Will the Christmas – themed wedding be the wedding without drama?

Synopsis

It’s Christmas at The Cornish Confetti Agency!

When Lexie Harrington is asked to choreograph Phoebe and Sam’s Christmas-themed wedding, she can’t wait to create the perfect winter wonderland – elegantly dressed fir trees, glossy garlands of holly and mistletoe, baskets of yule logs and pine cones, and the mouth-watering fragrance of gingerbread, cinnamon sticks and warm mulled wine floating through the air.

With handsome wedding columnist-cum-fledgling scriptwriter Theo Barker at her side, she’s confident that she can create the perfect festive ambience the bride and groom have been dreaming of since their engagement in the Swiss Alps; no rampant hosepipes, no mechanical mice, no confetti-filled hairdryers.

But this is The Cornish Confetti Agency, and the words ‘plain-sailing’ and ‘hassle-free’ do not feature in the promotional brochure. So, when a much-loved portrait of the groom’s father is adorned with pirate eye-patches and black plastic moustaches, and his expensive cologne is switched for toilet cleaner, Lexie and Theo must once again don their metaphorical deerstalkers and unravel the mystery before the wedding dissolves into Christmas-themed chaos and calamity.

A perfect Christmas wedding?
Is there such a thing for The Cornish Confetti Agency?

A glittery, feel-good story perfect for the festive season, and the third book in The Cornish Confetti Agency series.

My review

Lexie Harrington is planning probably the most magical wedding. Phoebe and Sam’s wedding is Christmas – themed, so bring out the holly and mistletoe, all the gingerbread and mulled wine!
and also all the activities taking place before the actual wedding are themed around Christmas and snow.

Together with Theo Barker, Lexie is ready for a wedding that will run smoothly. But of course The Cornish Confetti Agency would not be The Cornish Confetti Agency is there wouldn’t be some sabotage…
So when a portrait has been ‘brightened up’ with pirate eye – patches and moustaches, and an expensive cologne suddenly truly stinks, Lexie and Theo have to again investigate who is sabotaging this wedding.

And not only the wedding is causing Lexie some stress, also her future is still unclear… will a future at the Agency be possible even when the righteous owner comes back? And if not, what would that mean for her future with Theo?

I think that deep down, I am a mean girl…
even before I started with this again beautiful next adventure of Lexie, I was hoping something would go wrong, just for my entertainment!

And the author fulfilled my mean wish, and even my kinder wishes too!

I LOVED going back to The Cornish Confetti Agency! And what better wedding to prepare than a Christmas – themed one!

Again the imagination of the Daisy James was amazing, showing us how Lexie manages to create the perfect atmosphere for the bride and groom!
Lexie surely knows her business and thanks to Theo and her friends, no task is too difficult for her! And is becoming even better in her investigation skills!

I found it lovely to see how Lexie is finding her place after her running away in the first book of this series.
Finally everything is falling into place for her. She knows what her hearts wants, but she is also a bit afraid of what the future would hold. Because even though her heart is in Cornwall, she also had the opportunity to go back to her life of before.
Oh, the dilemma!!!

Whenever Lexie and Theo are together, work-related or not, it was serious swoon-material! These two together are just too cute for words! Every time there was Lexie – Theo time, I was just smiling no matter what was going on! I ADORE this couple!

This story was too quickly over, as I could read for many hours more about Lexie her adventures, with Theo by her side!
I had many laughs, as even the sabotages were kind of funny (whenever I am not the victim!) and found myself smiling over the kindness, the love and caring that sparks from the pages.

When can I read the next book in this series??????

When discovering one secret turns your world upside down.

Synopsis

What would you do to protect the ones you love?

1861. George’s life changes forever the day he meets Lucy. She’s beautiful and charming, and he sees a future with her that his position as the second son in a wealthy family has never offered him. But when Lucy dies in a suspected poisoning days after rejecting George, he finds himself swept up into a murder investigation. George loved Lucy; he would never have harmed her. So who did?

Now. On the surface Cassie is happy with her life: a secure job, good friends, and a loving family. When a mysterious gift in a long-forgotten will leads her to a dark secret in her family’s history she’s desperate to learn more. But the secrets in Cassie’s family aren’t all hidden in the past, and her research will soon lead her to a revelation much closer to home – and which will turn everything she knows on its head…

Discover a family’s darkest secrets today. Perfect for fans of The Girl in the Letter, The Beekeeper’s Promise and The Forgotten Village!

My review

Cassie is a young woman who seemingly has it all. She adores her parents, has a nice job and good friends.
But when one day she receives letter, secrets of her past come out and she has to face her past choices.
And because of her research of the family’s past there are more secrets to be exposed. And they are not all happy ones…

In 1861 George falls in love for the first time. The young woman he lost his heart to, is Lucy. But when Lucy dies and it becomes apparent it was not just a case of bad luck, but murder, George is suddenly prime suspect.
But kind George could never hurt the woman he loved, right?

My oh my, the author managed to pull me in a story and I couldn’t take a rest before I knew every detail!

I loved the dual timelines and switching between the past and the present. I don’t want to give too much away, but both George’s and Cassie’s story were equally beautiful as terrible.
No worries about the ‘terrible’ part, I will come to it in a bit.

George his story started as a really sweet one. Not receiving a lot of love from his parents, he falls in love with Lucy, who works as a maid at the house.
I found it so sweet to see how George does his utterly best to get closer to Lucy. He already imagines their future together, when tragedy strikes.
And trust me, it’s not only Lucy’s death that is devastating George…

And that is what is terrible to his story…
I felt so much sympathy towards George. If I could, I would give him all the joy and happiness of the world. But he gets betrayed in the worst way, several times. And he just does not deserve that.
Silver lining is that he finds a friend at the most impossible place, and he can count on his older brother.

And Cassie… my first impression was that she was a young woman having her life on track. Yet it becomes obvious that there is a secret she is keeping from us readers as for her friends. But when her past catches up, she has no other choice but coming clean.

Again, without giving anything away, the secret is well accepted, if not a total success.
But when another secret from her parents’ past is unveiled, her whole world falls apart.

George and Cassie are both facing events that are hard to digest. And even if George cannot rely on his parents’ love and support (absolutely terrible and not understandable!), he learns that true friendship can give you all the love you need.
And Cassie learns that the meaning of family does not only mean sharing the same DNA.

I found this story intriguing, capturing, beautiful and bittersweet.
For both characters I did not know what was going to happen to them, forcing me to continue reading.
This story shows that secrets are always bound to come out, and that the truth can be devastating. But it’s up to us to put it behind us, look forward to what the future brings, and design your own path to happiness!

When escaping to Seahorse Harbour turns out to be more than expected.

Synopsis

A distant relative. A blizzard. A Christmas of surprises.

Lottie Short isn’t looking forward to Christmas. Her boyfriend has dumped her and she’s also lost her job. Lottie and her beloved spaniel, Merry, are facing the festive season – and a bleak future, alone.

But a Christmas card and round-robin letter give Lottie hope. And as the first snowflakes fall, she’s on her way to the tiny seaside village of Seahorse Harbour to visit her distant aunt. She’ll stay in a cosy B&B and get some bracing, sea air. That might lift her spirits. 

What she doesn’t plan for is a blizzard, her aunt taking a fall, or the dramas unfolding all around her. But at least there’s a warm welcome at Aunt Elsie’s cottage … and a roaring log fire in the village pub.

That’s not all that might bring a rosy glow to Lottie’s cheeks. Asher Bryant, the local vet is pretty hot, and Lottie also hits it off with another visitor to Seahorse Harbour. This festive season might be better than she hoped. 

And when Lottie gets more than one surprise this Christmas, perhaps she and Merry won’t be spending the New Year on their own.

This is book 2 in my new series of standalone novels set in the tiny, seaside village of Seahorse Harbour.

My review

Lottie Short needs an escape. Her boyfriend has dumped her, and she has lost her job. She feels she is on her own, and her only companion is Merry, her spaniel. She is also still coping with the loss of her dear parents.
When she receives a Christmas card from her distant aunt Elsie, she decides on the spur of the moment to go for a visit.

What she doesn’t expect it a blizzard, secrets to be unveiled and a meeting with the charming vet Asher Bryant.

When I realized that this book was the next one to be read on my list, I literally screamed of joy!

I knew before reading one word of this new adventure, that Emily Harvale would succeed in exceeding my already expectations!

Lottie is someone I just wanted to grab and give the biggest hug I could give! (ok, in a non – Covid world…).
Her sense of loneliness is so big and something you don’t wish for her.
So when she decides to go to Seahorse Harbour, I knew it would be the perfect solution for her and that the place would work its magic on her.

Lottie is not in a happy mental place at the moment, but from the moment she sets foot in Seahorse Harbour, you see a change for the better.
As at first she was afraid of how she would be welcomed, but quickly it’s obvious how amazing the inhabitants are.
Everybody opens their arms and hearts for Lottie, and whenever she makes an issue of only being family by marriage, it’s quickly dismissed because is family, no matter how you became part of it.

And Asher Bryant… oh Asher… already in the first part of this series you stole a little piece of my heart, but now I even fell deeper in love with you!
Asher is a kind man, adoring pets (certainly getting higher on my list by being an animal  – lover!) and loves his job as a vet.
Yet he is also an amazing friend, and offers a shoulder to cry on to Lottie.
The sparks between Asher and Lottie just fly out of the book, and every time they got closer, I was almost giggling like a girl, of happiness.

There is just one tiny bit I didn’t like, and I hope Emily will forgive me…
Lottie has two cousins, Josie and Diana., who were protagonist in the first part. And that book finished perfectly as we expected to be. Yet in this second part, I found it a bit hard to like Diana… she makes a decision that I couldn’t comprehend completely, just like her own family and friends didn’t…
But I secretly hope that this will not be last we will read about Diana and Seahorse Harbour in general!

I found this story just beautiful. It’s about family, in whatever shape and form it comes, about love, about secrets of the past, forgiveness, and of belonging.
And it’s taking place around Christmas. If you’re not convinced by now, I don’t know what else to say to make you read it! 

Meeting the right man at the wrong time!

Synopsis

What happens when the right girl and the right guy meet at the wrong time?

One thing that can be said about Quinn Pearson is that she has a knack for doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. Like, the worst time ever. Take her job for instance. One little slip of the tongue using the mother of all swear words while reporting the news, and suddenly she finds herself with over 18 million views on YouTube and her employment in jeopardy. If that wasn’t bad enough, when she meets the man of her dreams, she nearly chokes to death on a powdered sugar donut.

Thankfully for Quinn, the dashing Brit, Henry, finds her near death experience quite charming. But just when Quinn thinks her luck is going to change, she finds out her timing is all wrong again. Henry is off limits. Or is he? Maybe it’s time for Quinn to quit settling for what life hands her. Perhaps it’s time for her to become more than just a girl.

My review

Quinn Pearson went viral a while ago, but for all the wrong reasons… her cursing while reporting the news has made her infamous with million views on YouTube and jeopardizing her job.

Luck seems to be on her side when she meets Henry. Even her nearly death experience was something he found charming.
Henry is the whole package, but fate keeps playing tricks to her. Because Henry seems to be off limits, when it becomes clear he will be her boss.
Is Quinn the unluckiest person at the moment or will she find her happiness?

I have to admit, I had some initial difficulties to get into the story. But before I knew, I was dragged into it, and I even left my sleep for it!

I see Quinn as a normal person with all too recognizable problems. Being a news reporter I see her as a bit on a higher step on the ladder.
Yet the problems she has are the same as you and I have. She is very down to earth and a very caring and sweet person.

I felt sorry for her the things she had to endure. The “help” her mother was giving (with the best intentions) and the mails she received  at work would put someone down. But she shows how above it all she stands and does not show how they truly hurt her.

Henry is absolutely swoon – material. Give me a British accent and I would do anything! So having Henry as a main character made this book even more perfect!

Quinn has many insecurities that are very realistic and recognizable. Yet she has a bunch of friends on her side and push her for not just settling but chase her dreams!

While reading, I had several laughs, as jealousy, friends with their something odd opinions and personal thoughts passed. Quinn is surely an amazing person, even if she doesn’t see it herself.
Yet during the story, she starts to realise that she has to fight for her own dreams. It was very admirable to see her grow during the story and see her grow a pair…

I found this a lovely story to read, about love, accepting yourself just the way you are and chase your dreams.  Just believe in yourself, don’t change for anyone and dare to dream!

You can escape from everything, except love.

Synopsis

Eighteen months ago, Sophia Jones finally walked out on her unhappy life.

With a tricky divorce ongoing, money is tight and so when friends offer her a housekeeping job while they’re away travelling, she accepts.

Nate McKinley is hesitant when his brother, Gabe, offers him the use of their home in the picturesque village of Wishington Bay. But he has a book to a write and an imploded marriage to recover from, so maybe a change of scene is exactly what he needs. 

As Wishington Bay works its magic, friendship blossoms between Sophia and Nate. For Nate, finally feeling able to be himself with someone who is honest and down to earth is a revelation. 

But Sophia has a secret and a jealous colleague is determined to blow her cover. Can she really keep her old life in the past or is it destined to destroy this new, happy one too?

Take a trip back to Wishington Bay this winter and find out…

A deliciously heart-warming and romantic read, perfect for a cosy winter’s evening, from the author of the bestselling Winter’s Fairytale.

My review

Sophia Jones has found a place where she truly feels at home in Wishington Bay. But with a difficult divorce, she isn’t really swimming in money. So she accept any job she can get.
That’s why she has agreed a housekeeping job from her friends, while they are away.

And so enter Nate…
He has agreed to stay at his brother’s house in Wishington Bay while Gabe is away travelling. He is trying to write a book while trying to cope with the ending of his marriage. The last thing he needs is a housekeeper who knows better…

Oooh how much I loved returning to Wishington Bay!
But no worries, this story can be perfectly read as a standalone.

From the start it’s obvious that Sophia is running away from something. That’s why she keeps her past a secret and does not appear anywhere on social media.
But Sophia is such a loveable character! Even her being clumsy is adorable!

Nate is someone I truly felt sorry for. His grumpiness is understandable when I learned what happened to him.
Yet I loved reading how he opened up, and how kind, caring he truly is.

When Sophia and Nate are together it’s just too sweet for words. I was hoping that something would happen very quickly.
But I found them also very responsible people. They both know that they need closure from their past before starting to think about a future.

Most characters in this story are just people I want to surround myself with. With the exception of Corrine and the exes of course.
Yet there is one specific character that stole my heart… Bryan is the most amazing, sweet, funny character of them all! Oh and he’s a dog…

Of course there is some drama, especially when the past catches up with both Nate and Sophia. I was a bit surprised by Sophia’s secret, it was not something I would suspect. But the way the community of Wishington Bay accept her and don’t judge her… I want to go to live there myself!!!

I found this a sweet, entertaining story. I enjoyed reading about nice, realistic people with their search for a fresh start.
If you want to escape to a beautiful place, what better place than Wishington Bay????

When the magic of Christmas does its thing!

Synopsis

A gorgeously romantic festive read from the author of A Mistletoe Miracle, guaranteed to warm your heart this Christmas!

Could it be the start of her happy ever after?

Ashleigh could use a little Christmas magic. She’s still living in Brighton with her Nan — who could give the Grinch lessons in how to be miserable — her acting career has been reduced to playing one of Santa’s elves, and not even the prospect of a friend’s winter wedding can cheer her up…

That is until Olivier, the gorgeous French chef, reappears in her life. Or more accurately, next door.

When they were teenagers, Olivier would spend every other Christmas with his mother, who just happens to be Ash’s neighbour and owner of the best chocolate shop in England.

If anyone can bring a little sparkle back to Ash’s life, it’s Olivier. All she needs is one kiss before Christmas…

Feel-good and festive, this is the perfect romance to curl up with this winter!

My review

Ashleigh is living in Brighton with her Nan, while her mother is being a famous soap actress. Yet Ashleigh’s own acting career is limited by playing one of Santa’s elves.
Even if she enjoys the festivities around Christmas, her Nan does not want to do anything to feel the Christmas Spirit. Even the excitement of her best friend’s winter wedding cannot cheer her up, as she has no idea what she wants to do with her life… When Olivier appears next door, Ashleigh is very surprised. Olivier spent every Christmas with his mother in Brighton, but now he is a famous French chef.
On top of it, Ashleigh used to have a crush on him!

Will him having next door make past feelings resurface? And will that one kiss finally happen?

If you are not willing to read this book in just a few sessions, don’t even start! Because it will be impossible to put it away!

Ashleigh was someone I immediately felt sympathy for. She wants to help everyone out, and yet at the same time she is longing for some TLC from her mother. Oh, how I disliked her mother! The only good thing she did, was bring Ashleigh to Nan.

Talking about Nan… she may seem like a real Grinch, but in the end I loved her! There are a lot of misunderstandings between her and Ashleigh, but she has her heart at the right place.

The attraction between Ashleigh and Olivier is just way too obvious! Yet it was frustrating that when you finally think something is going to happen, it just didn’t. But this also was part of the charm of this book.

The main characters have their own issues, and have to find out what would make them happy. And what sacrifices they are ready to make.
There are also a lot of discoveries to be made, because there is always more than sees the eye. And these discoveries will determine future decisions.

I fell in love with this book, its characters and the wonderful settings. The characters are on a self – discovering adventure, trying to find their passion again.
But a special remark is for Romesh. He is that extra something in this story! He is funny, caring but also a bit mischievous, yet with always the best intentions!

I cannot say more than sit back, start reading this book and fall in love with it! (and if you are like me, you’ll crave for some chocolate in the meanwhile!)

Will Julianne and Kitty be able to realize the perfect wedding for their client?

Synopsis

Event planner Julianne Rose is on the verge of making her dreams of ‘rescuing’ weddings in need of help a reality. She and business partner Kitty have finally finished transforming the dilapidated barn into a chic event space, and they even have a new client eager to use it—a quirky, charming space organization guru named Deirdre who seems capable of organizing everything but her own special day. As if that wasn’t enough, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity soon presents itself through the who’s who of their sleepy little Cornish village: the chance to step into the event planning void for a posh bride in desperate need of an emergency salvage for her wedding plans. A wedding that could establish Julianne and Kitty as two of Cornwall’s best event planners if all goes well.

But an event that big doesn’t come without a catch. To persuade the posh clients to commit to them, Julianne and Kitty must first impress them with the ceremony for their current bride-to-be—a task that seemed easy, but proves complicated when stories emerge involving a history of broken engagements, cold feet, and commitment phobia on the part of Deirdre, who soon begins to exhibit possible symptoms of nervousness regarding her big day. Faced with a real case of runaway bride—and with their future reputation at stake— they must attempt to the impossible task of holding together a wedding fraying at its seams, and Julianne finds herself seemingly facing a choice between what’s best for Save the Date’s survival and what’s best for her client’s happiness, regardless of the cost.

Are Julianne’s worst fears about to be realized, with Deirdre gearing up for yet another run from the church altar? Can she persuade the posh but sympathetic bride Alexi to take a risk on Save the Date regardless of it? And will Julianne and the handsome-but-equally-busy Matt find time to smolder anything in their marriage besides leftover chicken pie? Readers will learn these answers and more in the funny and heartfelt sequel to the first full-length titular novel Return to Cornwall .

My review

Julianne Rose loves her wedding business. Together with her partner Kitty even the barn has been transformed in a wonderful venue.
The only thing missing is clients…

When Deidre requires their services, Julianne is over the moon as she sees this as THE opportunity to finally her business flowing. And another opportunity rises as a posh bride is looking for an agency to salvage her own wedding.
Julianne and Kitty want to persuade the posh bride to use their services by showing her what they can do with Deidre’s wedding plans.

But the closer Deidre’s wedding date is coming, the odder Deidre is behaving. And when Julianne discovers Deidre’s reputation of a Runaway Bride, Julianne is afraid history will repeat itself.

Will Julianne’s worst fear become reality? And what about her own marriage? It seems that both Julianne and Matt are having difficulties finding the perfect balance between work and family…

I truly love reading about Julianne, Matt, their little family and friends!

And also this next chapter in their lives made me smile from the beginning.

I felt a bit sorry for Julianne and Kitty, as their business is not really taking off. So when Deidre appears, I was happy for our partners that they could finally show their magic!

But when Deidre’s history is reason for gossip, I was so much hoping that this time history wouldn’t repeat itself. Because there was so much at stake for our friends!
Yet I have to admit, the further along I got in the story, the more afraid I started to get. And not only about the wedding, but also about Deidre’s organizing skills. If I were in Julianne’s shoes, I wouldn’t have been so patient at all, customer or not!

But her tower of strength is Matt… he is always there for her, supporting her, offering a shoulder to cry on. And being the romantic man we all fell in love with!

And let’s not forget about Kitty… she deserve a special remark, with her witty comments. She is looking forward to motherhood, but of course it cannot be a walk in the park with relatives like hers and a too worried father – to – be.
Whenever she appears in the story, I was looking forward to what would come out of her mouth!

I found this an entertaining adventure of our beloved friends! The book was way too quickly finished! I wanted to read as soon as possible, as I had to know what would happen next, but on the other hand I wanted to slow time so I could enjoy more of it!

How far are you ready to go to become a partner?

Synopsis

It’s never what it seems.

A murder of a high-profile law partner on a Manhattan street should have made the front page of the news. And yet it didn’t. Drew Bradley’s murder was treated as just another senseless crime and relegated to page four of the evening edition. But what if the press had been privy to the fact that the murder was actually an assassination?

As the partners at Lannister and Stewart scramble to fill the vacuum left by Drew Bradley’s sudden death, Asia Blythe, a rising star in the firm is offered his coveted position. But this golden opportunity that brings with it power, prestige, and unlimited financial rewards demands adherence to a code. A code of allegiance to the firm with no exceptions. Catapulted into the world of genetically modified designer babies and state-sponsored espionage, is Asia prepared to deal with the intrigues of a world that will threaten her life and shatter her illusions?

My review

Asia Blythe is rising in the law firm of Lannister and Stewart. Her absolute dream is to become a partner. But not if the cost is the life of another partner.
Yet she finds herself proposed the position when Drew Bradley suddenly dies. Problem is that Drew didn’t died of a natural cause, but was murdered.

After her initial joy of being able to become partner, Asia quickly discovers that being a partner doesn’t only bring power, prestige and financial reward. But there is a code she must live buy, a code of allegiance without exceptions.
The more Asia discovers about the firm and the way the partners work, the more reluctant she is to become partner.

But not only her partnership is at risk, it’s also her own life. Luckily for her, she can always count on the help from Sam, who is not only a freelance colleague, but also her boyfriend.
Will the truth come out? and at what consequences?

Each time I read a story from this author, I get the chills. I truly hope that the author has a very big imagination, because thinking that there are people like that in real life, is just terrifying.

Asia is a woman who knows what she wants in her career, but that doesn’t make her ruthless. She has a good sense of right and wrong. She does not act on impulse and makes decisions she afterwards will regret.
But she has a good gut feeling and trusts also her instincts.

When she is taking over Drew’s clients, she has a feeling many things are off. And instead of just going with the flow, she wants to figure out what is going on.
And the truth is much darker than she thought.

I have to admit, the whole world of bitcoins, modifying DNA and espionage is not something of my knowledge, I just know some tiny bits of what is possible and what not. But putting my ignorance on the side, I was again fully submerged in this thriller.

It was also nice to see the characters of the previous part again. But no worries for those who haven’t read it, this book is perfectly readable as a standalone.

This story is a perfect example of what a thriller should be. I had no clue where the story was going, what our main characters had to endure and what lengths the bad characters would go.
A real page-turner with intelligent people who are determined to find the truth, many conspiracies but also some lighter moments that allow you to catch your breath!

Sometimes one meeting is all it takes…

Synopsis

Life isn’t always a walk in the park, but when Patrice takes her Pomeranians to the park after a rough day at the office, fate steps in. An unlikely hero comes to the rescue when one of her dogs gets loose. Short, pale, and kind of cute, Seth doesn’t have a lot of confidence with the ladies, but he hits it off with Patrice.

But some things might be too good to be true. While Patrice wonders if Seth could possibly be “the one”, fate steps in again with a horrible twist. Will it be a deal breaker or just a storm before bright blue skies?

My review

Patrice loves her Pomeranians and enjoys walking them out, even after a hard day at work. When one of her dogs gets loose, help is offered by Seth.
Even if Seth lacks confidence with the ladies, he and Patrice off immediately. But despite their potential, it all can be jeopardized by someone from Patrice’s past.

How did I enjoy reading this novella! Despite being short, I immediately liked both Patrice and Seth. They are normal people like you and me, making them so real to me.
I loved reading how they met, the awkward yet funny situations they got into. And when the twist came, I was hoping it would not be a deal breaker!

This is not a story with instant love and happily ever after, but a story of two people starting to fall in love. And it’s just that that made me enjoy it, it’s not something unrealistic but just the start of something beautiful.

And yes, it’s a novella, but it’s just perfect as it is. The author could have written much more, but for me, it was spot on. Adding more would spoil the magic of this blooming relation.

If you are looking for a sweet story about two amazing yet normal people with a twist, give this novella a chance, I promise you, you won’t be disappointed!

Picking up the pieces after war…

Synopsis

They survived the Great War, but will life ever be the same?

Spring 1919: WW1 is over and a fragile peace has descended over the country. Now living in Cambridge with husband Edmond, Amy Derwent is settling into her new life as wife and mother to little Beth. But the shadow of the Great War looms large, particularly as the injuries Edmond sustained at Ypres still take their toll on him today.

Edmond’s cousin, Vicky, has now grown into a fine young woman, eager to help her country. Throwing off her privileged background to train as a nurse, she spends her days tending to the many soldiers still suffering the after-effects of their time on the battlefield.

Meeting Maxim Duclos, a young Frenchman who has arrived in Larchbury, fills her heart with joy – but when it is discovered that Maxim may be hiding the truth about his past, Vicky is faced with an impossible choice. Follow her heart’s desire and risk her family’s disapproval or keep her family – but deny herself the chance of true love?

The war may be over, but Edmond, Amy and Vicky must all face a new battle, finding their own peace in a country wounded by loss.

My review

Now that WW 1 is over, people are starting to get their lives back on track.
For Amy Derwent it means that she can start enjoying her new life as a wife and mother. This little family is now living in Cambridge, but the demons of the War are still looming around the corner, especially to Edmond, as the injuries he sustained are still taking their toll on him.

Edmond’s cousin Vicky is using her skills as a nurse to tend the soldiers who are still suffering after their time on the battlefield.
When she meets Maxim Duclos, a Frenchman, she starts to feel what love is. But Maxim is carrying secrets of his past, Vicky has to make a difficult decision.

With the war just over, what can be forgiven? And will finding your own peace possible when the scars of the war run so deep?

I found this a beautiful but also realistic story to read.
It shows how people are struggling getting their lives back on track after one of the hardest periods. There is no sugar-coating, making is sound like war is over, it’s all happiness and love now.
No, this book tells us that the end of the war is discovering that life as we once knew, is a far away dream.

Amy and Edmond are a wonderful couple to read about. They had their share of problems yet they are making the best of their lives together.
Their love is something so palpable and sweet. And even if Edmond is still having a hard time, they stick together and are there for each other, no matter what.

I found Vicky and Maxim’s story bittersweet. I was happy when these two persons found love with each other. Yet it’s rather quickly obvious that Maxim is having a secret. I had my suspicions, and I was sorry when I found out I was right.

But the author instead of making it about someone running away for his terrible past, she changed it in something admirable.

This was not only a story about life after war, but also about forgiveness and seeing there is more one side of a story.
There are people like Amy, Edmond, Vicky and even more, ready to forgive past mistakes and just think about their future. And I think it’s a strong message. Lingering in the past and keep holding a grudge is not the best of ideas. It keeps you in the past and you cannot move forward.

It’s not a quick read, you need to take your time to let all the emotions get in. And even if it’s a part of a series, it can be perfectly read as a standalone, just like I did. But of course, having a background would be nice, so I know for sure that I will read the previous parts too!