Tizi’s Book Review

When it’s a Christmas that is just too much…

Synopsis

Christmas cheer was dead, to begin with.

The world rests on Eliza’s shoulders. The kids, her husband, work, her elderly mother and don’t forget her newest friend, perimenopause. It’s too much to carry, but she’s been doing it for years. It’s just what a good wife and mother does, isn’t it? 

When another Christmas rolls around, Eliza is drained by all the expectations and logistics of the holiday season. She’s fast approaching her breaking point, only no one around her notices she’s on the edge.

After an incident at her in-law’s on Christmas Eve brings things to a boiling point, she finds herself with three unexpected visitors. The spirits of the past, present, and future take her on a journey through her life to shake her out of the rut she’s gotten into. Their messages leave her with new possibilities: reconnect with her past, reclaim her present, or forge a new future, and you, the reader, decide which option is best! 

My review

Eliza feels the pressure pulling her on every side. Everyone relies on her and expects her to jump as high as possible whenever they need her. Not only her kids, but also her husband and her own mother seem to be taking Eliza and all her help for granted.
But this Christmas, Eliza feels like it’s becoming all too much. And to add even more headache, her husband tells her that this year, they are going to spend it with Jacob’s obnoxious brother Edward and his second wife.
And right there, Eliza finally reaches her boiling point after an incident. But what she doesn’t expect, is that that same night, she has the visit of three spirits: the spirit of the past, the spirit of the present and the spirit of the future. They take her on a journey through her life, showing her how she used to be, how she has become, and what her future may look like. And after the visits, it’s up to her what to do with all the new possibilities.

Unpopular confession: I have never read A Christmas Carol… I have seen several film adaptations but the book itself, that I have never read.
So I know what the story is about, based on the screen, but as always, the depth of the words on pages didn’t always come to realization in the films.

While the original of course is a classic, it was great to read the same kind of story but in the present setting. But it also needs to be said, that Eliza isn’t a real Scrooge, but just a woman struggling in life, as there are just too many people relying on her and assuming that she will just go with the flow.

I felt sorry for Eliza the greatest part of the book, as she is doing her best, but it needs to be said, both her husband, children and even her own mother seem rather ungrateful, or just not understanding what Eliza is going through, or how she is experiencing every change, every not – listening moment or every demand.

While for Eliza it is a frustrating Christmas, when she reaches her boiling point, I have to say that as a reader it for sure was a funny moment. Because it’s so clear that there is a lot simmering, ready to explode. And in a way, I also felt it was her fully right to say that she has had enough. But perhaps the way she does it, isn’t the most diplomatic one.

I have to say, if I were in Eliza’s shoes and I would get a visit by these spirits, I would be screaming like crazy out of fear. I already scream when I have nightmares about spiders, so I think you can imagine how loud I would be screaming if actual spirits would show up 😊.
So I liked it to read how after her initial shock, Eliza was open for what was going to happen.

Seeing how Eliza goes on a journey to her past, present and even her future was so heartwarming but also eye – opening in a way.
With her past, she not only sees an old relative of her, but she also sees how her life was in the past. Not only does she see a less stressed Eliza, but her voyage to the past is also a reminder of so many memories she lost over the years.

And in the present, even if this spirit is more vague than the spirit of the past, she learns that what she sees or thinks about certain people is in fact not what those people actually think. With the spirit of the present, she gets a better understanding of the people around her, and that makes her realize perhaps her own thoughts were in the wrong.

Perhaps the most shocking trip was the one of the possible futures she makes with the spirit of the future. Because, and I am trying to stay as spoiler free as possible 😊, her future does not look at all as how I expected it would be! In fact, I still have still a few questions about it! 😊
And I have to admit, it took me while to completely understand what happens in the end!

I truly enjoyed reading this book, as it shows the reality of the present, that our lives are getting busier, more stressed and more demanding. And that it’s only natural to explode as things are getting too much. But what this book is about, is that it’s never too late to make a change in our lives. While that can be by doing something that is a tradition and expand that tradition, or just get away from it all, there are several possibilities to make that change.
Just because life is stressing, dull and one day flies into the other, it doesn’t mean that it has to stay that way.
And we sometimes all need to remember about moments in the past of true joy, and make the effort to sometimes relive them.
But sometimes change is good, as who knows what the future will bring us!
With the three possible outcomes in this book, we can see how change can be made, one way or another. That added an even extra special Christmassy layer in this wonderful book that just swept me away!

A scandal to avoid a worse outcome, but still so much deceit…

Synopsis

Wallflower at risk of ruin…

Secret femme-fatale in training Millicent Whittenburg needs to escape her unpleasant betrothal. Taking matters into her own hands, she plans her eventual ruin! Then she can disappear from society to carry out the Queen’s deadly missions. Step 1: seduce the one man who despises marriage more than her!

However, she hugely underestimates her target. Major General Beaufort Drake. Fearsome private investigator, he’s notoriously cold and visibly battle scarred. But Millie’s scandalously public kiss awakens a deeply suppressed desire in Drake. Instead of allowing them both to succumb to shame he does the unthinkable, and offers for her hand in a convenient marriage.

Nothing prepares them for the fireworks when a fearless damsel collides with a dangerous Major General! And as their secret missions align they face their hardest test on the glittering battlefield – a week long wedding house party where there is nowhere to escape…only new and wicked lessons to be learnt!

My review

Millicent Whittenburg never expected that one day she would be forced by her father and stepmother into marriage. And that with a man she truly despises for so many different reasons. But as an event many years ago almost became her ruin, she has no other option. That is, no other than causing a scandal and force another betrothal by publicly kissing  Major General Beaufort Drake, a man that despises the thought of marriage above everything. But when Millie kisses him, Drake finds him doing the one thing he never expected him doing: offering a marriage as the kiss ignites something in him. However, what Drake doesn’t know is that Millie is secretly being trained to work for the Queen herself, and on a mission that clashes with Drake’s own mission as a private investigator. But what they don’t know is that they will have to face the biggest challenge of them all: hosting a weeklong wedding house party, where many secrets are still being kept and secrets are being discovered. Secrets that can bring them perhaps together, or even further apart…

I love it when in a book, the Lady of the story isn’t a damsel in distress, but a fierce woman, a woman that can literally fight and won’t stand up for any kind of BS.

And that is exactly the kind of young Millie is, even if she is only being trained in becoming that fierce woman. But we also clearly see that fire already burning in her, and with the protection and lessons of Lady Philippa Winterbourne, she is becoming a real force of nature.

Weren’t it for… Because there is always a ‘weren’t it for’, isn’t there?

And that ‘weren’t it for’ is a sad one. A sad one that truly angered me, because the people that should be protecting her, are the ones that are actually kind of selling her off to the highest bidder. It angered me because at a younger age, Millie made one mistake. A mistake she is still paying the price for.

But what angered me the most was the behaviour, the despicable behaviour of Millie’s stepmother Patricia. What an awful and deceitful person she is! Not only did she force a distance between Millie and her father, but she isn’t afraid of using violence.

All the while Millie just deserves all the love and kindness of the world. Luckily she can count always on Philippa, but also on her friends Hannah and Ivy always standing by her side and protect and fight for her. That also means come up with a plan to avoid marriage to a horrible man.

And thus Millie finds herself compromising herself in a situation that will hopefully give her a better outcome than her current prospect.

Of course Millie had to find a way out of her betrothal, but was it truly fair to lure someone else into the trap Lady Philippa set? Now, I understand the reasoning, and it was needed for the story, but still…

And to do that with Major General Beaufort Drake of all people… at first I thought he was a typical man, not wanting to give up his freedom and wanting to keep on using his skills as an investigator. A man of career, not wanting love to stop him.

However, the more I got to know the man, the more I realized that his physical scars are just the tip of the iceberg, because this magnificent man has loved in the past but has also been burnt by it. So could I really blame his reluctance in giving love another shot?

On the other hand, it was great to see that no matter how hard he is fighting against it, he cannot resist Millie. Not only is there the absolute physical attraction towards her, but also the ay he wants to protect her was just so sweet to see.

It is only fair to say that while for both Millie and Beau the weeklong wedding house party is a true nightmare, for us readers not only it was great chance to see them working as a pair, and getting small victories, but it was also great to see the attraction growing and even exploding!

There is also the mission both Millie and Beau are working on. A mission they don’t know they are both working on. While it is the same mission, to discover the responsible of the trafficking of young country ladies, they are seeking for a different kind of outcome. But it also means that they have to learn to trust each other, and rely on each other. Not an easy task, when they are so set on their independency!

I truly enjoyed reading this book, as it shows to never underestimate a woman. But it also shows that scars can run deep and it takes courage to put your trust in someone. We also see a lot of determination, passion, heart and complicity in it, making this a sequel living up to the expectations after the first book of the series!

When broken people find each other in an unexpected place and way

Synopsis

Two people are about to take off on a journey that could change their whole lives…

As the plane surges up into the clouds, Stevie finds herself clutching the hand of the stranger sitting in the seat next to her.

It is a moment that will change everything. But Ned is heading to see his dying mother, and Stevie is returning to France to escape a terrible loss in her past. Neither of them can think about that tiny flame that just flickered between them.

But then their paths keep crossing, leading them both to the same beautiful community garden in a small French village; run by a mysterious old man named Zeke – a man with many of his own secrets.

As it becomes clear that fate is going to keep bringing them together – the two of them have to ask – are they ready for a happy-ever-after? Do they even know how to find it?

As the seeds grow into plants and flowers all around them, Stevie begins to wonders if Zeke – and his garden – might just have the answers…

The Making Of Us is a heart-warming, uplifting novel about love, heartbreak, and living your truest life. Perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond, Beth Moran, and Nicholas Sparks.

My review

After losing her parents in a terrible accident, Stevie finds herself flying back to a small French village, to feel closer to them and hoping to lose that feeling of loneliness. While gripped by fear on the plane, she meets Ned, who is going back for the celebration of his mother’s birthday, only to have his world falling into pieces right after the party. Just as Fate seems to be interfering, Stevie and Ned keep on crossing paths, and slowly getting to know each other much better. But at the same time, Stevie and Ned also meet Zeke and Fay. Zeke, who is responsible for the allotments, letting people grown their own vegetables, with the knowledgeable help of Zeke. But Zeke also believes not only in paying it forward, but also in signs. Thus, him crossing paths with Fay is for sure a sign. Because Fay just flew over from London, at loss and not having a purpose or an understanding man… Each person is at loss for their own specific reason. But with their lives suddenly connecting and changing forever…

Whenever I pick up a Debbie Howells’ book, I know that I will be in a whirlwind of emotions. And while I thought I was mentally prepared for it, I just wasn’t…

As I count myself lucky and blessed that my parents are still around, I could only try to imagine the heartbreak Stevie has endured. Not only because losing her parents is a terrible event, but also the way it happened was a devastating one. And it for sure explained her fear of flying.

Fear that clearly sparks from the pages, as Ned isn’t unaware of Stevie’s turmoil on the flight to France.

Now, I have to admit that I am one of those people that want to be left alone in moments of distress, and I think that if I were in Stevie’s shoes, I would bite off Ned’s head, no matter how well – intended his actions are. But that is just me, and if Stevie would act like I would, well, then we wouldn’t have this story to read, right? 😊

Ned starts in this book with big dreams and not that many complications in life. Of course his dream of making it in the music scene, is a real big one, and many before him have failed and many after him will.

But after meeting Stevie, slowly his world is falling apart, as the rock of his family, his lovely mother, has the worst kind of news to tell her children.

While Stevie slowly tries to pick up the pieces of her broken life, it’s Ned’s life that is falling apart. And even if Ned isn’t the kind of person of taking about his emotions and feelings, somehow, being with the right person, he is able to open up in the most wonderful ways to Stevie.

While the focus is mainly on Stevie and Ned, we also get to know Zeke and Fay. And we see how a place, no matter how foreign it is, can truly feel like a home. But in this book we also see that finding that home, or accepting it as ‘home’, can be a real struggle. And it’s about people accepting you in their community, without prejudice, just like Zeke does at his age. It’s also about paying it forward, kindness, and just helping people out.

Zeke for sure is a force of nature, as he does how he pleases, but in a good way. He somehow has this wisdom in him, an overall knowledge and turns out to be person everyone goes to for some words of advice, not only concerning how to grow vegetables but also in general terms.

This book shows us that no matter age you are, you can always come home, wherever that may be. And just like with Fay, even with grown – up children, it’s never too late to come to life again. 

Sometimes a change of scenery is needed to make a change in yourself.

I found this a truly heart – warming story in so many ways. Of course there are a few heartbreaking moments, yet that is all part of the journey our characters are in. We see every one of them grow so much in this story, not only learning more about themselves, but also about each other, and the amazing community they found a home in.

Debbie Howells truly once again captivated me with this wonderful, strong book, about people struggling in life but mainly finding each other in those most difficult moment. And how meeting a few people can make the greatest change in your life!

When the dream of the perfect Christmas together turns out to become the total opposite

Synopsis

A simple Christmas just got complicated …

Amy’s in love. She’s looking forward to spending her first Christmas together, as a blended family, with Matt and their two sons, Harry and Oliver. What could be more perfect than a romantic escape to the remote and beautiful Lake District farm where Matt and Amy met?

However, an unexpected and difficult guest threatens to disrupt the festivities, and undermine her relationship with Matt. With Harry and Oliver around to create mayhem, and a snowstorm closing in, it seems that nothing is going to be romantic about Christmas at Elder Fell Farm.

Can their relationship weather the storm?

My review

Amy cannot wait to spend Christmas with her new love Matt, her son Harry and Matt’s son Oliver. They both have had their hearts broken in the past and it took meeting each other to believe in love again. And the prospect of celebrating their first Christmas as a new blended family at Elder Fell Farm makes Amy the happiest woman. Weren’t it that Matt’s former mother – in – law doesn’t know about his new relationship and isn’t ready to have someone replace her daughter Stella in both Matt’s and Oliver’s hearts. What was supposed to be a romantic holiday with the four of them, suddenly it becomes a holiday filled with secrets, unexpected guests and sneakiness. And with suspicions around every corner, is this new found love strong enough to even survive an actual and a figurative storm?

I have to admit, it took me a moment to realize that this is a sequel of a book that I loved reading. But even if I knew the ‘backstory’, it also felt that this book could be perfectly read as a standalone.

It was amazing to see how that blooming love we saw in the first book, has truly flourished in this book. Amy and Matt are going from strength to strength, and how there is a lot of passion still burning in this couple.

And seeing how also Harry and Oliver are not only getting along, but have become the best of friends too, warmed my heart.

But it saddened me a little bit to see how Matt couldn’t find the courage to come clean about his new relationship to his mother – in – law Diane. Life goes on and lingering in the past won’t help. And it also doesn’t help that Diane isn’t the easiest of characters.

Yet I also have to acknowledge Diane’s pain… Because no parent should ever lose a child. And I could understand Diane’s fear of not only losing her remaining connection with Stella, but also losing Oliver at the moment Matt would truly move on.

Of course it was amazing returning to Elder Fell Farm, this time at Christmas. The place for sure felt more magical than during summer! And I was eager to read how this new family unit would be celebrating Christmas, while they all have their own past traditions. And of course it was lovely to return to the place that in fact was the start of Amy’s and Matt’s love story.

But even in books, relationships take work. As it’s not only Diane’s interference, stubbornness and just her presence putting a damper on what was supposed to be a great holiday, but also the realization that there are more kept secrets. And just like in any relationship, doubts arise at out of character behaviour…

In this wonderful, Christmassy story, there is obvious a lot of laughter, with the delightful help of Harry and Oliver. But there is also a lot of sweetness, also bittersweet moments, but also a lot of realism in it. Because a new relationship is something exciting, but the past will be also always be there. It’s about finding not only the right balance between the past and the future, but also about finding the perfect balance between two families. We see what love can do to people, but that love needs courage and care. And not let fear put a damper on it, or even jeopardize what has took courage to build.

I absolute loved reading this story, even if some moments I got a bit frustrated over the antics of some characters, but that didn’t erase all the warmth and laughter present in the whole book. We see the progress of a love story, with its struggles, but never losing its heart. And that made this book a real delight, especially with the antics of two young boys, ready for mischief but also extracting the best out of each other!  

Christmas is a great time to think about your life and your choices

Synopsis

Christmas has been all but forgotten as a negative pregnancy test makes Rachel reconsider her future with Todd. The realisation sends her to the small town of Abbeyglen where the opening of Caulfield’s Café is all anyone’s talking about. But it also has her beginning to see returning colleague at Blackwater Financial Services, the loud, hilarious Owen Larrson in a new light.

Natalie has decided she needs a change. In the midst of Christmas craziness, with the grand opening of the café and the excitement of her two children’s Christmas concert, Natalie can only hope the people of Blackwater Financial Services can help her find the job that will change her life. But as ex-boyfriend Darren returns, she realises luck might not be on her side for a bright Christmas after all …

Join two women who are trying to figure out what the rest of their lives hold, in the midst of the mayhem of the most wonderful time of the year in the most wonderful place to be!

My review

After a pregnancy scare, Rachel thinks about her relationship with Todd. As it was crystal-clear that they were on a different level when thinking that a baby was on its way, and that now Todd has also lost his job, are they truly that happy together?
Spending some time with her best friend Bex in the small town of Abbeyglen, and her job at Blackwater Financial Services is the right mindset to think about her future. And now she also has the chance to see her colleague Owen Larrson in a different light than just being that loud and hilarious man.
But during this Christmas period, Rachel isn’t the only one thinking about her future. Because in Abbeyglen, Natalie also needs a change. As a single mother, she is struggling, even if her two children are absolute angels.
However, a new job would be great, and she tests her luck for a job at Blackwater Financial Services, with the cheering of Bex. But when her ex Darren reappears out of the blue, Natalie is afraid that things will turn back to what they were, while in fact she needs a change…
Two women, both in Abbeyglen, connected through mutual friends, are having a Christmas where they have to figure out where their future will be and what it will look like…

I have to admit, it was a while ago since I read a book written by this author. So in a way, it was like discovering her all over again! And what a delight it was!

Both Rachel as Natalie are somehow lost characters.

Rachel seemingly has is it all, she loves her job, she has the best of friends, and she is engaged to the most attentive man, being Todd.
Rachel and Todd are so alike, so in sync, that it would appear that nothing can come between them. Until Rachel thinks that she is pregnant…

I always like reading how a woman, initially a bit shocked, quickly becomes very protective over their babies. And seeing this in Rachel, even if she isn’t 100% sure yet of the baby being actually there or not, warmed my heart.

So on the other hand, reading Todd’s reaction somehow flabbergasted me. Okay, perhaps the pregnancy that wasn’t, came as a shock, but if you are engaged and you have had the talk about children, for sure slowly you would be happy about it? Even if it came before planned?
For me, that was only proof that not only Rachel and Todd aren’t a that great match, but also that Todd isn’t that mature at all.
I was even angered to read the avalanche of messages he sent to Rachel, take a chill – pill will you?

While it was sad to read how suddenly Rachel’s securities in life are collapsing, this also felt the right thing in a way. Because this event makes Rachel think about her own future. Perhaps making a pro and con list is not the best of ideas, but that list makes her realize that Rachel doesn’t laugh at loud with Todd. And isn’t a relationship so much more than just getting along and (dis)like the same things?

With her (love) life falling into pieces, Rachel can luckily count on her friend Bex, and stay with her temporarily in Abbeyglen, where she also meets Natalie.

Perhaps Natalie was an even sadder character than Rachel, because she just tries so hard. Yet being a single mother isn’t easy. And she wants her kids to have everything they could wish for, but she just cannot…

Her children are absolute delights, where Katie has that innocent enthusiasm, and Jamie is already a responsible young “man”, even if he is just a child himself. That only shows which values Natalie is passing on her children. And believe, it’s the right kind of values!

So seeing her struggling seemed so unfair, because in the world there are people that have everything and don’t deserve it, while people who do, don’t have anything…

Even if I didn’t agree with the choices she makes when her ex reappears out of the blue, in a way I could also understand Natalie. Because no matter what, Darren is and will always be the father…

Both women are at crossroads in their lives, as they both realize that the lives they were living wasn’t living their lives at the fullest. And that was eye – opening, because too often we are just content with our lives. But being content isn’t good enough. Sometimes we need to find the courage to make some tough choices and decisions, to have a better life. And I mean this to have a better emotional life. Life is too short to just stick to what we know.
Because with opening your perspectives, you don’t know what or who will cross your path! 

Love comes in so different kind of shapes and forms, and even in the most unexpected ones

Synopsis

A broken bond…

Wendy Tyler’s marriage ended when she discovered her ex-husband, Mike, had got his much younger new partner, Chloe, pregnant. Wendy’s over Mike, but suddenly she fears her own daughters will find a new baby much more exciting that their old mum…

A chance encounter…

But when Wendy bumps into Chloe at St Piran’s, it’s clear something is troubling the fragile young woman. Wendy doesn’t want to be sucked into Chloe and Mike’s relationship, but she can’t help worrying that Chloe needs someone to turn to.

A lesson in love.

And when Wendy realizes that Chloe is more fragile than any of them realised, she knows she has tostep up. She might not love Mike anymore, but Chloe is about to join their family and Wendy can’t just stand by. Sometimes life is hard, but the easiest lessons are built on a solid foundation of love.

My review

Wendy Tyler isn’t that sad that her marriage ended, even if it is no fun to catch your husband in the cheating. She even found love again, and she sees now what real love truly entails.
But what bothers her is that her ex – husband not only has found a new girlfriend that could be his own daughter and that she is pregnant, but she fears that her own daughters may prefer Chloe and the new baby and replace Wendy.
Wendy does not want anything to do with Chloe but when they bump into each other at St. Piran’s, it’s clear that Chloe is struggling. And with Wendy’s generous and kind heart, she cannot just walk away…

With each story in the series, I find myself falling more and more in love with not only the returning and new characters, but also with the place itself.
Such a warm, close and caring community, don’t we all want to be living and working in such places?

Basing on the blurb, I thought it would be Wendy’s story and with some appearances of her friends and colleagues. But discovering that also Danni has a rather important part in it, made me even happier than I already was!

While perhaps initially it may seem that Wendy is jealous of her ex, or that she doesn’t want their daughters to bond with the new partner and they half – brother on the way, I quickly understood that that isn’t the worry at all.
Because what truly bothers and worries Wendy is that she is replaceable and that her lovely daughters will give up their time together in order to be more with Chloe and the little baby.

Even if Wendy is an adult, and should know better, as a mother is never replaceable, her fears make sense, especially learning how her past marriage has been and how she doesn’t have in fact a lot of self-confidence. And that saddened me, because while Wendy is in a happy place now, she deserved that happiness all the time, and not only after a failed marriage.

Of course it isn’t easy for Wendy to see Chloe walk around, as her ex now seemingly has completely changed his tune.
Yet it was so sweet and heartwarming to see how Wendy doesn’t turn into a bitter person when in need. Her kind and good heart takes the overhand, and Wendy isn’t just that kind of person to not help out a person in need…

I have to admit, just like Wendy, I didn’t immediately liked Chloe. But slowly, as the story progressed, the more my heart started to break for her.
Of course being the new woman in a broken family isn’t easy, but Mike also isn’t proving to be a real knight in shining armour.
And we see a strong Chloe, who has been through so much already, but also a vulnerable Chloe, who needs love…

And then there is Danni’s story too, ready to continue.
I was so over the moon for Danni, as her life, after a disastrous moment, finally was on the right track.

Obviously, it would be better to have read the previous books in this series to be complete up to date, yet it isn’t that mandatory. But it’s just such a wonderful series, so just read it already 😊

With Danni we see that no matter how good things seem to go, there is always this inkling of doubt and fear. And her upbringing for sure didn’t help, even if she is surrounded by lovely and amazing people too.

This was a wonderful book to read. Not only because I loved returning to St. Piran’s and see all my friends again. But because this is a love story in the real sense of the word. We don’t only see romance, but just love in all its aspects. From obviously love for your partner, but also the love someone has for their children, how that love is reciprocated. And then the love between friends, that real friendship that nothing can break.
But the most wonderful kind of love in this book was the most unexpected love, for the person you wouldn’t ever think of.
Because no matter what, it’s someone’s character, struggles, honesty and genuineness that make you love someone, wanting to help them out through the most difficult moments of their life, stand by their side and hold their hand…

Jo Bartlett managed perfectly with this book to capture the essence of what love means. The love sparks from each page, even with drama taking place that made me hold my breath. I once again devoured a book from this amazing author! 

When to get over a rut, a retreat in the French Alps can perhaps bring the inspiration and even more

Synopsis

Romantic comedy writer Amber Page is stuck in a rut.

After her editor tells her she needs to “up the spice” in her books (literally Amber’s worst nightmare…), she is at a crossroads of what to do with her career.

When the opportunity arises to go on a writer’s retreat at an exclusive château in the beautiful French Alps, Amber reluctantly agrees, hoping a change of scenery will help with inspiration.

While she tries and fails to spice up her writing – with the unhelpful guidance of the eccentric romance writers at the château – she meets two leading men who cause her own real-life romantic comedy to unfold…

A laugh-out-loud love triangle, forced proximity romantic comedy from million-copy bestseller Portia MacIntosh.

My review

Amber Page has written several successful romantic comedies. But now she is stuck in a rut, and cannot manage to write a great next story. Somehow all her stories take the cozy romantic mystery turn. Something that her editor doesn’t approve on. On the complete contrary: the editor suggests Amber to put some more spice in her books. And let that be the thing that Amber doesn’t want!
When there is suddenly a spot available on a writer’s retreat at an exclusive château in the French Alps, Amber reluctantly accepts, as perhaps it will give her the much needed inspiration.
And she is a bit flabbergasted when she bumps again into Caleb, a social media influencer. They have met previously at her publisher’s office, and while Caleb told her he would find a way to be at the same resort, she didn’t truly believe it.
And when at the château she attracts the attention of resident Henri, the game is on. Especially as she hopes that now inspiration will truly come, as she cannot really count on the help of her fellow writers who are also staying at the château.
So while her parents are struggling at home with their marriage, Amber finds herself in a real love triangle.

Reading a book by the hand of Portia MacIntosh is injecting yourself with a great dose of laughter. Reading a book about an author, written by an author you love, is a double shot of greatness. So of course I was eager to read this book!

Amber is an easy person to like. She is even inspirational in a way, as she managed to be a great writer. But beside her initial writing success, she is also a loving daughter and sister. And her craziness and sarcasm is something I recognized as I have the same level of crazy and sarcasm.
I also understood how she wanted to take a different direction with her writing. It felt like it’s not that she has gotten into a rut, but it was more that her own story in romantic comedies has reached its end.

While of course it is needed for the story to evolve, I didn’t like it how her own editor wasn’t truly listening to Amber and her ideas, but started to push her in a direction that isn’t Amber at all. I just hope that the real editors in the world aren’t like Amber’s! 😊

Yet I also liked it how this great opportunity comes for Amber, staying at a French Château in the Alps, working together with her fellow authors. Staying in a castle, isn’t that something everyone dreams of?
But I also was a bit disappointed in the other authors. Yes, in a way they are all each other’s competition and rivals, but they are all also just writers who want to write a great story. So why all the jealousy?

I loved reading about the love triangle. Not because in one case, Amber is rather oblivious and in the other just overly hilarious. But also because I wanted to see where it all would end. And yes, I had my own preference, as it felt more genuine than the other.

Seeing things develop in each way, and seeing Amber even finding in a way her mojo back, was just great. And it’s not only about Amber finding her writing mojo back, but also just seeing Amber finding her voice again, and discovering herself in a way again. In so many ways, Amber needed to find her joy and her spark back, both professionally and personally, and that development was a great journey to read about!

Obviously I had several laughs while reading, some really out loud, and other times it was a snickering moment.

Portia MacIntosh wrote again a hilarious but also heartwarming story, about struggles in life, but also about prejudices, hypocrisy and miscommunications but mainly about finding love(s), inspiration and that one (or two) person/people that can ignite something back what seemed to be lost.

When your match suddenly ghosts you and brings you to the Scottish Highlands…

Synopsis

Olivia Bingham has bad luck with men.

She’s been ghosted more times than she can count, but this Christmas she’s finally met someone really special online: Fraser Douglas, a Scottish chef working at an idyllic hotel in the Highlands. He’s sweet and sensitive, thoughtful and funny – not to mention incredibly good looking.

Just when she thinks things couldn’t be going any better, Fraser’s dating profile vanishes, and Olivia fears the worst. Frustrated and wounded, Olivia decides she’s going to drive all the way out to Loch Lochy Hotel and confront Fraser.

But when she arrives, things don’t go exactly as she hoped. Worse still, Fraser doesn’t seem to have any idea who she is….

My review

Olivia Bingham has been unlucky in love, to put it mildly. The times she has been ghosted cannot be counted anymore, but now she believes that she has find the perfect man online, Fraser Douglas. Online they have talked about everything, and they have so much in common, their love for Mariah Carey included.
So when Fraser suddenly ghosts her, and deletes everything online, Olivia decides to find Fraser in real life and confront him. As she knows Fraser is a Scottish chef working in a hotel in the Highlands, it cannot be that difficult to find him, right?
For once luck is on her side as Olivia can track him down. But when she arrives at the hotel, it turns not only out that the place itself is not what she expected, nor the circumstances. But also that Fraser seems to have no clue who she is…

I have to admit something before I start reviewing this wonderful book. I have been ghosted a few times, but in a few cases, I have been the ghost too… and before you condemn in any way, I had any right to be ghosting that person, as they just wouldn’t get the message… 😊

So I could understand how Olivia, or rather Liv, felt after finding her apparent perfect match and then see him disappear into thin cyberspace air…
Especially after reading that it hasn’t been the first time.

I don’t know if I would have the same courage, to find Fraser in real life and confront him, as I am not a big fan of confrontation myself. But if Liv didn’t head up to the Highlands, we obviously wouldn’t have this story to enjoy.

Now, I have to say that Liv is surrounded by lovely people, perhaps a bit crazy (because who in their right minds would gift her Stan? 😊). Her friends may be joking about her single status, but it all comes from the right place. And her sister and mother while perhaps agree with her decision to go to Scotland, they also worry, because who knows what Fraser will turn out to be?

Her arrival at the hotel for sure is one that can count! I don’t know who was more in shock, Liv, Effie and Fraser, or Ginger 😊.
And the hotel/ restaurant itself wasn’t also what I expected, as some rooms absolutely were horror movies material!

With Liv’s car (or rather, her sister’s car) not being drivable anymore, I was eager to see how Liv would enjoy (or not…) her stay at the hotel.
But it warmed my heart to see how she got along with Effie, who for sure deserves an honest friend, who accepts her as she is.

Fraser for sure was an initial enigma. While I rather quickly knew that his dating profile was unknown to him, his behaviour wasn’t all that welcoming and warm at all.
But slowly we learn why he acts the way he does towards strangers, and we quickly see also his protective nature, especially towards Effie…

It was just great to see how Fraser and Liv initially just don’t get along, keep on clashing, even literally. But it was sweet to see how there is slowly a trust being built, and that they understand each other, even if there are still a few hurdles and that demons/ghosts of the past aren’t completely chased away…

I was of course intrigued to know who the culprit of the dating profile was, even if I had a feeling that it was all done for the right reasons.

This book shows us that over a few days, strong bonds can be created. And we see people that just know each other, want to protect each other, even if it isn’t an easy task.
But we also see how strong and stubborn but also delightful cows can be! Go Ginger!!! 😊

I truly enjoyed this sweet story, showing us how taking charge of things can be the start of something new and wonderful. And this all in an amazing setting, with plenty of snow and towards the end even Mistletoe magic!

When your life is a deadline…

Synopsis

Elena Swan believes she’s going to die. And soon.

She’s not ill. She’s not in imminent danger. But she is sure it’s going to happen.

Because many years ago… she’d made a promise to a stranger, in the woods. Elena’s mother was in hospital, after a life-threatening accident. The promise would keep her mother safe, but put Elena’s own life at risk, instead, when she grew up and turned thirty.

Elena put the promise to the back of her mind, over the years. But she’s twenty-nine now, and when something happens that puts her life in danger, she remembers. And she knows.

But Elena hasn’t done everything yet. She’s not brave like her daredevil friend Rory. But she’s also not ready to give up on life. Not before she’s been to Paris. She always wanted to skydive too. She’s never even fallen in love.

Without the promise of tomorrow, can she fulfil all her dreams before fate comes for her?

A completely unexpecting, romantic uplifting story, about friendship, love, and fate, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, David Nicholls and Faith Hogan.

My review

When Elena Snow was just a child, her mother was in an accident that didn’t look good. And that night, she makes an encounter in the woods. An encounter that turns out in a deal: a life for a life. Because in order for her mother to survive, Elena’s life will be numbered until her thirtieth birthday.
Now Elena is twenty-nine, and she hasn’t done everything she ever wanted to do. Her lack of braveness always held her back: she never went to Paris, she never has been skydiving, and she hasn’t ever fallen in love…
However, now that her friend and colleague Rory is staying with her during his renovations, she starts to think again about everything she hasn’t done yet. And when a series of events take place, she remembers that her doomsday birthday is nearby…
Is she able to fulfill all her dreams before her birthday? Or will there be still things left unfinished?

Now, where to start with my thoughts…

I have to admit that rather quickly in this book, I wanted to give it just one star. Because I truly believe that Samatha Tonge did an unforgivable thing… Why did Elena have to be a lover of pineapple on pizza??? WHY?????? 😊

But I also have to admit another thing, while Elena is a wonderful person, I kept wondering how she would believe that her days were limited. As a child, yes, it would make perfect sense to believe that. But I would expect that with the years, understanding would dawn and that she would realize that in fact she still has a bright future ahead.

And it saddened me to read how that prediction, made so long ago, held Elena back, as it’s clear that she hasn’t been living her life like she truly wanted, as she felt like the sword of Damocles was hanging over her…

In that aspect, it was good for her that Rory temporarily moves in with her. It seemed that with Rory in her home, it is somehow a little push, a nudge for Elena to get out of her protective shell. And with Rory questioning her, Elena starts to do what she dreamed of doing.

But it also felt like Elena was trying too hard, and started to be reckless about them. She went from one extreme to another, not thinking about any kind of consequence. Yet that perfectly also sums up what Elena is going through as she feels at loss, and feels that there is still so much to do, but does she really have the time for it?

I liked it to read how through her internal turmoil, she starts to rely on Rory. They may be colleagues in first instance, and there is already a friendship, but their bond only strengthens throughout the story. And just like real, honest and genuine friends, Rory doesn’t judge Elena on her beliefs. But that doesn’t take away that he tries to find the reality behind it.
And with their bond only intensifying, we also see it develop in another direction. A direction that both haven’t experienced yet.

Of course towards the end of the book, everything makes sense. But of course I also understand the importance of not spoiling everything in a review. All I can say that I was happy with how Samantha Tonge handled the end of the story. 
And I must say, while perhaps the details were eluding me, I had an inkling of what it would be.

On the other hand, Samantha Tonge also managed perfectly on putting me on a completely wrong direction with another mystery in this book. I truly started to believe in things that I normally don’t believe. Only to discover a wonderful reality! 🙂

This book for sure felt like a real journey. Not only for Elena and Rory, but also for myself. After finishing, I realized that perhaps there will never be a right time to chase my dreams. If we have a dream, and it’s realizable, why not go for it? Because we will never know if there will be a tomorrow. We will never know what the future will bring and if we will have that opportunity.
And while perhaps Elena’s journey was a tiny bit far-fetched with her deal made as a child, her story pinpoints that we should enjoy our lives while we can.
So that is why I, despite the monstrosity of pineapple on a pizza, I truly enjoyed reading this story!

Status shouldn’t matter when love enters…

Synopsis

It’s hate at first sight… But he’s about to dismantle her walls brick by brick.

Young heiress Ophelia Chattan-Blythe needs a miracle to save the family estate, and working with Brann – the ruggedly handsome, popular, and extremely irritating local builder – is not it. He may have a smile that can melt diamonds, but when he and Ophelia hit it off on the wrong foot, she starts to hate him with a passion.

Single-dad Brann isn’t all he seems. He’s built up a good business, though it doesn’t stop him from being lonely. Falling for a beautiful but stubborn heiress isn’t part of his master plan. But how can he not find Ophelia’s serene charm and whip-like comebacks irresistible?

As Brann and Ophelia work together, their arguments advance to attraction, and their desires ignite. But it’s more than Brann’s job’s worth to act on his feelings and Ophelia mustn’t, not if she’s to secure a wealthy match and stop her family from going under. A love this intense should be worth the fight, but constructing a happy ending is an almost impossible task without breaking all the rules.

My review

Ophelia Chattan – Blythe has created her own successful interior design business. But when she hears that her father is not well, she runs back home to Glenbriar. There she is faced with several shocking revelations: her father seems to be doing just fine, which is a relief, but the estate is not. Now Ophelia is forced to do whatever she can to save it. However, her ideas and that of her stepmother and her own father, couldn’t be more different… While she wants to restore the estate and its grounds back to their former glory, while especially her stepmother Jacinta believes that marrying Ophelia off to someone with more than enough money. Ophelia’s determination to make her grandparents’ dreams come true, makes her cross paths with local builder Brann. Even if they start off on the complete wrong foot, and hate seems to be the common emotion, Ophelia cannot deny that not only is Brann good at his job, but also that his perky comebacks put a smile on her face. No matter how much Brann enjoys pushing Ophelia’s buttons and there is an attraction growing, as a single dad, his mind is not set on finding love at all. But hearing on Ophelia’s prospects and about her needing to gain a wealthy match, and of course the difference between the Lady and the Builder, can he truly keep his distance?

Now, do I really have to tell you once again how much I enjoyed returning to Glenbriar? Because I think that if you are following me regularly, you already know how much I am enjoying starting each new story set in this wonderful series!

Reading books also means that you should never judge a story on its cover, and thus I know that even if Ophelia may be of class, it doesn’t mean she is a posh person, or thinks herself being better than anyone else.

And Ophelia for sure shows that a person is a character, and not a name or a status. Because if you would meet Ophelia, and not knowing about her ancestry, you would just find a great person, with a kind heart, and even a stubborn determination. And with that last, I mean it in the best possible way 😊.

I liked that determination, as we can see how she was able to build up her business on her own, and turn it into a success. She also has great plans to restore the estate. And her determination and her insightfulness is the perfect combo to save what she cares so deeply about.

But I have to say, no matter how much I enjoyed getting to know Ophelia better, her story also angered me… Because she has the most obnoxious, self – centered stepmother and the most oblivious possible father!

Who in their right minds would believe it would be okay to spend money for themselves that was in fact meant for the business?  And feel any remorse for it?

And it make it worse, which kind of parent would believe it would be okay to marry off their child like a cattle at an auction, for the highest bidder?

I was amazed that Ophelia didn’t cut them out immediately and just cut all connections with them. But I also knew that standing up for herself would be Ophelia’s real journey in this book. While greatest part of the book Ophelia seemingly seems to go along with whatever her stepmother and father want from her, we also see that slowly she starts to believe that her own happiness and life may be a too big of a sacrifice. And with Brann now also in her life, she wants to do right by her, and not only by her family…

Brann… he for sure is a character that appeared previously and I couldn’t wait to get to know him better!

And what a delight it was to get to know him! He for sure lived up to the image I had in my mind, but also showed so much depth, love, care and especially humour!

He is a single dad, yet I liked it how much he still gets along with his wife. He for sure shows that the end of a marriage doesn’t mean to end things on bad terms.

And he so dedicated as a father!

When Ophelia and Brann meet, saying they don’t get along would be the understatement of the year. They clash more than anything else. They constantly annoy each other, but that is also because they don’t know each other for real, and are basing their assessments on even some kind of prejudice.

So while it was hilarious seeing them constantly bickering around, it was delightful to see them unable to stop the attraction that slowly grows between them. Slowly, but by bit, they start to understand each other, support each other, giving in to each other. And seeing them trying to protect their hearts, but failing, and discovering that perhaps love is worth of risking their hearts again, was just so heartwarming!

This for sure is a slow burn, although there are many sparks flying around all the time. But while this is the story about Ophelia and Brann, it is also and mainly a story about Ophelia and a story about Brann. This book is about their personal journey, a journey that brings them together, but is only possible if they undergo a lot of growth. Because the Ophelia and Brann that we see at the end of this book aren’t the same as those at the start of the book. And seeing that growth, that journey, that change in the both of them, made me love this book so much!