Tizi’s Book Review

Christmas + Lapland + puppies = instant love!

Synopsis

Christmas magic can thaw the coldest of hearts…

Sylvie Magnusson is going to be lonely this Christmas. Instead of jetting off for her
sunshine honeymoon, she’s freezing at home in Cheshire. Guess that’s what happens when your fiancé dumps you a week before your wedding…

Sylvie’s best friend, Nari, plans a trip to see the Northern Lights and get Sylvie’s mojo back. But as their Lapland getaway approaches, Sylvie realises that Frozen Falls is the hometown of Stellan Virtanen, her dreamy Finnish ex-boyfriend, the one that got away. Even though he actually ran away, and Sylvie never understood why…

Luckily, when they meet, Stellan’s still gorgeous – and her heart is warmed when he shows her the romantic delights of Lapland (as well as some seriously adorable Husky puppies). But when she returns to England can she really leave Stellanbehind? Or will she find that her heart belongs in the frozen North?

Curl up with the perfect cosy Christmas read this winter. Fans of Sarah Morgan and
Carole Matthews will adore this feel good, heart-warming romcom.

My review

Moment of honestly: the only time I like the snow and the cold of winter, is when I can stay on the inside, warm and cosy.

Never ever ask me to go for a walk in the snow, because my answer will be: ‘Are you totally insane???’

But this doesn’t mean I cannot enjoy a Christmas story taking place in the snow. My fictional self will enjoy the snow and likes long walks in the snow.

So while my fictional self was walking along with Sylvie and Stellan, I was enjoying the warmth of the summer.

This was a real nice story to enjoy, even if the start of it was rather sad. Sylvie has been dumped by her fiancée a week before the actual wedding. And now she is a bit depri and her friend Nari drags her on a Christmas trip in Lapland. And right there is also Stellan, Sylvie’s ex-boyfriend, who broke her heart many years ago…

This story has it all: the awkward moments when they just meet again, the distance and not knowing how to behave, the slowly taking down of bridges and discovering their feelings again.

And for me the most important: PUPPIES!!!

Oh yes, and also one of my favourite things: great gestures!

I was ready to be absorbed into the story, but it was so much more. It’s written so close to reality, it could happen to anyone!

Also the descriptions of Lapland and the adventures made it more likeable.

It’s not only a lovely story to read, but also about discovering new places in the world, open your eyes and don’t be afraid of your feelings and never doubt that you are not enough. Because we all are worthy of all the love in the world!

Women on top of the world!

Synopsis

Could you ignore the world’s hottest rock stars, if they moved into the villa next door? 

True love, humour and happy-ever-after. A sizzling romance read full of giggles, sunshine and searching for a soul mate in paradise by bestselling author Lizzie Chantree.

Brand new 2019 version!

Driving straight out of trouble and into paradise! A laugh out loud, contemporary romance read full of entrepreneurial women, powerful men and exotic locations.

Harriet’s crazily successful business idea is under serious threat, and the danger seems to be coming from inside her own family. She whisks her sister and her friends away to an exotic location to try and work out whose side they are on. It’s time to start damage limitation.

When the girls arrive at the glorious villa owned by Harriet’s maverick business partner Nikki, they find a gorgeous band and their sexy lead singer Max staying next door, out to entice their new neighbours into all kinds of trouble.

This isn’t a holiday for Harriet and she can’t afford to be distracted. She has to sell her business idea to the powerful resort owner, the elusive Mr Grant, while she is there, or she may not have a business to go back to. Harriet will have to choose between family and friends, business or pleasure. For someone who stays out of the limelight, even though her new company is the hottest ticket in town, she’s going to have to avoid the front pages of every newspaper if she wants to survive the ride!

My review

The premises of this story is so promising and it didn’t disappoint! It was even better than I thought!

Most of the time when you read a book, it’s always the man who is in charge of everything and the woman is described as arm candy.
But in this book it’s totally the opposite! The men here underestimate Harriet and think they can just scoop het over and take her business in hands.

Oh, but they are so wrong! Harriet is a smart woman, never just assuming the word of another but taking actions, and foresee future problems and she does her utterly best to avoid it.

So when she goes on holiday with her sister and friends, it’s not just a holiday for her, but also a chance to figure out how and if her sister is involved in some sneaky blackmail she is having.

Little does she know that the blackmail is not the only issue in her business life! Or is she aware of all the plans that are being creating around her?
And can she trust Max, the sexy musician staying in the villa next to hers?

It seems a confusing story, a lot of different things happening, from so many different sides. But once you are in the story, it’s easy to keep up with all the intrigues. And there even moments that make you laugh when the men don’t know how to act when all the women in the story outsmart them!

And it’s such a relief to see a woman take charge of everything!
It’s a big ‘IN YOUR FACE’ for all the men who dare to think that women are not as intelligent, thinking forward, independent and successful in business!

Take some time to digest…

Synopsis

London 1974 – and Peter Greenberg is riding high. Thanks to his magic touch, every play he puts on in Theatreland is a hit and the money is rolling in. The young man’s empire feels secure – but then everything changes. One evening, he calls in to see a rival’s musical and falls head over heels in love.

The beautiful Paris-born dancer who catches his eye is Nadine – a major star in the making. Like Greenberg, the young dancer too is in love – but with someone else. The eternal triangle is complicated by the birth of a child, and by tragic secrets that go back before World War Two; slowly, those secrets reveal themselves in a drama that out-performs anything on the West End stage or Broadway.

Nadine is a poignant story of unrequited love, a love that will one day be returned – and in a most unexpected way…

My review

This book grabbed me by the throat, and I wasn’t prepared for it…

Normally I have no problems in reading a whole book in a short time span. But here I needed to take regularly a break, just to digest what I’ve read.

Nadine is such a tragic character, whose only wish is to be loved by the person she loves.

We get to know her through the eyes of Peter Greenberg, a famous name in the English world of theatre. When he sees Nadine for the first time, he falls head over heels in love with her.

But his love is not reciprocal, as Nadine is in a relationship with a married man.

When Nadine finds out she is pregnant, the story only gets darker, as Nadine’s mental state.

This story takes place over several years , which is necessary to show the readers that sometimes a few wrong decisions can change the future of more than just you alone.

The actions that Nadine took, have such an effect everyone around her.

And Peter never has the chance to get over Nadine. Even when he tried to move on with his life, the streak of bad luck keeps chasing him.

Like I said before, this story just got me…

The sadness hung over me the whole time and I was keeping on wishing for a silver lining for all the parties we get to know in the story. But just like in real life, not everybody gets a well deserved happy ending…

Reading this story gets you all back down to earth, realizing that sometimes your own life story isn’t so bad after all…

Want a real man? Search for a highland warrior!

Synopsis

The key to his past…

…lies with the enemy sharing his bed!

Part of The Lochmore Legacy: a Scottish castle through the ages! Rory Lochmore had expected to wage battle, to claim land and finally secure his standing within his clan… Instead he won a wife. A McCrieff wife. Their convenient marriage could unite the two long-feuding clans forever. But can a political alliance give way to a passion strong enough to stand the secrets of the past?

My review

This book surprised me.

When I read the synopsis I already imagined the whole story. And then during the reading I noticed I was so wrong with my thoughts.

And just in case it isn’t clear, I was surprised in a good way!

It all starts with 2 clans that have a feud that just keeps on going over years and years. And now that the King has stated that a parcel of ground belongs to one of them, Rory wants to claim it as thus.

So he goes to speak to the Chief, ready to fight if necessary.

Little does he know that no fight will occur, but he will be married to Ailsa…

It seems a rather easy story, as you might imagine yourself what will happen next.

But there are so many mysteries to be unfolded, secrets to be spilled out.

And both Rory and Ailsa are strong characters, not just doing as ordered, but having a mind of their own. They won’t just accept a command but follow their guts, even if it’s opposing what commanded.

The mysteries keep you also curious for the truth, so you just keep on reading until all is out in the open.

For Rory I felt true sympathy, as he always had the feeling he didn’t belong in his clan, as his father is a very absent, closed person. And when he meets Ailsa, we get to know a kinder, warmer Rory, making him the highlander we all imagined…

And Ailsa is just funny in my opinion… She just says what she thinks, not afraid for a confrontation, standing up for herself and for her clan.

When you put Rory and Ailsa together, you just know sparks will fly!

So for me this was a surprising, fun story to read! Even if you’re not into this kind of story, just give it a chance and I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

Pure magic for me!

Synopsis

It’s the career move of a lifetime, and Julianne can’t believe it’s hers: a position as an event planner at a country house in Cornwall, England, beginning with the wedding of a celebrity! If her old firm’s senior planner back in the States hadn’t fallen suddenly sick with the chicken pox, Julianne would never have found herself chosen for a life in one of England’s most beautiful coastal counties, surrounded by rugged shores, quaint cottages, elegant gardens and a house to die for.

But life in Cornwall isn’t exactly as Julianne imagined it. Her first bride-to-be is a resentful, petted snob, the groom is immature and bored, and the Cornish staff of Cliffs House has a difficult time believing that an event planner from a mid-level position can handle a wedding this big. And then there’s a personal matter — the handsome, sometimes charming, sometimes standoffish gardener Matthew Rose. He and Julianne have a strangely complicated relationship somewhere between friendship and attraction. But with a secret in his past, and a scheming bridesmaid plotting to have Matthew all to herself, will Julianne find a way to untangle her feelings and the problems of planning a perfect Cornish wedding?

My review

Having read a few books taking place in Cornwall, I have been intrigued by that place. And after reading this book, I’m more convinced I should visit the place myself rather sooner than later!

It’s a novella, so in 24 hours I’ve read the whole story. But not because I wanted to get rid of it, but I was so submerged into it!

First a few clarifications from my side… I never watched an episode of Poldark, so when there were references to the show, I had to google the character of Ross. And due my hay fever I can never enjoy the beauty of flowers myself… but I do love the far, far sight of them, without having an effect on my nose and eyes…

Julianne moves from the States to Cornwall as an event planner and her first job is to plan a wedding for a celebrity couple in Cliffs House. Slowly she falls in love with Cornwall and the place she is staying.

And Matthew Rose just is too intruiging for her to stay away from him…

I cannot explain why, but this story felt magical to me. Was it the place, the environment, the people, the flowers, the event itself that made me love this novella? Also the pace the story takes place, had a calming effect on me.

Sometimes in stories everything happens too fast, people fall head over heels in love and that’s it. Here the feelings slowly grow and there is absolutely no rush.

Laura Briggs takes her time to let you know all the characters, and make you fall in love with them.

Even when the memories of not so pleasant events emerge, I embraced them, feeling sorry for the characters, but also I was certain that in the end, time would heel all wounds.

For me reading this story was a real surprise and I am lookking forward to see what other adventures Julianne will experience!

Intrigues intrigues intrigues!!!

Synopsis

Two sides of the same coin. Completely alike. Completely different.

     What started out as a normal art restoration project for Melinda Martin soon took on a life of its own. Could this unusual painting actually be a Botticelli masterpiece thought to have perished as part of Savonarola’s Bonfire of the Vanities? Had Melinda’s friend, Lana, a well-known art picker inadvertently acquired stolen art; art that might have ties to the occult and worth millions? Did a bad business decision endanger everyone who touched this potential treasure?

     When the painting disappears and both women are found dead, the police think it’s an open and shut case. The husband – it’s always the husband. He had means, motive, and opportunity, and acted strangely cold after the fact.  

     Is it a case of mistaken identity? Does a secret relationship put Mr. Martin in the crosshairs of an assassin sent to retrieve the painting? Or is he really a sociopath forger with mysterious ties to the Vatican?

My review

This is not the first book I’ve read from K.J. McGillick, so I was already prepared for the many plot twists.

It was a bit of a surprise to me, that main suspect in this story was Mr. Martin. Anyone who has read the previous parts of this series, know him as a very introvert person, not sharing a lot of information. He looks a bit odd, but has proved that his knowledge goes further than expected and helped in a few cases. So seeing him as a suspect in the murder of his wife, was strange.

The story all starts with a painting. And this painting is the catalyst of all further events. Botticelli is the painter and rumor says he used his own blood. Several parties, legal and illecit both want to have the painting and go several lengths to obtain it. But how does Mr. Martin fit in this story? And who on earth is Giuseppe Balestriccio???

The murder of Mrs. Martin is just one of the mysteries to be unfold. And the moment you think you figured it out, another murder takes place. And again it’s someone acquainted to Mr. Martin…

It’s a real talent of the writer to put you on the wrong foot, thinking you know it all. And her plot twists are just amazing. A random person suddenly becomes so much more involved. There are so many corpses in the cupboard that I was desperate for the answers!

Who is the murderder? Who has the painting? And most important, who is the real Mr. Martin?

Because he took part in previous stories, you feel like you know him. And you feel the urgence of Mary, doing all the possible for clearing Mr. Martin’s name.

During my reading, my mind went to all possible directions, trying to figure it all out. But it was just impossible!

This story gets your head all spinning around, to total chaos. But luckily for the reader, at the end, all comes clear in the outing! Even if the ending wasn’t what I hoped for, everything fell into place. So again a great book to read, even if it was sleep depriving for me!

Take your life back in the tracks!

Synopsis

Candice Summerville is invisible. No one seems to notice her – not really. Heck, she often doesn’t notice herself, except for her monthly scrutiny in the mirror to check on her body’s steady slide towards middle age.

But when her ancient, practical estate car is consigned to the scrap heap, Candice falls in love with a cute, purpleconvertible, and from that moment on her life begins to take on a whole new meaning. Strangers wave at her and people stop to talk, and suddenly she isn’t invisible any longer.

Life seems to be looking up, especially when she meets silver fox and handy-man, Paul. There’s just one fly in the ointment, one thing she that has her second-guessing herself.

Is it the car that Paul sees – or is it her?

My review

The title of this book gives you just the wrong idea! This is a eyes opening story, teaching you it’s never too late to get back in the game!

Candice is nearly fifty and a divorced woman. She doesn’t stand out in anything, it’s even the opposite, she’s rather invisible.

When her car gave it’s final breath, she buys a new one, and this one really is something else. It’s a cute purple convertible!

As the car is a real eye catcher, so does Candace. Slowly she starts to be less invisible and starts to live more the life!

Even if she’s 50, Candice really grows during the book. She goes from an insecure shadow into a woman not afraid showing she still has it! And she also finally stands up for herself, having a whole life keeping shut. But enough is enough!

This book shows you that you can take every chance in life to take the reins back in your hands, never minding how old or young you are!

Life surprises you on the most unexpected moments and hands you new friendships (and maybe even more) all the time.

And while the book tries to show you that there is more in everyone, it’s not in a patronising tone. It’s written so lightly and kind, that you smile while the moral of the story comes out.

And that’s what the true charm of this book is.

Age is just a number, and I would even dare to say that 50 is the new 30!

Sweetness over the top!

Synopsis

When Olivia goes to manage Finn’s failing bistro, will they end up sharing a table for two, or will it be a recipe for disaster?

Olivia Fuller longs to manage one of the restaurants in her father’s chain and to break free to live the independent life she’s wanted for so long. When her father finally puts his trust in her and sends her to a failing restaurant in Devon, she’s confident she can prove herself capable of doing the job.

Finn Anderson is about to lose his beloved seaside bistro, unless the bank can find a buyer to dig him out. When George Fuller offers Finn a deal, he has no choice but to accept if he wants any chance of getting his bistro back one day. And then the new manager arrives…

Even after meeting the prickly chef and discovering his complete lack of business skills, 

Olivia is confident she can turn the struggling business round. But as Olivia and Finn start working together, a mutual attraction develops between them, and soon, nothing is going according to Olivia’s plan. 

When there’s a real chance that the bistro might be sold off, Olivia and Finn determine to fight for it, united by their hard work and their growing feelings for each other.

But can they save the bistro and be together, or does destiny have a different path in mind?

A feel-good contemporary romance set in a bistro beside the sea in Devon.

My review

Sometimes all you have to do is stand up for yourself and never give up your dreams, even if the situation seems impossible.

And love can be found in the most strange places.

This is what I’ve learned after reading this sweet book.

Finn is obligated to sell his bistro after not being able to make a successful business of it. With pain in his heart, he sells it to The Rivièra, famous for its chain restaurants.

Olivia is the daughter of the boss but feels that her efforts are not appreciated at her workplace. And just the moment she decides to leave the business, her father gives her the opportunity to go and see how a failing bistro can be made profitable again.

And yes, it’s Finn’s bistro!

Here does the real story start. Like I said, this is truly a sweet story. Don’t misunderstand me, I really enjoyed it!

But if I had to describe how the book feels to me, it’s ‘sweet’.

Both Olivia and Finn have to stand up for themselves and just cannot accept that the current situation is the final one.

When they start working together, they are of course a bit suspicious. But soon they realise that they chase the same dream for the bistro and that together they can achieve so much more than alone.

And even when they start getting more and more along, their acts are so sweet and genuine. They both want for each other what’s best, even if it means sacrificing themselves for the higher purpose.

During the story you get to know both Finn and Olivia better, and you get to learn the struggles they faced in the past. They both learn from each other, and slowly they grow into an even better version of themselves, not afraid to chase their dreams and facing the past, but also those against them!

I know, I am very repetitive, but sit down and enjoy this amazingly sweet story!