There is always more than 1 side of a story…

Synopsis

‘No one gets to the heart of human relationships quite so perceptively as Brookfield.’ The Mirror

On a normal day, in a normal house, on a normal street, wife and mother Fran has had enough. She packs a case, leaves a note for her bullying husband Pete, and one for her beloved twenty-year-old son Harry, and heads to the airport – and freedom.

In another house, on another street, Helena is desperately baiting her husband Jack into a fight. These days it feels like the only way to get Jack to take notice of her. Passionate, volatile, increasingly fragile, Helena is fast running out of hope.

What Helena and Fran don’t know, is that soon their lives are going to come crashing together in ways neither expect nor understand. And if Fran and Helena are going to change their own futures, then first they will have to change each other’s.

Amanda Brookfield is back with a triumphant, crackling story about love, marriage, lies and fate, and how our destinies can be changed by the smallest decisions. Perfect for fans of Sheila O’Flanagan, Jane Fallon and Jane Green.

My review

Fran is bullied by her husband Peter. Despite her love for their son Harry, Fran has had enough. She pack her case, left notes and is ready to start all over again with her lover Jack. Yet at the airport, Jack does not appear…

Meanwhile is Helena feeling that she is losing her husband… her only resources are the bottle and picking fights with Jack, hoping to salvage their marriage.

This is the story of two total different women, with only one thing in common… the man they love. But who will get their happily ever after? And does such thing really exist?

When I started reading this story, I was having a bit of a hard time to understand Fran’s motives. I don’t like stories about people cheating on their partners, because there are always people getting hurt somehow. Yet slowly when the true nature of Fran her marriage come at light, I felt sorry for her and I was hoping that she somehow could find her happiness even if it was not the solution I liked.

I have to admit, when Jack does not appear at the airport like agreed, I was afraid of the consequences for Fran.

This story exists of 3 parts. And obviously the first part is about Fran. And in the second part there is Helena. She is married to Jack. And even if they seem to have a happy marriage, Helena senses that there is something wrong.
Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that Helena was selfish… she wants to “own” Jack at any cost. Even if that means being in an unhappy marriage.

In this story I got disappointed in many people… Fran for having an affair (but being forgiving towards her after knowing her life), Helena for being a spoiled, selfish woman, Jack for not showing up and whatever happens next. Oh and obviously despise for Peter…

But I’m not dismissing this book as a bad one, because it isn’t a bad book, on the contrary. Because in the third part of it, it all comes together. And so many things are clearer. It shows that to a story there are more than just one side. This was not only about Fran, but also about Helena, and about Jack. Every decision has a reaction, and not always we get the result that we want.

Fran did not get to escape to a new life with Jack. But because of it not happening, she starts making other decisions, also changing her future.
Helena and Jack seem to be a happy couple initially, but are they the real winners of this story?

This story is not one you can put easily away. There are lies, betrayal, but also many signs of love, the courage of wanting to start over. And that even if a plan doesn’t come together as imagined, when one door closes, another one opens.

When you want it to be perfect…

Synopsis

A big family. A whole lot of secrets. A Christmas to remember…

This year, Lottie is hosting one last big family Christmas at the home she grew up in – just like her Nana would have wanted.

But when her relatives descend on the old manor house, Lottie gets more than she bargained for. Every family has its secrets, but in this family, everybody has one!

So, between cooking a Christmas dinner, keeping tensions at bay and a stray dog out of mischief, she has plenty on her plate and not just misshapen sausage rolls and a frozen turkey. And then her first love shows up – nine years after he walked out of her life.

Can Lottie make their last family Christmas one to remember… for the right reasons?

My review

After losing her beloved Nana Lottie wants to host one last big family Christmas at her Nana’s home. But her wonderful idea quickly falls apart, when she meets Murphy’s Law…
When her relatives start to come in, it’s obvious that some are there against their own will. And every family has its secrets, but that each member has one, is hard to digest during Christmas.

Will Lottie manage to have her perfect Christmas, between misunderstandings, secrets coming out, a frozen turkey and oh, also a first love showing up out of nowhere?

I truly enjoy reading a beautiful Christmas story. But when everything is going wrong, I’m having so much fun!
Yes, I know it’s a mean thing to think, but keep in mind it’s all fictional, so having fun at their expense, is not so bad, right?

Yet from the very start, Lottie is someone I truly started to care about. She has just lost her Nana, who was more a mother to her than her actual mother. So when her house is going to be sold too, all what Lottie truly wants is this last Christmas with her family. And I understood her perfectly!

The moment everybody started to come in, it’s the start for all the possible dramas you can imagine! If you think that your family is a recipe for drama, you obviously don’t know Lottie’s family!

Of course, it’s not a story that will make you sad or angry, on the contrary. The dramas were so funny to read about, and Lottie trying to salvage her Christmas. Talking about Murphy and his Law to make this the most terrible, funny Christmas ever! The author made sure that every drama was so witty, I found myself laughing and just a bit feeling sorry for the involved people.

I can honestly tell, that I liked every character in this book. Although it took some more time for me to appreciate them. Even the most superficial, or selfish person found a way to warm me towards them. It showed me again that there is more than sees the eye…

This story is about how perfectly imperfect Christmas can be. But even the most disastrous Christmas is a way to get your family closer and appreciate everyone more.

I loved reading about every bit going wrong, but it warmed me reading about how it all got together. And of course, it’s about Christmas! What do you need more?!?

Who wants to swap Christmas with me if I can have the same adventure ???

Synopsis

Christmas is coming and best friends Chloe, Jules, and Lucy are needing change… so swapping homes for the holidays could be the perfect present for all of them!

Australian Chloe spends her Christmas in a sleepy village in Oxfordshire, England. She is totally star-struck when she discovers who lives across the road.

Lucy, who has jetted off to snowy Colorado for her dream-come-true white Christmas, is taken into the fold of Jules’s loud and brash family, discovering more about herself in a few short days than she has in years.

And Jules leaves the cold climes of Colorado to spend her Christmas on a beach with Chloe’s friends in Melbourne, finding that time away is just what she needed.

The only thing better than one Christmas romance is three, and this wonderful festive novel is perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Holly Martin and Karen Swan.

My review

Chloe, Jules and Lucy are best friends. They share everything whenever they can, despite living in different places in the world.
Christmas is nearby and all three the girls feel they need a change. Being inspired by ‘The Holiday’, they decide to swap homes.

So Chloe is going to spend her time in a typical English village in Oxfordshire. Lucy is dreaming of a real white Christmas, so is going to Colorado and Jules will find herself on a beach in Melbourne.

Will they all have the Christmas they dreamed of, or is their traditional Christmas as they know what they will end up missing?

If you loved ‘The Holiday’, you will ADORE this book!
All three women are obviously fictional characters, yet they are so recognizable. They could be mine or your best friends.

The idea of just swapping your house is a wonderful thought. And when you swap with your best friends, you know you won’t find your house back in a mess.
So if anyone wants to propose the same deal to me…

Back to the story…
Oh this story is just perfect to bring you in the Christmas spirit! Every girl is having her own story and is having a Christmas that is different than her previous ones. I just loved reading each story, and I just cannot say which one I liked the most. Each adventure is just perfect in its own way, and even if it’s different from the other ones, I wouldn’t wat to have it any other way for that particular friend!

Being on a different place, allows the women to think about their lives and what they truly want. And of course, there is something going on concerning love too, otherwise what Christmas story would it be!
Each of the men are different from each other, but yet so utterly perfect! I think I fell in love with all three of them!

This Christmas story made me sit back, with a hot drink in my hands and dreaming about being in the story myself!
I just loved it!

Imagine a quest in a world without Internet or social media!

Synopsis

The book that started it all! A classic retro romcom from #1 bestselling author Shari Low.

1999.
Carly Cooper is 30, single, and after coming close to saying ‘I Do’ to six different men, she’s wondering if she accidentally said ‘goodbye’ to Mr Right.
But there is a problem.
Her ex-boyfriends are scattered all over the world and Carly lives in 1999; an era before Facebook, Google, smartphones, 4G and Broadband, when it was impossible to track people down with a few clicks of a mouse.
On a mission to discover if she walked away from her ‘happy ever after’, Carly quits her job, her flat, her whole life and sets off on a quest to track down all the men she has ever loved.
Her Mr Right is out there, but can she find him?
And what if he’s moved on from the ex-girlfriend who said goodbye? A wonderful classic 20th-anniversary re-release.

My review

Carly Cooper is 30 and single. Despite being engaged several times, she never made it to the final step.
Overthinking every relationship she has been in, makes her wonder if perhaps she already met her Mr. Right but tossed him away. So now she has a new mission: track all het previous boyfriends and see if he was The One.

Only problem…. It’s 1999 so there is no such thing as Facebook or internet. And the ex-boyfriends are scattered all over the world.

Will she succeed in her mission and find the love of her life? And will he be forgiving her for breaking his heart in the past?

I had so much fun reading this story! Even if sometimes I had to remind myself that it’s taking in place in 1999!
Everybody is so used to Internet, Facebook and other social media, it’s hard to imagine that only 20 years they didn’t exist!
So reading about Carly and her mission was truly entertaining!

I did initially have my doubts about liking Carly, because how can someone be engaged so many times, and not be sure about her feelings?
But slowly I started to understand Carly. It’s not that she didn’t love them, but she was just not ready to take that huge step, and she was just doubting every decision she was making. During her relationships, she also found it hard to be really open, speak her mind. She found herself always wanting to please the boyfriend/ fiancé and she wanted to prevent for them getting hurt, getting obviously the opposite result.

I loved being on the quest with Carly, curious to know what have happened to the men she left behind. 
I was curious to see how Carly would handle the awkward situations.
The beauty of this story was, despite Carly’s absurd mission, we got to see how she has grown. She understands that what she did in the past was just wrong, even if it was done with the best intentions. And that even if the man doesn’t appear to be the One for her, she at least has the opportunity to apologize.

This story is a throwback in the not so far away past, about a woman wanting to put things right. And it is a hilarious read, thinking back about the Millennium Bug, a world where people have to actually talk to each other and ghosting avant la lettre!

And if you are wondering if Carly found her Mr. Right… well, you’ll have to read this funny book to find out if the ex became a no longer ex!

When your future is doing the same you did in your past.

Synopsis

From grieving widow…

1851. After her merchant husband saved her from a life of prostitution, Louisa Hill was briefly happy as a housewife in Bristol. But then a constable arrives at her door. Her husband has been found hanged in a Bath hotel room, a note and a key to a property in Bath the only things she has left of him. And now the debt collectors will come calling.

To a new life as a madam.

Forced to leave everything she knows behind, Louisa finds more painful betrayals waiting for her in the house in Bath. Left with no means of income, Louisa knows she has nothing to turn to but her old way of life. But this time, she’ll do it on her own terms – by turning her home into a brothel for upper class gentleman. And she’s determined to spare the girls she saves from the street the horrors she endured in the past.

Enlisting the help of Jacob Jackson, a quiet but feared boxer, to watch over the house, Louisa is about to embark on a life she never envisaged. Can she find the courage to forge this new path? 

A Widow’s Vow is the first in a gripping and gritty new Victorian saga series from Rachel Brimble. You won’t be able to put it down.

My review

Louisa thought she finally escaped a life of prostitution, by getting married. She enjoyed her life as a housewife, but when a constable knocks on her door, her dream falls apart. Her husband has been found dead in a hotel room and left her a property in Bath and many debts.

Now that Louisa has no more income, she sees no other option than returning to her old job. But this time it will be on her conditions. She won’t run just a random brothel, but one for upper class gentlemen. And to make sure that every woman in the house is safe, she needs someone to watch the house. And her eye falls on boxer Jacob Jackson.

Will Louisa succeed in run the brothel how she envisions it? And can she truly protect the girls?

Initially I couldn’t’ imagine that I would like Louisa. Maybe in my own naivety, I found it hard to understand why someone would go back into prostitution, after just escaped from it. I thought that there would be other solutions.

But okay, putting my own thoughts aside, I had to admire Louisa’s determination to be different. She truly wants the best for the girls and goes lengths to provide protection.
Once she made her decision, she is sticking by it, and will not allow anyway to bully her away.

When she meets Jacob, she immediately sees he is exactly what she needs. Jacob is a boxer, so I understood he wasn’t jumping at this opportunity.
Jacob was a hard nut to crack. He strongly beliefs that because he was raised with violence, that he is also a violent man. He thinks that violence runs in his blood and nothing can change his mind.

All the people in this story make an evolution. Louisa has to learn to love again, daring to allow someone in her life and heart again. Jacob has to learn that violence isn’t the solution and that he isn’t born to be a violent man.

This is not a story where it’s all rainbow and sunshine. It shows how hard life can be if you are not so lucky.
But it also shows that determination can change your life and that you don’t have to be only a victim.
And being in a difficult position, but having people that care about you, is all that matters. The people that are about you and you care about can come in different sizes and shapes. It can be a friend that you know for years, the latest addition of your brothel and even that boxer that needs to provide the protection.

It’s a dark story, but with silver linings that made this story an enjoyable read. I found myself feeling compassionate about the characters, hoping that they would see the light and not just give up.

Love is not like in a romance book!

Synopsis

Grab your cosiest jumper and escape to the beautiful Swallowtail Bay!

Christmas and romance are in the air and Nell is obsessed! She can’t stop watching her favourite Christmas romcoms and dreaming of the day when she meets her own romantic hero, especially as she is hosting the first ever wedding at her small hotel, Holly Lodge.

Nell’s best friend, Tom, has been in love with her ever since they met. But Nell has never seen him that way, and he’s always kept his feelings a secret in case it ruins their friendship.

After the opening of the glamorous Langdon Mansion Hotel in the bay, Nell’s hotel is struggling for survival and she must fight, with Tom’s help, to keep Holly Lodge open. Can the magic of Christmas help two old friends save Holly Lodge and open Nell’s eyes to a love that was always there the whole time?

Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay is the hilarious new romantic comedy from Katie Ginger, perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Veronica Henry and Holly Martin!

My review

Nell is known for her love of Christmas and romcoms. She often just dreams away, thinking how she will meet her own hero and have her own happily ever after, just like in the movies she loves.
She also loves her Holly Lodge hotel and she is ready to host her very first wedding there! And not just any wedding, no it will be the wedding of her best friend Cat!

But since the glamourous Langdon Mansion Hotel opened in the bay, Nell’s hotel is not as flourishing as it was before!
So now, not only Nell has to organize a perfect wedding, she must fight to keep her hotel in business. But luckily for her, in time of need, she can always count on her best friend Tom, who would do anything to see Nell happy. Everything, except telling his true feelings…

Will Nell manage to keep her hotel, organize the wedding and see what’s right in front of her, instead of dreaming of impossible loves?

You know that feeling that you know you will love a book even before you’ve read one single word of it? Well, I had this feeling with this book!

This is not only about Nell trying to find love around Christmas. But it was also about her being there for her friends, sticking up for them. And about her friends being there for her.

Nell is not just a woman with her head in the clouds, but she is also concerned about her community. When on several occasions people of her community are facing some problems, Nell shows how  altruistic she is. She opens her hotel just out of the kindness of her heart, without ulterior motives.

She also shows what a good friend she is, when Cat is getting ready for her wedding.  Cat has not the easiest mother, and Brenda is more a bridezilla than the bride herself!
Nell knows when she has to push a little bit, in Cat’s best interest, but she also knows when she has to stop.

And is there anywhere in the world a more caring best friend than Tom???

When a serious matter occurs, my heart nearly skipped a beat… at first I thought it didn’t fit in the story, but I had to adjust my opinion, because in the end, it showed the true heart of everyone, and especially Nell.

I can go on about what’s to like about this story, but I hope you can trust me on my word that you will find this a heart-warming story, being spot-on  with every feeling, good ones and bad ones. Just sit back, keep calm and start reading this lovely book!

Is ‘The One That Got Away’ The One?

Synopsis

The only thing preventing Beth’s perfect family Christmas? Her family!

Television presenter Agatha Holly has built her career on telling viewers how to have the perfect Christmas. A Holly Jolly Christmas has been screened every December for twenty years and her entire family are involved, including her daughter Beth—the unwilling star of a thousand memes and gifs. But Beth has finally had enough of public ridicule. All she’s ever wanted is a traditional family Christmas away from the television cameras. If she can’t persuade her family to change, should she consider celebrating Christmas without them?

My review

Nick is living in his parents’ house, trying to let the house not crumble down. But when his brother Aidan is determined to sell the house, Nick is ready fight to keep his home!
Nick thinks that he has found the solution so that Aidan will sell him his share of the house: let Aidan fall in love again with the Girl That Got away, so many years ago. Nick believes that an in love Aidan will be solution to all his problems.

At the same time, Beth Holly wants to have a traditional family Christmas. And not one in the spotlight of ‘A Holly Jolly Christmas’, a show her mother is determined to make every year, telling viewers how to have the perfect Christmas, involving the whole family.
When she can’t persuade her family to have her perfect Christmas, is she ready to celebrate Christmas without them?

If you are looking for a rollercoaster of emotions and need to be submerged Christmas feelings, this is the perfect book for it!

For both Beth and Nick I felt sympathy. From the very start is clear they find themselves in a position they don’t want to be.
Yet they are determined to have it for once their way. For Beth it means just disappearing and for Nick playing a little bit dirty.

By a trick played by fate (or Chloe? 😁) Beth is staying at Nick’s place, in the hope to have her perfect Christmas.
And here the real story begins…

But it’s not only Beth’s and Nick’s story, because otherwise it would be a story like so many. When Beth’s family suddenly appears at Nick’s house, it is just perfect for us readers.

Every character has things I loved but also a few things I didn’t like at all. But even the not so nice things are a necessity to understand why they are acting the way they do. And even if Beth’s sister Lucy seems just a workaholic, not taking in account her sister’s feelings, there is so much more to her. And even Aidan, who just seems in search of gaining more money, is far more protective towards his brother than I thought!

There are lovely moments, perfect for a Christmas scene, I could imagine it clearly in my mind. These moments made me wish I was right there.

This story showed me that the things we wish for, can be right in front of you and you just don’t realize it.
No family is perfect, as both showed by Beth’s and Nick’s family. But it’s hard to understand someone else’s reasoning and feelings, and it takes courage to open up completely.

It’s hard to tell at which point I fell in love with this story. It was Christmas, it was Myra Abbey and its history, it was Beth and Nick spending time together. But also Chloe and her schemes, Lucy, Aidan, and okay, even Agatha Holly made this perfect mix to dream away.

Stop looking for a book that would be perfect for the upcoming holidays! This book will thick all your required boxes!

A Christmas miracle or two in the making

Synopsis

When charming, mysterious Nik sits next to Jess on a plane home from a Christmas toy trade fair, she never could have imagined the impact he’d have on her life. As they touch down in London, Jess is hesitant to let Nik walk away, and before she knows it, she’s invited him to visit.

As the two take in the delights of the toy store where she works, Jess gets an upsetting phone call. Willow Court, her grandmother’s care home, is to close before Christmas. Jess is determined to find the perfect new home for her Gran – and throw the best Christmas party Willow Court has ever seen!

But time is running out with the closure looming and Jess becomes increasingly drawn to enigmatic Nik who joins forces with her and best friend Oliver to realise those plans.

Will a chance encounter on an aeroplane bring love to Jess’s life or is this Christmas miracle too good to be true?

My review

Jess is returning from a Christmas toy trade fair when she meets Nic on the plane. They click immediately, and the whole flight they are talking and having fun.
So when they have landed safely back in London, Jess is not ready to just let Nik walk away. And what best excuse than to show him the toy story she works in?

But when she receives a call that Willow Court, the care home her beloved Gran Alice is staying in, has to close and even before Christmas, Jess has a new mission: finding the perfect new home and have the best Christmas party EVER for all the inhabitants of Willow Court!

She can count on her best friend Oliver for help and even Nik is there to help out any way he can.

Will this Christmas be the perfect Christmas for Jess, with an amazing party, and even maybe to find love?

When I started to read I thought I knew how it was going to end. Young woman meets handsome man on the plane, and after some struggles, happily ever after.
But I think the love bit is just a minor player in this story. Of course, I was cheering for Jess to find love.

I found this a too realistic story, and in a saddening way… it broke my heart reading about how Gran Alice and the people she was living with had to move out of the place they loved. I can only imagine how it must feel if you have to leave your home, while it’s just a matter of money.

Yet I admired Jess her determination to create the last amazing Christmas party. even when everybody is down, she won’t allow anyone to rain on her parade.
And it was just lovely to see how even the most contrary person starts to melt, and yes even if it’s all thanks to Nik!

Nik is truly an extraordinary man, he is kind, generous and wants to help any way he can. The way he and Jess click, it seems like a match made in heaven!

But for me, the real star of the book is Alf… he lives in Willow Court and has the weirdest conspiracy theories. Every time another theory submerged, I had the best time! But when the  last theory came out, I started to have cramps of laughing so much. Yet somehow I kind of hoped that he was right, as it would just fit in perfectly in this Christmas story!

I found this a beautiful story, showing the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is not only about presents, but making those you love happy, show them how much you love them.
It had everything I wanted from such a book, and after I finished it, I found myself feeling all warm on the inside, because even if it was not what I expected, it was just perfect the way it was!

When trust is something you have to earn.

Synopsis

The woman who haunts his dreams

Secret agent Phil Cullen is upset when he discovers that the young woman he rescued from Mrs Newbody’s establishment has absconded from his housekeeper’s care without a word. Thinking he has been deceived, he resolves to forget about her… something easier said than done.

The man she wants to forget

Sophia Turner is horrified when she is duped into entering a notorious house of ill-repute. Then a handsome stranger comes to her aid. Desperate that no one learns of this scandalous episode, Sophia flees to the one friend she knows she can trust. With luck, she will never see her mysterious rescuer again.

But fate has other plans…

Months later, Phil is on the trail of an elusive French agent and Sophia is a respectable lady’s companion when fate again intervenes, taking their lives on a collision course.

Traitors, spies, and shameful family secrets – will these bring Sophia and Phil together… or drive them apart?

My review

Sophia Turner is trying to find a way out of her future. She finds herself in a house with a certain reputation, but is not willing to do what’s expected from her.
Luckily for her, a handsome stranger comes to her aid and helps her escape. But Sophia feels that she can trust no one, so she quietly runs away from the man who helped her and runs to the only person she can trust.

Months later, Sophia is a respectable lady’s companion. But danger is still around the corner, and fate bring her back meeting her rescuer, Phil.

Will Sophia and Phil trust each other, and help each other in their own quest? And will this mean they will be growing closer? Or will the truth be reason of driving them apart?

This story is one where a lot of things happen. You have the story of Sophia, who is understandably terrified of what her future will be. Because she has been betrayed by someone she thought had her best interest, she is suspicious about everyone she meets.
She just wants to be free and do what makes her happy, and living in a house with that kind of reputation is certainly not what she had in mind.

And then we have Phil. From the very start you know he is a man with a sense of right and wrong. He sees Sophia and he does whatever he can to help this woman who he never met before.
He has his heart at the right place, that is obvious. But he is also a man with a mission, and will not allow any distractions.

Both Sophia and Phil are so stubborn people, that when they meet each other over several occasions, I just had to laugh.
Sophia is in my opinion, more ahead in time compared with other women of her time. She will not let anyone dictate her what to do and speaks her own mind.
And when that clashes with Phil, I was having so much fun!
Like I said, Phil has his heart at the right place, but he surely can learn to communicate better! He is so focused and determined, when in need he just takes charge.

Yet it’s not just about these two strong people meeting each other, otherwise it would be a story like so many. But here we have intrigues, mysteries, secrets. I was eager to know what really was going on, why some people did what they were doing.

I liked it how there were twists, and I found myself totally misjudging some people. I never knew if all the truths were out there, and if it was really all there was.

Yet the author managed to bring it all together, giving in the end all the answers we were seeking. An entertaining read, not giving everything away too soon, with strong main characters who will have to learn to trust each other and being rewarded for their trust.