Tizi’s Book Review

After a slow start, you’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat!

Synopsis

Tensions are building on the notorious Holds End estate.

The local community centre is fighting for survival and the murder of 15-year-old Lewis Matthews remains unsolved…

Wannabe teenage singer, Bill Robinson, just got out of hospital after surviving a vicious attack. He thinks he knows who attacked him…and why. When a violent feud escalates between him and local thug Charlie McDonnal, Bill vows to find the killer and help save the community centre by taking part in the local singing contest. 

How can music bring a shattered community together? And can Bill keep his own demons at bay long enough to win the singing contest and find out who killed Lewis Matthews?    

My review

Bill Robinson’s big love is singing, but his life isn’t an easy one… He just left the hospital after an apparently case of random violence.
He has an idea who his attackers were, but without proof, he doesn’t stand a chance. How can he escape Charlie McDonnal and his gang?  And is his attack connected somehow connected with the murder of Lewis Matthews? 

I had some struggle in the first few chapters, as it look all a bit confusing to me. But perhaps it was because I thought the story would start differently. As stubborn as I am, I didn’t stop or put the book away, but kept on reading.
And before I knew, I found myself dragged into the story, wanting to know what happened and what will happen next.

Bill is a very introvert boy, still suffering from the abandon of his mother. He is trying to find solace in singing, but also in alcohol.
Luckily for him, he has his close friends who he can count on. But him being very closed, also his friends are struggling to help him.

This story manages to drag you into it, without realizing it. As you are getting to know several characters, and also living the story through their points of view, makes you understand the underlying dynamics better.
It’s not an easy story to read, as every character is struggling with his or her emotions and also with the personal situations.
But as the pieces of the puzzle all fall into place, everything makes sense and you’ll understand this is not a book easily put away or forget.

Looking forward to the next part!

Yes, a novella, but just perfect!

Synopsis

A Christmas she’ll remember forever…

Poppy is looking forward to spending her first Christmas in France at her boyfriend, Leo’s, Château. And as the snow falls softly around the dramatic castle, Poppy can’t think of anything more magical.

There are new traditions to discover, a cosy Christmas market to explore and best of all, a promise of secret treasure hunt from gorgeous Leo. Only family pressure and uncertainty about her future in France can threaten to cast a shadow over the holiday.

When the treasure hunt takes an unexpected turn Poppy knows for sure this is one Christmas she’ll remember forever.

My review

Poppy is ready to spend her first Christmas in France with her boyfriend Leo and their amazing dogs.
Despite her family pushing her to give up her ‘holiday romance’, she is certain of her feelings for Leo. But as Leo is being a little distant, she doubts if he feels the same or not…

This is a short part of a series, following ‘Poppy’s Place in the Sun’. Haven’t read this first book, I was a bit afraid the story wouldn’t make much sense. But my fear was unnecessary as when required, it’s explained what happened previously.

Poppy’s insecurities are so recognizable, fearing that her love is not reciprocated. And her enthusiasm for the treasure hunt works very contagious, having me ALMOST hopping on and off my seat!
Leo is just perfect, period.
And the most adorable bits were obviously for the dogs! And what can beat a dancing dog???

So just sit back, and enjoy this short novella!

Every bit of Christmas in a lovely book!

Synopsis

Have yourself a little Cornish Christmas …

Wannabe author Jane Solomon is expecting an uneventful Christmas in her Cornish village of Little Penhaven.

But then super fit American gym owner Hal Muir comes to town, and suddenly the holiday season looks set to be far more interesting. Hal is keen on embracing every British tradition on offer, from mince pies to Christmas pub quizzes – and perhaps some festive romance too …

My review

Jane is used to take care of her family, as her mother due circumstances isn’t able to take of Jane and her brother properly.
Her dream is to write a book, but her hopes aren’t set too high.

Hal comes over from America, with the excuse of writing a book himself, but in reality he is just escaping his past.
He’s totally committed to celebrate Christmas the British way, loving mince pies included.

Yes, the feelings come rather quickly, but isn’t this exactly what you need from a Christmas story? This is the period for amazing, head over heels love!
Jane is a down – to – earth young woman, ready to do everything for her family. She is also very responsible, as she’s taking charge over her family.

And Hal is wonderful in understanding Jane, even if she doesn’t speak out her concerns, he senses what her worries are and is able to reassure her.

It’s such a nice story to read while you’re relaxing in your seat/sofa/bed/… on a dreadful day outside, sipping from a hot chocolate with the lights of your Christmas tree.

It makes you dream of your own Christmas period and for the single ladies like me, hoping to meet quickly your own Hal!

A story about seeing someone’s true nature and standing up for yourself!

I loved it a lot and even more!

Synopsis

A heart-warming Christmas story to put you in the mood for the festive season.

All I want for Christmas is you … or you?
Eve Halligan is back in her hometown for Christmas after a whirlwind few years touring with her band, the Molotovs. A lot has changed since she left, but two things have stayed the same. One: Eve is head-over-heels in love with Lucien Malikov, the Molotovs’ bad boy lead singer. Two: Lucien is completely indifferent to her.
Still, Eve dreams that this could be the Christmas where she convinces Lucien that they’re made for each other. But when childhood friend and local caterer Theo Wright comes back into her life bringing with him festive cupcake and sausage roll conundrums, Eve begins to question whether her Christmas dreams have been wasted on the wrong man …

My review

Eve finds herself back in her hometown for Christmas after touring with her band.
Lead singer of the band is Lucien, a man Eve has been in love with since forever. Unfortunately, Lucien is a real playboy and doesn’t seems to see Eve as just a ‘handyman’ during the tours. And his while at the beginning of the band, she was promised so much more!

Being back home, Eve is determined to take charge of her life, and chase her dreams instead of chasing Lucien.
She discovers her love for baking again, thanks the help of her old friend Theo.
But will she also realize that her love for Lucien is wasted? And is there someone who will appreciate her love?

Everybody had an unrequired love in their lives, so Eve her despair is so understandable.
But what if the other person is such an utterly dickhead??? Because let’s face the truth… Lucien is just a selfish, self-centered, spoiled BRAT!
He just doesn’t deserve Eve’s love! She is kind, generous, and is just longing for his love!

I like how Eve slowly realizes that she has been taking advantage of. She opens her eyes and sees that things have to change if she ever wants to be happy and loved herself.
And when she meets Theo again, she sees that for being in a loving relationship, you need two to tango. Love is not only about taking, but mostly about giving.

Again Jackie wrote a story that just was impossible to put away. An amazing woman trying to be loved, a serious a**hole of which you hope he’ll get what he deserves, a true friend ready to help, all wrapped into the magic of Christmas.

Another perfect chapter of this saga!

Synopsis

Part Three of this heartwarming four-part serial about finding the strength to put the past behind you and to reach out for a future filled with happiness and love.

Cat and Kyra have finally traced the man in the photo they found in Viola’s trunk – thanks to Amias. But Bailey Mitchell lives thousands of miles away and is almost ninety-eight, so meeting him in person is never going to happen. Which is just as well. Exchanging Christmas cards and chatting on social media leads to revelations Cat had not expected.

At least Christmas is looking promising. It may be freezing outside but things have definitely thawedbetween Cat and her mum, Mary. They’re actually getting on, especially now that Mary is dating Jeremy Stone, the builder working on Viola’s house.

Cat’s also hopeful that Viola’s situation may improve. And when a surprise visitor brings more than just well wishes, Cat’s Christmas takes a delightful turn.

With the festivities in full swing, and snow falling on Merriment Bay, the future’s looking bright. Christmas is a time for miracles and Cat believes she may get one of her own this year if she’s prepared to put the past behind her and open her heart to Love once more.

 My review

Slowly Cat and Amais are growing closer to each other, despite the initial defiance. Durng the Christmas period, they rely more and more on each other while they are doing their best to discover the past about Viola.

Finally discovered who the man is, big is Cat’s and Kyra’s surprise when he and his family appear in the hospital, reuniting Viola and Bailey.

But the story isn’t near the end yet, as misunderstandings keep haunting Cat and Amais, and as the true nature of Jeremy is coming at light…

I am going to be short in this review, as I NEED to know how it all will end!!!

Emily Harvale got me again longing for more, as the end was too quickly there.

It was sweet to see how the Devon women are finally bonding, and slowly uncover the family secrets.

Sometimes I wanted to give Cat a real kick in the ass as she sometimes just doesn’t manage to see what is going on with Amais. But I also wanted to do the same to Amais, as he just does not say what he truly feels. And that’s really frustrating!!

But I also felt sorry for Mary, as she deserves her happiness but apparantly Jeremy is not as sincere as it seems…

And Kyra is so refreshing! She says everything to her mother and grandmother what I want to say!

Ready for the next part!

The return of the bellies and tummies!

Synopsis

She’s setting the terms…

In business and pleasure!

Lucas Waring was my brother’s best friend—before he broke my heart and betrayed my family. Yet one glance from those dark, intense eyes, and that bolt of aching need returns. Now Lucas wants my business. But the nice Eva he knew is gone forever and naughty Eva wants her cake, and a taste of deliciously hot Lucas, too. Only my heart’s about to pull the biggest betrayal of all…

My review

When Eva was 18, her heart got broken by her brother’s best friend Lucas. But now she’s ready to take over the world with her new business.

But when Lucas appears at her party, she soons realises the attraction is still there.

Of course she cannot start working with him, as a few years ago he ruined her brother!

So is giving in the attraction really a good idea?

Oh my God, the whole story is just too hot for words!

Racheal manages again very successfully to write a story with lots of heated moments, but she also captures the emotions perfectly!

Of course knowing her books, I knew before I even started it would be very steamy. But not only steamy, it felt also real…

Eva and Lucas are such strong characters, that you know sparks will fly.

But they also have set their minds, and know what they want. And this means they won’t settle for less… both businesslike and on a personal level.

Slowly they realise that if they want to achieve their goals, they have to be truly honest with each other, and share bits of their past, even if they want to put it behind them.

Eva is a strong woman, finally being at a point in her life she can do what she wants. But how can she give her heart to Lucas when he’s not for the fully 100% honest about the past?

And Lucas is determined to get Eva, at any cost. But is he ready to express his true feelings? I need to find a Lucas myself ASAP!

For the start til the end I enjoyed this story! It was a perfect mix between a hot story and a story about ‘more’.

And for those who know my opinion about Rachel’s story, the ‘belly’ and ‘tummy’ did not annoy me for a bit, but for having more fun during the reading, I counted how often they where present. And I was a bit disappointed by the result… there were not enough!!! 🤣🤣🤣(for those who care: ‘belly’ only 7 times and ‘tummy’ 5 times!)

The subtitle says it all…

Synopsis

Friendship will always come first.

There’s only one way out from rock bottom and that’s up, and Teri Meyer is finally crawling out from the worst time of her life – no thanks to her best friend Lee. But no matter, she’s finally found love – real love with a real man, a successful man, a man who accepts all her flaws. Teri’s never felt like this before, and yet it’s changing her in ways she doesn’t understand.

And there’s only one person who can help, one person who truly understands Teri.

It seems that no matter how hard Lee Harper tries, there’s a battle awaiting her at every turn these days, and she’s tired. And as if she needs the extra stress, Teri continues to create constant and unnecessary drama. But Lee’s the only one who really knows what’s going on under Teri’s hard, convoluted exterior, and that’s why she’s always been there for her.

But the question is: will Teri be there when Lee needs her most?

The brilliant and entertaining final book in the unique FRIENDS trilogy dishes out another dose of rib-tickling mayhem for our favourite thirty-something professional women.

My review

Slow start, but the end was sooner there than expected.

Reading a part of a series is always tricky when you haven’t read the previous parts. But whoever has the same worries, just don’t!

It can be easily read as a standalone!

Teri and Lee have been best friends like forever, and nothing can get in their way. With the only exception of Teri’s big mouth…

Teri often speaks before she thinks, causing several rows with her friend. But now she really screwed it, by telling that one thing she really shouldn’t have…

Is their friendship strong enough? Or is this the end of their relationship?

My initial idea was that Teri was a selfish woman, always doing what she wants, and never thinking what consequences her actions may have.

But slowly you get to know her better, and you see that deep down, she is just a real good person. Yes, she makes several gaffes, but you see that her intentions are genuine.

And Lee is a true friend, always ready when Teri needs her. And when enoigh is enough, you see a side from her you didn’t expect.

But the main story here is friendship. Despite the rows, both Teri and Lee are there for each other in time of need. And even when it’s made clear their presence is unwanted, they do what needed, and not what said.

I truly enjoyed this story, had several laughs, but more face-palms, and in the end, when I teached the end, I was sad.

I wasn’t ready for the end, as I wanted to know what adventures/misadventures would happen for the both of them!

Just loved it!

Synopsis

‘A wonderful book with a great story and a sparky, unusual voice. I loved it!’ KATIE FFORDE

Escape to the frost-sparkling Yorkshire Dales for some festive fun under the mistletoe! A saucy comedy-romance with more than a sprinkle of Christmas spice – this will lift your spirits and your excitement level!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for costume shop owner Becky Finn. Leaving London to move back home to the twinkly rural village of Egglethwaite, she plans to build a new life for herself with fiancé, Cole.

Keen to raise funds for the struggling village hall she loved as a child, Becky finds herself at the head of a colourful group aiming to revive the Egglethwaite Christmas pantomime. But when that festive feeling sets in, she discovers there’s more to panto than innuendo and slapped thighs.

Falling in love was not in the script! But as opening night grows closer, she starts to wonder if the panto will ever make it to the stage and, with handsome co-star Marcus on the scene, if she has chosen her right leading man…

The perfect stocking-filler gift!

My review

Surprisingly good!

I did not know what to expect from this story, but suddenly I was in it, and I had to read and read and read and read and read…

Becky moved with her fiancé from London to Egglethwaite, ready to settle down and ready for the next step, marriage and babies.

When she hears that the village hall, where she spend a lot of time during her childhood, has no more funds, she will do whatever she can to raise enough money to keep it open.

And what better way than organising a Christmas pantomime?

With the help of the village, and especially Marcus, she does her very best to write a funny story. But soon everybody realises that there is more to it. And also Becky finds herself struggling on a personal level… will her relationship with Cole be strong enough? And how come she feels so at ease with Marcus???

Like I said, this story was surprisingly good. A surprise, because I did not get the whole pantomime bit… I honestly had to use my best friend Google to get the whole setup and understand why a woman would be playing a man and vice versa.

But once I got it, I truly enjoyed every bit of it!

Becky is such a sweet girl, doing whatever she can figure out to save what’s important to her. And when she cares about something or someone, she does it with all her heart.

Cole seems a bit distant, but you see his feelings for Becky are genuine, although his mind is sometimes wandering…

And Marcus is just hilarious, with his magic tricks. But he’s also always there in time of need.

There are also other characters that are so funny, intentionally or not!

And for lovers of fairy tales, it’s just perfect!

For everybody who starts reading this book, make sure that you won’t get disturbed, or that you have any plans, because once you start, you’ll find it impossible to put it away and do anything else!

Trust me on my words, because that’s exactly what happened with me!

Sparks fly!

Synopsis

Snowflakes are falling on Kissing Bridge Mountain, and Devlin is going home at last. But he can’t go home without a fiance, even if it has to be a fake one! When he meets smalltown girl, Allie, who has a Christmas crisis of her own -they strike up a deal. Soon, the fickle snow flurries of fate send them down a destined road they never expected…

My review

A Christmas story from begin till end!

Allie is an activist doing her very best to save the trees. And her dad is a hired chauffeur who works most of the time for the family Somerset.
When Devlin Somerset needs a drive to Kissing Bridge, Allie takes her father’s place despite the fact that she despises Devlin.
But Devlin is in need of a fake fiancé, and Allie accepts the proposition.
How can this charade come to a good end when their dislike for each other is so obvious?

This story is in my humble opinion a perfect match between a Christmas story and a Cinderella story!
Of course there is the initial dislike between the characters, but as usual in such stories (not a criticism at all, as I loved this story!) slowly Devlin and Allie get to know each other better and realize they have more in common than they thought.

The story is a typical Christmas story, but also different in another way. Allie has her strong beliefs, which are very admirable, but she won’t put them away for love. She knows that throwing her beliefs out of the window will change her, but love is not real love if you have to change to achieve that.

Devlin on the other hand is a selfish man, but slowly we get to know him also better and there is more than meets the eye to him. He’s not as selfish and self-centered as assumed.
He also grows into the story. As he was very closed concerning his true feelings, he sees that being open and showing what his true emotions are, can get you more than you know.

I had several laughs as the misunderstandings between Allie and Devlin are so hilarious, but also a few gasps (without giving any spoilers, watch out for Sissy!!!) and a perfect last chapters!

I truly am in the Christmas Spirit thanks to this story and enjoyed every bit of it!