Getting back in the game isn’t as easy as you would think

Synopsis

Work, work, work. That’s all recruitment consultant Gill does. Her friends fix her up with numerous blind dates, none suitable, until one day Gill decides enough is enough.
Seeing an ad on a bus billboard for Happy Ever After dating agency ‘for the busy professional’, on impulse she signs up. Soon she has problems juggling her social life as well as her work diary.

Before long she’s experiencing laughs, lust and … could it be love? But just when things are looking up for Gill, an unexpected reunion forces her to make an impossible choice.
Will she get her happy ever after, or is she destined to be married to her job forever?

My review

Gill is a recruitment consultant with her main focus on her job. Her friends have tried to set her up on several blind dates, but they all ended in a disaster somehow. However, when Gill finally realizes that she actually feels lonely, and sees an ad on a bus billboard for a dating agency, she impulsively signs up.
Compared with all these online dating apps, the Happily Ever After agency is a real agency, trying to match the right person with you.
And soon Gill finds herself dividing her time between work and dating several men. But will she meet the perfect man? And how will she know if it’s love, lust or just friendship? 

Being a Single For Life myself, and having tried online dating too, I know what a scary world it can be out there when you are looking for love.
So of course I was very curious how Gill would find love. 

What I truly liked about this story, is that Gill is doubting herself and her dates all the time. She doesn’t just stick to one guy, believing he could be The One. Now, I know this sounds terrible, but it actually isn’t.
Gill wants to be sure of the choice she makes, and wants to know if the man on the other side of the game is choosing her too. 

Obviously I had my own preference, and I was mentally pushing Gill to follow my choice, but I admired her for giving each man a fair shot. Even when a date went terribly wrong, she decides to go on a second date, not only to know if the disaster was just a coincidence, but also to see if there was a possibility for him being, against all odds, the right one anyway. 

In this book, all kind of men have their appearance, there is the genuinely good one, there is a despicable one, there is a weird one but with a kind heart and there is a weird one, period.
With each man, I found myself hoping with and for Gill he would be a good match, but let’s be honest, I had my favourite.
And what happened with my favourite, suddenly and without any further notice, left me flabbergasted. 

We also see Gill getting heart – broken but slowly also picking up the pieces, the best she can. But as I got to know her better through each chapter, I knew what her heart’s desire was…

The author managed perfectly to write a funny, entertaining story about the difficulties about finding your perfect partner. For some it is easy, for other, like me, it’s a path filled with doubt, the search for courage and trusting your instincts and understanding your feelings.
This was a realistic view on daring to get back in the game, showing us the beautiful things we can encounter, but also the nastier ones. But the nastier ones shouldn’t be holding us back because if we give love a chance, we can find happiness together with that perfect match!

When you can finally get the guy…

Synopsis

A new beginning leads to a second-chance at romance.

Done with the frigid northern winters, Reagan Westbourne has an easy solution—move to Miami. It makes total sense. She can even live with her sister. But after a few months of enduring her quirky sibling’s newlywed bliss, Reagan is ready to spread her wings and move out. Life with two fun roommates and a promising job completes the picture for Reagan. Almost.

When Reagan’s old college friend, Dante, opens a new restaurant in Miami, the past mixes with the present. Afterall, he’s the only man Reagan’s ever had feelings for. And it seems the attraction might just be mutual. Yet when their paths finally seem to align, old and new friends enter the picture, leaving Reagan unsure of her feelings.Could this second-chance be the answer, or is it time to leave the memories in the past?

My review

Reagan Westbourne has decided to switch the cold for the warm and moves to Miami. After living a while with her sister, she finds a new living arrangement with Lila and Gabby as her roommates.
And when her old friend, and her never-ending crush, Dante opens a restaurant in Miami, it seems that all the pieces of the puzzle finally fall together. Especially when the attraction seems to be mutual. All Dante asks is to be patient, as his restaurant is his highest priority at the moment.
But when an old friend makes an appearance, the change in her former best friend makes Reagan reconsider everything she thought to know.
How much can you bear from your best friend? And how long does patience last? And what when there is someone else in the picture? 

Well, first of all, I was very happy when I started this book when I noticed that this would be a much longer book compared with the first book of the Thankful Series!
I loved Book One and Gabby’s story, but it was too short for my liking.
So I was over the moon when Reagan would have more pages for her own story! 

What I knew from Reagan before I began this tale, was that she had a crush on Dante, like forever. So obviously I was Team Dante, because I just wanted Reagan to find her happiness.
And while I did understood Dante’s focus on his restaurant, I didn’t totally agree with him on putting lovely Reagan on hold.

But Reagan wouldn’t be so lovely if she didn’t sit patiently waiting for her shot at love. Because let’s be clear, Reagan is just a wonderful person, kind, caring and also forgiving. Even if she and her best friend were on best terms when Reagan moves, she is happy that Bethany is coming over.
And even if Bethany not only looks totally different, but acts also very different, Reagan just is happy to have her friend back. 

The only thing I can say about Bethany, because she is not worth of spending a lot of thoughts over her is ‘yuk’… 

On the other hand I loved how Reagan new friends, Lila and Gabby are there for her. The three women couldn’t be more different, yet they complement each other. They give all advice, are there for each other and have each other’s back no matter what. 

Even if I was Team Dante initially, I quickly saw his many flaws, and I even got irritated by his behaviour. And I was glad that Reagan slowly starts to see them too. And then seeing how Reagan starts to realize that maybe Dante isn’t this Mister Perfect at all, and looking more around her, was a big thumbs up from my side. 

Without giving any spoilers, Reagan’s happy ending was just everything I wished for this sweet persona. Because not only does she deserve it, but she also learns to stand up for herself and had enough of people keep stringing her. 

It’s also great that our previous main couple still make appearances, but without taking the spotlight out of Reagan. And even if Gabby has now a partner, she doesn’t forget about her friends who haven been there for her. She eagerly wants to return the help! 

This was a great, funny, lovely second part of the series, and I cannot wait to read the last part! To stay in line with the title of the series, I am thankful for the fun I had while reading it!

A sabbatical with more gained than expected

Synopsis

Home is where the heart is . . .
 
When Jaelee Tan leaves her high-flying PR job in Miami for a sabbatical in Bali, the last thing she expects is for it to become permanent. But when her boss demands the trip be cut short, Jae does the only thing she can think of and quits on the spot.
 
With two months in Bali, a new group of friends and the gorgeous scenery and beaches, Jae is determined to make the most of her new-found freedom. And when she locks eyes with hunky Scot, Alistair, Jae wonders if she’ll lose her heart to more than just a Balinese sunrise.
 
Escape to Bali in this uplifting novel full of friendship, laughter and romance, perfect for fans of Mandy Baggot, Julie Caplin and Holly Martin.

Join readers everywhere and prepare to fall for the most romantic escape of 2022…

My review

Jaelee Tan decides to take a sabbatical in Bali. She needs to recharge her batteries again, and while she has an important PR job and her boss wasn’t really that ecstatic with Jaelee’s plan, Jaelee embarks on this new, unknown adventure.
Little does she know that this adventure will become an important one, as after just arriving, Jaelee receives a phone call from her boos demanding her return. After everything Jaelee did to get to her destination, she doesn’t want to return to Miami, and just quits her job.
With an unknown future, she now has two months to figure out what her plans will be, but meanwhile she will enjoy the freedom of being in Bali without any obligation.
Jaelee never expected that Bali would give her so much, like wonderful sceneries and beaches, but most important new friends and new ideas for her own future. And then there is a certain Scottish hunk she starts on wrong terms with, but quickly changes into something more and more important… 

If someone is ever looking for an author that will take you away to amazing places, wonderful characters and hopeful prospects, Sandy Barker surely ticks off all those  boxes! 

Before I started this book, I knew I would the characters and the growth that they would go through, but I wasn’t really that sure about the place where this wonderful story took place. Ignorance from my side, I totally know that now! But I have never been to Bali (not even out of Europe, shame on me!) so I didn’t know really what to expect from it!
And reading more about Bali made some of my fears come true (only thinking about driving there!) but most of my fears were replaced by curiosity and a wish to visit the place. Luckily I am  not a big of beer, so I won’t be trying out the Balinese beer! 

But back to the story, because I don’t think you want to know what I like to eat or drink! 

From the start I admired Jaelee, because she just decides to take a sabbatical and going to a place where she doesn’t know anyone or anything! And my admiration only grew when she stands her ground when her boss demands her return. If only I would have the same guts!
But beside that fierce woman, we also get to learn that Jaelee is scared of showing affection or expressing her feelings.
Reading how it still hurt her to see her ex, shows us a more emotional Jaelee. While I liked the fierce Jaelee, I loved the Jaelee trying to  find a way to express her emotions and feelings. 

I found it so entertaining how Jaelee is making new friends in Bali, and even learns that our first impression of people can be wrong. It was wonderful to read that those friendships will stand even if they are living at the other side of the world.

And then the big elephant in the room… a magnificent elephant named Alistair… what starts as a holiday fling, makes Jaelee realize what love could look like and makes her wonder if there is a future in store for them.
While some readers may think it is going all too fast, trust me when I say that Jaelee meeting Alistair and their evolving relationship is just perfection. 

Jaelee shows on several occasions she is maturing, but my love for her expanded when she decides to be there for Alistair when he needs her comfort the most (you’ll know what I mean when you get there). She manages to change an awkward situation for the better and shows she sees more than you would think. 

There just HAS to be a special mention for Lou… this specific character (you’ll have to discover yourself the specifics) stole completely my heart! 

It was also lovely to see some of my old friends again, and seeing how Cat is doing after her own adventure! A very welcomed extra! 

There wasn’t one bit I didn’t like about Jaelee’s adventure, as we see the fear of the unknown, but also friendship, growth, love, courage, and many many emotions in a wonderful setting.

This book, a next chapter in The Holiday Romance series, should come with a warning. Not only will you wish to go to Bali yourself and experience everything Jaelee is living, but you will find yourself submerged in this wonderful tale and before you know you’ll be devouring the whole book!

One retreat without problems, is that really so much to ask?

Synopsis

Escape to the gorgeous island of Corfu with this wonderfully uplifting romantic comedy, the fourth in a brand-new series from the author of The Cornish Confetti Agency and Villa Limoncello.

Welcome to the Hummingbird Hotel!

When Corfu’s newest hotelier Abbie Coleman is asked to host a Bakes & Beaches retreat for a group of Bake Off enthusiasts from a regional TV and radio station, she knows she needs as much help as she can get. Baking is not her forte, and with cupcakes, traybakes, pastries and showstoppers to co-ordinate – along with a whole host of terrifyingly high-octane water sports – she’s worried that her guests’ culinary creations will be more ‘curdled catastrophes’ than ‘tasty triumphs’. For any successful enterprise, preparation is key, so, along with her new assistant manager and all-round astrological guru Felix Morgan, Abbie sets about preparing a long and detailed To Do list.

But this is the Hummingbird Hotel, and the words ‘straightforward’ and ‘drama-free’ do not feature on the menu. So, when the salted caramel cupcakes are heavier on the salt than the caramel, and a guest’s expensive watch takes an unscheduled dip in the pool, Abbie must once again join forces with chef-turned-vineyard owner – and now fiancé – Nikos Angelopoulos, to unravel the mystery and maintain the hotel’s reputation for delivering beautiful bakes instead of mayhem and mistakes.

Can she turn burnt buns into sumptuous soufflés? Or will her future on Corfu be over before it’s begun?

My review

Abbie Coleman is now really an inhabitant of Corfu, running the Hummingbird Hotel the best she can. The hotel is often used as a retreat for groups, and the next group staying at the place, is a group of colleagues working at a regional TV and radio station, all Bake Off enthusiasts, having a Bakes & Beaches  retreat.
Even if baking is so not her cup of tea, Abbie is ready for the next adventure at her hotel, hoping that this retreat will be a catastrophe – free one. But of course Abbie is wishing for the impossible as again there is a saboteur present with the group.
Together with her new assistant manager Felix Morgan, her other friends, and obviously her fiancé Nikos, she wants to figure out who is turning the creations into disasters.
However, the baking is not the only thing that is making Abbie dubious about her plans, as her own dreams seem to fall apart… 

I truly enjoyed returning to the Hummingbird Hotel! And I somehow wish I could go there myself, meet Abbie and Nikos, but o course not being part of all the disasters taking place! 

What I truly love about this series in general, is that Abbie’s dreams wasn’t owning a hotel, but she realizes that dreams can change, and that new dreams doesn’t mean to discard the old ones. 

It was wonderful to see how Abbie found her home in Corfu, not only making new friends, but also has found love. Her life isn’t what she envisioned before her move to this wonderful island, but she now has everything she could dream of. 

She is the kind of hotelier everyone wishes to have. There isn’t a thing she wouldn’t do for her guests, even if that would mean to participate in their own Bake Off contest, while Abbie can do anything, except bake.
Obviously, her wish to have guests without any disaster lurking around the corner is not granted. And that is again the charm of this book. Yes, there is sabotage, but it’s so funny to read about them, because they are also rather innocent.
Of course there aren’t any life threating issues but the sabotages are all done for a right cause. 

There were moments that my heart went out to Abbie, because she has also a few setbacks, while she hoped that those events would be the start of completing her dreamlife.
I understood the devastation when her creation wasn’t appreciated, or the doubts that were arising when another meeting with Nikos’ family again had been postponed.

But this author wouldn’t be loved so much if somehow she found a solution that would be even better than the initial plan! And having Abbie surrounded by so many people that love her and want to see her succeed, put a smile on my face.

This was again a wonderful read, giving me all the “summery” feelings I needed while being in the cold days of winter myself. It’s filled with happy feelings, hilarious catastrophes, love, all in a beautiful setting.
The author delivered again, and I devoured this new chapter in Abbie’s and Nikos’ lovely tale!

Family isn’t always made of blood relatives…

Synopsis

A heart-warming saga about surviving against the odds and finding a family, from top 10 bestseller Lindsey Hutchinson.

In two rundown, abandoned houses, at the side of a barren Black Country heath, live six children with no family but each other. Abandoned or orphaned, every day is a fight to find food and keep warm. But they are determined to stay free of the clutches of the workhouse and the horrors that would face them if they were ever torn apart.

Dora Parsons lives with her mother Mary and her evil grandmother Edith. Edith’s house may be comfortable and warm, and food is plentiful, but every day Dora suffers at the hands of her spiteful gran. Desperate to protect her child, Mary longs to run away but she has no money to keep them alive and nowhere else to call home.

When fate intervenes and Mary and Dora meet the children, events are set in train that will change all their lives forever. But will the friends find peace and comfort at last, or does the chill of the winter signal the most desperate ending of all…

The Queen of Black Country sagas is back with a heart-breaking, page-turning story of survival, friendship and what it means to be a family. Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Lyn Andrews.

My review

Dora Parsons lives with her mother Mary at her grandmother’s house. But while it would seem that she has nothing to complain about, her grandmother Edith is not the nurturing kind of grandmother. On the contrary, Edith uses every opportunity to show her hate towards Dora…
Dora’s mother Mary knows the despise Edith has, but Mary doesn’t see a way out, as her own husband left her, and she is also struggling to have enough money.
One day, Mary and Dora meet six children without any family, but living together as a close unit. Each child, an orphan or abandoned, is putting its effort to find food and money, to keep warm.
And Mary and Dora take their fate to heart and do whatever they can to help these children, as they have helped them more than expected. And they all learn that sometimes, you can choose your own family…

Having read several books of this author, I know her capability of writing stories that will both make your heart break and warm at the same time.
And this story was no exception.

Dora is a girl so easy to like. She helps her mother every way that she can, but she is also eager to learn new things. And perhaps it’s a bit gullible from her side, but she doesn’t see how evil and bad people can be. she sees the good in everyone, and even new people have always the benefit of the doubt in Dora’s eyes. 
It’s also that innocence that makes her befriend Fingers and the other children.

What I just cannot fathom, is the evilness of Edith… Why on earth would someone wish that her grandchild was never born? Especially a kind and caring girl like Dora… That surprised me even more, seeing how kind and gently both Dora and Mary were, despite the influence of Edith…

It was really heart-warming seeing the lengths Dora and Mary went to help the children in the rundown houses, while they are having their own struggles. But also the other way around, how the children welcomed Dora and Mary, and made them feel more at home in all their poverty, more at home compared to their actual home.

And all the evil that Edith shows, is all undone by all the goodness in the book. Not only Dora’s and Mary’s, but there are some other characters, all having their own “selfish” reasons, offer a helping hand, and not only for Dora and Mary, but for everyone.
This made me believe again in the fact that there always have been and always will be good in the world!

Even if this story is taking place in a past we can only imagine, the author shows us the reality, both the beautiful bits, but also the ugly ones. But she also shows us that sometimes real family isn’t worth of being named as such, and that the real meaning of a family can be found with people not really related to us.
And that people can see beyond what is in front of us, and they see the kind and good in other people. And the goodness prevails over all the money and possessions in the world…

A fresh new start in Miami after everything fell apart…

Synopsis

Fans of the Golden Girls will love this modern, romantic comedy twist! Please note, this novella was originally part of the Love in the City box set. 

When your life crumbles around you, it’s hard to find something to be thankful for. Nevertheless, Gabby Marshall is determined to start anew in sunny Miami. New city, new job, and two new interesting roommates bring lots of new opportunities for a fresh start. 

As well as some challenges and surprises.

Gabby’s putting her heart and soul into her new career, without the distraction of love getting in the way. Yet she keeps crossing paths with the gorgeous and welcoming Theo Jorgenson. Maybe Gabby could make one little exception and allow Theo in … except her new roommate and Theo are sworn enemies.

Life in Miami could be promising … or it could fall apart. Again.

My review

Gabby Marshall has been betrayed in a terrible way. Not only did she lose her fiancé, but also her best friend, finding them both in a compromising position.
She literally runs away from everything and wants to start anew in Miami. With a new city, new job and new friends, she is determined to make her career work, without the interference of Love. But then we have Theo Jorgenson, Gabby’s new neighbour… A neighbour her roommate Lila cannot stand at all…

If you do not finish this story in one session, then you aren’t a romantic type at all!

It’s easy to like Gabby, after her heart getting broken and wanting a fresh start. But it’s not the hurt she had that made me like her. Because if that were the case, I would just sympathize with her. But she is funny, even when she doesn’t try to be, she is determined to grab this new start with both hands and forget about the past.

I loved reading how her roommates, Lila, owner of the mansion and Reagan were different than Gabby, but still easily a friendship is being made.
But I also liked reading how she interacts with Theo. Even if he is kind of off limits, they both find a way to gravitate around each other, and I found it heart – warming to see how at ease they both are in each other’s company.

In this story the author manages to show us how after a terrible event, it is possible to put yourself back together, and how your new present and future can be even better than the one you had in mind.
But I found it lovely, and for me personally even hopeful (Single For Life), love can find you at the most unexpected time and place.
And even the fall out of a hammock can be the start of something very beautiful and perfect!

Perhaps the story was a bit too short for my liking, because I loved reading about gabby and Theo, but luckily this is only the first part of the series and I know that we will see this lovely couple again!

St. Aidan, a place that gives you everything you need, even what you don’t know yet

Synopsis

St Aidan: a cosy Cornish village where friendships are made for life and it’s always cocktail hour somewhere…

The Little Cornish Kitchen is going on tour!
When internet sensation ‘Cressida Cupcake’ has a soggy bottomed TV fiasco and faces bake-off backlash she jumps at the chance to spend some time hiding out in St Aidan, dog sitting for her brother.

Picturesque Seaspray Cottage is meant to be Cressy Hobson’s port in the storm but with her blog sponsors having fled and her book deal gone sideways her funds are running low and she’s forced to turn to the locals for help. Soon her quiet weeks in Cornwall are filled with chasing sheep, saving the local retirement village, taking The Little Cornish Kitchen into people’s homes for baking nights…and keeping vigilant guard against romance.

The one and only time Cressy lost her head to love was over a decade ago while in St Aidan, and she won’t be making the same mistake again – a feat easier said than done when Ross Bradbury looks even better a decade on…and every step she takes seems to put him in her path!

My review

After making a total fool of herself on TV, Cressy Hobson realizes what the backlash can be of bad publicity.
So when opportunity rises to hide at St. Aidan, dog sitting for her brother, she grasps it with both hands. While she wants to use this chance to make up her mind to be back on track with Cressida Cupcake, even with sponsors bailing out on her and a book deal is off the table again, she finds herself surrounded by the locals. What was supposed to be a quiet time, is now filled with chasing sheep, trying to save the retirement village and living together with the man that broke her heart many years ago.
Cressy never expected that going at people’s home for baking nights, under the good name of The Little Cornish Kitchen, would be such a success, also with the help of those same locals would put her back on the map.
But where does leave her? A new start for her much desired career? Or finding finally a place she truly can call home, and a way to clear the air with that person she tries to avoid?

First of all, I want to make something clear. Yes, this is a second book in a series. But it’s not a requirement to have read the first one. I haven’t read it and I could follow very easily. There are some references to what happened in Book One, but what you need to know is explained, and it’s a total new main character.
So I don’t need to read Book One, but I really want too!

When I began this book, I didn’t really like – like Cressy… I found her too focused on the way people saw her. She was trying too hard to be the perfect young woman, and when all fell apart, she is lost.
Of course, making a fool out of yourself on TV is not the best thing to do, so I understood what her feelings were.
And going to St. Aidan seemed also to me the perfect solution to overthink everything.

And when in St. Aidan, I was struggling with the way she behaved towards Ross… it’s obvious that something happened in the past, but not knowing what, made it difficult to understand and agree with her behaviour.

But slowly, we see the real Cressy, and that is a Cressy that is easy to like. While initially she was reluctant to help out when her new friends/acquaintances ask her, Cressy starts to see the beauty of St. Aidan and how well the real Cressy would fit in.

The beauty of this story is how Cressy is changing, for the better, but also finds the courage to address the person that hurt her the most in the past. Even if their start is a real bumpy one, slightly forced by living together, there has to be some kind of communication. And reading how both Cressy and Ross are getting

to know each other again, and seeing the real them, made my heart melt.
When the past is known, so much more made more sense, and I understood Cressy so much better.

This past shows us how people going through the same tragedy, see it differently and just because we see it different, doesn’t mean that the pain isn’t there. Because in this specific tragedy, there were two broken – hearted people, but they didn’t see the pain in each other. Which caused even more hurt.

I loved reading this story, seeing Cressy getting back on her two feet, doing something I also love. But also reading about second chances, how impropable it seems, warmed my heart. And St. Aidan, I want to live there too! The whole community, and even the residents of the retirement village, they all stole a little piece of my heart. And how everyone is determined to help those who need it, well, is there a more beautiful community?

There is not one thing I didn’t not like about this book. And for me, the cherry on top of the cake, were the recipes to be found in the end of the book. Reading about cupcakes, cakes, baking, surely got me in the bake-modus myself, and now I have new inspiration!

How far would you go for your greatest wish to come true?

Synopsis

A gripping, emotional book that asks the question: What does it take to be a parent?
Brand new from the bestselling author of The Last Days of Us

In one split second, Aidan Whelan’s perfect world is changed forever when his wife Rowan and three-year old daughter Milly are involved in tragic accident.
Helena O’Herlihy and her husband James have been struggling in their marriage but a knock on the door telling her that James has been involved in a car crash, has Helena rushing to his side.
When Aidan and Helena bump into each other at Dublin City Hospital, they soon begin to wonder if it’s more than just coincidence that brought them there. Why were Rowan and James in the car together on that fateful morning?
Through their pain and tears, they form a bond as they try to piece together what really did happen on the morning of the crash.
As the lies begin to unravel and secrets are uncovered, can Aidan save what’s left of his family and Helena her marriage?

My review

Helena O’ Herlihy’s greatest wish is to finally have a child with her husband James. But all their attempts were in vain and also had an effect on their marriage.
When James is involved in a car crash, all that doesn’t matter, as long as James is okay. However, when Helena bumps into Aidan Whelan at the hospital, it’s clear that James was in the same car as Aidan’s wife Rowan and their daughter Milly.
Even if James and Rowan were friends, why were they in the same car that day? While Aidan and Helena are sharing the same pain and fears, secrets that will devastate everyone’s life are being uncovered. And decisions are being made that will rock everyone’s lives even more…

Having read another book from this author, I knew there would be tear – jerking moments, so I thought I was mentally prepared…
The secret here is rather easy to guess, but this story is not purely about uncovering this secret, but how people react to it.

Of course, learning that your partner has been in an accident, is a real shock. But in Aidan’s case, losing your wife and fighting to keep your family together, while your little girl is still fighting for her life, I can only try to comprehend how he is feeling.
Seeing how his family is falling apart even more, with his oldest son building up the highest wall possible, broke my heart.
But what I liked about Aidan the most, was his unconditional love for his children. He wants what’s best for all three of his children, but he will not go down without a fight! Even if that fight is an impossible one, and is on top of the fight with his in – laws…

When I started to read this book, I thought I had figured out who the ‘bad one’ was in this story. And while it all starts with pointing in exactly in that direction, the story took a different direction.
I understood Helena’s reasoning, even if the way she handled things was a wrong one. Those doubts would only eat her away, so she had to figure out the truth somehow.
But with the truth uncovered, Helena slowly begins to realize that knowing the truth will not always set you free and grant you your wish.

Despite her initial thoughts, she knows what the right thing to do is, and I admired how she even is fighting against the person she loves the most.  Because loving someone doesn’t mean to be automatically in their corner for each fight.

The more I was into the story, which is impossible to put away despite all the pain that you are feeling, I saw that each decision was not made out of selfishness, even if you would think so, but because of a pain the characters are feelings and a sense of loss and inability to do something.

Without giving away too much, the ending was very fitting. The message that communication is the key to everything, arrived very loud and clear in the end, not only for us as a reader, but also for the main characters…

This was a heart – breaking story about the struggles of two families that have been torn apart, trying to find a way to cope with everything that happened, with making mistakes but also about realizing that mistakes can be undone.
Even if I wanted to scream regularly at the main characters, it made me also made me smile, bittersweet, because in the end, there is nothing we wouldn’t do for family…

The healing nature of Honey

Synopsis

Escape to the English countryside with Liz Fielding’s emotional and uplifting summer romance.

An escape to the country 

A kiss to reawaken them both…

Honeysuckle Rose finds much-needed solace in her great aunt’s garden. But her peace is threatened by her distracting and brooding neighbour, Lucien Grey. Once a high-flying news reporter, Lucien returned from the front line a changed man. Honey can see that beneath his frosty exterior is a heart waiting to be thawed. Can their unexpected but impossible-to-ignore midsummer kiss be the beginning of a fresh start…together?

My review

Honeysuckle Rose inherited her great aunt’s cottage and garden. She enjoys taking care of all the fauna and flora, and found the much needed peace.
But then her peace is disturbed by her new neighbour, Lucien Grey. Everyone knows Lucien grey as a high – flying news reporter but he has returned as a changed man. now he is a brooding man, with no bigger desire than being left alone.
After a first, heated meeting, Honey realizes that Lucien has demons to face. With both needing the other’s help in several occasions and that one unexpected kiss, will they be exactly that one thing they both needed to dare to see a bright future again?

I thought I knew what kind of story I would be reading. And even if this was a rather short one, compared with other tales, maybe this one touched my heart the most…
Because this story goes much deeper, with characters who are facing dark emotions and are struggling to get again a grip on their lives again.

While Honey seems a woman with her head straight on her shoulders, rather quickly it’s obvious she has her own demons to face.
The losses she endured, made her make choices not based on what she truly wanted, but more like what her loved ones expected from her.
Of course, if she didn’t have her heart at the right place, she wouldn’t be using her knowledge as a nurse abroad, or have such a desire to take care of her great aunt’s garden.

But that makes her understand Lucien all the better, because she knows what he is going through. And despite their initial clash, and even the clashes alter on, she truly wants to help him, because lingering in the past will only hold your back.

I can only imagine what Lucien saw and has been through. And I completely understood his state of mind, as it cannot have been easy.
But I loved seeing him opening up, and find his drive again, with the help of Honey.

OF COURSE you and I both know what will happen between Honey and Lucien, no surprise there. But I found it heart – warming that these were two people, both scarred somehow, despite their initial dislike find each other (again?) and help each other to face their fears. Together, with their even perhaps a limited knowledge about the matter, they find a way to process what happened to them.

The beauty of this (too short for me!) story is, beside the love – aspect, that something terrible is finding its place without ridiculing it, but showing the seriousness of it. And that there is a way to overcome it. It may need baby steps, but you can heal from those scars.
Honey is exactly what Lucien needs, with her hands – on attitude, and Lucien and his feelings is exactly what Honey needs to overcome her fears.

This story was wonderful to read, about love, pain and courage to move. But also about a community being there for each other and offer a helping hand, however they can.
And when you know, you just know…

When your security is no longer there, a new plan needs to be made for the future

Synopsis

He needs a wife…
Manchester industrialist William Rose was a poor lad from the slums who pulled himself up by his bootstraps, but in order to achieve his greatest ambitions he must become the epitome of Victorian respectability: a family man.

She has a plan…
But the only woman who’s caught his eye is sophisticated beauty Octavia Marshall, one of the notorious ladies of Carson Street. Though she was once born to great wealth and privilege, she’s hardly respectable, but she’s determined to invest her hard-earned fortune in Mr Rose’s mills and forge a new life as an entirely proper businesswoman.

They strike a deal that promises them both what they desire the most, but William’s a fool if he thinks Octavia will be a conventional married woman, and she’s very much mistaken if she thinks the livesthey once led won’t follow them wherever they go.

In the third instalment of Rachel Brimble’s exciting Victorian saga series, The Ladies of Carson Street will open the doors on a thoroughly modern marriage – and William is about to get a lot more than he bargained for…

My review

Octavia Marshall is the only one for the ladies of Carson Street that hasn’t found love yet. However, love is absolutely the last thing on her mind, as she is having other worries. With her best friends Nancy and Louisa no longer receiving customers, Octavia is the only ‘original’ Lady of Carson Street still working.
But as the future of such houses are at risk, Octavia is thinking about her own future. And in her future is no place for her past, because no matter she used to have wealth and privileges, there is no way she is going back to that hurtful place.
When Octavia meets William Rose, she sees an unexpected opportunity. Because William learns the hard way that no one takes him seriously until he becomes what expected in Victorian times: a family man.
William needs someone to pose as his fiancée and Octavia needs someone to teach her how to become a businesswoman.
With each their own goals, will their deal of being fake engaged change into something with deeper feelings?

Having read the previous parts of this series, there is one thing I have learned… do not mess with the Ladies of Carson Street!
Even if what they do for a living is not something I recommend, all the women are strong, independent and with a mind of their own.
They do what’s needed to survive, and even if 2/3 of the company is now in a happy relationship, they did not suddenly change into a meek woman, ready to just obey their man.

And Octavia… how I understood her so well… she is seeing her friends all having their happily ever after, all deserved of course, but that makes Octavia wonder what her life and future will look like.
She knows that she cannot continue doing what she is doing, not only because of her reaching an age she won’t be that popular anymore, but also because there are people determined to close houses like Carson Street.
And I admired her determination that, once she knows that she wants to learn to run a business, she seeks the right opportunity to get things started. I loved her mentality of forging her own happiness, and not let prejudice dictate would she can or cannot do.  But she is also afraid that she somehow will lose her friends and will be left alone, again. And that vulnerability was a nice new layer of Octavia.

And her meeting with William, a meeting that starts it all, isn’t obviously a normal meeting. Of course, what did we expect with Octavia?
William has made his own success, and I was even a bit proud of him, because he really looks after the people that work for him. and in Victorian that is not something taken for granted.
So I found it also frustrating how society would hold him back in making his business more successful, especially seeing how hypocrite society can be…
What I even liked more about William, is how is not judging Octavia for what she is doing. He understands what brought her to do this kind of life.
But he also sees the pain that still haunts Octavia, no matter how hard Octavia tries to hide it.

Having two people wanting to make the best out of their plans, and making a deal, makes in this case perfect sense.
And yes, it isn’t a surprise how things evolve, but that is also the beauty of this book. And that’s because we have two strong main characters, that will always do the right thing. Even if that means going away from the person you start to love. Or even refuse a very important question, because it isn’t the right time.

Octavia and William may have a complete different background and current lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t have anything in common. They see the good in each other and respect each other.

I found this a great latest addition and I liked getting to know Octavia better and getting acquainted with William. It shows us that even in the past there are people that see the real us, and don’t put a label on us without actually getting to know us.
And that with determination, even stubbornness and the right person by your side, you can make a change and turn your dreams into reality.