Tizi’s Book Review

When a booking goes wrong, what could possibly happen?

Synopsis

Two weddings, three hotel reservations gone awry…and one weekend in Cornwall they’ll never forget!

When the similarities between Ella Swift and Callum Smith’s last names lead to a hotel room mix-up, they find themselves sharing a cramped cottage in Porthkara rather than the private luxury hotel suites they expected.

Each in town for a different wedding – and carrying more baggage than just the suitcases in their hands – the reluctant roommates are forced to share a shelter from the storm surge that sweeps in off the Atlantic. But as the rain crashes down there’s a shift in more than just the atmosphere, and by the time the sun rises on a new day, Ella and Callum’s futures have already been forever changed…

My review

Ella Swift and Callum Smith arrive at their booked hotel to attend a wedding. They are attending different weddings and haven’t ever met before. But when the new owners of he hotel have to admit that there was mix – up with their last names, and there is no other room available, these two strangers have no other option than sharing a cramped cottage that has past its best time in Porthkara.
To make things even worse, when a storm passes, have no other choice than spending even more time together. More time together where they both realize that they both have internal storms raging on, with dark clouds from their pasts.
And before they know, Ella and Callum find themselves finally finding someone that they can trust without any condition attached. But is one weekend enough to chase away all of their demons? Or will it stay to this one perfect, yet not without hiccups, weekend? 

Whenever I go to a hotel, I always have this small fear that we will discover that something went wrong and that there is no room available for me. Yes, I am one of those worst – case – scenario people, eve if nothing like this actual ever happened to me.
So of course I was curious to see what kind of story and solution the author could come up with. 

I have to say, before I started this book, I was not completely convinced about the mix – up as in my modest opinion, Swift and Smith were two very obvious different names.
But I was glad that there was a perfect logical explanation for the mix – up! And I truly couldn’t be angry with the new owners, as for sure they are in too deep, and the new system isn’t making things easier for them, on the contrary. 

Ella and Callum couldn’t have a more different background. Not only that, but their demons are also very different. Yet somehow I found it that despite their differences, they were both very alike. The pains from their pasts for sure scarred them deeply, and both of them are somehow afraid to move on, even not knowing how their future would look like. 

Of course I had my laughs reading about the state of the cottage, if you can call it like that, and how this unlikely pair have to struggle with every little thing. Yet it’s also each and every one of those struggles that bring them more and more together.
From a fear of the storm, to organizing the perfect wedding venue, slowly Ella and Callum realize themselves how alike they are, and how they can trust each other, even if they don’t know each other at all. 

And for me, that was the essence of this book. Yes, you know that the feelings between Ella and Callum will develop. But they are both initially not in the right place (figuratively speaking of course) to even understand that shift.
Because they both have to understand themselves and allow themselves to make that growth for themselves, before they can think about getting involved. 

Both Ella and Callum have to understand where they truly belong, and how to move on from those painful feelings. And letting go of the past doesn’t mean forgetting about who we lost. But letting go means forgiveness, understanding and remembering the good while letting go of the bad. 

So even if the chemistry between the main characters wasn’t very palpable from each page, I saw it more as the need for each of them, and especially Callum, to make that internal turmoil stop and allow love back in their lives. 

I truly enjoyed reading this book, as we see how one weekend can affect someone’s life. For Ella is was finding a place she could call home, and let her life move on from the big spotlights. And building a relationship with her also – famous father.
And for Callum is was returning to a place that holds many memories, but also being back there, discovering that he has more people that love him than he thinks. And of course allowing his broken heart to mend again and allow it to be open to love once again. 

This is a book about how one moment can change your life, how it can make you find the courage to something new. And this all set in a wonderful setting, even if the cottage itself initially could definitely need a lot of TLC, that the readers for sure are willing to give!

At Christmas, anything could happen!

Synopsis

The festive season is fast approaching and the Little Duck Pond Café menu has been given a mouth-watering sprinkling of December magic. Jaz is hoping for the perfect festive season with little daughter Emma. But her feelings for next-door neighbour, Milo, are getting in the way. With his old love back on the scene, is she really prepared to risk her heart and make it the best Christmas ever?

My review

After her divorce, Jaz is afraid of ending up heartbroken again, even if she cannot deny the attraction she has for her amazing neighbour Milo. And yet, even if things seemed to progress in a positive way, Jaz is struggling with finding the perfect balance in being a single parent and finding the courage to let love back in her life.
But no matter the inner struggles she has, Jaz will always be there for her friends from The Little Duck Pond Café, and is ready to be a helping hand when one of her friends is organizing a Winter Wonderland, for the less fortunate around them and us. And one way or another, it’s going to be a memorable Christmas for everyone! 

Ooow what a delightful story Rosie Green wrote once again! It just has everything I wanted and needed to read! It has friendship, romance, the many different aspects of parenthood, but there is also room for a not so light and warm bits, making this story maybe even more real, as life for sure isn’t all about rainbows and unicorns… 

I have to say, Jaz was at many moments a frustrating character. And I don’t mean that I didn’t like her, because let’s be honest, is there anyone in Sunnybrook that isn’t a lovely character?
But Jaz was frustrating, as she has found something (or rather someone…) wonderful, but she is allowing her fear to let that amazing thing/person (yes yes, it’s Milo, I know it, you know it…) slip through her fingers. 

But while it was frustrating, I could also understand her. She thought in the past she had everything already, to only end up heartbroken. And I got her reasoning, that if she had to go through that once again, she wouldn’t know if that would be truly possible.
And of course she has her little girl to think about! There is nothing Jaz does without thinking about adorable Emma. 

Emma, who for sure deserves her special mention in this review, because she is just wonderful, sweet, genuine and just too cute for words!
I liked to see how she adjusted to the new home situation, and how she and Mabel have become best of friends, and are just more than just neighbourly children. 

Milo is obviously an amazing, caring man, even if at moments he can be rather clueless. He doesn’t see the obvious when it’s standing right in front of him. But that only adds to his charm, as he shows that he is an amazing father, a great friend, a person who respects someone else’s wishes, even if he doesn’t comprehend it always. 

But in this book, there is so much more than just the romance (or the non – romance?) between Jaz and Milo. Because we see of course our old friends back, and we see how they are doing. Also in this case, it’s not all perfect, but once again, when is that actually in real life?
Yet despite some setbacks, our beloved friends never lose what makes them so loveable. Even when perhaps initially prejudiced, there is a case of admitting mistakes and desire to make wrongdoing right again, and help the people on need. 

And one of those in need is Freddy. Freddy for sure stole my heart and broke it too with his story. he shows us that even in families, dreams aren’t always accepted, and that sometimes parents have their own wishes for their children, forgetting that everyone has the right to follow their own passions.
Freddy shows us pain, and even stubbornness. But he also shows us warmth, kindness and determination. While I myself was perhaps initially wary of him, he showed me wrong, and I hoped to see things resolved for him too! 

In this story we see the real sense and meaning of a community, as people gather all together not only for Christmas, but for each other. it doesn’t matter if you just joined the community or are a long lasting member, once Sunnybrook embraced you in, you are a fully member, and you will always have people ready to help out. 

Rosie Green shows us once again what a talented author she is. Because she shows us real people, with all their beautiful bits, but also with their fears. But she shows us also how a community work together as one, with a kind and warm heart.
Each time I dive right into the story, eager to read it all at once, only feeling a bit of regret as time has passed too quickly and the end came way too fast!

When baking brings people together

Synopsis

Now in his seventies, Robert Parkin is stunned to find himself the unlikely sex symbol of the village gardening club.

Living in happy solitude with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village of Millbrook, entertained by his mischievous chickens and goats, Robert has never figured out the rules of romance. But as the local ladies vie for his company, it soon becomes clear that Robert’s Victoria Sponge cake is the lure, and as his baking prowess grows, so does his confidence.

Cheesecakes, meringues, puddings, Robert can do it all, but his real masterpieces are his scones – ginger, rosemary, coconut, fruit, his recipes are inspired and soon come to the attention of the local media. Which county does the best cream tea – Devon or Cornwall? It’s time for an age-old debate to be settled with a competition.

Robert’s sisters Bunty and Hattie are both at crossroads in their lives, so news of their brother’s baking competition is the perfect excuse to bring them to Millbrook. And as the siblings relish each other’s company, and Robert relishes being at the heart of his community, a summer of scones may just light the way to long-lasting happiness for them all.

Enjoy Judy Leigh’s wonderful world of family, friendship and feasting in this perfect feel-good story for all fans of Maddie Please, Dawn French and Caroline James.

My review

In Devon village Millbrook, Robert finds himself suddenly subject of the desire of all the local ladies. While he enjoys his solitude with his animals, his baking skills are becoming legendary and the women, single and not, are all seeking his attention. It even goes that far that the local media pick up the buzz and a good old fashion bake off between counties is being organized. Which county bakes the best scones? Is it Devon or Cornwall?
As Robert finds himself in a situation he didn’t really want, luckily he can count on the help of his sisters Bunty and Hattie. Not only are they more than willing to help with the contest, but also to play as buffer between him and all the ladies.
But the sisters aren’t only staying with Robert for helping him out, as they are also at crossroads in their lives, at the verge of making important decisions. And with all the siblings once again all together, it’s the perfect opportunity to not only come closer once again, but also to have each other to rely on and have a voice of reasoning. And the three will also realize that baking truly brings people together, in more than just one way.

If there is one thing I do when I am stressed, it’s baking. Just the fact of breaking the eggs, mixing everything (eat some of the raw dough too  of course 🤣) truly calms me.
And I absolutely enjoy watching the Flemish version of Bake Off! So having a book of an author I absolutely like and it has baking in it, of course I have to read it!

This story was hilarious, heart – warming but also a bit frustrating at the same time!

I found Robert’s sudden popularity so funny to read about! And it’s not that he did something special to gain that popularity, as all he did was minding his own business, and bake delicious creations.
Seeing all those women ‘fighting’ over him, to have his attention, for sure made me laugh out loud, as it was so weird to see adult women, married and not, swooning over Robert 🤣

But I also felt sorry for Robert, as he was truly on his own, looking after his animals. Animals with the funniest possible names! I wish I had Robert (or rather, Judy Leigh’s!) inspiration to come up with such clever names.
And while he has his sisters, the contact with them isn’t that easy, and they all have their own issues in their lives.

So has Hattie finally fought for her own freedom and divorced her rather dominant and even abusive husband. But being on her own is more difficult than imagined, and after years of degrading, she can still hear her husband’s voice in her head.
With Bunty crashing at her place, Hattie decides to ‘escape’ to Robert’s.
Of course it saddened me to read how unhappy Hattie has been in her life. But she inspired me also in a way, as even at her age, she finds the courage to open up to new challenges.

Bunty was a bit more difficult to like from the start. But that is also because we don’t know her complete background.
I found it a bit disturbing how she just left her husband and wanted to figure out if there was something with a new person.
A person who I would have kicked in his *ss without a doubt!

Yet slowly I got to understand Bunty better, and I felt sorry for her and her past, as it was a devastating one. Her story shows us that grief can last for years and that we all have a need to grieve together with those the closest to us.

But the more I got into the story, the more wonderful it  became. Not only we see the three siblings getting more and more out of their shelves, but we also see clearly how age truly is just a number. And that you are never too old for a challenge, to start with something new, to meet new people, and to  allow love (back) in your heart.

That is the beauty of this story, as we do not only have three siblings, but a whole community somehow waking up, and seeing that the world is still their oyster and there are still plenty of possibilities and opportunities for them.
Judy Leigh wrote once again a marvelous story, about relatable people, recognizable people, and their perhaps even unknown search for happiness.
And that baking truly is good for the heart and the soul, as in an unique way brings people (back) together!
I enjoyed reading this book from the first page until the very last one! 😊

Check out this wonderful cover!

Synopsis

Life just got life-y…

On the night that Trudy Asp discovers her ex is engaged to the same dental hygienist who’s been picking at her teeth for ten years, her daughter, Madison, suddenly announces that she too is getting married, in Europe.

Frumpy, floundering, and forced to live with her martini-swilling mother, Trudy is swamped by these revelations. And on top of it all, she’ll be wearing the second most scrutinized gown at the wedding.

Having packed on the pounds during the demise of her marriage, the idea of being eyeballed by her ex and his scrawny fiancée Zelda, is truly horrifying. To make matters worse, there’s the paralyzing fear of a transatlantic flight — something Trudy has avoided for decades.

When Zelda offers to stand in for her, Trudy is forced to confront the forces that stole her marriage and threaten to steal her daughter’s wedding too. With three months until the ceremony, Trudy must get to Europe, squeeze herself into a gown, and claim the role she wants more than anything: Mother-of-the-Bride.

Will this Odd Mom Out sink or swim? Or will she drown in a sea of humiliation?

Pre-order Links

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP1GB4V2

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CP1GB4V2

Publication Date: 1st January 2024

About the author

Sandy Day is a recovering chatterbox and writer of riveting slice-of-life poetry, memoir, and fiction. She has authored five books to date, with two in the works. A graduate of Glendon College, she studied creative writing under Michael Ondaatje and bp nichol. A lover of cheese, coffee shops, and illustrations, she lives on the shore of Lake Simcoe in Georgina, Ontario, Canada. You can find and follow her on Substack and sandyday.ca – it rhymes!

The cover!

When you wish to kill your ex and then he truly dies…

Synopsis

It is 5:30 am on Clio’s forty-fifth birthday and her hated ex is lying dead on her doorstep. Even worse, this is no accident. Someone’s killed him…

When single mum Clio’s ex Gary turns up dead on the doorstep of her caravan – the one she’s been forced to live in ever since he stole every penny she had – there’s only one suspect. Her.

What’s more, she doesn’t remember much about the night he was killed – not just because of the forgetfulness that’s been plaguing her along with the hot flushes – but because she definitely had one too many cocktails with her two best friends Amber and Jeanie.

Clio does remember them talking about how much they all hated him though. And, in the frame for murder, she has toask herself – if she didn’t kill Gary, who did? One of his many enemies? Or someone a little closer to home? And can she and her friends find the real killer before it’s too late?

Unputdownable mystery set on the English coast – perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Bad Sisters, and How to Kill Your Family.

My review

Thanks to her ex Gary, Clio is not having the best of lives. He forced her out of the business they had together, took all her money and even forces her to live in a caravan. So it’s clear that Clio isn’t a fan of Gary.
And then Gary ends up dead on the doorstep of her caravan. As Gary truly played dirty and even took money that wasn’t for him to take, and Clio made some threats beforehand and everyone knew how much she hated him, Clio has become the prime suspect.
Under normal circumstances, Clio would be fighting to prove her innocence, weren’t it that she truly cannot remember what happened the night Gary was killed, as she had too many cocktails with her best friends Amber and Jeanie.
Amber and Jeanie are sure that Clio isn’t the culprit and are ready to do their own investigations. But is Clio truly innocent? And who is the murderer if it isn’t Clio?  

Haven’t we all had an ex that afterwards made our blood boil, and haven’t we all been wishing someone dead? Of course that is all in our imagination, and any kind of death would be a painful one for the person that broke our hearts.
But in Italian there is a saying, between saying something and doing something is the sea. Meaning that even if we say something, it’s a whole different thing to actually be doing it. 

Clio has wished her ex terrible things, just in the heat of moments. And yet she finds herself in the position of finding Gary’s body and becoming a suspect. A situation that despite our big mouths, we don’t want to find ourselves in! 

I have to admit, there were moments that I wished that Clio showed more backbone, especially reading how Gary has treated her during their marriage and in the aftermath of it. Clio for sure lost a lot because of that scumbag and is still paying the price for many of his actions… 

Because there is one thing that is crystal – clear… Gary isn’t a great loss to the world. He is totally obnoxious, big – headed and only thinks and loves himself. He truly thinks he deserves the best of the best, and believes that he has a right to own anything. I truly despised him more and more throughout the story…
His actions for sure aren’t justified in any way, and he got it coming, his ending. 

Of course killing someone isn’t the right thing to do, and while I believed that Clio was innocent, despite everything she had to endure, I was curious to see who the real culprit was. Especially after reading that there were plenty of options! With the countdown to Gary’s death, the list of suspects only grew, with people far away from Clio but also close to her. 

With suspects closer to Clio, and Clio making discoveries herself, we see the real Clio submerge, as a person ready to protect her loved ones.
But on the other hand, we also see her loved ones, especially her best friends Amber and Jeanie, fighting in her corner.
Because who knows us the best, who knows what we are truly capable us, even if alcohol may be involved? Exactly, our best friends. 

And that felt for me the true meaning of this  book, as yes, we are looking for a murderer, doing several investigations to make any discovery. But it felt mainly about a story about real friendships, and how we would walk on water for each other, even to be ‘in debts’ with someone dodgy… 

Of course I enjoyed reading this story, as even if a murder is a serious business, there were plenty funny moments, as Jeanie and Amber are for sure a unique pair of investigators. They have their own issues, but they never dropped Clio like a rock…
And in a strange way, Gary dying was a good thing for each of the women, as it gave them a chance to solve their own problems while solving the mystery. 

This was a cosy mystery, with murder, many suspects but mainly about three great friends that despite their differences never stop believing in each other and will never stop helping each other!

All the things that can happen in just one week…

Synopsis

All she wants for Christmas is peace and quiet.

All he wants for Christmas is… her.

Losing her job and boyfriend weeks before Christmas leaves Talia feeling more bah humbug than filled with festive spirit. The last thing she needs is Christmas with her chaotic family and Rafe Scott, her brother’s grumpy best friend and long-term star of her hottest fantasies.

Her heart’s deepest desire if she’s honest with herself.

But when Rafe comes along with an offer she can’t refuse—use of his family’s cottage in Scotland in exchange for a date to his company’s holiday party—Talia gratefully accepts. A quiet, wintry escape sounds like heaven and a few hours in Rafe’s company couldn’t hurt.

Until it does.

Fleeing to her Scottish Highland retreat, Talia’s longed-for peace doesn’t last long when a bitter storm brings snow and the one man she desperately wants but cannot have. Now snowed in together for the holiday season, will their simmering attraction keep them warm or will they both get burned?

One Week With You is a steamy contemporary holiday novella containing strong language and sexual scenes.

My review

With Talia losing her job and her boyfriend, all she truly wants is a quiet Christmas and not the usual Christmas spending with her chaotic family.
Luckily her brother’s grumpy best friend Rafe has a family cottage in Scotland Talia can use, on just one condition… to be his date on his company’s holiday party.
Talia agrees, as the prospect to be on her own is too good to let go, and even if she has to endure some excruciating hours with the man who played the main character in her hottest fantasies.  
And then Rafe appears at the cottage and the pair is snowed in together…  

I am not a prude woman, but I can understand that some readers don’t like to read explicit stories. if you are one of them, I advise you to skip this book, as things for sure get heated!
But if you are just like me, and you aren’t shocked by a lot of action in the bedroom as a result of a romantic story, you will truly enjoy this book! 

I have several tropes that I love reading, best friends to lovers, enemies to lovers etc. And as brother’s best friend is also one of them, I just had to read this one.  

From the start I liked Talia, and I could understand her reluctance in admitting to her family how she had lost her job and her boyfriend. I think I would be feeling the same, as it somehow feels like a failure. But I also knew that there isn’t anything to be ashamed for, as why should Talia mourn a job she didn’t truly love, and a relationship that was already reaching its end? 

And I have to admit, even if it’s a bit cringy, I could understand how she always had a crush on her brother’s friend.
Although in her case, there is a history, while for me, it was all one – sided! 😊 

But what I liked reading, was how Rafe has always been part of Talia’s family. He isn’t just a friend, but truly an adopted member, loved as much as one of the other siblings, despite his grumpiness! Because Talia, her brother, and the rest of the family know the real Rafe, the man he truly is.  

And that Rafe is a caring man, who would do anything for those in his inner circle. He doesn’t always show it, but he has a gentle character, he is a person that doesn’t want to jeopardize what’s important to him. For that, he is ready to hide his real feelings about Talia, and what he imagines he wants to do with her… 

Did it come to a surprise reading that Rafe appears at the Scottish cottage? Of course not! Did it shock me that those days just the who of them lead to something “unexpected” yet heated? Of course not! Did it take away any enjoyment from reading it anyway? Of course not! 

This was a rather short story to read, yet it gave you so much back! We see how two characters who have known each other for a long time, finally give in to their feelings. We see how perfectly they match and how much fun they have together and not only between the sheets. As they are on their own, they can give in to the smallest wishes, like go sledging, decorate a Christmas tree with old decorations, or just snuggling together in front of a fireplace.
And I found it sweet to see how encourage each other, to take their future in their own hands.
But we also see how there still are struggles, as there is always the fear of doing the wrong thing, or the fear of just screwing everything up, everything they both have worked so hard for. 

I truly enjoyed reading this book, and I found myself devouring it at a rather fast pace!
The story has everything I expected, love, romance, heated moments, but also the true sense of family, and the heart in general. All wrapped into a beautiful Christmassy, snowy setting! 

This was a new author for me, but I have loved reading this book and now I cannot wait to read even more from her!

When a fresh start doesn’t go as expected

Synopsis

A new start…

When Danni Carter moves to Cornwall from London, she hopes it will be the fresh start she so desperately needs. She’s nervous, but hopefully the change of scene will help her to finally forget her feelings for Lucas Newman, a man she can never be with, because he’s already engaged to Danni’s best friend, Esther.

An Impossible Dilemma…

But when Lucas and Esther decide to follow Danni to Cornwall, and both announce they will be working with her at the new St Piran’s hospital, Danni is thrown into turmoil again. She can’t lose Esther, but being near Lucas is getting harder to deal with. Will she have to give up her new life before it’s even started?

A chance to start again?

Throwing herself into work, Danni finds herself drawn to new patient, Connie Berrycloth, a woman Danni knows has dark secrets of her own. Secrets that are about to be revealed….

As the two women form a friendship, Danni begins to realise that letting go of her dreams might be the only way of holding on to the people she loves.

My review

Danni Carter made the move from London to Cornwall for her own sake. She is deeply in love with Lucas Newman, but as he is engaged to her best friend Esther, Danni has decided to remove herself from that equation.
Danni is more than ready to make a fresh start and is happy with her new job at the St. Piran’s hospital. But then Esther and Lucas tell her their decision to make the move to Cornwall too…
With Lucas once again near, Danni finds it more and more difficult to keep her distance. But Esther’s friendship means the world to her.
To distract herself from Lucas, Danni throws herself into work, and finds a friend in new patient Connie Berrycloth, who may understand her struggles better than anyone else, as Connie herself has dark secrets…
But what will Danni do with her feelings? Because no matter what she decides to do, it will end in heartbreak one way or another.

When an author you love starts a new series, it’s always with a little fear that I start reading that book. Will the author manage to fulfill the extreme high expectations? Or will I finish the books with a feeling of disappointed?

Luckily for us, Jo Bartlett managed perfectly to even exceed my expectations and she never lost the magic that she created with the Cornish Midwives.

From the very start I pitied Danni. It’s difficult to be in love and it’s unrequited. But what when it seems that it is requited, but it’s an even bigger impossible love, as the person you love is in a relationship with your best friend?
Yet I admired her also, beside pitying her. Because she knows she cannot act upon her feelings, and makes the decision to move from London.
Danni could have been a selfish woman, and fight till she gets the man she desires. But that is not her modus operandi. Her friendship with Esther is more important to her than Lucas ever will be. And that gives you a perfect insight of who Danni truly is…

I found it terrible for her when she discovers that Esther and Lucas have decided to move to Cornwall too. Of course Danni is happy to have her best friend close again, but she herself made the move for a reason, and that reason just followed her all the way to Cornwall.

I didn’t know what outcome I was rooting for… did I want Danni to end up with Lucas, but where would that leave her with Esther? Or did I want Danni to give up on Lucas, and thus give up on love? I truly couldn’t decide, but I knew that I wanted Danni to see happy, because she deserves it as we can see in so many different aspects what a kind, gentle and loving person she is.

And it truly warmed my heart to see how she looks after Connie, a patient in the hospital. Somehow they feel they both are carrying a likewise burden, a secret they have been keeping for a long time.

My heart went also out to Connie (wow, I felt sorry for many people in this book 😀). And not only because of the terrifying accident she was in, but also for the choices she had to made in the past, and how she has been living with her secrets. And how she wants to make amends, even if she knows how difficult things can get.

What touched me the most in this book was the unselfishness of the main characters. They show us what loving someone (whether it’s your best friend, the person you are in love with, your family) truly means.
Because when you love someone you are willing to put your own happiness aside. But it also means to be the bearer of heartbreaking news, even knowing that you may have to pay the price for it.

While there is a lot to do about Danni’s and Connie’s love interest and their secrets, for me it felt like this was a wonderful, heartfelt, warm story about love in all its aspects. We see what real friendship means, we see how we are ready to make sacrifices for the people we love. And we see that even when we think to have found our match, if it’s the Real Thing, Love finds a way to make it work. And if it doesn’t work, there is a reason for it…

This was again a marvelous story, that I truly enjoyed reading. I loved each character (with the exception of one..) and I absolutely had a blast with Gwen! 😀

Love can stand every test, even a TV show?

Synopsis

Berkley Kaine was lucky enough to meet her perfect man at a young age.

Blissfully in love, she’s about to graduate college, take on her dream job, and has never been more optimistic for the future.

Will Adler has been in love with Berkley Kaine since the moment he laid eyes on her.

But ever since they became a couple, Will and Berkley have had to contend with his influential, richer-than-rich socialite family who have never thought Berkley is good enough. Determined to drive the young lovers apart, Will’s family reveal the secret he’s yet to find a way to tell her – he’s signed on with his brother to be a part of a reality TV show called PDX Royals, as apparently, money is all it takes to be ‘royalty’ in America.

Can Berkley forgive Will for lying?

Can the couple survive the pressure of Will’s crazy family, his constant bad decisions, and a TV show they never expected to blow up the way it did?

Can first love ever become forever love?

Enjoy Aimee Brown’s steamy-as-hell, laugh-out-loud rom com and find out if Will and Berkley get their happily-ever-after. The perfect novel for all fans of Sariah Wilson, Lindsey Kelk and Abby Jiminez.

My review

Berkley and Will have been in love with each other and together for years, despite their young age. their future hasn’t looked any brighter, and they have so many plans together.
Weren’t it only that Will’s parents, or rather his whole family, think that Will can do better than Berkley.
As the Adler family is a very rich and influential one, nothing will stop them to gain more money and prestige. And so Will finds himself being part of a reality TV show, together with his brother.
A TV show Will didn’t tell Berkley about.. and the one thing that they never had for each other, were secrets…
Will their strong relationship stand the test of camera’s, interfering families and a succession of bad decisions? Or will this once again be the case where first loves never make it? 

Having read several books of this author, and each one of them put a smile on my face, made me very eager to pick this one up too.
But part of writing reviews, also means that you have to be honest. So I have to say that this book didn’t make me smile as much as Aimee Brown’s other books.
And there is no need to panic, because there were definitely smiles, and I did enjoy reading this book. But there are also many painful, heart – breaking moments in this book… 

The book starts great, as we see that Berkley and Will are happy together, have great plans and they show that first loves can stand the test of time, and even the test of a difficult and obnoxious family.
I was rooting for this couple from the first words in the book. 

But then things start to fall apart, at the discovery that Will is going to be part of a TV show with just a terrible name. I think it’s common knowledge that despite being called a ‘reality’, there is a lot fake in whatever we see on TV. And I was afraid that this TV show would not only be confirming that aspect, but would even go over the top with it. 

I understood the decision Berkley made, as being on a TV show goes against everything that Berkley is, even if it means heartbreak. But I also liked it how despite that decision, she doesn’t just give up on Will. It shows that she truly loves Will, and that she will always be there for him, even at his lowest moments. 

And there are many low moments for Will. Seeing his struggles is heart – breaking but also painful. Seeing him on this self – destructing path broke my heart but also made me dislike him a tiny bit. We see how a bright, nice, kind person changes into just a shadow of his former self. We see the effect on someone who feels alone, without support and a camera on his face the whole time. 

I have to say, that Will’s family for sure is a despicable one. And while perhaps toward the end we can see how it all fits together, it didn’t made me change my mind about them. Especially Will’s parents are the worst, they are so self – centred, selfish, obnoxious. Even when at a moment they should be grateful of what Will and Berkley are doing, still they don’t change…  

The author made the choice of making time pass very quickly, as we easily jump months or even years ahead. And while this may seem a bit odd, it’s also a great opportunity to see the change in the characters, but also how at the core they are still the same person. 

Yet do not despair, as this isn’t a depressing story at all, because there still are plenty of moments that made me smile, made me laugh and were definitely funny.
We also see how it helps to have friends on your side when things are going downhill. They are there for you with advice (perhaps not always the right advice, but it comes from the right place). 

I can understand that this story is not for everyone, as Aimee Brown for sure put the spotlight on several difficult topics. But in the end, I had to admit that I fully appreciated this book and I absolutely liked it. Because life and love isn’t a fairy – tale. They both come with ups and downs. The ups can be high and the downs very low. But we also see that no matter what has happened, there is always the chance to pick yourself up, to make a change yourself. And if the drive is winning back the person you love, you should grab that opportunity with both hands. 

And it doesn’t matter when you meet the love of your life, it doesn’t matter if you are just a teenager or not. When love crosses your path, and you have found that perfect person, even the darkest and most difficult moments cannot just take that love away. Love is and will always be a work a progress and even when you go your own ways, love, if it’s the real thing, will always bring you back together…