When Christmas isn’t turning out to be the most wonderful time of the year…

Synopsis

Festive excitement is in the air, the tree is sparkling on the village green and Christmas music is making even the most hardened cynic feel a little sentimental – but one Little Duck Pond Café favourite is feeling anything but romantic! Is this destined to be a festive season best forgotten? Or could Katja’s dream of a merry little Christmas possibly end up coming true?

My review

After a terrible breakup, Katja truly believed she has found love again, in the form of Caleb. Not only is he just amazing, but he also understands Katje better than no one else did before. He knows that things need to go slowly, not because Katja isn’t sure about her feelings, but because she is afraid of the depths of them. However, while Katje doesn’t want anything more than snuggling with Caleb for their first Christmas together, there are things that worry Katja. Firstly, there are these reoccurring nightmares she keeps on having, making her fear for what she may lose, and secondly, Caleb starts to act out of character. Has Caleb run out of patience and is letting her down slowly, and will this be a lonely Christmas for Katja after all? Or is there more than what the eye sees?

Initially, I was over the moon reading this next instalment that I absolutely love. However, that feeling started to shift the more I was reading it. Now my dearest Rosie, don’t go panicking, keep on reading my thoughts of the book and you’ll see what you have done to my emotions and more important, to my heart! 😊

Of course I knew who Katja is as she also takes part in the previous parts of the series. So I knew already what she had endured in the past, and how her previous relationship ended not only in heartbreak, but also in a terrible way.

Even if now she had found love again with Caleb, I could understand why she wants to take things slowly with him, and how she is a bit afraid of admitting what she truly feels. Having been burnt by love before does that with people, doesn’t it?

And my heart went out to her, seeing how she is being haunted by nightmares and how those nightmares are exhausting her. I think I could understand where those nightmares are coming from, but as I have been haunted by nightmares myself for a longer period (though for complete different reasons), I know that even if you know better, it doesn’t stop those nightmares from returning.

When you are in need, you should get all the possible support. And how much did it warm my heart how all of Katja’s family and friends are always there for her. It is not easy to understand what is going on in someone’s head, but seeing their support, shows how close and how caring just everyone is in this wonderful community.

A community that wants Katja to be happy, just like she deserves to be. A community that wants Katja to understand that she has the real deal found with Caleb.

However… no matter how amazing Caleb has been, how patient he has been and how understanding he has been, the change of his behaviour made me share Katja’s doubts…

We see Caleb becoming more distant, dodgy even. And I did not like this side of Caleb. Even if I knew that this author would never disappoint me with characters that I would truly dislike, Caleb for sure was testing me in every possible way.

I truly tried to keep my faith and I truly tried to believe him and his goodness. But Caleb also made sure that no matter what I wanted to believe, I only saw the bad things… Bad things I didn’t want to see, but couldn’t otherwise…

There is so much to say about Caleb’s character and behaviour, and things will be made clear in the end. But as this is a spoiler – free review, I cannot divulge further on it. But what I can say, is that Rosie for sure played dirty!  And I don’t know if I have forgiven her yet! 😊

Despite the turmoil Katja is going through, and all the doubts she is having, we see also her strength in this story. She has been through a lot, but that also makes her a compassionate person, seeing signs that perhaps not everyone sees. She is ready to help out those who find it scary to stand up for themselves. Katje shows us that no matter how difficult life gets, kindness and care don’t cost a thing.

Rosie Green wrote a beautiful, strong, compassionate story, where things aren’t going easy for the main characters. But the characters are always kind-hearted, patient, righteous and protective of their loved ones, but strong enough to not let the bad ones win and take over. All this is written in a wonderful tale, surrounded with some Christmas sprinkles, making me (in the end 😊) love the story completely and full heartedly!

When your future is doing the same you did in your past.

Synopsis

From grieving widow…

1851, England. After her merchant husband saved her from a life of prostitution, Louisa Hill was briefly happy as a housewife in Bristol. But then a constable arrives at her door. Her husband has been found hanged in a Bath hotel room, a note and a key to a property in Bath she knew nothing about the only things she has left of him.

To a new life as a madam…

Knowing the debt collectors will arrive any moment, Louisa must leave everything she knows behind, and move to Bath. But left with no means of income, Louisa knows she has little choice but to return to but her old way of life. But this time, she’ll do it on her own terms – by turning her new home into a brothel for upper class gentleman. And she’s determined the horrors she was forced to endure in the past are not experienced by the girls she saves from the streets.

Enlisting the help of Jacob Jackson, a quiet but feared boxer, to watch over the house, Louisa is about to embark on a life she never envisaged. Can she find the courage to forge this new path?

My review

Louisa thought she finally escaped a life of prostitution, by getting married. She enjoyed her life as a housewife, but when a constable knocks on her door, her dream falls apart. Her husband has been found dead in a hotel room and left her a property in Bath and many debts. Now that Louisa has no more income, she sees no other option than returning to her old job. But this time it will be on her conditions. She won’t run just a random brothel, but one for upper class gentlemen. And to make sure that every woman in the house is safe, she needs someone to watch the house. And her eye falls on boxer Jacob Jackson. Will Louisa succeed in run the brothel how she envisions it? And can she truly protect the girls?

Initially I couldn’t’ imagine that I would like Louisa. Maybe in my own naivety, I found it hard to understand why someone would go back into prostitution, after just escaped from it. I thought that there would be other solutions.

But okay, putting my own thoughts aside, I had to admire Louisa’s determination to be different. She truly wants the best for the girls and goes lengths to provide protection.
Once she made her decision, she is sticking by it, and will not allow anyway to bully her away.

When she meets Jacob, she immediately sees he is exactly what she needs. Jacob is a boxer, so I understood he wasn’t jumping at this opportunity.
Jacob was a hard nut to crack. He strongly beliefs that because he was raised with violence, that he is also a violent man. He thinks that violence runs in his blood and nothing can change his mind.

All the people in this story make an evolution. Louisa has to learn to love again, daring to allow someone in her life and heart again. Jacob has to learn that violence isn’t the solution and that he isn’t born to be a violent man.

This is not a story where it’s all rainbow and sunshine. It shows how hard life can be if you are not so lucky.
But it also shows that determination can change your life and that you don’t have to be only a victim.
And being in a difficult position, but having people that care about you, is all that matters. The people that are about you and you care about can come in different sizes and shapes. It can be a friend that you know for years, the latest addition of your brothel and even that boxer that needs to provide the protection.

It’s a dark story, but with silver linings that made this story an enjoyable read. I found myself feeling compassionate about the characters, hoping that they would see the light and not just give up.

A Classic story, updated

Synopsis

Caroline’s got frugality down to a fine art. She can make a tin of soup stretch for days, considers “reduced to clear” her love language, and thinks Christmas is just a daft excuse for people to throw their money away on tinsel trimmed tat. 

But Christmas Eve night takes a turn when her best mate, Marlene, drops in for a chat. Lovely, right? Except Marlene’s been dead for seven years and she’s got a message for Caroline, she will be visited by three spirits and if she doesn’t pay attention, her future’s looking bleaker than the contents of her fridge freezer. 

Caroline’s convinced she’s having a hallucination. Ghosts? Surely not! But as the night goes on, she starts to wonder if she might just learn something worth more than her latest discount voucher. And for someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing, this might be the wake-up call she didn’t see coming. 

Move over Ebenezer! This modern, laugh-out-loud retelling of the Dickens classic has a new Scrooge in town. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella. 

My review

When you would look up frugality in the dictionary, there is definitely a picture of Caroline next to the description. So what if she is eating from the same tin of soup for days, so what if her sofa is killing her back, as long as she doesn’t have to spend an extra penny. Not even her friends can make her change her way of living, especially as in fact, Caroline doesn’t have many. But one evening, Caroline gets a wake – up call from her best friend Marlene. Nothing strange, weren’t it for the fact that Marlene has passed away seven years ago… And Marlene is telling Caroline that she will be visited by three ghosts, hoping they can make Caroline see that if nothing changes, her future will be bleak and lonely… Sceptical initially, Caroline starts to wonder if there may be some truths in what she is being told…

Of course the classic of A Christmas Carol is known to me. And while I have seen adaptations of it, movies and series, I haven’t ever read the actual book. I know, shame on me!

And I can only imagine how not only how difficult it can be for an author to take such a beloved story and give it another twist to it, but it also courageous, because there is so much to take in account and a lot of prejudice against it too.

I can understand how especially in these current times, sometimes you have to think about every penny and how to spend it. And initially I thought that Caroline couldn’t afford any frivolity, and that it makes sense for her to use the same tin of soup for days.

So learning that in fact Caroline would have been able to buy a more comfortable sofa, but just doesn’t want to, made me frown a little bit. Yes, you shouldn’t spend your money on unnecessary things, but when it is a necessity… And even if it weren’t unnecessary, but it is something you truly want, why not? You only live once, right?

When Marlene appears, knowing that Caroline’s best friend has passed away, it makes sense for Caroline to think that she is hallucinating, wouldn’t you freak out too? But it is also a necessary wake – up call, because there is still time for Caroline to change her own life.

Obviously, Caroline is a stubborn woman, and thus strong ways must be found. So let the known three ghosts enter the scene!

While I truly wanted Caroline to realize that her way of life is no way of living in fact, it also saddened me to read how it came this far with her. And how alone and lonely in fact Caroline is. Yes, partly it can be blamed on herself and the choices she has made overtime, but still… Being lonely and alone is somehow a vicious circle, difficult to get out of it on your own…

Yes, perhaps after the visit of the last ghost, Caroline’s action were a total 180 compared to her previous behaviour, but is makes it obvious to the readers how much the ghosts have affected her and how well the message has arrived.

I truly enjoyed reading this revisited version and how it was set in the present, with everything we know and have now. Of course the classic remains the classic, but I truly believe the author owned this story. And with reading this tale, it made me once again realize how life should be lived at its fullest, enjoy it at the fullest, with the people you love, because before you know, it can be over in a blink. And you wouldn’t want to be just a footnote in someone’s else life, would you? Don’t you want to be the star in your own life?  

Is all truly lost when we think it is?

Synopsis

A sweeping Regency tale of identity, devotion, and unexpected romance.

Lady Antonella thought she knew who she was—until a shattering family secret strips her of her name, her place in society, and her future. Cast adrift in Cornwall, she finds an injured goshawk in a poacher’s net and begins to nurse it back to health. But the hawk belongs to the war-scarred Lord Atherleigh—a man haunted by loss, determined to dismantle his mews, and certainly not expecting a spirited young woman to upend his solitude.

In London, her twin sister Belinda—radiant, poised, and newly on the marriage market—has only one goal: to find a worthy match… for Antonella. But when Hector Gainesworth, a charming rogue with laughter in his eyes and secrets of his own, turns his attention to Belinda instead, her heart begins to spin in an altogether unexpected direction.

As the sisters navigate betrayal, desire, and the demands of their hearts, two men must decide whether to risk everything for love. And Antonella’s goshawk may be the wild, winged thread that binds their fates.

My review

Antonella and Belinda have been the closest of sisters, and not just because they are twins. Or at least that it what they always believed to be. However, one shocking revelation makes Antonella not only take away her place in society, but also her identity. She doesn’t know who she truly is and where she belongs. The only thing that brings her solace, is her passion for birds. So when she finds an injured goshawk, she is determined to bring it back to health. Little does Antonella know that in fact, the goshawk belongs to Lord Atherleigh, who lost not only his hand but also hope and the will to live during war. And little does Antonella know that what starts as a random encounter, could possibly bring them together. Or not? Meanwhile in London is Belinda determined to protect her sister, and she is ready to make sure that Antonella’s life is secured. And that means to find a compatible suitor for her. But when Belinda meets Mr. Gainesworth, who is perfect for Antonella, Belinda must make an impossible choice and understand what her heart truly desires…

When I started reading this book, I was a bit in doubts. Not because I doubted the story, but because I am absolutely not into birds at all. In fact, I am a bit terrified of them! They can stay in the sky as long as they won’t, as long they don’t come near me! 😊

In that aspect, I found a kindred spirit in Belinda, as she feels the same about those feathered animals. But as a wonderful, supporting and loyal sister, she is in Antonella’s corner and even if she doesn’t understand it herself, she sees the passion Antonella has for them.

The love between the sisters is so sweet to read. Of course being twins is even a closer bond, but as I have an amazing relationship with my own brother, I can understand how the sisters would do anything for each other. Their differences, both physical as their interests, cannot break their sisterly connection.

A connection that cannot be broken by hearing upon the news that in fact they aren’t sisters at all. Of course, being sisters for years cannot be erased by one shocking revelation. You cannot just stop being sisters overnight. And I loved reading the determination from both women, that nothing would tear them apart, that they would find ways to always be in each other’s lives.

I have to admit, I was shocked how the news was brought to them, how cold, how rationale, without any feeling. And it not only saddened me but also it also broke my heart seeing how easily Antonella was dismissed, ‘downgraded’. Even if Antonella isn’t truly family, you raised this woman, so how can you not care about her anymore?

Of course Antonella is at loss after the news. Wouldn’t you be too? Everything you thought you knew, turns out to be a lie… At loss is even an understatement! Obviously Antonella needs to find her peace in a special place.

And seeing how she has that place, and how it brings her inner calmness, made me in a way happy for her. Seeing also how she is determined to help out the injured goshawk, how she somehow connects with it, made me like her, admire her even more.

A hurt Antonella and an injured bird, they need an equally pained character.

Lord Atherleigh for sure fits the bill, haunted by not only the loss of his hand, but also the demons of the war that are still haunting him. How to cope with everything you have seen, everything you have lost, and knowing that people are starting at you.

I could absolutely comprehend how he feels that he has lost everything, that there is nothing left for him. But I also wished for him to see quickly the light again, and that he would understand that there is still more than enough in life.

So seeing Antonella and Lord Atherleigh somehow finding each other, understanding each other, warmed my heart. But are those few encounters truly enough?

At the same time, we see Belinda in London, trying her best to find the best suitor for Antonella.

Seeing that sisterly love, that determination, made me immediately like Belinda even more than I already did before!

Whenever Belinda is in Society, she is looking around, not for herself, but for Antonella. Yes, that makes some strange conversations, putting several smiles on my face 😊

And when Belinda meets Mr. Gainesworth, I could see why Belinda thinks he is the perfect match for Antonella. But I could clearly see who would be an even perfecter match! 😊

In this book we see how even the most disruptive news cannot break a bond that is thicker than blood. But we also see how it can make you still question everything and even yourself. And we see how different people are, and how different lives can go. Yet no matter how different people are, or what they have been through, there is also an unexplainable connection that can be formed, against own beliefs and altruism.

And that is the strength also of this book, how all the characters, no matter their hurt, are thinking about others. We see how despite everything that is happening, how big each character’s heart is. That made me forget about my fear and dislike of birds that connect the characters one way or another!  

Let’s get you curious with an extract!

Synopsis

Odele Gardia . . . married to wealthy businessman Howard, is the hard-nosed matriarch of the family and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. She’s ruthless in the boardroom and not afraid to lean on adversaries. 

Sebastian Gardia . . . Odele’s brother and business partner. His wife, Freya, reveals that she is pregnant with their first child.

Elliot . . . the prodigal son, is returning from America with his girlfriend, intending to propose to her.

Business is booming, her brother is going to become a father, and her son is coming home – it’s surely a time to celebrate. But Odele is hiding a huge secret and is constantly looking over her shoulder. If the secret came out, it would destroy the family.

Jimmy Alder . . . booted out of the police force, has been paid to spy on the family. The discovery he makes could have catastrophic consequences for them all.

A dysfunctional family, protectors of their power, wealth and each other, have no warning of the revelations about to erupt and the cost to their dynasty.

Extract

Wealthy Odele Gardia, the ruthless matriarch, is looking for a fixer. She requires someone discreet to ‘lean on’ a family member.

Odele parked her car in the executive car park that she’d purchased a permanent parking space for, and made her way down in the lift and out into the fresh air as she started the short walk to the office. As she approached the entrance, the vagrant was back, sitting on the pavement. She’d labelled him as a vagrant, but he was far from it. While he might be unshaved and dressed shabbily, he was too good looking to be who he was trying to be. And she was well ahead of him now, anyway.

“I paid you to move on. Why are you still here?”

He shrugged. “I need more money. Ten quid doesn’t go far.”

“Can’t you take yourself off and loiter somewhere else?”

“I could,” he nodded to the paper cup at the side of him, “but I don’t get handed Costa coffees down the side streets.”

“Where do you live?”

He shrugged again. “Here and there.”

“Are you Jimmy Alder?” she asked and she noticed the surprise in his eyes.

“Lady,” he said, “I can be anyone you want me to be.”

“Very funny. I understand you used to be a police officer?”

He didn’t answer. 

“Well, did you?”

“I might have been.”

“But you got kicked out of the force.”

“Did I?”

“That’s what I’m told. And now you’re being paid to watch my brother?”

“Really?”

“Yes, by his wife, my sister-in-law. You’re following him, that’s why you’re here, so no need to play the innocent.”

“Look lady, I’m happy to move on if you pay for a decent lunch for me.”

“I can do better than that. I can give you some work.”

“What sort of work?”

“Work that’ll bring you in some money, so you don’t sit outside my office every day.”

“I’m listening.”

“Are you discreet?”

“It’s my middle name.”

Odele glanced at her Rolex. “Do you know cafe Valerie on the high street?”

“Yep.”

“Meet me there at midday.”

“And you’ll shout me lunch?”

“Yes.”

“How can I refuse, then? A man’s got to eat.”

Odele opened her purse and tossed a ten-pound note at him. “In the meantime, clear off. I’ll see you at 12.”

How strong is love truly?

Synopsis

Emma is at an all-time low the day she meets Nick. She sits down in a quiet rose garden in her local park, and from nowhere a handsome man sits next to her and turns her world upside down.

Over the weeks, she and Nick meet regularly, always in the same place, always at the same time. They discover they have a lot in common – shared heartbreak, and shared dreams. They tell each other stories about the people they’ve lost – things they’ve never told anyone else. Bit by bit, they get to know each other, and fall in love.

But there’s a catch, because however much they have in common, they have one big thing keeping them apart… twenty years apart. Because when Nick is sitting in the garden it’s 1999 – two decades before Emma is there.

Emma never expected to fall in love again, but now she has, she’s not going to give up on it without a fight. But how do you turn something impossible into a happy ever after?

My review

It’s one of those days for Emma… not only is she still struggling with the loss of her husband, but at her work things didn’t go easy today. So after a day she just wants to forget, she decides to make a stop in a rose garden at her local park. Nick had exact same idea after still grieving over the loss of his wife a few years ago. While normally the both of them find it difficult to talk about what they have been through, Emma and Nick connect and are able to talk just about everything. Over the weeks, they keep on meeting in their special spot, and slowly the both of them start to believe that they may fall in love again. However things aren’t just that easy as they may think, and meeting outside the rose garden is impossible, because they learn that in fact, they are not living in the same year and there are twenty years separating them… So even if Emma and Nick are ready to fight for what there is blooming between them, could there possibly be a future for them, when even the present is trying to tear them apart?

Clare Swatman always writes wonderful stories, that truly touch your heart, but also stories with a little extra, an extra that will also make your heart ache….

While I was reading this book, I couldn’t not think about a wonderful movie starring a certain Sandra B. and a certain Keanu R. There are similarities of course, but also many differences, making me not only fall in love with both main characters, the story but also made me feel their own heartbreaks.

I can only try to imagine how it feels to love your partner. And when you loved so dearly, like Emma and Nick did and still do at the start of the story, I could comprehend that the both of them are struggling with letting go and just attempting to move on.

So obviously, when Emma and Nick meet in the rose garden, and connect, I was happy for the both of them. There is no time limit for grief, and weeing how their meeting is able to get over their pain and sense of loss, was just so heartwarming.

It would be easy to ‘blame’ their connection on the fact they share a common grief, but the more time they spend together, the clearer it becomes that there is so much more that connect them than just the loss of their partner.

I have to admit, that when I started reading this book, I haven’t read the blurb thus didn’t know what the twist of their love story would be. Of course there were signs the more we got to know Nick and Emma better, but when the penny finally dropped for them and me, I was a bit shocked.

The fact that the evolution of Emma’s and Nick’s romance is limited to the rose garden, made me wonder how long the magic would be able to capture my attention. But I should not have worried, because I was just so into the story!

And while Emma and Nick for sure spend their shared time together in this mystical, magical garden, we also get enough to see of Emma and Nick on their own, at their homes, with their family and friends.

But we also see how the both of them are trying to make sense of what is happening to them, even if it doesn’t make sense at all. Why can they see each other, even if there are twenty years between them? And why are they falling for each other, when the prospect of a future together is nihil?

This book is split in three big parts. Parts that show how both Emma’s and Nick’s lives have changed after meeting each other, and how their presence in each other’s lives affected their own personal lives and paths.

There are also several fears outspoken in this book. What will ever come of the feelings Emma and Nick are having? Can the future be altered, and how will it be altered? Is it courageous to fall in love again after having had it all already?

Clare Swatman wrote an amazing, heartfelt story, showing us the beauty but also the ‘impossibilities’ of love. She shows us the power of love, but also the fragility of it. But she also shows us hope, courage, strength, determination and how the strangest things happening to us can bring us the most beautiful things.

After I finished reading this book, I could not stop thinking: what a story I just read! A story that I for sure recommend to read! 😊

Can you trust people when it involves money?

Synopsis

Ben Walker’s life shatters after one reckless night. Seduced by Maxine—a ruthless femme fatale—he wakes to a nightmare: compromising photos, blackmail, and the threat of losing everything—his marriage, career, and freedom.

Faced with impossible choices, Ben pays the price. But one payment is never enough.

Dragged deeper into a deadly web of lies and manipulation, the stakes escalate, and the noose tightens. What began as a desperate bid to protect his secrets becomes a desperate fight for survival.

With his world crumbling and prison on the horizon, Ben must confront a brutal truth—how far will he go to break free? And can anyone truly escape the sins of their past?

A gripping neo-noir thriller of betrayal, seduction, and deadly consequences.

My review

Ben Walker never expected that being seduced by Maxine would end up in compromising pictures, blackmail and just lose everything he has and loves. But everyone knows that blackmail never stops after just one payment, and Ben finds himself in a downward spiral, taking risks he never thought he would take. However, the depth of what is going on, goes much deeper than Ben expects, and even if the noose around his neck tightens, he has no idea which web of ideas have been concocted…

When I started with this book, I knew that things wouldn’t be as they would appear at first sights. Of course with the blurb it is a dead giveaway, but it for sure had me intrigued and I was very curious to see how many levels of betrayal would be revealed.

Being a normal person, never having had any financial issues but also not swimming in it, I never had those big dreams like the main characters have in this book. Of course having more is always better, but I am happy with the current situation.

At the start of the story, I felt sorry for Ben. He has made a mistake in the past, and that truly put a strain on his marriage. And while I for sure condemn his choice to go along with Maxine, on a certain level I understood him. He always wanted to do all the possible to please his wife, and one indiscretion, a wrong one yes, put everything at risk. And while the road Ben is taking, is the wrong one, he just want to erase that one mistake…

The love he has for Eleanor, his wife, is clear for everyone. They started as a couple when things went well, but as things took a turn, I somehow started to see that Eleanor is a driven woman. A woman driven by money and luxury. And the relationship she has now with Ben is not the life she envisioned. A life she hasn’t given up on yet and a life that her best friends seem to have. 

I could understand Eleanor’s anger towards Ben, because once again a man in her life has betrayed her. Yet I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling this woman gave me. Not only there are clearly lengths Eleanor would go to get what she thinks she deserves, but it is also a fact that while she begrudges Ben for his choices, she isn’t the angel she pretends to be.

Right from the start I knew that there would be so many levels of betrayal, deception in this book. And while I thought I would figure it all out rather quickly, there for sure are a few twists and turns that i didn’t expect. That I didn’t expect and that shows how far people are ready to go to achieve their own dreams, and how people can be selfish and even throw their own ‘loved ones’ under the bus.

We see here how beautiful life and love may seem, but at the same time how fragile it also can be. And we see how far people are ready to go, how self-centred people can be, and how just ugly people can be… So while this is absolutely a dark thriller, a psychological thriller showing us all the ugliness in the world, it also made me appreciate more the ‘normal’ life I have, the ‘normal’ people in my life, and the genuine, real, love I get from my loved ones.  

A fresh start starts with a fresh garden

Synopsis

Rosie Steadman needs a new start. It’s over a year since her husband died, and there must be more to life than her job in retail. When she spots an advert to rent a garden, it feels like the perfect project.

Media celebrity Connor Forbes is currently lying low in his brother’s flat after a public break-up and, with job prospects drying up, finding someone to look after the overgrown garden is the least of his problems. 

For both Rosie and Connor, it’s a strictly business arrangement. But can they keep it that way? 

As Rosie gets to know the man beneath the tarnished image, she finds it harder to resist his charms, but she’s been hurt before and Connor has a reputation – can this really be a second chance at love?

My review

It’s been a year since Rosie Steadman became a widow. And she cannot really say that she has moved on after losing her husband. But now the time has come to start again. And when she sees an advert of a garden being rented out, she sees this as a sign. Not that she green fingers, but somehow the advert allures her and she cannot wait to get her hands dirty. What Rosie doesn’t know is that she is renting the garden from Connor Forbes. Connor is hiding away in his brother’s flat, after a very public break – up causing also his television job drying up. And while his neighbours are complaining about the overgrown garden, he couldn’t care less. So when Rosie agrees to look after the garden, that is at least one thing less on his worry – list. While things start off strictly business, slowly Rosie and Connor get to know each other and slowly become friends, helping each other out. However, when opportunities arise, can Rosie find the courage to open up her heart again, or will Connor live up to his reputation?

There are plenty of books in the world about starting all over again. There are even plenty of stories where one of the main characters has lost a partner and find it difficult to move on. And yes, there are some tropes, when you have read of them, you have read all of them. But luckily for us, this book isn’t that kind of book! 😊

Being single myself, and not having had to cope yet with a great loss in my life (or at least where I was old enough to comprehend it), I can only try to understand how Rosie felt and is still feeling at the start of the book.

When you are married, life is filled with compromising. There are obviously moments where you don’t get along, but you have to add some water to your wine. But I felt really early on, that in her marriage, it was especially Rosie adding water, wanting to please her husband.

And that made me not only feel sad for her, but also made me understand better just how much at loss she is.

I don’t know if I would react on an advert to look after a garden, and no, it isn’t because I am anything but a person with green fingers 😊 But more because I would be too wary reading that add and I would believe that it would be a crazy person who put that advert there.

Crazy is not how I would describe Connor, but a tormented man, a hurt man, a man in hiding. And he for sure isn’t scoring any points in his initial behaviour. No matter what you have ben through, it doesn’t cost a thing being kind to others, doesn’t it?

But I also have to admit, the way he has been painted as a bad guy, and how easily people just put him aside, it angered me. Yes, perhaps Connor didn’t see and understand what was happening, and he could have been more perceptive, but that doesn’t mean that what has happened to him is fair in any way. So yes, I could understand him hiding away, keeping to himself.

Rosie needs a nudge to start again, and Connor is the way. Of course things don’t start off great between them. I would even dare to say it starts rather hostile. The contrast between the pair of them couldn’t be bigger. Where Rosie is a little ray of sunshine, even happy to meet Connor’s neighbours, Connor is a dark cloud, even feared by others.

However, Rosie’s kindness doesn’t let her reciprocate Connor’s behaviour, even if Rosie truly does want to. In fact, when Connor needs it the most, it is Rosie who helps him. And it is there that we see a shift, a change in their strained relationship.

A change that they both need, to move on. Having each other in their lives and not only in a business matter, is what they both need. With each other in each other’s lives, the dark clouds are slowly disappearing, and I could feel a lightness in my heart myself seeing how their own confidence starts to grow, how they elevate each other.

While I truly melted seeing how the relationship evolves between Rosie and Connor, what warmed my heart was seeing Connor also opening up towards others, showing his real character and not just affirming what people assume of him.

But while things are going great, we also see that humans are still humans, and miscommunications happen, wrong decisions and choices are being made. And while as a reader, that can be frustrating, it adds a real level of humanity, realness to the characters.

What starts as a perhaps strange advert, shows us the healing powers of tending a garden. You never know what people you may encounter in the strangest ways, but that can be the catalyst of beginning all over again. It can give you courage, strength, and even make you understand better the past and how not to make the same mistakes again.

Linda Corbett wrote not only a beautiful story, but also a strong one. She shows us that no matter what happened in the past, we can always start again.

When money, or the need of it, make you grab an unexpected opportunity

Synopsis

Maisey Green needs an escape. Strapped for cash and running from her past, she stumbles into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—a week aboard billionaire Otto Ravenesky’s exclusive superyacht in the South of France.

It’s a world of dazzling luxury and simmering tension, in forced proximity with a man she despises yet can’t ignore, Maisey fights to resist the pull between them. But the chemistry is undeniable, and every charged moment pushes her closer to the edge of temptation—and the guilt that comes with it.

But in this seductive game of power and passion, Maisey must ask herself: how far is she willing to go for freedom—and what will it cost her?

Perfect for fans of Mills & Boon, Sylvia Day and Jackie Collins, Alcatraz For The Rich is a sizzling romance filled with power, lust, and the battle for control in a world where no one plays fair.

My review

Maisey never thought that she would be struggling with money the way she does now. Not only is her past still catching up on her, but her financial situation is becoming real dire. So when a strange but a once – in – a – lifetime opportunity arises, she warily accepts it. How bad can it be anyways, spending a week on billionaire Otto Ravenesky’s superyacht in the south of France. Maisey feels out of depth being surrounded by all this luxury and wealth, and Otto for sure knows how to irk her. Yet at the same time, there is a pull that Maisey fights off as hard as she can. In a game of power and passion, of attraction and rejection, how far is Maisey willing to go without losing herself completely?

This was perhaps a difficult book to read for me. Not because it was badly written, but because we see the struggles people have to endure, and how those needs make you go on a direction you never expected to take. And how big the contrast can be.

I felt sorry for Maisey, as she finds herself in a difficult situation, and she doesn’t see a way to get out of her financial struggles. And it angered me as her situation wasn’t of her own doing… On the other hand, I also thought that she could have been stricter and be stronger and not give in to her ex and his demands. But as a bystander, as a reader, that is always easier said than done, right?

I don’t know if I would make the same choices and decisions Maisey is making in this book, especially agreeing on the strange opportunity that arises. But I could comprehend that Maisey didn’t have another choice, even if that means doing things she never thought she would be doing…

What I did like about Maisey, is how despite the situation she finds herself in, she doesn’t mince her words, and doesn’t let take advantage of her. Just because she is staying on Otto’s yacht, and he is paying her, it doesn’t mean he can just disrespect, discard her, just because he can and he is rich…

There were moments where I despised Otto and his behaviour, as he is clearly a rich prick, using his money and his power for his own personal benefits… And as I cannot stand people that use their money and power, I found it truly difficult to see any good in Otto.

But I have to admit, there were moments where Otto shows a more vulnerable side, a side where he understand Maisey and where he truly connects with her. And those moments made me understand the attraction between the main characters.

Maisey clearly doesn’t feel comfortable in her situation, which is obviously understandable as not only is doing what she does so out of her comfort zone, but also the people  she meets while working are not her kind of people.

What we see in this book is that sometimes we get into situations outside our own doing. And that there are choices and decisions that need to be made in order to cope with it. Sometimes we have to do things we never imagined to do, but when needs must… And it may not be easy, but we need to find the strength to not lose ourselves and always stay true to ourselves.

With the ending that this story has, it is obvious that Maisey’s tale is far from over…

A new job, but not one as expected

Synopsis

It’s going to be a bumpy ride… 👀

Liberty’s just landed her dream job. The catch? It’s at Matcher, the dating app that ruined her life. After catching her boyfriend sending intimate pictures to everyone in a twenty mile radius, Liberty is struggling to get back into the dating game. Every man gives her the ick sooner or later.

Still, she’s having a great time travelling the world for work, until she’s assigned a secret mission: Travel to New York with her handsome and charming boss Jordan and swap out a contract from under his nose. It should be easy, but the more time Liberty spends with Jordan, the more she realises he might not be the bad boy she thought he was. But it turns out they’ve both got a lot to unpack, and Liberty still needs to complete her mission if she wants to keep her job – which means not breaking the one golden rule: do not fall for the boss!

My review

The last thing Liberty expected, was to discover that her boyfriend has been sending intimate pictures to people he met on a dating app, Matcher. As their lives were entwined on several levels, Liberty is struggling to find a new job. And getting back on the dating scene is not that easy, as many of her dates are giving her the ick one way or another. So when she finally lands a job, it’s a twist of life, as it is at Matcher. While travelling the world and using the app for work purposes, she doesn’t have a real job assignment. Until she is told that she has to travel to New York, as her boss Jordan’s assistant. But not just being his assistant, as she has a secret mission, to swap contracts without Jordan discovering her scheme. However, that is easier said than done, because Jordan not only isn’t letting her getting close but also the more time she spends with him, the more she realizes that to each story, there are two sides. So should she do anything to keep her job, or follow her own feelings?

When it was time to read this book, I was really excited. Portia MacIntosh is always writing funny stories where people get heartbroken at the start of the book, having to pick up the pieces of their lives again and then hopefully start to believe in love again.

Obviously, the story doesn’t start easy, where Liberty discovers that her boyfriend has not been the kind of man she expected him to be. Now, I need to say, from what we see of his behaviour, I quickly disliked him, and that was even before Liberty discovers those pictures…

I found that behaviour truly despicable… not only is it disgusting that he is looking online for other women, but he is also sending pictures that in fact no woman wants to receive…

And it angered me how Liberty was the one losing everything, while she didn’t do anything wrong…

I also know how frustrating it can be when you want to work, but you cannot find a job. It can be very demotivating when you have the eagerness, but you don’t get the chance.

However, whenever I was invited for a job interview, I always made sure where I was going, which company. Thus I was a bit surprised that Liberty didn’t know that her interview would be at Matcher. And yes, haven’t we all painted a better picture of ourselves and our knowledges during interviews. But in my opinion there is a difference in making yourself look better and the white lies Liberty is telling. For me, it went a bit beyond painting a better picture. But that is just me 😊.

It sounds like a dream coming true, doesn’t it, going to places, with no real task at hands. But for me, it was like a red flag, because it just didn’t sound right what Paige asks of her, doing literally nothing. On the other hand, if your boss asks to do something, well you just execute…

But when her boss Paige asks to be Jordan’s assistant in New York and swap contract, something was truly smelling fishy… And while Liberty wants to follow the given orders, she also starts to realize that something is just off. I could understand the dilemma she was facing, because there was just so much at risk.

And it is in New York that we finally start to see who Liberty truly is. Yes, previously she has had terrible dates, making me laugh. But once in New York, she starts to open up, let herself be her real self. Of course with Jordan around, there still are some serious fails from her side, but that makes her only even more human. Because haven’t we all embarrassed ourselves once or twice?

Not only do we see her enjoy and discover New York, but also Jordan. Yes, I know it sounds strange, but I just mean that spending time with him, Liberty realizes that the picture of him that has been painted, doesn’t resemble the truth at all.

And yes, Jordan is not the person Paige made us believe he was. And yes, I was already wary of Paige’s side of the story and yes, I was happy to get to know Jordan better. It made me realize once more that to each story there are two sides, and that people aren’t always that honest and genuine as we may think.

When the sparks start to fly around between Liberty and Jordan, they for sure flew! And I for sure had a smile on my face! From their first meeting there was so much potential between them, and I have to admit, that just like Liberty did, I made some assumptions.

What we see in this book is obviously that everyone tells a story from their point of view, exaggerating or omitting information. But we also see that the best way to truly understand a person, and ‘get’ them, is spending time together. Even if some of those moments are embarrassing moments. It is in the moments that truly matters, despite fear, mistakes, misunderstandings, we see who we really have in front of us, and the depths of feelings.

Portia MacIntosh for sure made me laugh a lot in this book. And while perhaps the romance bits took a while to get there, it was for sure worth the wait!