Dilemmas that will change not only one life…

Synopsis

All NEW – Escape to Dorset and the beautiful Chesil Beach with bestselling author Della Galton.

Talented, yet relatively unknown actress and celebration cake baker extraordinaire Olivia Lambert is running out of time.

Approaching forty, she’s yet to land the role that will launch her television career and she’s desperate to be a mum.

Her new man, Phil Grimshaw from the Bluebell Cliff Hotel, seems the perfect match, but seems to be in no rush to settle down.

Having ditched her childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Tom Boyd, when he backtracked about being a dad, Olivia dreads making the same mistake again.

Rocked by confessions from both her sister Ruby and Tom, Olivia knows it’s time to make some life changing decisions.

Then a terrifying incident off Chesil Beach changes the course of her future and brings Olivia to question everything she values and loves.

My review

Olivia Lambert can bake the most amazing cakes, but she is also a talented actress. Even if she is unknown, she doesn’t give up and keeps on hoping that one day she will land the role that will launch her career.
But her biggest dream, is that of becoming a mum. The clock is ticking as she is reaching the age of forty, and her current relationship with Phil Grimshaw is a rather new one.
If only she hadn’t wasted so much time on her childhood sweetheart and (now ex) fiancé Tom Boyd… After many years he suddenly changed his mind about becoming parents, so Olivia ditched him.
But is Phil sharing her same dreams, even if it appears he is in no rush at all? And when her sister Ruby drops a bombshell, Olivia realize that she has to make some life changing decisions…
What will Olivia do with her life? And is there a real future for her and Phil? Or will the return of a certain ex make Olivia a whole different choice?
Because suddenly she starts to question every choice and dream she once had…

First of all, returning to Dorset and in Bluebell Cliff, was WONDERFUL!!! And getting to know Phil a little bit better, was even better! However, this is Olivia’s story…

And in so many aspects, I could completely comprehend her… she is almost forty, and her true dream is becoming a mother. But as her biological clock is ticking, she wonders if Phil is the right man for her. Not only because their relationship is rather new, compared with her previous one. And both Olivia and Phil wanted to keep light and most important, Olivia has no idea if Phil has the same dream… it’s not something you discuss in the early stage of a relationship of course.
Being 35 myself and single, and sharing the same dream as Olivia, I could see how things could be complicated…

But Olivia is also a lovely character, looking after her Aunt Dawn, and her sister Ruby, even if they are very different.
Everything she does, she does it with passion, if it’s going to an audition, baking a cake or looking after her aunt’s chickens…

When there is a sudden reappearance, and one of Phil’s secrets is revealed, I could comprehend why Olivia suddenly is doubting over everything…  When one possibility is suddenly gone, it’s normal to think if going back would be the solution.

A few events makes Olivia think about her own future and her dreams, and that made this a beautiful story.
The decisions that Olivia has to take, are too recognizable for many of us. having a dream is natural but how to react when that dream is scattered? What is the right thing to do?
There is no easy answer, and seeing Olivia struggle with all these questions, showed the reader that only taking time and listening to your heart, will show you the right path to take.

This is a story that many of the readers can relate to, not specifically with the doubts Olivia has, but the process and evolution Olivia is going through.
it shows us that no matter what we want or desire, life can take unexpected turns and even if our journey is a bit different, doesn’t mean it isn’t as rewarded.
The author managed to write again a very captivating, lovely, heart – warming story about life, with wonderful characters in a setting I am loving!

Being family doesn’t mean being all the same.

Synopsis

Thirty-year-old Brooke Padgett is the landlady of The Highwayman’s Drop in the beautiful Yorkshire village of Leyholme. Commitment-averse and obsessed with work, she isn’t looking for anything serious – and she certainly isn’t interested in the pub’s new barman, gorgeous single dad Hayden. Or is she?

Older sister Rhianna Garrett has fled wealthy husband James after discovering his infidelity. As she moves back to the pub with her children in tow, it’s clear that living together will be tricky for these two very different sisters…

Meanwhile, their widowed mum Janey is keen to rejoin the dating scene. But a lot has changed since her youth in the seventies – and she’ll need the help of her girls.

As the sisters join forces to help Janey, as well as fight off the chain circling the pub, their relationship becomes close once again. Until Brooke discovers Rhianna is hiding a secret that could drive a wedge between them all…

Can the two sisters come together to save The Highwayman’s Drop, their mum’s love life – and their relationship?

My review

Brooke Padgett is a thirty – year – young woman, running The Highwayman’s Drop, the local pub, together with her mum Janey in the Yorkshire village of Leyholme.
Brooke lives for her job, as it’s her father’s legacy, but there is a company eager to buy the pub to transform it in one of their many other affiliates.
When suddenly her sister Rhianna appears in their porch with her two children, the shock couldn’t be any bigger. She discovered her husband James has been cheating on her.
The sisters couldn’t be more different from each other… Where Brooke is a typical local girl, Rhianna is now part of the wealthier class, talking “posher” than how she grew up.
They both have their own vision on what should happen with the pub, and not only their vision clash, but also being so different from each other doesn’t help to see eye to eye…
And when the new barman Hayden starts working in the pub, Brooke is surely not interested, especially when she discovers he is a single dad. And on top of that, Janey is ready to be part of the dating scene again…

This book surely brought over so many emotions for me. I laughed, I got angry, I got frustrated, I smiled, I laughed and I had many heart – warming moments!

Ooh Brooke, she surely was easily to make me like her! She is definitely not the perfect girl next door, which was even more perfect for the readers! She has tattoos, surely doesn’t keep her mouth shut, and is the kind of landlady everyone would like to have! She listens to her customers, doesn’t fake it and actually remembers what’s going on in her customers lives, and cares about it.
The pub is her passion, and would do anything to keep is in the family. And I admired her for that, because no matter how much money is offered, she just refuses.
There were a few things that irritated me (in a loving way!) about Brooke… like her strong belief that children won’t like her and that love is the last of her interests. That was so frustrating, because the way she behaves, proofs the total opposite of her thoughts!

I had several struggles with Rhianna, because her behaviour was so different than Brooke’s, and even from the way I would behave. So from the start I had my own opinion over her, and it wasn’t a very positive one. But the more time she spent with her mother and sister, the more became obvious, and I warmed towards her, and even started to like her. Rhianna is the perfect example how people have to fight to survive but unfortunately also a perfect example of how people can make someone else feel small and useless…

I can continue writing here about Janey’s experiences, or the feelings Brooke and Hayden are developing (cellars will NEVER be the same again!) but then my review would be too long, and then I am not talking about the children (both Rhianna’s and Hayden’s). But this story is a whole package, with so many things going on.

I found this a beautiful story, about differences, family, strength, compromising but also about realizing that you are so much more than you think. It’s not because you see yourself in a specific way, that that is also the way other people see you.
Spending time with people will make you see not only the real you, but also how the other one is, and it’s a chance of make amends and it will make you see that every one of us had to endure heart – breaking moments, even if we didn’t see it.

The author surprised me with this story, in the most wonderful way. I knew what amazing stories she could write, but even with my high expectations, she managed to write a realistic story, with real people and real (raw) feelings. And even if I think she cannot write a more magnificent story, I know her next one will be just as highly praised as this one!!!

Which changes are good and which aren’t?

Synopsis

Brand NEW from the bestselling author of The Village Shop For Lonely Hearts.

After escaping her parents’ unhappy marriage to sleepy Cranbridge a long time ago, Belle Clarke dreams of staying at The Black Swan Inn forever.

But with the rundown Inn threatened with closure, Belle may be forced to leave, unless a buyer can be found … quickly.

So, when her oldest friend Pete Kennedy returns from working abroad with a plan to save the Inn, Belle should be overjoyed. The trouble is, Pete has some rather radical ideas for the renovation which Belle disagrees with.

But when a snow storm hits, Belle and Pete are forced to put aside their differences and work together to help the village.

Can Belle realise her dreams to stay in Cranbridge and can Pete ever stop running from his past?

As they try to save The Black Swan Inn, secrets are revealed and just maybe they’ll finally find out how they really feel about each other.

My review

Belle Clarke is staying with her aunt and uncle at The Black Swan since years ago her parents split up. Their constant fighting made her run to Cranbridge and she has found her peace now.
However, the Inn isn’t the most popular place around and her aunt and uncle constant fighting and the cooking isn’t helping to seduce customers to come to the place again. But Belle wouldn’t want to go anywhere else, as she truly feels at home.
But the Inn is losing money, and a buyer needs to be found very quickly! And on a drunk night, Pete Kennedy, back home after working abroad, decides that buying the place would be just perfect.
While this would be a perfect solution, Pete’s and Belle’s ideas of how renovating the place couldn’t be more different…
Will these two people, who once were best of friends, find a way to make Belle’s dream realize and make it possible for Pete to stop running from a secret he has been keeping for too long?

Before I start with my review, I have one question for the author… How on earth do you manage to write such wonderful stories taking place in a village I want to move to????

Isn’t it usual that one someone is adamant that love is not in store for her, it comes in a way and form of an unexpected person?
And in Belle’s case, I understood why she wouldn’t want to fall in love. not only did her parents do a crappy job during their marriage but also her aunt and uncle aren’t the best example of a loving couple.
Because of her past, she is not happy with changes, even if she knows that something has to change because otherwise the Inn will be a total lost cause.

And when Pete’s returns, it’s obvious that there is some history between them, but also it’s obvious that Pete is carrying a secret with him, which made him leave Cranbridge and return as little as possible.

Belle and Pete couldn’t have more different characters, visions or ideas. And I had the best of time reading them bickering all the time, clashing over every proposal made by one of them.
But it was also lovely to see how the attraction between them starting to grown, and feelings that maybe started in the past and thought gone, are still there.

I found this a marvellous next chapter in the Riverside Lane. The main characters are not only struggling with being under the same roof, but they want make a difference somehow. Pete initially starts as wanting to help out Belle but the further along in the story, he sees how much of a bigger and important help he can be to the village.
And Belle realizes that holding on to the past is stopping you from living your life at the full. Change can be a frightful thing, but it doesn’t mean that it’s always a bad thing. Sometimes all we need is a little nudge in our back to see how things can change for the better.

I loved reading every bit of this story, showing us that change can be good, taking in account all the aspects of the place and see what the right change would be and what would be the wrong thing to do.
And where can I see for available houses so that I can move there ASAP????

When is it the right decision to move from best friends to more?

Synopsis

Callum and Lexie are perfect for each other – at least, that’s what everyone tells them. But they’re just good friends, aren’t they? And neither wants to ruin the solid friendship that’s treated them so well since university.

But when an old school friend of Callum’s asks Lexie for a date, and passions overflow on a work night out, could it be the trigger to show each of them what they have been missing out on all this time?

With twelve weeks until Christmas, that’s a lot of opportunity for romance – and for misunderstandings…

My review

Everyone that knows Callum and Lexie thinks that they would be a perfect couple. And those who don’t know them, think they actually are together.
But Callum and Lexie are “just” best friends, they are there for each other, no matter what. And neither wants to jeopardize their friendship, especially taking Callum’s reputation in account.
And then an old school of Callum’s appears on the scene and asks Lexie on a date…
At only twelve weeks before Christmas, will Callum and Lexie realize that their feelings for each other are worth of the risk?
Will this Christmas be the one where it all changes for the better? Or will the misunderstanding build an insurmountable rift between these two best friends?

Oh this novella is just the perfect start for the countdown to Christmas!

I found this a lovely, sweet yet sometimes annoying story about two friends slowly having to admit their growing feelings.

Now, before you start to think the annoying part is a negative thing to say…

It was annoying to read how afraid both Callum and Lexie are to vocalize their feelings. Because it’s so obvious from everything that they say and so, that they are just so in love with each other.

But somehow I also understood them, because the price to pay if things wouldn’t work out, would be surely too high!
However, the reward could be also SO SO SO big!!!

It was funny to see how realization dawns when another person starts to be in the picture. Jealousy can be something ugly, but also a real eye – opener.
Even if sometimes the behaviour was so frustrating for the readers, both Lexie and Callum are so easy to like and love, and their friendship alone is something to envy!

The fact that the story takes place each Saturday, to start with 12 weeks before Christmas, was something I never read before, and it was nice to see how our beloved characters passed that day, reading from each one’s point of view.
And it left me wondering what other things happened in those 7 days!

A sweet, promising story about admitting you true feelings and dare to take that one step further, with the Christmas magic not being the main character, but a lovely presence!
Even if this could be a “proper” book and not “just” a novella, this was the perfect treat for the reader and I enjoyed this little pause in real life, and made me long for love and Christmas!

Murder, the start of an unlikely detective duo!

Synopsis

Once Upon A Crime…

Nancy Hunter and her grandmother Jane Hunter run the Dedley Endings Bookshop, selling crime, thriller and mystery books, in a small, quiet Cotswold village where nothing ever happens…

That is, until the wealthy and reclusive Roth family open up their mansion for the first time in twenty years, inviting the people of Dedley End to a lavish engagement party.

While everyone is thrilled to finally look around the mansion on the hill, the festivities are quickly cut short when beautiful Lucy, recently married to young Harry Roth, is found dead after being pushed over the first-floor balustrade.

But who among the guests could have been capable of her murder – and why?

Nancy and Jane decide to investigate – after all, not only do they own a crime themed bookshop, theywere also both named after famous literary detectives – but soon wonder if they’ve taken on more than they can handle. Especially when it seems the killer has worked out that they’re hot on their heels…

Can they catch the murderer before the murderer catches up with them? Or will there be a deadly ending to this story?

Join the unlikeliest detective duo for the killer opener of The Dedley End Mysteries series, by a major voice in women’s fiction.

My review

Nancy Hunter and her grandmother Jane run a peculiar bookshop in Dedley End. Living in a place with that name, it was Nancy’s father his idea to have a bookshop selling only crime, thriller and mystery books.
And after his death, Nancy wants to keep his dream alive.
Since his death several years ago, in strange circumstances, nothing else has happened in Dedley End.
That is until the Roth family decide to have an engagement party and the invitations are also for a lucky few of the village. This is a big event, as the Roths have been living rather reclusive.
But festivities are cut short as Lucy, recently married to Harry Roth, has been pushed over the balustrade and died.
Why has she been murdered? And who was the murderer? When Nancy and Jane start to investigate, they quickly realize that murder in real life is nothing like a murder in a book. And that the truth is far more complicated, especially when a prestigious family like the Roth family is involved.

This story was a whole different genre compared to what I’m used to read from this author. But as I loved all the read books, I wanted to read this one too.
Because something different doesn’t mean that it’s not so good!
Even if the genre is different, the warmth this author manages to add in each of her books, is so much present in this one!

Nancy and her grandmother are both so lovely characters, you just like them immediately. They have had some difficult times, events that were had to cope with, but the love between grandmother and granddaughter is so big, it sparks from each page.
Of course there are some moments where they don’t agree with each other, but the love and respect they have for each other is so heart – warming.

Only having a story about the relationship of these two characters would be enough to fill a whole book, but adding the mystery of a murder, made this even a better book!

Having a bookshop and they both liking a good thriller and crime, is a good enough reason for Nancy, with the help of Jane and her best friend Jonathan to do some sleuthing herself!

I loved to see how Nancy managed, sometimes even unknowingly, to reveal some secrets from the Roth’s family and was getting closer to unveil the truth.
I don’t think she would be a great asset for the police, with following all the rules, but just being herself, and her curiosity managed her to figure out what happened.

I had my own suspicions and was happy to see that I was having a good gut feeling, but the reasoning wasn’t what I expected! And even some mysteries of the past got the much wanted answer! At some moments the story even gave me some ‘Murder, she wrote’ vibes, making me turn into a Jessica Fletcher/ Nancy Hunter myself!

I truly enjoyed reading this funny, cosy mystery, with lovely characters, and a few not so nice ones (BOOH RICHARD!).
But if my gut feelings are again right, I know that this book will be the wonderful start of a series, with a lot of sleuthing, but also developing relations (I surely root for 1 relationship to become even more!).

Inheriting a castle in Paradiso, it’s paradise right?

Synopsis

The inheritance of a lifetime… with a catch

When Sophie’s uncle leaves her a castle in the Italian Riviera in his will, she can’t believe her luck. The catch? She and her estranged sister, Rachel, must live there together for three months in order to inherit it.  

Having worked in Rome for four years, Sophie’s excited to revisit to Italy, even if it reignites memories of a cheating ex who soon learns of her return and wants to rekindle their spark. Sophie realises that distance does indeed make the heart grow fonder – but for her friend back home, Chris, who she discovers is more to her than just a friend.

With the clock ticking, can Sophie and Rachel stick it out and heal old wounds, or are the sisters destined to go their own way at the end of the three months? And does Chris feel the same way about Sophie as she does for him?

A beautiful story of romance and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Alex Brown and Lucy Coleman.

My review

Sophie is left flabbergasted when her uncle has left a castle in the Italian Riviera in his will for her. But he didn’t only leave it to her, also her estranged sister inherited it. But there is a catch… in order to inherit the place, Sophie and Rachel have to spend three months together at the castle, and they are forced to daily sign in into a system to proof they aren’t cheating.
Easier said than done, because the relationship between the sisters is practically non – existing.
However, Sophie is excited in retuning to Italy, after her four years of working in Rome, even if in the end it resulted in having a cheating ex.
Can Sophie and Rachel manage to become real sisters again in a wonderful setting? And will love also find a way for both sisters?

Oooh how much I just love this author! And no, it isn’t because he writes stories taking place in Italy (even if it helps a tiny bit!)
All the books I have read until now are so captivating and heart – warming, making me look forward in reading this next adventure!

Inheriting a castle is something unbelievable, but it’s just what Sophie needs at the moment. She is struggling a little bit, and having three months no worries about money is the perfect temporary solution for her.
Being back in Italy makes her feel at home, even if there are some memories from her time in Rome that aren’t so happy ones.
But being in Paradiso, makes her meet new people, like her neighbour Dan, and make her realize that the feelings she has for her best friend Chris, may go deeper than just friendship.

But even if there are some romantic bits in it, or thoughts with a romantic nature, this wasn’t about that kind of love.
Because the main love interest in this story, is the (lost) love between two sisters, who couldn’t be more different and the distance surely didn’t help.
It’s easy to have an opinion over something when you look at it from only your side. But the reasons Rachel kept her distance made sense when explained.
But it took a while for the sisters to get to that moment that the past can be mentioned without any accusations or remorse.

I found it heart – warming to see how slowly Sophie and Rachel are trying to find a way to get along initially and then truly start to be real sisters again, with the necessary worries and desire to help out even when not wanted.
This was a wonderful story about sisterhood, and how things can go wrong, but how it’s also not too late to make amends. Add an amazing setting and a bit of romance and it’s just the perfect story, just like I expected from this author!

I have to admit, the Sophie’s love interest could have gone deeper, but I also see how that would shift the focus and let’s be honest, this wasn’t the story of Sophie and Chris (or the potential of it), but the lovely story of Sophie and Rachel!

A new job opportunity in freezing Iceland will warm the heart again

Synopsis

Rachel Richards is stuck in a rut. Her boyfriend Adam barely notices her most of the time and her life in London isn’t as exciting as it should be. When the company she works for, Snug, asks her to oversee the opening of a new store in Iceland, she jumps at the chance for a change of scenery. Exploring Reykjavik with the help of Icelandic tour guide Jonas, Rachel discovers that life is out there waiting to be lived. As she falls in love with Iceland, she begins to see what is important to her and wonders whether the life she left behind is what she wants after all…

My review

Rachel Richards receives the opportunity of a lifetime when the company she works for, Snug, offers her to oversee the opening of a new store in Iceland.
Not only is this a great chance for her opportunity, but she sees this also as a way to fix somehow her relationship with her boyfriend Adam. Because lately, Adam is more focused on his own career than on Rachel. And being a time apart will only make them miss each other even more, so it is truly a win – win situation.
Even if Iceland is a cold place, she cannot stop falling in love with the place she is staying, with the help of the local tour guide Jonas. And she starts to learn what she truly wants, and if that can be found in London or in Iceland.

If someone would ever suggest me to go for a holiday or for my work for a certain period to a cold place, my answer would be ‘NO NO NO NO!’. I am one of those people that only enjoy the cold from the heated inside, without having to go into the cold, enjoying a hot cocoa and a good book!
But of course, reading a book with a cold location is absolutely not a problem!

And I cannot express how much I LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED this story!!! It almost (I said ALMOST!) made me want to go to Iceland myself!

Rachel is one of the easiest characters to like! She is kind and even when for once she thinks of herself, she has a feeling of guilt for doing so.
Once arrived in Iceland, she feels a bit awkward, with is obviously making sense, she is alone in a strange country, not accustomed to the local way of living. And in that aspect I admired her, because it’s not just for a week she is in Iceland, yet she is determined to make a success of her stay.

It would have been easy for her to act like a know – it – all and let everything go how she wants it and the people she hired just have to listen to her.
But Rachel is not that kind of person. She listens, sees opportunities that will also benefit the locals and finds a way to make things work.

And I found her sense of adventure also very courageous. She starts doing things she never thought she would do. Of course it does help having Jonas around! He would make even me, the biggest scaredy – cat of the world, feel at ease and just make me to things I would never think of doing!
He is friendly, charming, helpful and know when to step back and not cross that line…

This is not only and purely a romance, but this was a beautiful story about finding yourself, and discovering what would make you happy. And even if the steps you have to take to achieve that happiness, the result will be very satisfying, because you made that decision for *you* and not for someone else.

And having it taking place at such a wonderful, magical (and yes, also a freezing but that doesn’t matter anymore!) added that extra sparkle, even if the story didn’t need it. It’s so easy to fall in love with all the characters, with the place itself and I enjoyed every bit of it, until I sadly reached the end of this heart – warming book…

After heartbreak, a much deserved holiday with that something more!

Synopsis

Annie’s big birthday is looming. Sixty! She feels half that age, even if the mirror tells her otherwise. Hubby Keith promises her a birthday to remember, and doesn’t let her down, but packing his suitcase to shack up with a forty-something isn’t quite the memory Annie wants to make. Suddenly she’s single and – as an empty nester – very, very alone. The Bucket List she and Keith had promised to work their way through is but a dream, until besties Bella and Caz rally around Annie and whisk her away for a trip that will be remembered for ever. Dubai. But it’s not all skyscrapers, bling, sand dunes and sheiks. As the sun sinks over the horizon of Jumeirah Beach… might there also be love?

My review

Annie’s sixtieth birthday is lurking around the corner, and she is hoping that her husband Keith will finally organize a birthday to remember.
And remember she will, only not how she expected… because Keith decided to leave Annie as he has fallen in love with another, much younger woman!
Annie’s world is falling apart, and that’s when her best friend Bella and Caz decide to take her on a trip to Dubai.
How wonderful Dubai may be, this holiday is not what the women expected  it would be, and then there is that one man that continues to appear everywhere Annie is…

I always enjoy reading a story written by this author, so I thought this one would be just alike.
And enjoy I did, but I surely didn’t expect to be laughing out loud so much, making my neighbours think I was going totally crazy!

Annie is a woman that is in rut. At sixty, being married for a long time to Keith and looking forward to the birth of her first granddaughter but beside that, she isn’t making that a big of an effort.
Of course I understood her reasoning, why bother when it’s so easy to do nothing and for years you have been doing the same routine without any complaints…

However, I was angry when Keith delivered his news like it was nothing. Of course there were some signs that the marriage wasn’t a perfect one, but leaving your wife after so long, without even a discussion and for another woman, well, I find it very hard to comprehend.

But let me assure you, from the moment the girls (yes yes, I knew that their ages doesn’t really fit the wording ‘girls’, but I do it anyway) are in the plane, it’s a funny adventure of a lifetime!
Annie manages to sit next to the most grumpy man ever, and even his looks don’t help. There is just a certain level of looking like Gerard Butler that may forgive you for being rude.

The story taking place in Dubai is giving us the readers the opportunity to dream away, wishing we were spending those times in such a wonderful location. We are “seeing” magical places, but we are also learning about the differences in culture. And in such a way, it let us learn new things.

But back to Annie… every new adventure she starts, is the recipe of laughing out loud. She does things she would never imagine she would do, making her learn to enjoy life a little bit more. With her best friends by her side, she opens up more, decides that age is just a number and that she can truly enjoy her life at the most, even without her husband by her side.

I loved reading the competitive streak she has, especially each time that Mr. Butler (the lookalike nicknamed after the real thing) keeps on showing up.
And when that competition turns into something more friendly, I was happy for Annie when she realizes that she still has *IT*.
Even the revelation about Mr. Butler (okay, Theo is his real name…) couldn’t change my feelings towards him, because in the end, he is just too easy too like!

This was a hysterical story to read, about a woman that has to adapt to the changes in her life. She has the funniest adventures, meets new people and learns that sometimes a devastating, one –sided decision from your partner can be the start of something totally new and even better. It makes you open your eyes and gives the opportunity to think about your own life and to do the unexpected and make you happy, even if you didn’t realize you really weren’t.

A funny story with an important underlying message I recommend everyone to read!

A forced marriage is a doomed one, or not?

Synopsis

Forced to wed the warrior

Falling for the man…

Noblewoman Amée Évreaux had pledged her life to God, until her father promised her in marriage to thundering Norseman, Jorund Jötunnson. After escaping her overbearing father, Amée vows never to fall under another man’s thumb, but her resistance to being Jorund’s wife turns to desire as she gets to know her intriguing new husband. For beneath his fierce exterior she’s glimpsed an unexpectedly pure heart. If only she can penetrate the fortress that surrounds it…

My review

Amée Évreux is ready to pledge her life to God. But when suddenly the huge Norseman Jorund Jötinnson appears at the convent, claiming that her father has promised her in marriage to him, Amée recluctantly agrees to the marriage, after reading her father’s letter and to protect the other nuns in the convent.
Amée has fought hard to escape her overbearing father, and she surely isn’t planning on being a compliant wife to that brute that Jorund appears to be.
But spending more time with Jorund shows Amée that her husband is not only a fierce warrior, but is also a passionate man who would do everything for those he cares about. Could Amée be part of his close circle of loved one? Or will his walls be insurmountable for her too?

It’s not so long that I have discovered the romance with Viking involved. And surely my imagination went all the way seeing the Viking like these examples of huge perfection. Ladies, just admit, you all imagine them the same way!
I have read several books involving knights and all different kind of known historical figures, but VIKINGS… that was a nice novelty!

Amée is ready to take her vows, and just happy that she escaped her father. It’s rather obvious from the start that she is just escaping from her father and not having that calling to pledge her life to God.
Why her father is such a horrible character will be slowly revealed, and more proof of being a hideous character will be showed. And that made me understand Amée’s reasoning better. Also because it’s because of her father that her mother did what she did, making Amée feel even more alone on the world…

From the moment Jorund literally barges inside the convent, it’s clear that Amée is a strong character, despite her own beliefs. Initially she fights back (not as the best of fighters, but extra points for trying!) but when her sisters are at risk, she “scarifies” herself so that the rest is safe.

Initially Jorund is a scaring figure. It’s not for nothing he is described as a giant, and compared to tiny Amée, the difference of posture couldn’t be bigger.
but behind his huge appearance, every reader can sense that there is more to him than just being a brutal Norseman.
I kind of found it sweet how he promises to be faithful to his wife, while it would be so easy for him to just do what he wants.

This story has the expected outcome (no surprise there) but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother with it.
Because both characters have demons that plague them, ghosts from the past and present still hunting them.
And they both have to not only face their demons, but also they have to find the courage and strength to be honest about it towards each other.
Amée is also learning to stand up for herself, not being that mousy girl she initially was. I found it empowering to see how she found the strength to not only face Jorund, but also her father.
And seeing how Jorund’s walls are slowly being crushed and we see the Norseman’s true character was everything Amée and we needed!

I found it an entertaining story to read, with strong yet lovable Vikings, tiny but strong women fighting for their own happiness. And an unexpected love that shows us that even the unexpected can be something wonderful!

An apparently random meeting is not what it seems

Synopsis

Is her whole life built on a lie?

Rose has always been close to her father. Her mother died soon after she was born, so it’s been just the two of them for as long as she can remember.

But a chance encounter days before she’s due to get married leaves Rose questioning everything she has ever known.

The man she trusts most in the world has been keeping a secret from her.

And the truth will leave her with an impossible choice…

My review

Just before getting married to Ryan, Rose is having a pampering weekend with her best friend. And even if her friend has a family emergency, Rose is being persuaded to have the much earned pampering.
During her ‘me – time’ she meets Cassie, and they spend the day and evening together.
But Rose has no idea that meeting Cassie is not so random as it appears, and that revelations will be made that will turn her whole world upside and her trust in those close to her may or may not be justified…

I have never read something from this author before, but reading the blurb, it surely intrigued me. And you never know what new authors you may fall in love with when reading something different than what you are used to!

When Rose and Cassie meet, I understood why they bundled their forces. Spending a day at a spa in company is better than spending it alone, and it makes it easier to dodge not so nice other customers.
However, when they agree to swap their life stories, I found it a bit strange, as you just do not share the most important events of your life with a random stranger.
But of course, the author is doing this with a purpose, making us understand the characters better. And seeing how both Rose and Cassie have lived their lives until now, getting them at this specific spot, was a nice way to do. Even if there are many flashbacks, having them actually being able to ‘hear’ them was a new way for me to relive the past of our main characters.

The more is revealed from the past, the quicker I realized what the devastating realization would be. so when Rose got to know the truth, it didn’t come as a total surprise to me.
But I was left a bit flabbergasted when there were even more revelations, concerning people Rose trusts unconditionally.
I felt how her heart broke when she realized that she has been lied to by more people than she could imagine.

This story for me was proof that there are always two sides to a story. And if you know only one side, it’s easy to judge someone’s behaviour. But also in real life, seeing another point of view can make you understand the other person so much better and you can even comprehend the made choice.
One decision made in the past doesn’t mean that in the present you are that same person. Because everyone of us mature in time and thanks with the right people by your side, you can find the courage to make amends.
But the author shows us also that taking those first small steps towards forgiveness is just the start and that the road can be long because it’s not that because you are ready for the next phase, that the counterparty is there yet.

I found this a beautiful story about regrets, making amends, forgiveness and family. The evolution of the characters made in most cases make me feel proud, even if there was a big disappointment in the case of one character (you’ll know what I mean when you are at that part in the story!).
But here again, with the right, loving people by your side, you will be able to overcome the great pain that has been caused to you!