The return of the bellies and tummies!

Synopsis

She’s setting the terms…

In business and pleasure!

Lucas Waring was my brother’s best friend—before he broke my heart and betrayed my family. Yet one glance from those dark, intense eyes, and that bolt of aching need returns. Now Lucas wants my business. But the nice Eva he knew is gone forever and naughty Eva wants her cake, and a taste of deliciously hot Lucas, too. Only my heart’s about to pull the biggest betrayal of all…

My review

When Eva was 18, her heart got broken by her brother’s best friend Lucas. But now she’s ready to take over the world with her new business.

But when Lucas appears at her party, she soons realises the attraction is still there.

Of course she cannot start working with him, as a few years ago he ruined her brother!

So is giving in the attraction really a good idea?

Oh my God, the whole story is just too hot for words!

Racheal manages again very successfully to write a story with lots of heated moments, but she also captures the emotions perfectly!

Of course knowing her books, I knew before I even started it would be very steamy. But not only steamy, it felt also real…

Eva and Lucas are such strong characters, that you know sparks will fly.

But they also have set their minds, and know what they want. And this means they won’t settle for less… both businesslike and on a personal level.

Slowly they realise that if they want to achieve their goals, they have to be truly honest with each other, and share bits of their past, even if they want to put it behind them.

Eva is a strong woman, finally being at a point in her life she can do what she wants. But how can she give her heart to Lucas when he’s not for the fully 100% honest about the past?

And Lucas is determined to get Eva, at any cost. But is he ready to express his true feelings? I need to find a Lucas myself ASAP!

For the start til the end I enjoyed this story! It was a perfect mix between a hot story and a story about ‘more’.

And for those who know my opinion about Rachel’s story, the ‘belly’ and ‘tummy’ did not annoy me for a bit, but for having more fun during the reading, I counted how often they where present. And I was a bit disappointed by the result… there were not enough!!! 🤣🤣🤣(for those who care: ‘belly’ only 7 times and ‘tummy’ 5 times!)

The subtitle says it all…

Synopsis

Friendship will always come first.

There’s only one way out from rock bottom and that’s up, and Teri Meyer is finally crawling out from the worst time of her life – no thanks to her best friend Lee. But no matter, she’s finally found love – real love with a real man, a successful man, a man who accepts all her flaws. Teri’s never felt like this before, and yet it’s changing her in ways she doesn’t understand.

And there’s only one person who can help, one person who truly understands Teri.

It seems that no matter how hard Lee Harper tries, there’s a battle awaiting her at every turn these days, and she’s tired. And as if she needs the extra stress, Teri continues to create constant and unnecessary drama. But Lee’s the only one who really knows what’s going on under Teri’s hard, convoluted exterior, and that’s why she’s always been there for her.

But the question is: will Teri be there when Lee needs her most?

The brilliant and entertaining final book in the unique FRIENDS trilogy dishes out another dose of rib-tickling mayhem for our favourite thirty-something professional women.

My review

Slow start, but the end was sooner there than expected.

Reading a part of a series is always tricky when you haven’t read the previous parts. But whoever has the same worries, just don’t!

It can be easily read as a standalone!

Teri and Lee have been best friends like forever, and nothing can get in their way. With the only exception of Teri’s big mouth…

Teri often speaks before she thinks, causing several rows with her friend. But now she really screwed it, by telling that one thing she really shouldn’t have…

Is their friendship strong enough? Or is this the end of their relationship?

My initial idea was that Teri was a selfish woman, always doing what she wants, and never thinking what consequences her actions may have.

But slowly you get to know her better, and you see that deep down, she is just a real good person. Yes, she makes several gaffes, but you see that her intentions are genuine.

And Lee is a true friend, always ready when Teri needs her. And when enoigh is enough, you see a side from her you didn’t expect.

But the main story here is friendship. Despite the rows, both Teri and Lee are there for each other in time of need. And even when it’s made clear their presence is unwanted, they do what needed, and not what said.

I truly enjoyed this story, had several laughs, but more face-palms, and in the end, when I teached the end, I was sad.

I wasn’t ready for the end, as I wanted to know what adventures/misadventures would happen for the both of them!

Just loved it!

Synopsis

‘A wonderful book with a great story and a sparky, unusual voice. I loved it!’ KATIE FFORDE

Escape to the frost-sparkling Yorkshire Dales for some festive fun under the mistletoe! A saucy comedy-romance with more than a sprinkle of Christmas spice – this will lift your spirits and your excitement level!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for costume shop owner Becky Finn. Leaving London to move back home to the twinkly rural village of Egglethwaite, she plans to build a new life for herself with fiancé, Cole.

Keen to raise funds for the struggling village hall she loved as a child, Becky finds herself at the head of a colourful group aiming to revive the Egglethwaite Christmas pantomime. But when that festive feeling sets in, she discovers there’s more to panto than innuendo and slapped thighs.

Falling in love was not in the script! But as opening night grows closer, she starts to wonder if the panto will ever make it to the stage and, with handsome co-star Marcus on the scene, if she has chosen her right leading man…

The perfect stocking-filler gift!

My review

Surprisingly good!

I did not know what to expect from this story, but suddenly I was in it, and I had to read and read and read and read and read…

Becky moved with her fiancé from London to Egglethwaite, ready to settle down and ready for the next step, marriage and babies.

When she hears that the village hall, where she spend a lot of time during her childhood, has no more funds, she will do whatever she can to raise enough money to keep it open.

And what better way than organising a Christmas pantomime?

With the help of the village, and especially Marcus, she does her very best to write a funny story. But soon everybody realises that there is more to it. And also Becky finds herself struggling on a personal level… will her relationship with Cole be strong enough? And how come she feels so at ease with Marcus???

Like I said, this story was surprisingly good. A surprise, because I did not get the whole pantomime bit… I honestly had to use my best friend Google to get the whole setup and understand why a woman would be playing a man and vice versa.

But once I got it, I truly enjoyed every bit of it!

Becky is such a sweet girl, doing whatever she can figure out to save what’s important to her. And when she cares about something or someone, she does it with all her heart.

Cole seems a bit distant, but you see his feelings for Becky are genuine, although his mind is sometimes wandering…

And Marcus is just hilarious, with his magic tricks. But he’s also always there in time of need.

There are also other characters that are so funny, intentionally or not!

And for lovers of fairy tales, it’s just perfect!

For everybody who starts reading this book, make sure that you won’t get disturbed, or that you have any plans, because once you start, you’ll find it impossible to put it away and do anything else!

Trust me on my words, because that’s exactly what happened with me!

Sparks fly!

Synopsis

Snowflakes are falling on Kissing Bridge Mountain, and Devlin is going home at last. But he can’t go home without a fiance, even if it has to be a fake one! When he meets smalltown girl, Allie, who has a Christmas crisis of her own -they strike up a deal. Soon, the fickle snow flurries of fate send them down a destined road they never expected…

My review

A Christmas story from begin till end!

Allie is an activist doing her very best to save the trees. And her dad is a hired chauffeur who works most of the time for the family Somerset.
When Devlin Somerset needs a drive to Kissing Bridge, Allie takes her father’s place despite the fact that she despises Devlin.
But Devlin is in need of a fake fiancé, and Allie accepts the proposition.
How can this charade come to a good end when their dislike for each other is so obvious?

This story is in my humble opinion a perfect match between a Christmas story and a Cinderella story!
Of course there is the initial dislike between the characters, but as usual in such stories (not a criticism at all, as I loved this story!) slowly Devlin and Allie get to know each other better and realize they have more in common than they thought.

The story is a typical Christmas story, but also different in another way. Allie has her strong beliefs, which are very admirable, but she won’t put them away for love. She knows that throwing her beliefs out of the window will change her, but love is not real love if you have to change to achieve that.

Devlin on the other hand is a selfish man, but slowly we get to know him also better and there is more than meets the eye to him. He’s not as selfish and self-centered as assumed.
He also grows into the story. As he was very closed concerning his true feelings, he sees that being open and showing what his true emotions are, can get you more than you know.

I had several laughs as the misunderstandings between Allie and Devlin are so hilarious, but also a few gasps (without giving any spoilers, watch out for Sissy!!!) and a perfect last chapters!

I truly am in the Christmas Spirit thanks to this story and enjoyed every bit of it!

❤️❤️❤️

Synopsis

Ruth “Ruthless” Harper is on the verge of becoming managing partner at her all-male consulting firm and she won’t let anything stand in her way. That includes men, relationships, and that dreaded F word, FEELINGS—distractions she eliminated long ago.

After the worst day ever (a near-death experience and a public wedgie, for starters), Ruth realizes she doesn’t want to live and die alone. She puts together a business plan to find the perfect man and dives head first into the murky online dating pool. All she wants is a high-powered executive who understands how important her career is. If only it were that easy.

Problem is most men are intimidated by Ruth’s confidence and shocked by her bluntness. The exception being her landscape designer, Nick, whose cool demeanor and unsolicited dating advice are driving her nuts. He’s the antithesis of the business-oriented man Ruth envisions for herself, so why do all signs keep pointing back to him?

My review

* Start review*

OMG I LOVED IT!!!

* End review *

Ruth is a true workaholic, the only thing she thinks about is work work work. After a horrible day, including a near – death experience, she realizes that there is more in life than only work.
With the help of her assistant – slash – best friend Dee, she starts dating.
In the meanwhile she also wants to make a home of her house, so she hired landscape designer Nick to make a relaxing place of her garden.

What a revelation! I enjoyed every little bit of it!

Ruth is a strong independent woman, she knows what she wants and won’t settle for less. After her scary experience (I never was a big fan of airplanes, now it’s even worse!) she decides she needs more love in her life.

I never laughed so hard when she was having her dates! One bad date can happen, but nog every date! And it only gets worse when the other dates just keep coming back! It even had me have some flashbacks when I had some bad first dates!
And Nick is so down to earth, and the best in his job. He wants to do whatever he can to create the perfect garden for Ruth. Even when extra work is required because of his ‘fault’, he doesn’t hesitate to just to do at his own expenses.
And he does so much more, as he shows Ruth how easy it can be to relax and that work is not all there is in the world. Where can I find such a man myself???

It’s so nice to see how Ruth goes from workaholic to a more relaxing woman, putting her priorities straight. And Nick, he’s just amazing, period!

This is a funny book, but also manages to make you realize that there is more to enjoy from life and not only work.
For me, it was real page turner, and I recommend it to everyone!

Just swoon!

Synopsis

Christmas and romance are in the air…

It’s December 23rd and while everyone else is rushing home for the holidays, workaholic Leesa Oliver is dreading switching on her out-of-office for the festive season. And it seems her equally driven boss, Cary Anderson, isn’t relishing spending Christmas at his family’s country estate either.

So together, they draft an unexpected Christmas contract: They’ll spend half of the holidays with each other’s families, pretending to be a couple. Leesa knows the insufferably good-looking Cary will make her Christmas more bearable, but what happens after the last of the mince pies have been eaten…?

Leesa signed off on a sensible business agreement, but somewhere, amongst the fairy lights and carols something seems to have changed… It seems there might just be some magic under the mistletoe this Christmas!

My review

Fake it until you make it!

Leesa and her very demanding boss Cary are stranded due bad weather at his family’s country estate.
Both of them are not looking forward to spend the Christmas period with their families, so they make a Christmas contract: They’ll pretend they are a couple while spending the holidays with each other’s families.

Reading the synopsis, you know that something is going to happen. But don’t worry about being a way too corny story, as both Leesa and Cary are keeping their word and sticking to the contract.
Slowly you get to know Leesa and Cary better and you understand why they are so not looking forward the holidays.

Leesa is a nice woman, very caring and always want to please people. She is also very loving towards her former family in law, despite what happened in the past.
Cary has also had his share of sorrow in the past, and as a result he is now very work-minded and has no time for love.
With each other’s help, they find a way to process the past and they realize they can depend on each other.

The true magic of this story is the fact that both characters start on a bad note, but slowly they get to know each other on a personal level and they see they have more in common than they thought. They become real friends, knowing they can rely on each other in times of needs.
But the extra magic are the funny parts, when they are faking a relationship when they are in front of their families.

Of course there a lot of awkward moment there, which made me laugh!

It’s a real festive story about family, emotions, friendship and love, just what you need for this period!

Funny but also truth-telling!

Synopsis

Lucy Mathers was once the golden girl of Simcock & Bright. Four years later, she’s a stay at home mum with two adorable children, has swapped her Louboutins for rabbit slippers and spends her day making crustless sandwiches and colour co-ordinated lunches instead of signing up high profile clients. 

When her husband is suddenly made redundant, there is panic in the Mathers’ household. With a mortgage the size of the national debt and a credit card balance that’s in danger of toppling, Lucy reluctantly decides she must return to work. Soshe digs out her old power suits from the back of the wardrobe and leaves Will to become a house husband. But sitting in Lucy’s old office is Grant Cassidy, suave, handsome and ruthless and with no intention of letting Lucy walk back into the number one job. 

At home, despite his breezy declaration that swapping boardroom battles for toddler groups would be a doddle, Will’s belief that parental issues could be solved with forward planning and a spread sheet soon falls by the wayside. 

With both Will and Lucy struggling to adapt, could their previously happy marriage be developing some cracks?

My review

This is not the first book I’ve read of Julie Butterfield so I know what to expect and my expectations were really high!
And I was so happy I did not get disappointed at all!

Lucy Mathers is a happy stay at home mum, taking care of her 2 delightful kids. But when her husband loses his job, they are forced to swap momentarily places. Lucy goes back to work while Will stays at home taking care of the children.

Of course you can imagine the struggles Will has to face, having no idea how to actual care for children. And Lucy has been out of the battle for a while, so also she is having a hard time…
Julie manages to write a funny story, making you laugh with Will, feeling sorry for Lucy and makes you instantly dislike Grant!
The struggles both Will and Lucy have are so recognizable, you cannot not sympathize with them.

Beside the funny part, also the reality kicks in. it’s not as easy as it seems to go back to work after several years, and the issues Lucy has are not easy peasy to solve. How will she manage finding the correct balance between work and family? She notices that she puts work above family but how can she get her priorities back straight?
And also Will finds it hard to find the joy of a stay at home dad…

After a while Julie manages to put the finger on real family problems: how can this amazing couple manage to get back on track? Due the many changes, communication is not their forte, causing many misunderstandings, trust issues and fear of speaking out.

Again Julie did an amazing job, writing a funny story, but also points out a general problem. Despite the topic that is not to be underestimated, it’s written in such a matter you feel compassionate about the couple, understand the issue and hope for the best for Lucy’s and Will’s sake!

Me want more!!!

Synopsis

Part Two of this heartwarming four-part serial about finding the strength to put the past behind you and to reach out for a future filled with happiness and love.

Cat Devon knew she couldn’t avoid Amias Wells for long. She also knew sparks would fly the moment they came face to face. They never did get on and nothing has changed in eighteen years – except that Amias is even more annoying. So why does Cat still catch her breath whenever he looks her way?

The fact he flies a vintage Spitfire for the Merriment Bay WWII Museum doesn’t interest Cat, but his knowledge of the former RAF pilots stationed there certainly does. She wants to find out all she can about the man in the photo in Viola’s trunk. And what with hospital visits, dealing with her mum, and sorting out problems with Viola’s house, Cat could use more than just Kyra’s help.

But Kyra makes it clear she thinks Cat and Amias should spend more time together. Which is ridiculous. Apart from the fact they don’t get on, Amias wasn’t interested in Cat before the accident that left the ugly scars on her face and body, so he definitely won’t be attracted to her now. Besides, Cat’s not looking for romance. She’s happy with her life just the way it is.

My review

What a disappointment it was when I reached the end…
Before Emily gets a heart attack for my declaration, I DID NOT WANT TO REACH THE END SO QUICKLY!!!

Slowly we are getting to know more about the past of the Devon women. And discovering the past means for Cat she has to face Amias, even though he apparently still dislikes her…
Or not?

I truly enjoyed discovering the past together with Cat and Kyra, and it was so nice to get to know Amias better.
We also get to know a little bit of Kyle, even if he isn’t actual present any more, his memory still lingers…

We also see how all the Devon – women slowly are finding the way to live all together, despite their differences. Mary was in the first part a bit distant, but now she is more open and being more open towards Cat and Kyra. She also realizes that Cat deserves to know the truth about her father but she cannot tell the whole truth.

A great second part, with still a lot of mysteries to be solved, and a lot of unspoken feelings to be exposed!
Looking forward to read Part 3 !

Just perfect for this time of the year,

Synopsis

Christmas is coming and actress Kirsty Castille seems doomed to play the front part of Nag, the Christmas pantomime horse, when a surprise audition lands her the lead role as Maria in the Sound of Music.

Even better she bonds with a handsome chef over a piece of squid at her local supermarket, although sadly romance is the last thing on Jake Levy’s mind.

He has a Christmas deadline, an ex-wife to mourn and lots of emotional baggage to drag around. He certainly doesn’t have time for romance and even if he did he wouldn’t fall for someone like Kirsty who craves the limelight: been there, done that.

A misunderstanding leads Jake to offer Kirsty a job in his new restaurant and she takes it purely to convince him that she’s the girl of his dreams.

Her charm offensive begins to work but while he’s cooking up a storm she’s secretly sparkling under the spotlight – until her cover is busted.

The fallout is catastrophic, but as they say in Luvvie Land, the show must go on, even if Kirsty is terrified that she’s taken her last curtain call and ruined her chance for love.

Read on and immerse yourself in this delightful winter romance as the snow starts to fall and Christmas day becomes a magical reality.

My review

He loves me, he loves me not…
Just an amazing Christmas story!

Kirsty is an actress, but not a famous one. She is struggling to go from one job to another and most of the time she has to accept the less appealing acts, just to be able to cope.
When she meets Jake in a supermarket, they bond immediately.
But Jake is opening a new business, is in the middle of a separation, has a lot of emotional baggage and hates everything that has to do with being in the spotlight.

I loved every bit of this book! Kirsty is living in movies, whenever a response is required, she manages to get a quote from films, straight on!
She has a vivid imagination, and even in public places she is not ashamed to just be herself.
She doesn’t care who is watching and what the others may think about her.
Jake instead is on an emotional rollercoaster, having been betrayed in the worst ways.
despite their differences, Kirsty and Jake manage to get along pretty well. Thanks to Kirsty, Jake manages to loosen up and move on with his life.

The combination of these 2 characters made me initially think they were all wrong for each other, and it would never work. But over several laughs, you see that they just need each other to be a better self.
In my modest opinion (but then, who am I? 🤣) this story could take place any time in the year, but the magic of Christmas makes sure this is an amazing story impossible to put away!

Just wonderful!

Synopsis

Maggie Moone is happily divorced.

And with her talent for fixing things, she’s perfectly content with her mundane life in the sleepy English village of Saffron Sweeting. That is, until one humiliating March evening when she learns everyone else assumes she’d love to mend her broken marriage.

Determined to prove them wrong, Maggie and her friends concoct a list of ten ways to assert her independence and live large. But her mission to move on leads to unexpected encounters, and Maggie soon finds herself mixing business with pleasure. Is the attractive young Irishman just another item on her list, or is he something more?

Before long, unresolved issues from her past begin to clash, and Maggie is forced to wonder if antagonising her ex-husband was such a stellar idea.

No sooner does she begin to understand what’s important to her, than she stands to lose everything that truly matters.

This is the fourth in the collection of Saffron Sweeting romantic comedies, which can be read in any order. If you like gentle British humour and deliciously resilient heroines, you’ll love Ten Things My Husband Hated.

My review

What a way of taking back charge of your life!

Maggie and Colin divorced a while ago, but luckily for them, is was all done in an amicable way.
When one evening she gets humiliated, she learns that everyone thinks she want Colin back.
So to prove them wrong, she makes a to-do list with all things Colin hates.
While she is working on the list, she meets Finn, a nice Irishman. Is he the perfect next item on the list? Or is there more?

I really had fun reading this story!
From the moment Maggie starts working on the list, you know there are going to be some awkward but on the same time funny moments.
At the beginning of the story, Maggie is a woman struggling with living her life at the best. She doesn’t really do things she truly wants.
But thanks to her list and her friends, she starts blooming, and realizes that it’s her life and she has the right to do what she wants, even if there are people not understanding her.

And when she meets Finn, you just also instantly like him. He’s truly a nice guy, trying to surprise Maggie (and also the reader) by arranging non-conventional dates.

This story shows it’s never too late to believe in love, and never give up. Following your heart is never wrong, and chasing your own dreams is always the best thing to do.
But also honesty is important, as Maggie learns. And never do something just to please someone if your heart isn’t in it, or if your mind is not in the right mood!

Conclusion: a nice story about getting your life getting back on track, growth and love!