Even when all seems lost…

Synopsis

Even in the darkest of times, she never gave up hope

Staffordshire, 1911. Ginnie Jones’s childhood is spent in the shadow of the famous Potteries, living with her mother, father and older sister Mabel. But with Father’s eyesight failing, money is in short supply, and too often the family find their bellies aching with hunger. With no hope in sight, Ginnie is sent to Haddon Workhouse.

Separated from everything she has known, Ginnie has to grow up fast, earning her keep by looking after the other children with no families of their own. When she meets Clara and Sam, she hopes that she has made friends for life… until tragedy strikes, snatching away her newfound happiness.

Leaving Haddon three years later, Ginnie finds work as a mouldrunner at the Potteries, but never stops thinking about her friends in the workhouse – especially Sam, now a caring, handsome young man. When Sam and Ginnie are reunited, their bond is as strong as ever – until Sam is sent to fight in WW1. Faced with uncertainty, can Ginnie find the joy that she’s never had? Or will her heart be broken once again?

An emotional, uplifting and nostalgic family saga that will make you smile, while tugging on your heart-strings. Fans of Sheila Newbury, Kitty Neale and Sheila Riley will love this beautiful read.

My review

Ginnie has initially a happy childhood. At home they don’t have much, but there is love and happiness.
But when her father starts losing his eyesight, Ginnie finds herself in Haddon Workhouse.
A bond is made with Clara and Sam, and soon they are best of friends.
But her newfound happiness is short-lived, as tragedy strikes again.

When her estranged sister asks for her help after 3 years, she moves from Haddon and works at the Potteries. Even with her new life, she often thinks about her old friends and especially Sam, who has a special place in her heart.
juts when Ginnie and Sam are thinking about being together, Sam is sent away, fighting for World War I.

Will they find there happily after?

A beautiful saga!
It starts with a young Ginnie, not having a clue how the worlds works. The fact of being poor is such an abstract thing for her, she doesn’t realize what impact it will have on her life
When she arrives at Haddon Workhouse, she still hopes that her parents will come get her, and will visit her often. She doesn’t understand why she is left alone…

But when she is becoming friends with Clara and Sam, I was happy for her, as she finally has someone to rely on.
As simple as the friendship seems, the bond is a deep one.

Sometimes I was despairing together with Ginnie, because everything she had to endure, seems so unjust… You just want her to be happy and see her settled.
In the same time, you see Ginnie growing up. From this insecure girl, she is growing up to a young woman who has seen plenty of the world.
And despite everything she went through in the past, she never gives up, stands her ground and never give up dreaming.

This story shows that all hope is never truly lost, and that friendship, love and family is worth keeping the faith!

A chase against the clock…

Synopsis

Can two wrongs ever make a right?

A man is found by the side of a canal, comatose and brutally attacked.

It quickly becomes clear that someone is abducting men and subjecting them to horrific acts of torture. After three days they’re released, fighting for their lives and refusing to speak.

A councillor is accused of fraud.

Montague Mason is an upstanding member of the community. That is until he’s publicly accused of stealing the youth centre’s funds – an accusation that threatens to rip through the very heart of the community and expose his best-kept secret. But how far would he go to protect himself?

Two cases. One deadly answer.

As the two cases collide, D.I. Paolo Sterling finds he has more questions than answers. And, when torture escalates to murder, he suddenly finds himself in a race against time to find the killer and put an end to the depravity – once and for all.

My review

D.I. Paolo Sterling is having several tasks at the same time: at the opening of the youth center, the plaque has been vandalized. At the same time, someone is abducting men and tortures them. Finding the culprit is hard to find, as there is apparently no link between them, and the victims refuse to collaborate…
And Paolo has to find the balance between his team members, as one of them is at the verge of bullying his own colleague.

This thriller had me wondering all the time what was going on… There isn’t just one thing happening, but several at the same time!
And it’s not only work that is stressing Paolo out! Also personally there are changes going through and it’s all becoming too much to cope!

During the whole story, I had my suspicions of who done it, but each time my mind was up, suddenly something surfaced and my suspicions were wrong!
At some point I just decided to stop guessing and just read it all to know the truth!
The main crime is obviously the abduction and torturing the men, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. The more Paolo and his team dig to discover the truth, more horrifying details surface.

And the moment I thought it was all over and now it would just be wrapping up the story, I find out that I was not ready for the last blow!
In my opinion, without giving away any spoilers, what happens there is even the worst of the whole story!

So if you’re looking for a story that makes you wonder the whole time who done what, read this book!

When you have the opportunity of a lifetime, what would you do?

Synopsis

Two worlds, 4,000 miles apart. Is their love strong enough to keep them together?

Rachel Hardy dreams of being a successful country music singer in Nashville’s Music City, four thousand miles away from her lonely life in Dorset. When Jackson Phillips, an independent record label owner, encourages her band to audition for a nationwide ‘Open Mic’ competition, she decides they have nothing to lose.

But when she starts to fall in love with Jackson, the stakes suddenly get higher and she finds herself with a great big dilemma on her hands. Should she abandon her dream and take the easy way out or should she leave the life she has always known behind and take a gamble on a man who has personal demons of his own?

Follow Rachel and Jackson as they learn to trust in love again to see whether their music really can unite them.

My review

Rachel lives in Dorset, but her big dream is becoming a famous country music singer. So together with Matt and Sam she form the band ‘Three’s Company’ and go to one gig after the other.
Encouraged after a meeting with Jackson Phillips, she decides to participate to a nationwide ‘Open Mic’ competition.
Rachel and Jackson see each other more often, and they soon realize there are feelings surfacing that are hard to resist.
When then Rachel finds out that Jackson is not just a simple American man in Dorset for a wedding, but a record label owner living in Nashville, she’s not sure of what to do: follow Jackson to Nashville, trying to realize her dream of becoming famous, and give their love a chance? Or just be happy with her current life and just singing at gigs with Matt and Sam?

I didn’t know what really to expect from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised!

What would you do if you have the opportunity of a lifetime? But going for it, would mean to leave everything you know behind…
Rachel is having this chance, but it’s logical that she is doubting every decision… is it the right thing to do? What if she’s not that good and her career never lifts off? And is being in a relationship with Jackson also the correct thing to do? Because Jackson is not the only one in love with her, so is Sam, who has always been there for her…

Once Rachel takes this leap of faith and goes to Nashville, she finds everything is harder than expected.
Jackson has his own demons and Rachel feels he is not being totally honest. How can their relationship succeed?

The emotions and doubts are so real and recognizable. Putting your complete trust in someone you do not know that long, can be terrifying. Having a relationship is already not the easiest thing, but when you are not at the place you once called your home, it’s even more difficult.

Both Rachel and Jackson are struggling with trust issues, and together they have to find a way to find the so much required unconditional trust…

This is the story of Rachel and Jackson, but while I was reading this beautiful story, somehow I kept feeling sorry for Sam… the love of his life is moving to another continent with another man… But I hope that he also will find his better half!

It’s a beautiful story about taking a leap of faith, chasing dreams, daring to trust and love!

Going back to a happy place of your youth…

Synopsis

A heart-warming tale of discovering all you never wanted is exactly what you needed.

Orphaned as a baby and raised by indifferent relatives, much of Anna Redding’s happiness as a child came from the long summer holidays spent with an elderly family friend, Aunt Meg, in the quaint village of Polkerran. 

With Aunt Meg’s passing, Anna is drawn back to the West Country, relocating to the Cornish cove where she was once so happy. Filled with memories, she hopes to perhaps open a B&B—and perhapscross paths with Alex Tremayne again, a local boy she used to have a major crush on and who only had to walk past Anna to make her heart flutter. 

Settling into her new life, and enjoying her work for the older, reclusive and—to be honest—often exasperating Oliver Seymour, Anna is delighted when Alex reappears in Polkerran and sweeps her off her feet. 

The stars are finally aligned, but just as Anna thinks all she’s ever wished for is within reach, a shock discovery brings everything under threat, and she finds herself living a dream that isn’t hers.

Can Anna rescue the new life she has made for herself and, when the testing moment comes, who will be there to hold her hand?

The Cottage in a Cornish Cove is the first in an uplifting series of romances from Cass Grafton. Get to know the locals, wallow in the quaintness of Polkerran, and fall in love with romance all over again.

 My review

Anna did not have a very joyful youth. She lost both her parents when she was just a baby, and was raised by not really caring relatives. The only moments of joy she had was when she spent her holidays with a family friend, who she called Aunt Meg.

When Aunt Meg passes away, Anna returns to Polkerran as she inherited the lovely cottage. Finding herself in the happy place again, she starts dreaming of opening a B&B. in the meanwhile, she works part time for Oliver Seymour, a writer who seems to despise other people’s company.
And when she meets Alex again, her crush so many years ago, she is just delighted when he finally notices her and sweeps her of her feet!
But a discovery may jeopardize all her dreams and not everybody is being as honest as she thought!

What

A

Lovely

Story

To

Read!!!

Initially it took me some time to get submerged in the story, but after a few chapters, I was just in Polkerran myself and I couldn’t put the book away!

Anna deserves to have the life she always dreamed of, having a cottage with only happy memories.
Living at the cottage, she realizes what she really wants, and ideas of having a beautiful B&B are coming to life.
And when she meets Alex, you just hope that he will notice her and be the perfect man for her. Initially he just seems to be what every woman dreams about.
The relation with Oliver is a bit harder (euphemism of the year 😀)… he is a very closed person, not one ready to chitchat a whole day long. But still waters run deep.

The discovery was something I saw a bit coming, but the whole extend came to a real surprise to me! I did not see that one coming!!! It left me agape! But it’s also something this story needed, it made it complete!

It was a funny story, with finding your place in the world, where you can be truly happy. It’s not only about a place you love, but finding a job to do which you dream. Building friendships in new places, opening your heart and not giving up. And also about doing the right thing, even if this may break our heart!

I enjoyed reading it and can’t wait to read more from this author!

Finally a silver lining!

Synopsis

What happens after all your dreams come true?

Ariana Byrne knows how to survive. After becoming guardian to her four little sisters after their parents died when she was only eighteen, she had to grow up quickly. Now she’s in her twenties, stuck in a loveless marriage to Greg, trying to make ends meet for her young twins, William and Leo.

So when Ari is told that she’s actually the Right Honourable Lady de Foix, Countess of Hiverton, owner of a sprawling estate in the village of Saxburgh in Norfolk, her first instinct is laughter. Surely the girl who has to choose between food and keeping the lights on isn’t really rich beyond her wildest dreams?

She knows how to take care of her sisters and her children, but how on earth can Ari take care of an entire village? Can she fight off the circling land developers from Saxburgh, and stop her in-laws from grabbing all the money for themselves?

And while she’s struggling to settle in and settle down, she’s making new friends and new mistakes. Trusting her gorgeous neighbour, Sebastian Flint-Hyssop, may be the biggest one of all…

She’s swapped sink estate for country estate…but can a girl from inner city London learn how to become a Lady?

Take a trip to Hiverton Manor for the most uplifting novel of 2020 – guaranteed to put a smile on your face! Fans of Jenny Colgan, Trisha Ashley and Carole Matthews will love this romantic, feelgood read.

My review

Ariana Byrne has always been fighting for her happiness. When her parents died when she was 18 years old, she did whatever she could to become guardian of her four sisters.
She married Greg, but realizing she is in an unhappy and unhealthy marriage, she decides to do what’s best for her and her twins boys. 
When out of the blue it seems she is now a Countess and finally doesn’t have to worry about money anymore, she sees this as an opportunity of a lifetime.

She moves to her new estate and tries to manage all the responsibility that comes with her title.
As soon as it’s known who the new inhabitant is, everybody seems to want something from her. There are land developers who want to buy the land for their project. The locals are struggling because of former decisions, and Ari finds it her responsibility to correct what was wronged.

Ari stays true to herself, but with everybody trying to tell her what to do, she is afraid of making mistakes. And is everybody with good intentions? And what about her new neighbor Sebastian? Is he also trying to push her the way he wants her to go? Or is there more?

I always enjoy reading stories where someone’s life suddenly changes. Where first Ari is struggling, she now finds herself in a world where money isn’t part of her worries anymore.
I liked how Ari finds herself in a world she doesn’t know, but finds a way to remain true to herself. It would be so easy to just sit back and not have a worry in the world.

Ari has a great sense of responsibility. Initially you see this when you learn her background. She does whatever she can to keep the family together, because in the end, that’s what matters.
And not a minute does she hesitate to share the wealth with her sisters.

Her sisters are also amazing. They are all so different, but their bond is the most important thing in the world. Whenever one of the bunch is in need, nobody hesitates to help anyway she can.
Despite the misfortune when they had younger, they all found a way to chase their dreams and they never gave up.

I can just keep on writing what I like about this story, but every nice characters, Ari, the sisters, the twin boys, Sebastian, the villagers, are so real, recognizable and even loveable!
This story seems a bit far stretched, because let’s face it, how big are the chance to become a Countess out of the blue, but it’s such a lovely story anyway!

Family, trust, friendship, responsibility, standing your ground, that is the main storyline. And those are things that really matter in life.

I cannot wait to read about the adventures of the other sisters! 

When life throws you lemons…

Synopsis

At mile marker 139 along the Ohio Turnpike, a mysterious woman named Shelley Parkinson arrives at 3:14 at the rest area every night. She sits outside at one of the picnic tables, her fragile hands clutching one cigarette after another. Troubled people swirl around her, battling their own sorrows.

Gruff old janitor Mike Popkins works third shift at the facility and has been lost since his wife died, cutting himself off from his only son and going through the motions of his job. Idealistic young Sarah Wilcox whips up drinks at the happening new coffee shop at the rest stop, but her mind whips of dreams of traveling the world and living the life her late grandpa did as he drank a coffee on all corners of the globe. Heartbroken middle-aged trucker Russ Jacobs would rather spend long hours on the road than fall in love again. They all befriend Shelley. Each one desires something different, but none of them know why she haunts the rest area.

Unexpected death, disease, and accidents force Mike, Sarah, and Russ to make hard decisions to move forward, ripping them from their pasts. Can these three motley friends find healing in their own lives and help a woman who says she doesn’t need anyone, even as her brokenness spills onto them?

My review

The whole story centers around a rest area at mile marker 139, along the Ohio Turnpike. Every night Shelley Parkinson arrives at the same time, just sitting outside at a picnic table.
Janitor Mike Popkins works the third shift at the rest area, being lost since the death of his wife.
Sarah Wilcox had big dreams but since losing her beloved grandfather, she is struggling with getting her life right on track. Trying to at least have something in her life, she works in a coffe shop at the same area.
And trucker Russ Jacobs stops regularly there during his  journeys. He is adamant to never fall in love again, as he is still heart-broken.

All these persons have nothing in common, except seeing each other at the rest area. Slowly, out of concern or curiosity, they befriend separately Shelley. But Shelley herself is not ready to share her story with strangers…
But when she realizes that these strangers truly care about her, she starts opening up. The blooming friendship gives also the other ones an opportunity to process their grieve and go on with their lives…

Again an amazing story! I am not unfamiliar with Cynthia her writings, so I knew from the start it would be not ‘just’ a story.
While reading you get to know each character, learning what they have been trough in the past, and how they are surviving at the moment.

It also teaches you, that with the right people in your life, you can find a way to put the past behind you.
Of course, trusting totally strangers is not the obvious things to do, but you also have to give them the chance of proving their genuine concerns.
Shelley is the center of the story, but thanks to her, all the other characters become friends of each other. 

It’s hard to explain what this story made me feel, as it was giving hope, but also it made me sad when I realized what each one of them went through and still is going through…
But the main message in this story is: you can find friendship in the weirdest places, but it doesn’t matter where you meet them. As long as their friendship is genuine, they will have your back no matter what your past was. Because real friends stick together, no matter how long you know each other!

And with the right kind of support, it is always possible to put the past behind you and start living your life again!

Love in an unexpected place!

Synopsis

When former Olympic Swimmer, Michael Adams—now Canada’s hottest reality TV star— insults his fake showbiz wife on social media, he escapes the ensuing scandal and jumps on the first flight to Australia. Desperate to experience ordinary life again—if only for a few weeks—he becomes “Adam”, just another tourist traveling through the Outback. But with a reward out for his safe return and his fame’s nasty habit of catching up with him when he least expects, he needs a better disguise… and he’s just found it.

Sweet and scruffy British backpacker, Evie Blake, is taking a year out of her busy London life. Tired of lies and liars, she’s looking for adventure to heal her broken heart. So when the hot Canadian she meets at the campground offers to be her travel partner through Western Australia’s wild Kimberley region, she grabs the chance, unaware he’s got the world out looking for him.

He’s just a down-on-his-luck traveler, right?

My review

Evie is tired of her life, after being heartbroken by the love of her life… so she decide to leave her comfort zone in Great – Britain and goes backpacking in Australia.
There she meets Adam. He’s acting very secretive about his life and even if he claims he’s also backpacking, he seems totally unprepared!

Little does she knows that Adam is actually Olympic Swimmer Michael Adams. Being married to a showbiz wife, he is standing too much in the spotlights, what he really despises. He escapes to Australia, trying to escape all the fame. But he is afraid people will recognize him anyway. So when he meets Evie, and she doesn’t recognize him, he decides to tag along.

But how long can he keep up his charade, and how many lies can he telling? During their travel together, they realize that despite not knowing each other, the attraction between them is too hard to resist. But is it only a flirt what they are having? Or is it more? And how will Evie react when the truth comes out?

This story was the perfect getaway story in an amazing setting… I think everybody once in their life have thought about just packing your bags and leave for an adventure!
Just finding the guts to actually doing it is harder…. But Evie is determined to make this journey an experience of a lifetime and will not be stopped.

What is not to like about Evie? She is a kind, social woman, trying to see the good in everyone. She is only having trouble in letting go of the past, as she has been left by her husband, who was also her best friend for years. Somehow, she blames herself and sees herself a bit as a failure. This causes her to be very self-conscious and having a low self-esteem.

Michael/Adam wants to escape his world, as he is finding himself being pushed in a life he truly doesn’t want. For me, he is an insecure man, not knowing what he truly wants. He also is always trying to please other people.
During the story, the whole point of leaving everything behind, shows it’s meaning. He discovers, thanks to Evie, what it is what will make him happy.
He also evolves from a grumpy man, mistrusting everyone and everything, to a man who starts to open up. Michael also is feeling very guilty because of the lies he has been telling Evie and want to really come clean.

The story between Evie and Michael is really beautiful, also taking place in an amazing Australian setting. You get to know also other characters, showing you how open and kind and caring people can be.
The combination of Evie, Michael, Australia, kind people and the evolution of characters is a perfect mix!

For me, this book was a great discovery and it left me with a smile when I reached the end!

Not the usual story!

Synopsis

Undertaker Nina Sherwood is full of good advice. For example, never wear lip gloss when you’re scattering ashes.

Nina is your average 30-year-old with a steady job, a nice home – and dead bodies in her basement. As an undertaker, she often prefers the company of the dead to the living – they’re obliging, good listeners and take secrets to the grave.
 
Nina is on a one-woman mission to persuade her peers that passing on is just another part of life. But the residents of Primrose Hill are adamant that a funeral parlour is the last thing they need… and they will stop at nothing to close down her dearly beloved shop.
 
When Nina’s ‘big break’ funeral turns out to be a prank, it seems like it’s the final nail in the coffin for her new business. That is, until a (tall, dark and) mysterious investor shows up out of the blue, and she decides to take a leap of faith.
 
Because, after all, it’s her funeral…

The perfect antidote to all those books about weddings, this book will make you laugh until you cry, perfect for fans of Zara Stoneley’s Bridesmaids, Four Weddings and a Funeral and The Good Place.

My review

After being fired, Nina has the opportunity to open her own funeral parlour. Yes, how odd it may seem, Nina is an undertaker. She loves her job, even if people give her a strange look when she explains what she does for a living.

But opening an own business is not as simple as it seems… The people in Primrose Hill do not want to have anything to do with death and they will do anything they can to let Nina fail in her business.
When the funeral of a lifetime turns out to be a prank of bad taste, she is ready to give it all up.
And then she bonds with the presumed dead woman, and also meets mysterious Barclay. And she finds inspirations for new ideas, having the support of her friends.

What a funny book! I enjoyed reading it, having several laughs but also had a few gasps.
Nina is a strong, independent woman, not ready to just give up her dreams. She realizes that not everybody shares her dreams, but does her utterly best to make clear that, even if Primrose Hill hasn’t had many deaths yet, sooner or later somebody has to die.

When her first ‘customer’ is just a prank, she bonds with the famous presumed dead woman. A real friendship is born, and let me tell you this… this woman is just what Nina needs. It also makes this book even lighter than it already was.

Nina’s friends Gloria and Edo are what you expect from true friends, being there for each other, not judging each other, but always supportive. But they also speak out their mind when they don’t agree with something.
Even if they don’t know each other for ages, their friendship is the real thing!

And Barclay… he made me happy because he just is who he is, apparently not caring about other people. But once you get to know him better during the story, you see there is so much more to him than only being the playboy, having another girl each week.

This was a real comedy, despite what you may think. And yes, there are 5 wakes, but some of you will make you laugh, some put me on the verge of crying, or even a combination of the two. And the wedding… well I did not see that one coming!

A great story to read and can’t wait to read more from this author!

A beautiful story!

Synopsis

Set in the rolling countryside of Devon, ‘In Too Deep’ is the emotional story of a woman’s determination to win the trust of the man she’s adored since they were thrown together as children, by forcing him to confront the darkness of his long-lost past.

One little lie. A guilty secret. And the man she mustn’t love…

It’s been six years since Isy Forrester left home. In that time, she’s strived to forge a new life for herself in London, away from Jack Mancini, her father’s adopted son, and his devastating betrayal of everything she thought they had.

Only now her father’s in hospital, and the house that’s been in her family for generations is at risk. Forced to return to Devon, she finds Jack as infuriating and stubborn as ever, and just as irresistible. Soon she realises the bright lights of London can’t hold a candle to him.

But Jack has a past, one which he refuses to share with her. And until he can trust her with these deepest secrets, how can she risk her heart? How can she even begin to help him, when he won’t tell her what happened all those years ago – before her father brought him home to Hambledon Hall?

My review

Isy left her home 6 years ago, being heartbroken by Jack. She limited contact to the bare minimum. But when her father is in the hospital, she rushes back home.
When she finds out that her home is at risk of being lost, she won’t go without a fight. She wants to do whatever it takes to keep the house part of the family. Even if this means working together with Jack.

Jack is still this stubborn and infuriating as six years ago. But he also carries a big secret he is not ready to share with Isy. But even after all these years, both of them seem unable to put the feelings they had away.

Will they both find it in their hearts to completely trust each other, even if a secret may be push Isy even further away?

This story was not what I thought… I had this romantic story practically already written in my head. But the more I read, lesser the story in my mind and the actual book matched.
In my modest opinion, this story is all about trust…
Jack is so sure that his darkest secret will push Isy away and that she will leave him. By thinking so, Jack keeps his secret to him, creating a distance between him and Isy.

What I really enjoyed while reading was, how Isy and Jack were coping with the distance between them, and slowly you see that the feelings they had did not just disappear into thin air.
And because of their distance, there are so many misunderstandings, but as they are both stubborn, they don’t immediately clear the air. And this caused a lot of rolling of my eyes, nearly yelling at Isy and Jack, because it was so obvious that they want to grow close again, but they just don’t! So frustrating as a reader!

For me, it was not what I expected, but even better! Not a simple “one look at each other and they fall back in love and live happily ever after” but a story about forgiveness, trust, putting the past behind you and allow yourself to love another person! And also, never underestimate the feelings someone has for you. Because if it’s true love, all can be forgiven!