Hate and love are two sides of the same coin…

Synopsis

The earl she loved to hate…until she stayed in his mansion!

Sophie Gilbert has thwarted the standoffish new earl’s plans to sell his country estate and the quaint village which forms part of it. But when disaster strikes and he offers her refuge, she must reconsider everything about this vexing, determined man. After the heartbreak in her past, it’s a revelation to feel her pulse racing and her body yearning for his touch…

My review

After a tragedy that broke her heart, Sophie Gilbert is content with living at her aunt’s house in the little village of Whittleston – on – the – Water.
But when news flies around that the new Earl Rafe Hockley plans on selling his estate and the village, Sophie is ready to fight to save the home of not only her aunt, but the homes of the whole community.
However, when disaster strikes again, and Rafe offers her a place to stay, Sophie realizes that nothing is what is seems. And her reaction to Rafe is not what she expected at all… 

Whenever I start reading a story that came out of the mind of this author, I know I will enjoy it!
Not because the love is immediately, but because of the enemies – to – lovers theme, the struggles the main characters have to face and add the layer of the past in it, and we have a perfect blend! 

It’s very obvious that Sophie is a strong, independent woman, who isn’t afraid to fight dirty for the right cause. And poor person who dares to insult her aunt, who she loves unconditionally.
Initially, it isn’t clear why Sophie is living with her aunt, and not with her father, but when her past is revealed, it shows us also a vulnerable side of Sophie. When she loves, she loves with all her heart. And because she did it once, she won’t allow anyone to get that close anymore, because she couldn’t endure that pain once more when she will lose him.
She shows that she won’t let any injustice pass without a fight to protect those she loves.
I liked her fierceness but I also loved her vulnerability.  

While Rafe may look like a cold character, when I was reading his side of the story, I saw a different side. He is a loving brother to Archie, and also very protective.
There isn’t one thing he wouldn’t do for Archie, even if that would mean to call a dog Mary…
But he is also a stubborn man, he made a decision and it’s very hard, not to say impossible, to make him change his mind. 

Obviously it’s written in the stars that Sophie and Rafe will clash, big time. But that doesn’t mean that they will allow the other one to suffer.
And Rafe offering shelter to Sophie and her aunt, and Sophie looking after Rafe after an injury, showed perfectly how they could put their issues beside them, and show their nurturing and caring character. 

And the attraction between the main characters is palpable and seeing how they are pushing and pulling all the time, was very entertaining to read, because we just know better!

However, if everything would be so easy, this story would lose a big part of its charm. Because Rafe has to decide to believe in love and trust the village to accept the wonderful Archie how he is. And Sophie has to decide what her feelings for Rafe is, and if she is strong enough to open her heart. 

I truly enjoyed reading this story, Virginia Heath delivered again a great book, that may be eve my favourite one of all I have read from her at the moment.
But that doesn’t mean that now she can rest on her laurels, because the bar is set rather high now!

When secrets of the past and the present collide…

Synopsis

Cottage Two, Bracken Ridge Farm sits at the end of a pitted track, with the glorious Yorkshire moors stretching behind it.  

Just a simple two up, two down, the cottage holds the promise of a new start for two very different women, but it is also full of secrets. 

Fifty years ago, newly-wed Stella is relishing making the little cottage a happy home. But for all the lovingly handmade curtains, and the hot dinners ready on the table for her husband, Stella’s dreams of married life jar painfully with the truth.

Fifty years later, the cottage is a new beginning for Tamzin. Determined to get away from her previous life, she makes the move to the wild and vast Yorkshire countryside. 

When Tamzin finds a sepia photo of a woman, Stella, standing in the cottage’s garden, there’s a sadness in her eyes that Tamzin recognises.  As the cottage reveals more of its secrets, Tamzin is desperate to find out whether Stella got her happy ending.  And as she gradually makes new friends, and starts to win over her mysterious neighbour Euan, Tamzin dares to dream about her own happy ending too… 

Escape the rat race with this heart-warming, page-turning new novel from Jane Lovering. Perfect for fans of Julie Houston, Beth O’Leary and Kate Forster

My review

Wanting to leave her life behind, Tamzin decides to move to the Yorkshire countryside.
In her new cottage she suddenly finds a picture of a woman. What Tamzin immediately recognizes is the same sadness in the woman’s eyes Tamzin herself had not so long ago.
Tamzin discovers that the woman is Stella, who lived in the cottage fifty years ago. Tamzin is determined to find out if the sadness ever disappeared from Stella’s eyes and if Stella got her happy ending.
Slowly Tamzin discovers more of Stella’s story, with the help of her new friends she is making, and even winning over her reclusive neighbour Euan.
But can Tamzin truly put her past behind her and start over at this cottage?

Wow, the emotions I had while reading this story, I wasn’t expecting that at all!
But on the other hand, I shouldn’t be surprised, as I know this author!

The tragedy, but on the same time also the beauty of this story, is the one thing that links all the characters. Both Stella, Tamzin and even Euan went through the same thing. Even if reading about the trust that has been broken by their loved ones, at one point they decided to stand up and walk away.

What made this story even more peculiar, was that Tamzin’s timeline goes from past to present, like we are used to.
But Stella’s goes from her present to her past. So when we meet her for the first time, she already made up her mind. And through flashbacks, we see what brought her in that particular situation.
Only her ending… I’m not going to give any further explanations…

Rather quickly after reading what made Tamzin move, I found myself in awe. Never have been in her same situation (and I hope I never will…), I could only try to understand what she has been going through. But the way she found the courage to leave it all behind, and found that strength, just WOW…

Now, before you think that this is a story with only bad things happening, you are wrong. I loved to read how Tamzin is changing the cottage into her new home, even if that would mean an overload of cushions.

And then there is Euan… while it would be easy to dislike him from the start (yes, I admit, I did too), once we see more of him, and when his past is revealed too, so much made sense. And from dislike I went to pity, to also admiration to fallen head over heels in love with him.
His story is also a tragic one, and I admired the author that she dared to switch roles. Because it’s easy to see the victim being a woman and the culprit a man. But the truth is, that roles aren’t always so stereotypic…

It warmed my heart to see these two broken persons (even literally) find each other, open up and together they find a way to move on from the past that was still haunting them.
Tamzin and Euan went from ‘Survivor knows Survivor’ to being a rock during more difficult moments.

There is one thing I haven’t addressed yet… and that is Brack… I would never imagine having him as a pet, and he just stole my heart!
But Tamzin knows he has to be the wild, free animal he was supposed to be. and even if it would break her heart, she has to do the right thing. And making that decision and taking that step with Euan by her side, made things more bearable.

Like I said, this is a tragic yet wonderful story to read. It shows us how ugly people can be, and use us for their own schemes.
But this book is also filled with so much strength, because it is possible to escape a situation that brings sadness in our eyes.
And being strong can maybe bring us someone on our path that knows the real meaning of love and act like it.

A haunted marquess and a broken widow, will love stand a chance?

Synopsis

A brooding marquess

And a mysterious widow

On the outside Henry Spencer, Marquess of Clairborne, has it all: title, fortune and dashing good looks. Inside he’s haunted by nightmares. Seeking sanctuary at his Scottish estate, his peace is disturbed by a new tenant, widow Genevieve de l’Omont. Her beauty and spirit lead to a growing desire that distracts him from his troubles, but as he unravels a mystery from his past, he discovers Genevieve has secrets of her own…

My review

Henry Spencer, the marquess of Clairborne may seem to have it all, but the contrary is the truth. He is haunted by nightmare and needs to find some peace.
So without informing anyone, he goes to his Scottish estate, Yew park House, hoping that he will find answers to his tormenting questions.
But he didn’t expect to find a new tenant on his estate, widow Genevieve de l’Omont and her daughter Elizabeth.
Meeting them and their friend, stirs something inside him he never thought he would feel.
But Genevieve is keeping a secret, making getting closer impossible and also Spencer’s past seems to hold a few dark secrets..

Why do I always enjoy reading impossible love stories? Especially with a brooding marquess and dark secrets that will devastate the people involved?
So this story surely had my interest, and that was even before I realized that there was a link with a book I’ve read previously of this author!

I was immediately intrigued by Spencer, because I could comprehend the heavy burden that comes with his title, but I wanted to know what else was haunting him.
Despite his brooding behaviour, I found it also funny to read how he wants to learn just *everything*. That is obviously not expected from a marquess, but I liked his curious nature. And seeing how he tries, and also often fails, was hilarious.
But it was refreshing seeing someone like him stepping outside him comfort zone, and trying to understand how everything works.

However, there was one thing that totally made my heart melt… Even if he keeps his distance from everything and everyone, he cannot contain himself to have fun with Elizabeth…
That was proof for me, that despite his demons, he was absolutely, without any doubt, one of the good guys!

Elizabeth, poor little girl! The things she went through, and seeing her bloom again at Yew Park House, truly warmed my heart. Genevieve tries so hard to be a good mother and protect her daughter but when you’ve been hurt and humiliated in the past, I could completely understand why she was wary of Spencer.

But obviously, some feelings are difficult to ignore, and it was lovely to see how both Spencer and Genevieve are able to help each other with facing their demons.
Genevieve’s past didn’t come as a real surprise to me, But Spencer’s was a whole different matter. While even I at one point had a fear for the most terrible thing that could have happened in the past, I was glad the truth was completely different!

This was a lovely, entertaining story about the lengths people would go for love. It starts with trust, but if the love is real, it is about acceptance, ready to fight for your loved ones, and even facing a terrible Galahad (you’ll know what I mean!) to show that love can conquer everything, like prejudice, demons and fear…

Will living together after so many issues solve the problems of a family?

Synopsis

One forgotten discovery will change three women’s lives for ever…

Robin hasn’t been home for decades. After running away to London, she never expected to see her cantankerous mother, Faye, again. But when Faye has a fall, the two women are thrown together once more.

The years apart have not made their hearts grow fonder and the ground between them is unsteady. Then Robin finds an unopened scroll – the last of the treasure hunts her much-missed father used to take them on every Sunday. A hunt he believed might change everything. 

Yet, not even this gift from her beloved father can smooth the way until Robin’s daughter, Amber, arrives to meet her grandmother for the first time.  Amber is determined that the decades-old mystery be solved.

Can a 30-year-old treasure hunt really ‘change everything’?

My review

The relation between Robin and her mother Faye has never been a good one. The relation was even so strained that after her father died and an unexpected news turned her world upside down, she ran away to London to never return.
Now that Faye has had a fall, Robin cannot do anything else than assist her mother.
However, even after all these years, their strained relation has become only more awkward. That is until Robin find a scroll of her father, what was typical for their famous treasure hunts.
When Robin’s daughter Amber also is staying at Faye’s place, the awkwardness is only getting bigger.
But will that found scroll and the treasure hunt be the thing that will bring the three women closer again and fix what was broken for so long?

I know that with this author, I’m always in for a treat! And this story was no exception, even if there were several heart – breaking moments.

From the first moment, I was feelings the emotions Robin was having. Without even knowing the details, I was reluctant of meeting Faye, I  was angry before I even read one word that came out of her mouth.
So it’s understandable I would have the same reactions as Robin when Faye was being stubborn and not likeable at all.

What I did like about Robin being back home, was that seeing her old (secret) room again, she found herself again. While the more mature Robin was wearing ‘adult’ clothes, seeing the younger version, made her realise how she was ignoring the real Robin, who loved flashy colours, weird hairstyles etc.

Of course I was curious to know what happened in the past, and what made Robin run away. Even if I had a feeling what that could be, the process as a reader to get to that revelation was a quest on itself.

Seeing Faye, Robin and Amber staying at the same house, it was both entertaining but also a bit educational to see how different people of the same family could be. Faye, being a distant, closed mother, made Robin become a overprotective, overbearing mother to Amber. Robin does everything Faye didn’t do, but all a bit over the top. Making Amber wanting to take her distance from her mother, wanting to do things according her own rules.

Being back home, Robin obviously meets people again from before her escape. And it was very realistic to read how some people were happy to see her back, but also to read how the old friends are still hurt because they lost a friend without any explanation.
Seeing how Robin want to fix those broken friendships, with trail and fail sometimes, was again both heart – breaking as heart – warming.

Even if there is the making amends with friends and even finding back a lost love interest, I didn’t feel that this was the main story of this book.
The author managed to show us how different people are, even in the same family. And while everyone tries their best, it isn’t always a recipe for success.

I was even a bit astonished when I even started to like Faye. Because there are always two sides to a story, and I am not afraid to admit I was prejudiced towards Faye.
And when the truth was out concerning those ‘Dear Debbie’ letters, I was for a moment totally flabbergasted, but I feel like somehow I knew it already.

I found this a bittersweet story to read, because all the characters endured so much pain in the past, and putting that behind them, wasn’t an easy task.
But it was also lovely to see how all the women find common ground, even how stupid how a treasure hunt may seem. Because that treasure hunt was exactly what they all three needed to understand each other better, and find the love they felt they missed…

When you love two women…

Synopsis

There are first loves and there are last loves. But what happens when they overlap?

Tom Blythe falls in love quickly. He fell for Olivia the first time they met. The same thing happens when he meets Grace. The problem is: Tom is still in love with Olivia.

Pulled in two different directions, Tom has a choice to make. He knows he’s unhappy, but is that enough for him to forget the vows he made? Both women have difficult pasts and Tom is desperate to help them, but at what cost?

Can he let Olivia go and commit his future to Grace? Or will the pull of the past prove too strong?

My review

When Tom meets Grace, it’s love at first sight. Only once has he fallen in love instantly, and that was when he met his wife Olivia.
Even if at the moment he is unhappy, he stills love Olivia and with Grace’s appearance he has to make an impossible yet important decision. Is it with Grace where his future is? Or is his love for Olivia too big to put behind him? What he does know, is that both women’s past wasn’t easy and it’s in his nature to want to help…

While reading the blurb of this book, I thought it would be about a man that starts cheating on his wife and that he would have to choose where his future would lay.
So while I was intrigued, I was also immediately disliking Tom, before I had even read one word of the book.

But I was happy that this book turned out to be something completely different, and I did not see that twist coming in the end…
Not only do we see Tom in the present, when he meets Grace but also we see Tom when he meets Grace.

While I don’t truly believe at first sight myself, I could see Tom falling easily in love with these two women.

And slowly, getting to know Tom better, I started to like him. Not only because how he is being a loyal boyfriend and husband to Olivia, but  also because he keeps his distance from Grace. He doesn’t cross any line, and he makes it clear that Olivia is still in the picture and he doesn’t want to hurt anyone.

It was lovely to see how, thanks to Grace, Tom finds something to enjoy again. He has been through a difficult period, so seeing him having fun again was a real nice thing.
But while things are strictly platonic, I was always expecting that moment where a line would be crossed. And while I understood that his marriage wasn’t easy at the moment, I couldn’t agree with taking things further with Grace.

Not that I am condemning Grace, because she also has been through difficult moments, and she deserves to finally find a man that will love her unconditionally. But I couldn’t see Tom being that man, as his love for Olivia was still palpable.

So I was constantly having mixed feelings… I wanted Tom and Grace to be together, but I also wanted Tom and Olivia being still together…
And then we had that twist that I didn’t see coming. It was a twist that broke my heart, because of all the things I would be expecting, that didn’t ever cross my mind…
But I have to admit, once that was out, so many things made so much more sense to me. And my hostility towards Tom, evaporated completely.

This was a read that confused me, because there wouldn’t be one right choice to make. And both women deserved that unconditionally love from a man.
But once the pieces of the puzzle fell together, I realized what a beautiful story this was. It shows us the beauty of falling in love, but also the feelings of guilt of meeting someone new when your heart already belongs to someone else…

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…