When life throws you a Lemon Drop Cottage…

Synopsis

Welcome to Pepper Bay. A small close-knit community where you’ll find chocolate box cottages, quaint shops, love, drama, and a happily ever after.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Phillipa Ashley, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories that intertwine with recurring characters. Best read in order for maximum enjoyment.

Lemon Drop Cottage: At first glance, Scott Harper is a shy artist who keeps himself to himself, but he isn’t the man everyone thinks he is. Scott has a secret. One that has kept him firmly away from any chance of having an intimate relationship. The only woman in his life is the one he talks to online but has never met. It’s easier that way, for them both.

Dolly Lynch has just taken over her aunt’s shop in Pepper Bay. Between looking after her teenage son, running around for her old aunt, moving home, and opening a new shop, she barely has time to herself, so she really appreciates the moments she spends talking online with a man she’s never met. Little does she know he’s the same man who lives just up the road in the cutest cottage she has ever seen.

My review

Dolly Lynch is a busy woman, she has just taken over her aunt’s shop in Pepper Bay, has also just moved, keeps an eye on her aunt, and takes care of her teenage son Dexter.
She barely has time for anything else, but the only thing she does, is talking through the internet with a certain C.K…
When she meets Scott Harper, it is anything but a nice meeting. She literally threw the remains of her apple at him, so it’s not a great first encounter.
Despite her intentions of making amends, things just keep going not how she expected…
And Scott finds himself more tangled around Dolly than he thought or wished… His desire to keep to himself is out of the window since his move to Lemon Drop Cottage. While everyone in Pepper Bay appreciates him for his kindness and also his artistic ways, he has a secret that no one can ever know about. And it’s that secret that kept him away from any kind of an intimate relationship… With the exception of his online contact, with a certain L.L who may be living closer than he thinks and maybe even got to know, after a certain apple – incident? 

Pepper Bay is a place that I happily return to, with great joy!
This little community just ticks all the boxes of places I would love to live myself. So obviously I was very eager to read this next chapter.
Each book can be perfectly read as a standalone, the pop – ups of previous main characters won’t make it difficult to catch up. 

I truly liked to get Dolly better, because we didn’t know that much about her. I found her courageous, strong independent, and kind. But also hilariously clumsy, lovingly overprotective and rightfully a bit suspicious when needed.
She didn’t have it easy in her past, and looking after Dexter, making her shop work, shows us also that she knows where her priorities lay.
Everything she does, is always with Dexter’s best interest in mind, she doesn’t make hasted decisions without asking for Dexter’s input. 

And while things may start awkward with Scott, she finally realizes that sometimes, she has to follow her heart.

Even with his secret, I absolutely loved Scott! I wish I could be ‘victim’ of how he changes from Clark Kent to  Superman!
And despite him initially more clashing with Dolly than anything else, he doesn’t hesitate to help her out with her new shop.
And the way he behaves towards Dexter, made my heart totally melt! And his gnomes? I never thought that something so odd could turn into something hot!
It’s always the silent types that are the best! 

I have mentioned Dexter already a few times, but that boy cannot not have his own mention! Yes, he may not be perfect physically, but the way he keeps his happy mood, and does not let his ‘imperfection’ hold him back, was truly inspiring! 

To be totally honest, this wasn’t my favourite book in the series. Perhaps that Dolly sometimes drew to conclusions too quickly? Scott’s secret wasn’t the ‘make or break’ kind of secret?
But even if it wasn’t my favourite one, I still loved reading it! It was just by an inch that I prefer one of the previous parts, but Lemon Drop cottage surely fits in perfectly with the feelings I had for Pepper Bay.

The author manages again to grasp the importance of living in a great community, where everyone knows everyone and where they can all count on each other.
The quiet types are easily accepted, even the odd ones (so is there place for me?) 

But also reading how sometimes things find a way, putting two people together who couldn’t be even looking for someone…it just showed me again how things can change quickly, but Love works according its own plans! 

A wonderful book I truly enjoyed reading, with a lovely pair of main characters, even side characters that made me laugh with their antics, subplots showing us the importance in life – but not taking the spotlight from the main plot.
I laughed over stuff I never thought I would, like gnomes, swooned over the love – bits and felt my heart just get warmer by all the different kind of love present in this book!

Can you find love just like in the movies?

Synopsis

Do movie romances ever happen in real life…?

Frankie doesn’t believe in true love. As relationships expert at popular magazine Stylife, she has learnt that dating disasters are far more common than happy ever afters.

So when she is tasked to find out if meet cutes can work in real life she is up for the challenge – but whether it’s being a damsel in distress with a flat tyre, or spilling coffee over a stranger, she isn’t convinced this can really lead to love.

But little does Frankie know that the ultimate meet cute opportunity is just around the corner. As she is whisked off her feet (all in the name of her work project of course…) perhaps true love isn’t just for the movies after all…?

My review

Writing in the popular magazine Stylife as a relation expert, you would think that Frankie would have found her happy ever after.
But the opposite is true, her list of disaster dates is longer than her successes.
And when her job is at risk, she needs a new view on how finding love. And that is how her new task is to find out if meet cutes is only a fantasy in movies, or if they can work in real life.
However, the more she plays damsel in distress, the more disastrous everything ends…
That is until an unexpected opportunity arises, and takes her to Hawaii, with Max, who works in the same building as Frankie.
But Max has his own reasons to take Frankie on a holiday with him…
Will Frankie succeed in finding her Meet Cute in Hawaii? Or is true love closer than she thinks?

I knew even before I started reading just one word in this book, that I would love it. And all because of this amazing author!
Reading the blurb, I had a kind of story in mind, where main character would have disastrous dates, one after the other and then unexpectedly finds love closer than she thought.
Well, it wasn’t that kind of story, but made that a lesser story? Absolutely not, on the contrary, it made it even a better story than thought!

There were many things I liked in this book, like how the story takes a whole different direction, the obvious but still great to read how they get there ending and the mandatory misunderstandings.
But also the main characters, Frankie and Max stole a piece of my heart.

Frankie is best described as a real girl. She is so recognizable and relatable. She has a job that she perhaps doesn’t love doing, but it gives her stability. As at many work places, she doesn’t get along with everyone, but her colleagues she truly likes, are more than just colleagues!
She shares a place with other people, but doesn’t get along with everyone and she is saving for her own place.
And more recognizable for me, she gets herself in awkward situations! That is also how she meets Max the first time.

Max… isn’t he full of surprises! I liked him from the first moment I read about him. He is just such a nice, kind and funny man!
The first interactions with Frankie were so hilarious! He could easily get a grumpy attitude, but he takes things so lightly and with a laugh, because he knows how miniscule the disasters are in a bigger scale.
The banter was so great to read!
His suggestion to take Frankie on a holiday to Hawaii made me frown my eyebrows, because who right in their mind would invite a complete stranger? And who right in their mind would accept?

When his own reasons were revealed, I felt a bit angry in Frankie’s place, because that is just not done. But again, I could forgive Max a lot!
And when his background is revealed, I was even a bit flabbergasted! I didn’t see that one coming, because I saw him so ‘normal’!
But slowly we see also his baggage, because no matter how easy he could have had it all, his past wasn’t a walk in the park. Ex – girlfriend still in the picture, an uncle having the same age but still behaves like a child, the never ending competition with his own brother… Max had it all!

I loved every bit of this story, like I said before, this was the perfect feel – good, romantic, escapism book!
I melted seeing how Frankie and Max bonded in Hawaii, also put their forces together, and seeing how sparks are slowly starting but then fly around!
But Max’ family, especially his parents, put a big smile on my face. While sometimes they may seem obnoxious, in the end they have their heart at the right place and protect their loved ones!

Yes, of course, with both characters having their own reasons for taking this trip, and Frankie not being totally honest about it, has to come out. But the way Frankie then goes to make amends, shows us that, even if not always clear for everyone, she has her priorities right.

This was the perfect story to lift my mood, which was a little bit down. Again Portia MacIntosh delivered a great, lovely story. And because something is not what you expected, does that not mean that I didn’t fall in love with it.
A story with lovely and recognizable characters, a dream worthy setting, and the hope that finding love, with or without the Meet Cute Method, is always there.

This author stole with her books and her characters my heart, and can she please write any quicker her new books? Because I surely will be reading them!

Not everyone in Venice is looking for romance

Synopsis

Who can resist the romance of Venice… 

When Norah arrives in Venice for a ten-week internship she is surprised to discover that her guide for her work trips around the lagoon is the undeniably gorgeous and kind Gianluca. She can’t help thinking he might be too good to be true, with his endless fascinating local stories, and his infectious laugh.

Norah is still bitter after an accident left her with a serious injury and also meant the end of her long-term relationship. And besides, she’s serious about her career and that means leaving Venice at the end of the summer. 

Gianluca has had a summer fling before that led to heartache for him and he won’t do it again. He enjoys the long hours out on the lagoon with Norah, but after a storm strands them on a picture-perfect island for a night, they agree they should just be good friends for the summer. 

But life doesn’t always go to plan, and when it’s time for Norah to go, they have to decide whether what they have between them is really just a friendship, and not something more…

My review

Norah York arrived in Venice for a ten – week internship, studying the ecosystem of the lagoon. After her accident left her with a serious injury and a broken heart too, her only focus now is making a success of her career.
Looking for love is the absolute last thing on her mind, even when her guide for her works trips on the lagoon is gorgeous Gianluca.
After a hesitant start and being stranded on an island between the friars, Norah and Gianluca realize that their blooming friendship is exactly what they both needed.
But is that truly the only thing that there is between them? And if it were more, with Norah leaving, and Gianluca’s heartache after a previous summer fling, would they stand a chance?

From the first book in this series, and my review of it, it’s clear that Venice isn’t the Italian city I love the most.
So returning to it, would make me hesitant if it were a book from another author. But I know that Leonie Mack has the amazing ability to show her readers parts of places not everybody knows about. So returning to Venice wasn’t a chore for me, but I was curious to discover more hidden gems of this city!

While I loved Didi and Piero, I absolutely adore Norah and Gianluca (reading A Match Made In Venice is not mandatory, but it will help better to understand some relations).

I felt that Norah has been keep struggling her whole life. Having Saffron as a mother wasn’t really easy, and even her long – term relationship wasn’t having that many sparks flying around.
She didn’t have a bad life, but it just wasn’t an exhilarating one. And then her accident happened, making everything even worse!
For everything she had to go through, I felt so sorry for her. But I also admired her determination to excel in her career.
Having an injury and staying in Venice could be not easy for her, but her resolution of not needing any help showed me rather quickly that Norah is not only a proud woman (in the sense that she won’t let that injury stop her),  but also a focused woman.

And while her focus is on her career, meeting Gianluca is exactly the thing she needed but didn’t know she needed it.
Gianluca has his own demons to face, but Fate brings these two broken people on each other’s path and a great friendship is being formed.
Yes yes, I know that you know there will be some romance in it, but this sotry felt just so much more…
It was wonderful to see how Norah starts to open up in Venice, and let herself enjoy Life in general. Thanks to Gianluca she sees that there is more than just making a career.

I was happy to see some old friends again, obviously Didi and Piero, but also made some new lovely friends.

I had several laughs, seeing Norah and Gianluca staying with friars, posing as a couple while searching for the perfect wedding setting for her mother, but also just seeing how everyone allows Norah in their close circle of friends.

Heart – warming and tender moments were also present, like each moment with Nòna. Never underestimate the love of an Italian Grandma, but also never underestimate their fierceness!

The author managed perfectly to grasp the Venetian way of living, with their own dialect, but also the sense of Venice being their only home.
She also shows us the important culture of remèrs and it’s a culture that should be truly treasured.

But most important, she shows us the importance of friendship and acceptance. Friendship in the real meaning of the word, listening, being there. Acceptance by not trying to persuade to change made plans but accept them even if they will break your heart , but also the will to make a change. And for the right cause, change is a good thing.

A wonderful story about finding your own path in life again, by finding the person you didn’t know you needed in your life, surrounding you with care, kindness, laughter and love. And a change of scene that makes you realize what truly matters to you and opens up your heart and closes the hurt in it.

Doing things you aren’t allowed always feel so good, even when it’s wrong.

Synopsis

She’s trying to figure out her future.

He’s trying to forget his past.

But with the help of some unlikely friends, young and old, and a scruffy dog who just can’t help getting into trouble, a new community is formed – just when they all need each other the most.

My review

When her last working place in London went literally up in flames, Ettie is trying to find out where her future lays. So while thinking about where to go, she returns back home to Churchstone and finds a job at Hepplethwaite Hall, as a temporary assistant while the place in turned into a hotel.
Her first encounter with Dominic Villiers, the owner, isn’t the best one, and let’s not talk about the second one…
With a lake hidden in the grounds, her passion for swimming arises again, despite the prohibition from Dominic to swim there.
And at that same lake, unlikely friendships are being made, with people who couldn’t be more different from each other but find each other through their love for swimming.
But a secret swimming club, that is bound to be discovered… and maybe break the tender bond between Ettie and Dominic, who carries the burden of a past he just cannot forget.. 

I know what Jules Wake is capable of writing about, yet each time I am again surprised how much I enjoy reading her books! And this was surely no exception! 

Ettie is the kind of character I immediately love. She is hopping from one job to another, not because she cannot persist in doing what she is doing, but because she just hasn’t figured out what her niche is.
And of course, not doing the job she loves, has put Ettie in multiple awkward situations…
Even if after her latest disaster job, but for once not her fault, she manages to keep her head up.
That fact made me love her, but also made her a real person in my mind.
Because don’t we all know that kind of person, who doesn’t know what her place in the world is, but just keeps swimming? (literally and figuratively 😊) 

And even when her encounter with Dominic should put her down, she uses the negative and turns it into a positive feeling, because nobody should make her feel less! 

However, even if Ettie easily warmed my heart, it was the group of swimmers that truly stole my heart. Imagine the most unlikely kind of persons gathering together for a swim. And multiply it several times, and then you have an idea what kind of people Ettie befriend while her swimming sessions.
The people couldn’t be more different, both in age, appearance, behaviour and life situations. However, I found it wonderful to see how these ‘unclickable”  people somehow clicked and even became real friends!
That shows us that the best of friends can be found in the weirdest places! 

And obviously, swimming in a place where you cannot, it surely exhilarating, but also a guarantee to be discovered by Dominic.
Dominic… he finds himself in a situation he didn’t imagine he would be, inheriting a place like Hepplethwaite Hall. Together with his friend Gracie he want to turn it into a hotel, but that was easily said than done!
Obviously he hires Ettie, and obviously he is the total opposite of her! But I just loved and laughed reading how these two characters start to get along! And Ettie with her banter and teasing, I had tears in my eyes of laughing!
But there is also a vulnerability  in Dominic… while initially it may seem over the top his demand to stay away from the lake, the more I was reading, the more it all made sense.
And not only the swimming bit made me sad, but also what he has to face in the past broke my heart.
Again proof that we never know a person and his demons! 

There is romance in this story, absolutely, but there was so much more to this book! I loved the friendship, the banter, even the mischief. And I adored to read the lengths all the characters would go to help out whoever is in need.
The author manages to show us perfectly the importance of having the right people by your side. And I’m not only talking about the romantic aspect, because that surely is also present, but also by having the right friends by your side.
Because those who love you, accept you for who you are, no matter what struggles you are facing and offer whatever you need, a push in the back, a listening ear, or even using some reverse psychology to show you that there is more in you than you think!

Not one, but two cover reveals today!

Synopsis ‘

Grieving father Joe Irons wants nothing but justice following daughter Lydia’s abduction and murder. But when police release prime suspect David Calderwood due to a lack of evidence, Joe feels compelled to act. In the dead of night he weighs up the moral implications of whether doing a bad thing for a good reason is justifiable. With Calderwood abducted and imprisoned in a cell beneath the stairs, Joe intends to obtain a confession no matter the cost.

When Joe learns that another child has been taken, he’s certain David is involved, and is in a race against time to break his prisoner, but wanting to hurt someone isn’t the same as physically doing it.

Invading David’s home, Joe begins to piece together how his captive thinks, picking up the investigation the police have left open. With a child’s life hanging in the balance, will Joe have what it takes to find the truth?

WHAT LIES BENEATH is an adrenaline-fuelled, high concept thriller that will appeal to fans of Adrian McKinty’sThe Chain, and CJ Tudor’s The Other People.

Pre-order Links 

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B0057HQTHE

US – https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B0057HQTHE

Publication Date – 6th June

The cover

Synopsis ‘The Prodigal Mother’

Five years ago, Abbie’s son Josh died during delivery. It’s taken this long for her and husband Mark to even think about trying to restart their family. Now eight months pregnant, Abbie won’t dare dream of a happy ending in case it is snatched away again.

When a stranger tells Abbie that Josh was switched at the hospital and is living under a new identity, Abbie desperately wants to believe it’s a second chance, but Mark isn’t as easily convinced, especially when the stranger’s mental health issues come to light. 

Abbie can’t find Josh without the stranger’s help, but she can’t risk the life of the child she is carrying. And she doesn’t know how far Josh’s new family will go to keep their secret buried.

Told at a breakneck pace, and with twists on every page THE PRODIGAL MOTHER is a gripping psychological suspense, perfect for fans of CL Taylor, Louise Jensen, and CJ Tudor.

Pre-order Links –

UK –  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09VMB4H59/

US – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VMB4H59/

Publication Date – 5th September

The cover

About the author

Stephen Edger is the Amazon bestselling author of psychological and crime thrillers, including Snatched, and the Kate Matthews series. Born in the north-east of England, he now lives in Southampton where most of his stories are set, allowing him to use his insider knowledge to deliver realistic and unsettling suspense on every page.

Away from writing, Stephen loves to read anything that will keep him awake at night. He’s also a passionate advocate for contemporary cinema and binge-watching the latest offerings from streaming services. He is married with a son and a daughter, and two dogs.

Synopsis

Twelve moving short stories inspired by the everyday lives of women

• A single woman on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Italian lakes still dreams of adventure. Can she find it closer to home?

• A grieving widow finds comfort in the company of a stray cat that bears striking similarities to her dead husband.

• An estranged daughter confronts an unspeakable tragedy from her past as she attempts to reconcile with her long-lost family.

Geraldine Ryan is a prolific short-story writer whose work has appeared in Woman’s Weekly and Take a Break’s Fiction Feast magazines. The women in this, her first published anthology, may be at different stages of life but all of them are experiencing the ground shifting beneath their feet. Their tales of love, longing and redemption will touch your heart and bring a smile to your face.

My review

Twelve short stories about normal women, at crossroads in their lives.
Each woman is in a different stage in life, but each woman has to face changes in her life. Each story is not like the previous one, showing us the beauty but also the fragility of life and how to cope with each new challenge.

This book contains twelve total different stories, about twelve totally different women in a total different situation.
But no matter how different we all are, we all have one thing in common, the desire to love and to be loved.
And whether we have lost our loves, haven’t found it (yet) or have found another love, we women are always listening to our heart.
Each story, each woman shows us exactly that.

But each story also shows us how one action can change just everything. From a postcard sent by error, to applying to a magazine just to see the paper boy more, to never stop loving a son who has made mistakes or to let a stray cat in your house.
No matter how short the stories are (and I definitely would have read more of each and every one of them!), they all put a smile on my face.

This was something different compared to my usual read, but I quickly understood the purpose of this book and enjoyed reading each story separately.
Although I was a tiny bit disappointed that the real George Clooney didn’t make an appearance! 😀
But despite the lack of George, if you need an injection or a shot of (the possibility of) love, this book will be exactly what you have to read!

When you have to join forces with the man you hate…

Synopsis

Her tempting enemy is a chink in her armour!

Viking shield maiden, Svea Ivarsson, would far rather face Saxon warriors than be on the run with the fiercely captivating Lord Ashford Stanton, protector to the Saxon King. Reaching Ash’s family castle, Svea must swap her chainmail for life as a Lady. She can wield a sword like an expert, but no training has prepared her for craving the touch of her greatest enemy…

My review

Seeing her brother Brand getting married to Anne, makes Svea very happy woman. But she knows that such a future is not in store for her. Despite being a woman, she is as a fierce fighter as any of the other Vikings of her clan. And she surely won’t let any man get close to her!
Last thing she expected was to join forces with Saxon warrior and her own enemy Lord Ashford Stanton to save her friends and the King.
But being on the run together and have a shared purpose, makes Svea realize that sometimes the most unexpected feelings can surface…

There has not been a character that I both admired and pities as much as I did with Svea.
From the previous book in the series, we as a reader already knew what happened to her as a child. And those terrible, disgusting events made her the woman / warrior she is today.
For her past, I pitied her. But for her force and strength now, I truly admired her!
And I understood also her resolution to not let any man come close, and keep her feminine features well hidden. Even if I found it utterly sad that she found herself forced to act that way…
And when her moment of revenge was finally there, she was stopped by Ashton. So obviously Ashton is not her best friend!

And while I understand why Svea would want her revenge for her own peace, I could also understand where Ashton was coming from.
Ashton, who has his own demons to face, but has a sense of duty that he won’t give up easily. And when the unthinkable happens, he doesn’t hesitate to do what expected.
Even in the previous book, I had a weak spot for Ashton. But knowing now about his past, and seeing the real Ashton, with his own doubts and fears, made me like him even more!

In this story it’s clear that often we have a certain thought about a person. But unless we know the whole story and the real person, we cannot judge them.
Just like Svea shouldn’t just assume that Ashton had an easy life because of his parents or blame him for not having her revenge.
And the same goes for Ashton… He shouldn’t have interfered in Svea’s revenge because he doesn’t know what Svea went through.
The both of them don’t know the real reasons behind their behaviour. But obviously, spending so many time together, the real characters emerge.

I was happy to see Svea allowing feelings she never felt before, and see that not every man is evil. Of course, if all would be so easily, having feelings and that’s it, I would be very disappointed in this author!
The demons that haunt our main characters aren’t chased away that quickly. And feelings people have for so long, don’t just disappear overnight.

But what I loved the most in this tale, was the realization that both Svea and Ashton had. Because yes, they are Danes vs. Saxons, with many differences. But they also have similarities. And we shouldn’t focus on the differences but on what bond us.
And seeing how love can crush all the walls built around our hearts, no matter how high they are, was wonderful. Love not only for those around us, but most important the love for ourselves… And with the right person by our side, the past doesn’t matter anymore, only the future.

When you have feelings for the last person you should…

Synopsis

This very handsome earl…Is the one man she cannot fall for…
War widow Lily Walsh has left her aristocratic family behind, but she can’t deny her younger sister’s request to come to London to meet her fiancé. Though not a love match, Lord Sherborne is kind, amusing and ideal for her sister on paper. But as Lily gets to know him, she’s finding him alarmingly attractive! And the forbidden look in the earl’s eye shows the feeling is mutual…

My review

Lily Walsh chose love over her aristocratic family, and even now that she is a young widow, she isn’t in touch with her family.
However, when her younger sister has gotten engaged and requests Lily to come to London, Lily cannot refuse, even if she is not that eager to be around her mother again. And of course she is curious to meet her sister’s fiancé.
When she meets Lord Sherbourne, she sees why he is a good match for her sister, but the more she gets to know Marcus, the more attracted Lily becomes.
And the way Marcus looks at her, could it be mutual? But one thing is for sure… Lily could never betray her sister…

Forbidden loves, aren’t those the best kind of loves to read about? Add Regency, a woman with a broken heart, an awful mother, and the talent of this author and I knew I would fall instantly in love with this book!

Yes, you may think it’s very alike with a certain book/series on a streaming platform that is being binged all over the world. And yes, there are some similarities. But there are so many other differences, so it was something totally new!

I immediately liked Lily. With her marriage, she chose to follow her heart. And even if her marriage wasn’t what she thought it would be and she is now heart – broken because of several events, she never regrets the choices she made.
And I also admired her, because again she made an unpopular choice and wants to help out and make a difference.
When the love for her siblings makes her return to London, she knows it won’t be easy with her mother, but she misses her sister and brother.
And obviously she wants to know if her sister’s fiancé is a good match!

And Marcus… he does not want to get married but wants to fulfil the promise he made. And while he is engaged for the wrong reasons, he does it with the best input. He doesn’t want just A wife, he wants a wife that will be good. He want a good match, and even if there will be no love involved, he wants them both to be happy.
The more I got to see Marcus, the more I truly liked him. he didn’t do anything wrong in the beginning, but of course, seeing his gentler character, the way he includes Lily and even stands his grounds in a kind way, all added up and I saw the amazing man he truly is.

Now, I am glad how the story went, because it could also turn out that Lily would be a terrible sister and give in to her feelings. But no, that is not who Lily is. Her love for her sister will always win over the feelings she has for any other man.

I loved reading how these two lovely characters find each other, and click in an unexpected way. They understand each other, without even speaking, and are on the same level. They both are good people, and even when feelings are growing, the fact of doing the right thing will always prevail.

This book truly was a whole experience. There were tender moments, funny bits (oh Lord Wrexham!), heart – warming moments, but also bits that were heart – breaking.
And the past of both characters, all the beautiful bits but also the cruel ones, turned them into real people, loveable people that you understood where their vision came from.

Lara Temple again wrote a beautiful story showing us that life isn’t always a walk in the park, and everything that happens to us, changes us in one way or another.
And even the good things can come in a disguised way, that makes you wonder if it’s truly a good thing…
But sometimes all it takes is one event that will make the most impossible possible. And then it’s up to us to grab this chance with both hands, even if only the idea of it terrifies us…

When you escape to an island for a fresh start

Synopsis

Welcome to Bramble Island! Find breezy, sunshine-filled days, shaded woodlands, glittering sea and a summer of love…

Maggie Cassidy is the new park manager of Bramble Island in Dorset. A job on an island where she is the only year-round inhabitant is the perfect fresh start for her. But when she’s torn between the job she came to do and the island she has grown to love, can she hang on to her perfect new life without compromising her dreams?

Charlie Mackenzie is the forester on Bramble Island. He is a loner full of secrets, burnt out by the life he left behind in San Francisco. When his past catches up with him can he finally face what he has spent three years running from without jeopardising everything that healed him?

Bramble Island lulls them both into an idyllic existence but when the outside world bangs on their door, is history about to repeat itself for both of them?

My review

After making a terrible judgement and mistake, Maggie Cassidy is happy to be the new park manager of Bramble Island in Dorset. As she is going to be the only real inhabitant of the island, it’s the perfect place for her to make a fresh start.
Together with volunteers she wants to treasure the island she has fallen in love with, but also trying to find the perfect solution for the job she was hired to do.
Caring of the island means that she has to work with forester Charlie Mackenzie, who isn’t keen on being social and prefers to keep his solitude after he got burnt by the way he was living his life in San Francisco.
But the more time Maggie and Charlie spend together, the more feelings start to surface, at a high speeds. However, with Maggie’s secrets and Charlie’s past resurfacing, can they hold on to the wonderful, exclusive feeling they have on Bramble Island? Or have they not learned from their past? 

Living on an island always seems something magical and wonderful. However, the practical person in my immediately would start think about all the logistics and even about improbable issues that could (but obviously won’t) arise. 

But of course, Bramble Island isn’t such a remote island, where you have to search your own food, go on a hunting spree etc.
Of course Maggie will not be in the middle of nowhere and will have everything available, only it will take a trip with the ferry or boat to achieve them. 

I could completely comprehend how Maggie fell in love with the place, because I would have fallen in love too!
There is so much peace, you can feel one with the nature and you are just in awe of Mother Nature!

I also understood why Maggie needed this job, living on an island for a year. She made some mistakes that burnt some bridges and she feels even ashamed of her actions. She needs a place to start over, and Bramble Island is perfect for her. We also see her passion for nature, what she already had, but we see also her respect for nature grown, trying to find the perfect solution for the task she has been hired for.
it was good to see how Maggie opens up more, not only towards the volunteers but also opens her heart little by little for Charlie. 

Charlie, who literally ran away from a good life in San Francisco, but has also cost him a lot… When I first met Charlie, he was a grumpy, closed man, just wanting to do his job and a wish to be left alone. But meeting Maggie was the medicine for him to actually feel again. 

The pace the feelings grew between the characters was maybe for me a bit too hasted, but I can also put the blame on the Island, that does its thing. And furthermore, when you know, does it truly matter how quickly feelings grow? 

However, growing feelings and admitting them, isn’t the end of the story, so when I thought I had reached the end, I was surprised that still had many chapters to read!
And then so many things happened at the same time, it had me truly left a bit shocked! Both Maggie’s and Charlie’s past suddenly resurface, and not all with good intentions.
And I felt a little bit sad to see how the old habits would seem to gain again power over our main characters… 

Seeing how Maggie and Charlie are trying but also failing to find the perfect compromise made me feel sorry, because they both worked so hard to get where they were.
And those not so loveable chapters took too much place in the whole scheme for a sucker for a happy end like me. 

I found this a beautiful story about how people can try to escape their past, find a wonderful place to heal their wounds, find the unexpected. But it was also about redemption and facing your past. And facing your past can also mean rebuild bridges you thought were impossible to rebuild. Plus, realizing what you have lost, but most important, what you have gained and become.

We all have sometimes that feeling that someone is watching us…

Synopsis

Listen carefully.

Watch closely.

Trust nobody.

“Let me ask you. Are you worried that someone is watching you, or are you worried that you think someone is watching you?”

Sophie Portman has lost her husband, and she thinks she may be losing her mind.

She seeks the help of psychiatrist Andrew Thacker, but as she starts to open up, the truth begins to unravel and nothing is quite as it seems.

Other People’s Lives is a gripping psychological thriller from bestselling author JE Rowney.

“A heart-stopping twist. I never saw it coming.” – advance reader review.

My review

Sophie Portman is trying to cope with the disappearance of her husband Jack. It’s not easy, as her whole life is on hold. And now she has the feeling that someone is watching her, but nobody believes her.
Of course with no real evidence, Sophie believes she is losing her mind and she seeks the help of psychiatrist Andrew Thacker. It’s not easy to open up to a total stranger, but slowly the truth begins to unravel and Sophie starts to feel better.
However… is Sophie telling the complete truth? And who can be trusted? Is there truly nobody watching Sophie?

Wow, talking about a story with so many twists and turns! I didn’t know at all where the story would go and what the characters were not telling us!

Initially I truly pitied Sophie. Her husband Jack is missing, yet she keeps writing him, hoping that one day they will be together again.
Her situation made her not go to work anymore, and she doesn’t have any real friends. She isn’t really a social person, making her feeling more alone than ever.

And when she starts to sense that someone is watching her, it gave me goose bumps. And Sophie sought help, without any real evidence, everyone would think they are losing their mind. I understood her hesitance of seeking help with a psychoanalyst, but Sophie also knows that she cannot live in constant fear and has to learn to move on.

It’s obvious that Sophie is keeping something from Dr. Thacker, but even if I had a thought about what it was exactly, it isn’t until the very last few chapters that we will figure out what the truth is…
While reading, I also felt a bit scared because as we are reading from different point of views, there is a serious breach of trust where it shouldn’t be…

But reaching closer towards the end, I knew that there would be several revelations. And yes, they were there, but totally NOT what I expected!
Nothing was what it seemed, and people’s actions surprised me and more intrigues were revealed and linked to each other in a way I did not see coming.

Somewhere in the middle I felt my attention linger a little bit, but that was because I wanted to finally get to the revelations and the truth, but once one revelation was out, it all went like an express train. I had to keep my focus to keep on understanding how everything was connected to each other.
And the final act was also something I didn’t see coming, another total unexpected twist, but maybe the best outcome for Sophie and those close to her.

This book totally put me on the wrong track, and made my mind almost explode and left me truly flabbergasted!
After reaching the end, I needed a moment to process just everything that happened and how the author tricked me! And that is a feeling I expect to have after reading a psychological thriller!