Tizi’s Book Review

Living during war….

Synopsis

Because in the darkest days of the Blitz, love is more important than ever.

It’s February 1942 and the Americans have finally joined Britain and its allies. Meanwhile, twenty-three-year-old Francesca Fabrino, like thousands of other women, is doing her bit for the war effort in a factory in East London. But her thoughts are constantly occupied by her unrequited love for Charlie Brogan, who has recently married a woman of questionable reputation, before being shipped out to North Africa with the Eighth Army.

When Francesca starts a new job as an Italian translator for the BBC Overseas Department, she meets handsome Count Leonardo D’Angelo. Just as Francesca has begun to put her hopeless love for Charlie to one side and embrace the affections of this charming and impressive man, Charlie returns from the front, his marriage in ruins and his heart burning for Francesca at last. Could she, a good Catholic girl, countenance an illicit affair with the man she has always longed for? Or should she choose a different, less dangerous path?

My review

Francesca is living in East – London. Like so many other women, she is doing her part for the war effort by working in a factory. Being a young woman in 1942 is not easy, but she tries to do her best.
Seeing an opportunity to get out of the factory she starts working as an Italian translator for the BBC Overs Department.

There she meets Count Leonardo D’Angelo. He is more than interested in Francesca, but she is still in love with Charlie Brogan. Charlie is shipped with the Army to North Africa, leaving his pregnant wife behind.
Can Francesca forget Charlie and move on with the Count? Even if Charlie comes back injured, what will this change?

While I was reading this story, I was having mixed feelings. Not that I didn’t like it, because I did.
But I went from sympathy for Francesca her situation, to angry to read about Charlie’s situation.

Francesca is way before her time, and she wants not to marry to gain an advantage, but she wants to marry because she truly loves the man.
And she always thought that Charlie was that man. But as he is now a married man, she must try and forget about him.
Let’s admit, we all had at least one unrequited love. So Francesca’s feelings are so recognizable.

And living during war is not so easy either…  And how Francesca tries to stay positive, seeing the silver lining in life and does not give up, Is really admirable. And when she starts to get to know the Count better, I felt a bit sad, because after all, it’s Charlie who she truly loves. But she tries to give the Count a chance. She does not just stand there pining Charlie.

But Charlie’s story just broke my heart… he married a woman after getting her pregnant. Not the ideal situation, but he really cares about her, and when his little boy is born, he feels immense love for him, even if Charlie is in Africa and never met the baby…
and when he finally gets home, after an injury, he learns the truth: his wife is not the perfect housewife and mother he expected… and biggest victim is their son.

But despite his situation, Charlies shows what a great man he is. He does whatever he can for his son. And he also is there for his family. He helps where he can with his parents, sisters. And he is also the typical big brother, very protective whatever concerns his sisters.

This book showed me that war is ugly yes, it makes people grow up faster than normal. But also that love is never far away. And that despite the ugly situation people are in, some can still do the right thing. And not just settle no matter how easy that solution would be.

A beautiful story, about love in all its facets. And also that you should never give up on love or hope!

When escaping from a nightmare results in living even a worse one…

Synopsis

Emma Andrews was orphaned at a young age with no family to turn to. Tired of the broken foster-care system, and believing it was her only option, she runs to a multi-millionaire with a reputation of hiring young women. It is only then that she learns what real monsters look like…

Emma uses her overactive imagination to help her get through the toughest of days. By daydreaming a life full of love and freewill, she manages her colorless prison, but even in her wildest dreams, she would have never imagined it could become a reality. That is, until she meets Chance, a man willing to lay his life down to save hers.

But what Emma doesn’t expect is to fight her own personal demons – her heart.

My review

Being orphaned on a young age, Emma is tired of the system. She sees only one option, and runs to a multi – milionair, known for hiring young women.

But running to Rick wasn’t the solution as he is even a bigger monster than imagined.

Having no possibilty to escape, she uses her own imagination to help her through the thoughest moments.

And then Chase appears… is he her way out? Or is she doomed to stay with Rick?

I found this a disturbing book because it shows the result of domestic violence. Emma finds herself trapped and instead of having found a knight in shining armour, she is living with an abuser.

The mental abuse makes her doubt herself. Is she really starting to care about her abuser? Is she totally losing it?

And then we have Chase… hired by Rick. Now being responsible of looking after Emma, he starts to care about her and her wellbeing.

I felt so sorry for Emma during the whole story… she just wants her own happiness but finds herself in a cage.

And the abuse she has to suffer is just impossible to imagine.

Due all the abuse she is somehow brainwashed and she cannot trust her own feelings anymore.

And what about her feelings she is starting to develop for Chase? Can he be the one to set her free? Or is this one of her fantasies and is she doomed to stay where she is?

It’s an emotional rollercoaster, making me wonder how it all would end.

But I have to also admit it would have made a bit more sense to me knowing more of the ‘before’… how did Emma end up with Rick? That was a bit vague for me.

This story gave me the goosebumps from start till end, and the cliffhanger at the very end left me wanting to read more.

I wasn’t ready for the end, especially THAT end, because I did not see that one coming!

Never give up dreaming!

Synopsis

A gorgeous new romantic comedy about taking chances and realising your dreams.

Libby Quinn is sick and tired of being sensible.

After years of slogging her guts out for nothing at a PR company, she finds herself redundant and about to plough every last penny of her savings into refurbishing a ramshackle shop and making her dream of owning her own bookshop become a reality.

She hopes opening ‘Once Upon A Book’ on Ivy Lane will be the perfect tribute to her beloved grandfather who instilled a love of reading and books in her from an early age.

When her love life and friendships become even more complicated – will Libby have the courage to follow her dreams? Or has she bitten off more than she can chew?

My review

Libby is tired of her job, and when opportunity comes, she takes a leap of faith and decide to follow her dream: opening her own bookshop. Mainly because she loves books, but also to tribute her beloved grandfather…

But the building she bought in Ivy Lane with all her savings is even in a worser state than she thought. Is she in over her head? Or will she manage to realize her dream?

It’s always tricky when you chase your dream, but opening a bookshop, with actual books and not e-books is even a bigger challenge.

So I admired Libby and her courage. And when I knew the motive, I found it even sweet! And the fact that her parents, friends and boyfriend support her in her decision, is beautiful to read.

She starts with full courage on her mission, but when she realizes that the building needs more than just some TLC, she has a bunch of back-up ready to help. Her father knows people (no, not THAT kind of people, but actual nice people!) who are willing to help her out with a friend discount. And even her boyfriend Ant, who doesn’t really dirty his hands, offers his help the way he can.

But what touched me the most, was the community of Ivy Lane… They open their hearts to Libby and they all want her to succeed in her fullfilling her dream. Each and every one of the business owners help how they can, just with no ulterior motives.

One of them is Noah, he own the local pub. The first encounter is a bit rough, but soon we have to reassess our opinion. He is kind, generous, caring, and ready to offer his help to Libby.

This story is about chasing your dreams, finding a new family in a community and being there for each other.

And all the characters are very mature, they do not behave like teenagers and even when a relationship ends, there are no hard feelings and there is mutual respect. And when some characters are in a row, there are harsh words, but you can feel that they still live and care about each other.

I loved being submerged in the story, even if it gave me the chills when Libby was cleaning the building… But even the nasty pests didn’t diminuish the joy I had reading this book!

And oh, there is also a bingo! Look for #LibbyQuinnBingo !!!

What happens after your five – year plan?

Synopsis

Two people. One epic love story. What if?

The perfect fun and heartwarming romance to escape with from the bestselling author of Marry Me Tomorrow

‘OMG! The chemistry between Orla and Aiden is electric!’ Netgalley reviewer

‘Sometimes you just need a good story with heart, and this is one of those books’ Goodreads reviewer

Orla is a trainee reporter with a five-year plan: work her way up the career ladder, move to London and secure a job on a big national newspaper. She doesn’t want a boyfriend, he’s only going to hold her back anyway.

Aiden spends his life travelling the world and living in a tent. He knows his goal: to photograph animals and raise awareness of global warming and wildlife conservation. He’s definitely not looking for a relationship past the odd casual hook-up!

So when Orla and Aiden’s lives collide, they do everything to not fall for each other – with the opposite effect. But they stick to their plans, and go their separate ways…

Five years later, they meet again…

If you love Mhairi McFarlane, Jo Watson and Paige Toon, you’ll LOVE Carla Burgess. The Five-Year Plan is the perfect fun and feel-good escapist read.

My review

Five hears ago, Orla and Aidan met. They had a brief but intense relationship, but as they had different dreams and plans at that moments, they went separate ways.

Orla is chasing her five – year plan, wanting to find a job for an important newspaper in London, while Aidan photographs animals and wants to rise awareness concering global warming and wildlife conservation.

What happens when they meet again after five year?

The story starts in the present, but after Orla and Aidan meet again after so many years, we quickly go back in the past.

This so that we can understand what happenend and how it affected the both of them.

What started as a work relationship, develops to friendship and even more.

I loved the dynamic between Orla and Aidan.

They are so different, but despite the differences, the attraction grows.

But their meeting was just not the right timing…

The both of them have their own dreams, and the love they have is so big, they don’t wnat to stand in the way.

And this is, despite their rather young age, a proof of how mature they are.

But what remains of those feelings after five years?

It was sweet to read how both Orla and Aidan are struggling with seeing each other after so long.

But I have to be honest too…

It was a sweet story, but I missed that spark. And it went all too smoothly and quickly in the end. The focus was too much on the past and not the present. Yes of course, you have to know the past to understand the present.

But the present is just… not that present…

Everything is solved so fast, while I would have liked to see more intense scenes, and why not, some drama too…

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t dislike the story in its total, but I feel there was a bit more potential in it.

But it’s still a nice story to read and forget about all the ugliness of the moment!

Finding the perfect settings in Italy and even more…

Synopsis

Up for a dream promotion, Emma won’t let anything get in her way – not even love.

Working for a major Hollywood film company isn’t all glitz and glam. But when Emma gets sent to tour around Italy to scout the perfect location for a new blockbuster movie, she’s not going to complain. Especially when it could make or break her career…

Historical adviser Mark is a distraction that Emma does not need. As they explore the beauty of Italy, though, Emma starts to fall for the mysterious historian, finding herself torn between her job and her heart.

From the wild, northern mountains of Piedmont, down the vibrant coast of Cinque Terre and through the rolling hills of Tuscany, Emma’s journey becomes one of self-discovery as she questions her priorities in life.

This heartwarming story of romance and redemption is the perfect read for fans of Tilly Tennant, Holly Martin and Daisy James.

My review

Emma is working for a major Hollywood film company. Her dream is to grow into the colpany and is not allowing any distractions to keep her from her dream.

For the latest movie, she has to go to Italy to find the perfect settings. As the most popular places are not what the company wants, she has to rely on Marina, a guide and Mark, a historical adviser.

Together with Rich, the boss’ son, they will discover the hidden beauties of Italy.

But will this journey also open Emma’s eyes for love? Or is that also a distraction she cannot allow?

Having read another book of this author, I hoped this one would be of the same high level.

And my oh my, it was!

T.A. manages to blend a romance with beautiful not so known places.

This is not only a romance, but also a discovery of Italy.

When you think of Tuscany, Piemonte, the same cities always come in mind. So it would be easy to stick to what you know.

But as the movie the company wants to make, requires some special locations, we get to know some well hidden places.

Of course, being an Italian myself, they were not all totally that secret to me 😃.

And the romance, let’s not forget about the romance…

Emma is determined to excel in her job and finally have the so well deserved promotion. She is a strong woman, finding her own independence very important. She didn’t get where she is now thanks to somebody else, but all thanks to her own determination.

So when she meets Mark, she finds herself in a strange position. Of course it’s only lust she is feeling?

I loved Emma and her obliviousness… Not only concerning Mark, but also when she is with the hottest actor of the moment, she does not see that there is more than just friendship from his side.

But you also see how Emma starts to see that her job is just that, a job. And that true happiness does not only come in having success in your job.

It’s sweet to see how she slowly dares to take more chances.

And Mark… oh my dearest Mark…

In the beginning of the story, he is a closed character. But the further the story progresses, the more I understood where he is coming from.

He has had some serious traumas in life, and those are not so easily put behind.

I just loved this whole story, from the movie script to the romance of Emma and Mark.

But also the side story is not something to just overlook. It’s beautiful to read how Rich grows and is also able to put his dark past behind him, also thanks to Marina!

Oh, stop reading this review and start reading the book already!!!

More than just a romance!

Synopsis

A place to make your dreams come true…Clara King is left in sole charge of a fabulous new cliff top hotel for the summer. The owner has barely left the country when Clara realises that someone is hell bent on putting the Bluebell Cliff Hotel out of business.

It becomes a race against time to hunt down the sneaky saboteur before they succeed in bringing the hotel to its knees.

With her dream job under threat and her personal life in chaos, Clara discovers that, when what you love the most is in danger, it can bring out the very best in you.

My review

Clara is finding herself in charge of the Bluebell Cliff hotel, after the owner has left the country for family circumstance.
The hotel is THE place for having your dreams come true, but for Clara it’s slowly becoming a nightmare. On several occasions there is a saboteur doing it’s utterly best to discredit the hotel. But who, and also why? Are the owners of the nearby hotel responsible? Or is there someone else lurking?

I loved reading this story, because it’s not just a standard romance. The idea of a saboteur made this a bit of a different story.

Clara is a responsible woman, just having found the job she truly likes. And when she suddenly is in charge, she is obviously a little bit afraid, but also determined to make everything run smoothly. Despite being in charge, she is not letting the new responsibilities make her head swoon. The dynamics between her and the other employees are still amicable. A laugh and joke are more common than strict handing the iron fist.

But even if Clara is not acting like an angry, severe boss, she stands her ground when needed. And nobody messes with the hotel when she is in charge!
Together with the whole team, the saboteur will be found!
And I had several laughs with the co – workers! Each and every one of them is so delightful and adding extra spice into the story!
Without them, a lot of charm would get lost in the story!

When Adam comes in the picture, just like Clara I was suspicious… from being a grumpy man initially his change in behaviour was too big and sudden to be just sheer accident, right? And he and his brother have a lot to gain with the bad luck the hotel Is facing, being a direct rival in the hotel business.
The more time Clara and Adam spend together, the more they realize they have in common. And slowly feelings are taking part in the story.

The mystery about sabotaging the hotel kept me reading, because I couldn’t make any sense of it. Because the obvious culprit would be too obvious, right? But who else could benefit from it?

Describing this story as a strict romance, would not be enough. It’s a mystery, drama, comedy, romance, all in one.

A perfect blend for a nice day reading and escape your own reality.

Better off alone than mending a broken heart, right?

Synopsis

Renee Clarke is perfectly happy just the way she is… 

Renee may be thrilled to be planning her sister’s wedding, but after witnessing her mother’s two failed marriages, she has always vowed that she is better off on her own.
 
But when Renee discovers that Luc Hardy has moved next door, her world is knocked off kilter. Luc was her whirlwind summer romance as a teen and, more importantly, her first love. Now he’s back in West Cove, looking more handsome than ever.
 
There is no escaping the romance in the air this summer. With the wedding planning in full swing, Renee begins to believe that she might be able to put her childhood reservations about marriage aside.

Yet when her mother arrives, she stirs a torrent of emotions in Renee’s heart. She’s up to her old tricks again – boasting about her latest conquests – reaffirming Renee’s lack of faith in love.

As Renee’s happily-ever-after hangs in the balance, will Luc be able to convince her that true love can last forever?

A totally heart-warming summer romance you won’t want to put down! Perfect for fans of Jenny Hale, Susan Mallery and Lucy Coleman

My review

Renee Clarke is a happy single woman, living together with her father. She is not looking for love, being witness of her mother’s failed marriages.
Why should she be looking for a marriage when a broken heart will be the result?

But being the good sister she is, she is thrilled to be planning her sister’s wedding. Renee hopes that her sister will get her happily ever after, but is resolute to stand by her own beliefs.
On top of that, she finds out that her new neighbour is someone she already knows. It’s her first love Luc Hardy.
Planning the wedding and meeting Luc again, makes Renee submerged in romance. But will she be able to put her reservations aside and take a chance on love?

We all had that one summer crush that rocked our world. But most of the times, it remains that one crush, with no further developments in the future.
So was also the crush of Renee and Luc. Just one summer of true love, and nothing further.
But what would happen when that crush comes back, living next to you and is even hotter now than then???

Renee is a strong woman, chasing her own dreams. But her mother’s past made her sure that happily ever after is just an illusion and just not for her.
And reading everything she has been through with her mother, it’s understandable.
But despite her reservations concerning marriage, she is also a very loving sister. So she does whatever she can to make sure her little sister has the perfect wedding. Because she wouldn’t dream of ruining a wedding of a loved one, just because she is against the decision.
The way she puts her own work and planning aside for her sister, shows that she knows her priorities and making her sister happy is all that matters. Even if it will cause Renee some issues with her job.

Now, initially I didn’t like the behaviour of Cait, the sister. She seemed a little brat to me, wanting everyone to be ready at every wish and command. Even moving a finger was too much for her, so she starts commanding around.
And her victim is often Renee.
But at some point I had to revisit my opinion, because also Cait is having her own struggles…

And Luc… well, I will let you discover him by yourself!
But I would be just like Renee, trying to catch as many glimpses from the window!

This story is about second chances, daring to take a chance, but also about standing up for yourself. Renee is a real people – pleaser, often at her own expense.
But finding the courage of standing up for yourself and just saying ‘no’ is harder than you think. And Renee is slowly growing, and at one point enough is enough. At that moment, I found myself cheering for her, as I was glad she finally did it!
It’s difficult to take a leap of faith for a second chance, but that’s also part of growing up. And Renee is finding herself at a crossroads, as she doesn’t know if she is ready to take that step.

A beautiful setting, great and funny people to read about (most of them) and the evolution of let us say a fearful woman, but ready to step out of her comfort zone. And love in many forms… a teenage love, sister love, parent – child love, even love for animals! What’s not to like?

Believe, me, you will not see that one coming!

Synopsis

Wedding vows have never been this personal…

Willow has been living with marriage-shy Charlie for more years than she cares to remember and is old-fashioned enough to want a wedding band and a loads-of-sex honeymoon before stretchmarks and nipple shields.

So when the once-wary Charlie surprisingly goes down on one knee, Willow doesn’t question why her boyfriend is suddenly so keen to rush her into saying “I do”.

The first clue comes as Willow is zipped into her Cinderella dress, the second as she bobs into the wedding car, and the third as the Roller swings towards its fairy-tale destination… leaving a shell-shocked Willow desperately trying to figure out what to do next.

A bride can do anything she wants on her wedding day, but nobody expected her to do this…

My review

Willow is living together with her boyfriend Charlie. She is ready for the next chapter, marriage, but Charlie is totally against marriage.
Not because he is against the whole institution of marriage, but just because he’s a scumbag, d*ckhead, *sshole, … (fill in other words to describe a nasty man).

So when Charlie finally gets on his knee to pop the question, Willow is over the moon! But is it really because of his love for Willow? Or is there more?

First of all, when you start reading this story, forget all the summaries you’re read on the internet. This because the wedding is just a tiny part of the whole story. Even the engagement is further away in the story. This is more about Willow’s and Charlie’s relationship.

If you take this in account, you’ll enjoy this story just like I did. Or just get angry at most characters!

Willow is a kind hearted woman, loving Charlie above everything. She confides in her best friend Emma and loves working in the library, even if it means working together with Jean.
She is one of the few I truly cared about in the story.

Charlie is just, as stated above, a scumbag, with a Peter Pan complex, never growing up. And part of my frustrations was that he gets away with it every time! He’s a slick, smooth talker and the more I got to know him, the more I hoped that karma would be a real b*tch, like he deserves!

Even other characters were so vile in my opinion, I just didn’t like them. And I hoped that Willow would find out the truth and give each one of them a piece of her mind!
Even her best friend Emma was on my ‘I don’t like you at all’ list.

And yes, I DID enjoy the book! I know it doesn’t look like it, but I truly did. The more I got to know everyone, I saw more mess being created. And I knew that the truth would be discovered.
Question was: how and when? And how would Wilow react and do???

Luckily there were also nice people in it, and sometimes even people you wouldn’t suspect of being on Willow’s side.
And these people make up for all the bad characters in it.  Because they are really genuine, and have the best interest for Willow.

The grand finale really was a “WHAAAAAAT????” moment, because I did not see that one coming! So be prepared to dislike a lot of people, but also keep an open mind that not everything is what it seems, and KARMA IS A B*TCH!!!!

The desire of being an independent woman in the 1900’s…

Synopsis

1908, Manchester. Mary Maitland is an attractive and intelligent young woman determined to strike out on her own and earn a living. Finding work at a women’s employment agency, her creative talent is soon noticed and Mary begins writing articles for newspapers and magazines.

But being of independent and progressive mind are troublesome traits when those you hold dear must constantly live up to the expectations of the well-to-do family to which they are linked. With increasing pressures from the powers that be, can Mary find the fine line between honouring her family and honouring herself?

My review

Mary is a young woman who does not want to be kept. She earns her own livings, and does everything she can to get promoted.
But in 1908 it’s not done for a woman to have a real career and she discovers that  herself.

As she is a talented writer, she writes articles for newspapers and magazines, finding this an outlet to point out social frustrations.
Meanwhile she has to find a way of honouring her family, linked with a high – class family, but not at cost of herself.

Sometimes a novel can remind you we cannot take our liberties for granted.
It’s hard to imagine that just 100 years ago, women wanting a career was just not done. There were so many restrictions that for us in the present, would be hard to follow them.

And that’s the amazing thing of this story…
Mary is a modern woman, wanting the same things like us. But just being born in the wrong period, is limiting her. It was custom for a woman to just get married and take care of the household.
But she has more dreams and is not planning on just giving them up.

In fact, this book contains the story of 3 main characters, all entwined  together somehow…
Mary is fighting for her right to do what she wants. But she is pulled by her family to just do as told. Because they are linked to the high class Kimber family. And everything they do, can affect the good reputation of the Kimber family.
Greg has inherited from his uncle, but not being able to get his hands on the heritance, he finds himself in big trouble. As having several debts, he needs the cash to pay back the loaners.
And Helen finds herself passed over to Greg after the death of her brother. She has more to offer than just being kept…

Each character is struggling with their current situation. As Mary is determined to make more of her life, Greg is in a downward spiral and is getting in more trouble and taking extreme actions. Helen finds herself lonely and being pushed in a corner.

Susanna takes her time for each character, even the minor characters, so that we understand what is their motivation.
Mary is very independent and strong, and also very mature for her age. And when misfortune happens, she tries to get herself together.
Greg is just being a greedy man, looking at no one to get what he thinks he deserves.
Helen seems a woman constant in a bad mood, but slowly we get to know her better, and I realized she also was a victim of her time…

A historical fiction where you hope for a happy ending for everyone, but also realizing that it’s not always possible…
The story of Mary reminds us that we cannot just take things for granted and that sometimes fighting a battle is worth the end result.
and no matter what, honouring yourself is always worth the risk. And that even with misfortunes in the past, you can have your independence but also your happiness.