Tizi’s Book Review

Finding yourself in the Provence…

Synopsis

Is a change as good as a rest?

When married couple Fern and Aiden have a windfall, their reactions could not be more different. While Fern is content to pay off their mortgage and build a nest egg before starting a family, her husband is set on traveling the world.

Fern’s not much of a back-packer so, before she knows it, the idea of a ‘marriage gap year’ takes shape. And, as Aiden heads off to the wilds of Australia, Fern chooses the more restful Provence for her year out.

Set amidst the glorious French scenery, Château de Vernon offers a retreat from the hustle and bustle of normal life, and Fern agrees to help out in return for painting lessons from the owner – renowned, but rather troubled, painter Nico.

As their year unfolds in very different ways, will the time apart transform their marriage, or will it drive Fern and Aiden even further apart…

Let Lucy Coleman whisk you off on a heart-warming, sun-drenched and magical French adventure.

My review

Fern and Aiden are apparently a happy couple. But when they have a strike of luck, their ideas couldn’t be further apart…
Aiden set his mind on traveling the world, backpacking. He also needs a year apart, having a gap year from each other.
Fern doesn’t understand why, but she doesn’t want him to give up his dreams, so while he is discovering Australia, Fern is going to spend a year volunteering in the Provence. She will help out and having in return some painting lessons from Nico.

I loved this story, full stop!
A beautiful story about discovering your passions, your abilities and yourself.

Fern has been for too long taking care of everyone around her. in first instance she didn’t realize what effect this was having on herself, but being freed from all the taking care off, she soon sees how stressed she truly was.
Being on herself, without interference and judgements from her family, she discovers how the world sees her and what she really likes to do.
It’s an opportunity to follow her dreams and develop her talents.
And with Nico as her teacher, she sees where her true passion lays. Being a kindred spirit, they relay more and more on each other, and a deep friendship is born.

To be honest, I didn’t understand Aiden at all. Also what happens further in the story, made me not really like him.

I understand the desire to discover the world, but just taking a whole year off, away from family and friends, with just a few calls and messages once and now… sorry, but I don’t get it.

This is not a romantic story, but more a story about discovering yourself and following your passions. It made me realize that too often we do things just to please people and not do it because we really want to.
Reading about how Fern relaxes and enjoys her environment, made me also feel relaxed and somehow I felt the same emotions Fern was going through.

It made me dream about being in such a lovely place in Provence too!

When being in a jury is suddenly about finding out the truth about 2 people…

Synopsis

Whispers in the courtroom.

Only one juror hears them.

Can Laura unravel the truth by the end of the trial?

In an old courtroom, a hissing voice distracts shy juror, Laura, and at night recurring nightmares transport her to a Victorian gaol and the company of a wretched woman.

Although burdened by her own secret guilt, and struggling to form meaningful relationships, Laura isn’t one to give up easily when faced with an extraordinary situation.

The child-like whispers lead Laura to an old prison graveyard, where she teams up with enthusiastic museum curator, Sean. He believes a missing manuscript is the key to understanding her haunting dreams. But nobody knows if it actually exists.

Laura is confronted with the fate of two people – the man in the dock accused of defrauding a charity for the blind, and the restless spirit of a woman hanged over a century ago for murder. If Sean is the companion she needs in her life, will he believe her when she realises that the two mysteries are converging around a long-forgotten child who only Laura can hear?

Ordinary women.

Extraordinary experiences.

My review

Laura is a member of a jury deciding the fate of a man accused of fraud. But when the process starts, she suddenly starts hearing whispers from a child. She is the only one who hears them, but doesn’t make any sense out of them. She doesn’t hear actual words, but more sounds.
Even more, she starts having nightmares each night about a woman hanged over a century ago for murder.

When she meets Sean, he teams up with her to find out what is happening and what actual happened with the woman. Being a museum curator, he has more possibilities to dig deeper in the past.

Together they slowly are uncovering the truth. And a friendship is being built. But Laura herself is having a few dark secrets of her own.

This is seriously one intriguing story!
Having 2 different mysteries surely kept me reading. The ‘real’ case of fraud already was something not clear to me what actually happened.
Add the mystery of a family living a century ago haunting Laura, made it even better.

Laura is a shy woman, not someone who asks for attention. But she knows her world and when she speaks up, she knows what she is talking about.
She is also not someone that give up easily. She has a hunger for the truth, wants to know what truly happened.

When she meets Sean, at first she is a bit distant, but the mutual interest in the past makes sure that a friendship is born and they both open up.
Sean appears to be a true friend, understanding Laura and not thinking she is just a crazy woman. He doesn’t understand how it is possible, but believes Laura and what is happening to her. He supports her the best he can.

The more we get to know about the woman and girl in the past, the more we realize their lives were a tragic one.
The extend of it, is heart – breaking. They both deserved so much more and the consequences somehow are still reflected in the present.

A story that keeps you on the edge on your seat. Beautifully written about how the truth is the most important thing and understanding one’s action without condemning them. And also that the truth will always come out, even if it may take a longer time than predicted…

When a job stands in the way…

Synopsis

Jake Williams has been undercover as a captain at Great Britain Air for months and he’s beyond frustrated. Tasked with finding the airline insiders who are smuggling chemical weapons into the country, he’s getting nowhere fast. 

Bree Phillips has spent her whole life wanting to travel and experience life outside of the small village she grew up in, but her family needed her. Now, years later than planned, she is finally joining her best friend to work for Great Britain Air, and her adventure is beginning.

Jake knows he is better off alone, it keeps him sharp and focused, but despite his efforts to keep Bree at a distance, she is drawn further and further into his world. Both have to ask themselves whether some risks are worth taking.

My review

Bree Phillips is finally pursuing her dream, she is part of the crew for Great Britain Air. It’s after insistence of her beloved grandfather she is finally doing something for herself, before getting married.
On her first flight, she meets captain Jake Williams. Normally he is a very cheery man, but for some unknown reason, he behaves very differently towards her compared with her other colleagues.

Little does everyone know that he is actual an undercover agent, trying to find the smugglers of chemical weapons using Great Britain Air.
As his progressions are nearly non- existing, he becomes more and more frustrated.

Despite his efforts to keep Bree at distance, they find out they are more alike than thought. But can Jake manage to keep his true job hidden without jeopardizing his mission? And is Bree more adventurous than suspected?

First I thought it would be more a romance story and not a suspense story.  But quickly it was clear that figuring out who the smugglers were and keeping Jake’s cover was the bigger picture in this book.
And that is exactly why I enjoyed it. Sometimes the romance overtakes the real story. But here you always kept in mind what the true purpose was and how the characters were not losing sight of their goal.

Jake is a focused man, not easily getting distracted. He is one of the best in his job. He is also subtle in doing his job. Nobody suspects him of having a double agenda.
But when he is not working, he is also a kind friend. When Bree needs help, he does not hesitate to be there for her.

Bree is a woman who always first takes cares of others before thinking of herself. It is obvious that if her grandfather didn’t push her to follow her dreams, she won’t have done it.
She is also very approachable, people sense that they can trust her and that she will help any way she can, even jeopardizing her own safety.

Jake and Bree become good friends and team up together. Even when Bree suspects Jake is not telling her the complete truth, she knows that he is a trustworthy man.

The storyline of smugglers is also well written. Initially I had my suspicions, but then the outcome was totally different and then another plot twist made it even better!
This book is perfect for who wants to read about a job which is the dream of many people (being a steward(ess) or secret agent, your choice 😀) with a lot suspense and a bit of romance.

When memories do not match…

Synopsis

HOW CAN A MEMORY SO VIVID BE WRONG?
In the summer of 1986 Robin and Izzie hold hands under The Faerie Tree and wish for a future together. Within hours tragedy rips their dreams apart.

In the winter of 2006, each carrying their own burden of grief, they stumble back into each other’s lives and try to create a second chance. But why are their memories of 1986 so different? And which one of them is right?

With strong themes of memory, love and grief, The Faerie Tree is a novel as gripping and unputdownable as Jane Cables first book, The Cheesemaker’s House, which won the Suspense & Crime category of The Alan Titchmarsh Shows Peoples Novelist competition. It is a story that will resonate with fans of romance, suspense, and folklore.

My review

Robin and Izzie meet in 1986. There is an attraction, but Izzie in in a relationship. She ask Robin to wait for her. Robin understands her situation and is willing to wait for the love of his life. They spend a nice summer day and wish under a faerie tree a future together.
But a tragedy occurs, ripping their dreams apart.

In 2006 by sheer coincidence they meet again and soon they realize their attraction is still there, despite the grief they have suffered during the years.
Spending some time together, they realize their memories are so different and doubt is risen as it’s not clear which memories are the real thing…

Initially this seemed a very sweet story, two people once in love, meet again and want to give each other a second chance.
I think everyone once wondered what would happen if you would get a second chance…

But quickly the story takes a darker turn, as we have no clue how the Robin’s situation could deteriorate?
Through flashbacks we get an insight in Robin’s memories. But are his memories real? Because the time spent together with Izzie, Izzie remembers differently.
Who’s mind is playing tricks?

This story made me think in one direction, as I thought quickly what was going on. But then it made me reevaluate my suspicions all over again.
Not only the memory – issue is something to worry about, but also the behavior of both Robin and Izzie are not always as easy to understand.
Robin has the habit of ‘running away’, while Izzie tries to find consolation in drinking wine.

I didn’t know what would happen next with the characters, and this was the charm of the book, the need to know. You cannot just put it away and continue with your daily chores. You keep having the story in your mind and you will not rest until the truth is out there!

Starting over but with a hidden agenda…

Synopsis

Nell’s going back to school… but now she’s learning lessons of the heart

Reception class teacher Nell Shackleton has a plan. At least, she had until she arrived at her new home of Humblebee Farm, a dilapidated farmhouse on the Yorkshire moors. But so what if the roof’s full of holes, the back door’s hanging off and there’s a sheep in the front room? Because sometimes a new beginning means starting at the bottom… right?

Xander Scott is one of the youngest headteachers Leyholme Primary School has ever had. But managing over-zealous parents and their semi-feral kids proves a tricky task for shy Xander – as does keeping his mind on the job when his feelings for the new Reception teacher become more than strictly professional…

At 43, Nell’s new friend Stevie Madeleine has given up on love. After losing her wife, Stevie’s decided that her four-year-old daughter Milly and cocker spaniel Red are the only girls she needs in her life. That is, until larger-than-life dog-walker Deb arrives on the scene. But will the secrets of Stevie’s past stop her new romance dead in its tracks?

Meeting Xander and Stevie brings joy back into Nell’s life – but when old secrets start to surface, there may be some hard lessons to learn for them all…

A gorgeously uplifting and hilarious romantic comedy that will delight fans of Milly Johnson, Holly Martin and Heidi Swain.

My review

After her latest relationship, Nell decides to start completely over. She buys an old farmhouse in Leyholme and starts a new job as a reception class teacher.
There she meets Xander, the new head teacher.

Xander found himsef in his new job against his own wishes. Being in charge of the school now means also taking care of overprotective parents, not allowing the counsel to play him like a puppet but it means also organizing several events and welcoming the new reception class teacher.

Initially I thought this was a story like so many others. Woman starts rebuilding her life in a new place, meets man and then you know how it will end. Not that I don’t enjoy reading such stories, but sometimes I need that little extra intrigue.
And this story has it!

The moment I met Nell, I instant liked her. She is a kind woman, with her heart at the right place. Being a teacher is not an easy job, but she truly cares about her pupils, and manages to be a kind teacher, but she is also firm when required. She sees what kind of parents she has in front of her, and manages to put their worries aside.

Xander is a troubled man. The consequences of the past is something he is still carrying around. He is a shy man, a bit afraid to stand up for himself.
But you know he is a good guy… he just needs to find the guts to speak out his mind and not let others dictate his work.

Nell meets also other persons, and quickly bonds with Stevie, mother of four-year-old Milly. After losing her wife, Stevie only focus is Milly, but a new friendship with Nell is just what she needs.

I really liked all characters, but soon I realized that Nell was having a double agenda. But what is was, was not easy to find out. Several options went through my mind, from innocent ideas to illegal activities. Not a moment during the story you have a clue what Nell’s real purpose is.

This book is a perfect blend of several emotions… several times I was laughing. But some parts also made me sad when the secrets came out.
I liked it from start till end and found it very hard to put the book away. I wanted the secrets to be unfolded and see the reactions to them. But I also was eager to know what the end would be like.

Conclusion: a sweet, heartwarming story, full of laughs but also with serious subjects that are handled with care. Once you start, you will not put the book away!

When you get to know both sides from a story.

Synopsis

AJ Williams wasn’t supposed to fall in love with a girl on the internet. But he did. 

Other than living over five thousand miles away in Northern Ireland, Lisa Millar is seemingly his perfect match. AJ can’t quite believe his luck, not only is she beautiful, but she has an appreciation for both music and hockey – two of his favoritethings.

Surprised by Lisa turning up unannounced in Alabama, AJ is under pressure to deal with the issue at hand. Should he risk losing her, come clean and tell her the truth? Or should he try to keep his secret under wraps?

Will true love win out? Or will AJ’s secret be too much for Lisa to bear?

My review

AJ Williams starts chatting with a girl, to help his best friend Jeremy. What starts as a group conversation, soon evolves to a private chat.
Apparently he and Lisa have a lot in common, they both love music and hockey.  Only problem is, Lisa lives over five thousand miles away…

When she surprises him with a visit, he is struggling with the secret he kept for her. Will their long distance love be strong enough to overcome this big secret?

I have read first the Lisa Millar series, so I kind of knew what would happen.
But it was so amazing to read the whole love story again, but this time from AJ’s point of view.
There is so much more you get to learn now.
In the view of Lisa, I never really connected with AJ. But having read this part now, I now understand better what AJ is going through.

Also we get to know why he agreed with the secret. And also his struggles with his decision.
Thanks to this book, AJ seems more ‘real’ to me, compared with the first part of Lisa.

Reading his side of the story, I realized he is not the usual macho man, but he is not afraid to show his true feelings. Also the other problems he is having are more clear now. He has some issues, but is not afraid to talk about them, and he discusses with his loved ones when things are just too much for him.

I loved this book, as it gives you more insights, and I just CANNOT WAIT to read the next part of it, as I know what huge cliffhanger is going to take place. I just need to know how AJ will react and what turmoil it will cause in his world!
But for those who haven’t read the Lisa series, do not worry, you can read this perfectly without having read Lisa her story first.

So hard to explain what I felt…

Synopsis

Deceit has a certain allure when your life doesn’t match up to the ideal of what it means to be a modern man. 

Tom’s lost his job and now he’s been labelled ‘spermless‘. He doesn’t exactly feel like a modern man, although his double life helps. Yet when his secret identity threatens to unravel, he starts to lose the plot and comes perilously close to the edge.

All the while Adam has his own duplicity, albeit for very different reasons, reasons which will blow the family’s future out of the water.

If they can’t be honest with themselves, and everyone else, then things are going to get a whole lot more complicated.

This book tackles hard issues such as male depression, dysfunctional families and degenerative diseases in an honest, life-affirming and often humorous way. It focuses particularly on the challenges of being male in today’s world and explores how our silence on these big issues can help push men to the brink.

My review

When Tom loses his job, he is sure he will find a new one straight away. So what’s the point in telling his wife Siri (FYI, Siri is just a nickname 😀 )?
But when a job isn’t so easily found, Tom doesn’t find the courage to tell Siri what is really going on. So instead of coming clean, he keeps up his charade and pretends to go to work each day while truly he is going to a bar spending the while day there drinking coffee.

On top of losing his job, he finds out he is infertile. So now creating a so much wanted family is also out of the picture.

All these events make Tom believe he is useless and slides into a depression. So he decides he doesn’t want to live anymore, so he won’t be a burden anymore.

And when his brother in law is behaving not like himself, the worries even become more.

“Pffff….”, that was my initial thought after having read the last words of this book. This is not a story to take lightly.
Depressions isn’t something to be underestimated. And how the whole situation has been described, and how Tom feels, are so accurate (not that I know how a depression feels) and explain so well what Tom is going through…

And not only Tom his feelings, but also the feelings of the people around him… The people who care want to help him, but they realize it’s not so easy as it seems.

This is a story about real people, with all their imperfections, trying to stand up to the high standards of society. And when you are not able to fulfill the requirements, it’s you who is not right, pushing you in a downward spiral…

This story makes you realize that often people are just playing a role, and hide their true feelings. But it also makes you realize that asking for help (even professional help) is not something to be ashamed of.

With all the heavy emotions, there are even some funny moments, making it possible to take a breath and make you smile.

A recommendation to truly understand what effects depression can have on a person and his environment. But also a realization that to overcome it is a real option! 

When work brings people together.

Synopsis

Mallory Johansen has nearly given up on thinking she’ll get her act together – the one where she plays the part of an adult – by the time she hits thirty. As it is she’s desperate and depressed. Her only friend is leaving town, she’s paired to work with a man who can’t stand her, and she finds herself homeless. Definitely hasn’t mastered being a grown-up yet. 

Otis Bell wants nothing more than to play his guitar, book acoustic bands to perform at his upcoming music venue, andbe in charge of his own life. Instead, he’s working full time in his family’s auto shop. He only owns half the supposed music venue, which stands as an abandoned church and needs more than a little work. When his best friend moves away, he’s paired with an aloof girl he’s never liked as partner, andstretches himself thin working too many hours. 

The Chapel is the little music venue that could. Full of potential. Full of ugly carpet, peeling paint, and exhausting work. Mallie and Otis navigate their way through a fledgling partnership, trying their darnedest to get the place up and running, while trying pretty hard not to fall in love in the process.

My review

Mallory Johansen is a bit of a lonely woman. Being orphaned on an early age, her one true friend is her cousin and she just tags along with him and his friends.
But when he leaves for a once in a lifetime opportunity, she has to work with a man who can’t stand her, AND she loses her home, she feels very desperate and lonely.

Being partner with Otis for The Chapel, she puts her best foot forward to change the literal tiny church into a brand new music venue.
A shy girl always standing in the shadows and a man ready to do whatever it takes to make his dream of an amazing music venue come true, different personalities, will they manage to work together?

This was such a sweet story to read!
As being really shy, Mallory doesn’t know if people help her because they pity her, or because they really want to.
So when Otis starts helping her even when it has nothing to do with the renovations of The Chapel, she is sure he is just doing it out of a sense of duty, and not because he really cares about her.

And Otis is being a typical guy (no offence!), not wanting to admit his feelings but pretend he is indifferent towards Mallory.
But the further the story evolves, you see the true Otis. He’s this sweet man, wanting to help out where he can. He cannot stand how Mallory gets treated, wants to protect her and just wants her best interest.

I loved it… I didn’t know what to expect from this book, because this was the first book I’ve read from this author. I started reading and I couldn’t put it away!
The characters are all so recognizable. They are not someone special, but just regular people like you and I.
Also the feelings that are described, are feelings every one of us can have. Haven’t we all once felt just being taken care of because of a sense of duty? Doubting if we are really liked or just being pitied?
But the joy and happiness that are also present, are so fun and sweet to read!

Reading about Mallory and Otis made my day!

Just loved it!

Synopsis

Sam Huxton doesn’t do one-night stands, especially not with men she’s just met! But the hot guy at the bar was hard to resist and their one night together is one she’ll never forget.

But one night is all they share – no names, no numbers, just some much needed fun…

Until the same guy walks into Sam’s life the next day as her new employee.  Sam never mixes business with pleasure and makes it clear an office fling with Ryan is off-limits.  But after-hours…one thing can lead to another. Can Sam trust her heart and her business with the new guy?

My review

After she has been cheated by her boyfriend and business partner, for Sam it’s only work and no play.
But one night she decides to just have fun and has a one night stand with a gorgeous man she met at a bar.
Just one night fun with him, no exchanging names, numbers etc. and chances of meeting again are nihil.

But when suddenly her one night stand shows up at her work, as her latest employee, the awkwardness is palpable…
Can Sam and Ryan keep it strict business? Or will all the extra hours spending together for their deadline make the attraction too hard to resist?

Each time I read a book written by Kathryn, I am amazed. I don’t know how she succeeds each time in writing about an impossible love story but making it so lovely and sweet.
And what a relief for reading a story where the woman is the boss and not the other way around!

The characters are also very loveable. Sam has started her own business and is in charge of it all. After she has been betrayed in the worst way, and her ex is still finding ways to get her blood boiled. Despite everything she is determined to succeed in her goals.
She is hard in her business, but also cares about her employees. When someone makes a mistake, she is not finger pointing but will find for a solution.
But deep down she is also a bit afraid of what other people think of her, and doesn’t want to be the latest gossip.

Ryan is different… not having had the easiest of youth, he cannot stand bullies. Honesty is the most important thing for him, so he speaks his mind, even if this could hurt someone. But better to tell the truth, and not keep lying?
He finds it hard to trust someone, but once you’re in his circle, he would move heaven and earth for you…
What a man!

This story was so well written, and so easy to read! It may seem an easy story, but it just got me under my skin.
You get to know each character, also the sidekicks. The friends in the book are people you would like to have as your friends too!
Sometimes it happens that many persons kind of have all the same personality, but here each one of them was so different compared with someone else. If you put them all together, you get the perfect mix!

I can just keep repeating myself by saying I loved it. I jumped on the opportunity of reading this book, and I didn’t regret it for an instance! Can’t wait to read more!!!