s issues, for offering Katy a helping hand whenever needed. And Lizzie finding also her own happiness was the cherry on top of an amazing cake.  

The focus of this book is obviously romance, but even if I loved every bit of that romance, it was the friendship and other versions of love that made me adore this book. The author managed perfectly to make us fall deeper in love with each character, but also made us appreciate those we have around us even more.
The setting is around Christmas, and that added an additional, special, magical layer over this story. But I have no inch of a doubt that I would have adored this story in any season!

Sometimes we need a pretend to see the reality

Synopsis

An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs.  So when an accident brings them together, romance seems an unlikely outcome.

When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London.  Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren’s grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music.

Over the course of three weeks, Ren realises the world outside her exclusive bubble is more beautiful than she could have imagined. While Sacha reluctantly begins to see the goodness of the woman behind the wealth. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…

My review

Ren is known as an heiress to a fortune, with a society engagement to be the cherry on top of a cake – merger.
Even if the engagement is over for a while, when it’s made public, Ren’s grandmother wants her to fly over from Paris back to London.
But Ren is not ready to leave Paris, and needs an excuse to stay. And when her car door smashes literally into Sacha on his bike, she persuades him to pose as her new, ‘inappropriate’ boyfriend for three weeks. 21 days is all Ren’s grandmother allows her to spend with Sacha, before she has to return to London and back to business as usual.
21 days, where Ren realizes that the world outside her bubble is much grander and expectantly more beautiful than imagined.
21 days, where pretend starts to shift into something else, despite their differences.
21 days, which once ended, Ren is to return home, because happy endings are after all just things from fairy tales…

Having read several books from this author, I knew I would enjoy this one from the very start till the very last punctuation mark.
Having read several books from this author, I had a small fear that this book wouldn’t live up to the extremely high expectations I had.
Knowing this author, I shouldn’t have had an inch of a doubt about how much I just loved this book! 

First of all, I found it refreshing reading about a sort of reversed Pretty Woman. Having a heroine that is rich and wealthy, and a hero that isn’t, was exactly what the world needs more of. Because why couldn’t be women being as successful as man? 

Ren is the kind of character you know isn’t very happy, as not only her engagement ended, but she also has to live up to the high standards her grandmother dictates. I can only imagine the horror of not being allowed a biscuit when I want, out of fear that my waistline would be too big for the fancy clothes I wear!
There is also something else that scarred her, but we don’t know what that is until later on the story. 

But when she decides to stand up for herself, even using Sacha in her schemes, and her being determined to stay in Paris, that is the point that my admiration for her just started to grow. And seeing Ren feeling free, made me see the real Ren. 

I liked how Ren starts to discover the real Paris, with the help of Sacha. And not only… she sees that richness and wealth doesn’t mean happiness. She also learns that she doesn’t has to pretend with Sacha and his family, but she can just be herself, as that is more than enough. 

While reading, I also had so many laughs. It was jut hilarious to see how many ‘accidents’ can happen in such a short time.  

But overall, the main facial expression I had while reading, was that of a smile… This was just an amazing, wonderful, sweet, romantic book, showing us not only the beauty of a place like Paris, but also the beauty of two people meeting literally by accident, being complete opposites from each other, but being also utterly perfect for each other.
And isn’t that in the end what truly matters? Your background doesn’t matter when it comes to love. Your background made you who you are now, but when love enters the equation, that doesn’t matter as much as the love, passion and feelings you develop for the person standing by your side.