Why wait for the proposal?

Synopsis

Three women. One crazy hen weekend. A life-changing decision.

When three women meet on a mutual friend’s hen weekend on the Scottish island of Arran, they get more than they bargained for when one of them has the genius idea of proposing on 29 February, like the age-old Irish tradition.

High-flying businesswoman Anouska and boyfriend Zach are deliriously happy and madly in love. If only they had more time together. But now she’s pregnant and doesn’t know how to tell him since having kids hadn’t featured in their plans.

Dog walker Jess lives with her childhood sweetheart, but they’re already like an old married couple, without the romance, or the wedding, or the ring. When Mark doesn’t propose on New Year’s Eve, Jess is gutted and decides to take matters into her own hands.

Ellie and Scott still live apart after six years, and his lack of commitment is a sore point. She’s up for a huge promotion which involves moving country. It’s make-or-break time. She needs to know he’s worth turning down the job for.

The women meet weekly, helping each other with decisions big and small, becoming each other’s support system in the run-up to ‘the big ask’.

Will love conquer all or will their hopes and dreams come crashing down around them?

My review

Anoushka, Jess and Ellie meet at the hen weekend of a mutual friend. And even if they didn’t know each other before, there is an instant connection and the three women become friends. They are all in a relationship, and when the idea of a leap year proposal suddenly rises, all three start to think about proposing to their partners. But can it all be that straightforward? Because Anoushka is a successful businesswoman, flying all over the world. And her boyfriend Zach is building his own empire in the hospitality sector Being busy is an understatement, and they don’t always manage to spend a lot of time together. But now Anoushka is pregnant, and she doesn’t know how to tell Zach, as children were never part of their plans… Jess and Mark are childhood sweethearts and are living together for a while now. But it seems that the passion has gone over the years, and Jess feels that they have become an old married couple. Especially when on New Year’s Eve, Mark doesn’t propose as Jess expected, makes Jess wonder if perhaps she needs to take matter in own hands. Ellie meanwhile has been together with Scott for six years, but feels a lack of commitment from his side. Not only is there absolutely no talks about going to live together but also the prospect of Ellie’s promotion and a required move makes her wonder where her future may be. The run – up towards that last day of February, the three friends find the much needed support, encouragement and help with each other. But will they all have the finale they were hoping for?

I like it when women take matter in own hands, no matter what the occasion may be. And while it is tradition for the pan to propose to the woman, why cannot it be the other way around?

The story evolves around three women, Anoushka, Jess and Ellie. I loved it how these women are very different from each other, yet they connect very easily during a hen weekend.

It shows that sometimes you don’t need to know each other for many years to build a genuine friendship with someone.

As the three main characters are very different, it also gives them the perfect change of perspective. This new friendship gives each character the chance to see what is lacking in their relationship, or (and perhaps that is even better 😊) what the strength is.

I cannot say which character I liked the most in this book. I admired Anoushka’s strength and her ability to adapt to the big change in her life. But on the other hand I was a tiny bit angry with her, as she isn’t able to tell her partner Zach about her pregnancy. And we all know that procrastination, especially on something this important, is a bad idea.

Maybe with Jess I was the least sure about the idea of the leap proposal idea. Jess says it herself, she loves Mark, and they have been together for years. But is a proposal the best way to get the excitement back in your relationship? And perhaps with a new arrival I was worrying that things would take a turn for the worse, as it seems that there is an instant connection?

And then there is Ellie… For me, it felt like she was in the saddest relationship of them all. Because she wants to move forward with Scott, but it’s clear that he doesn’t feel the same. To make it even worse, at least in my eyes, was that Scott only agrees with going forward when he can gain something from it. Nope, not a fan of Scott at all here, and while I was in one way happy to see my suspicions getting right, it saddened me to see how it all evolves for Ellie…

While the story’s premise is about three women proposing their partners as it’s leap year, this story is so much more than just a way to pop the question. Because we see three different women, in three different relationships, at three different stages in not only their relationships but also in their lives. And they are all at a crossroad, doubting which direction they should go with their lives.

Yet beside the doubts and many questions crossing the main characters’ minds, the bond they have found with each other is what truly stands out. Because they find each other, they find real friends. Despite the short period they have known each other, they have found support, comfort and strength with each other.

And that is the force of this book, and the talent of Susan Buchanan, because she always finds something special with each character, with each storyline. This is a story about three normal people, with a special plan in their minds, but most important, they find special people to share everything with. And that is an invaluable something!

I absolutely loved reading this book, as it made me laugh, it made me sad and it even made me angry. But most important, it made me just feel happy with the outcome for each character!

One moment that truly is life – changing, but how?

Synopsis

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Holly does, in spite of everything that’s happened in her life. Sometimes the thought that her soulmate is out there is the only thing that keeps her going.

Then she hears her favourite song being played in a train station. She’s drawn to where the sound is coming from, as if by a magnetic force. There is a handsome young man sitting at the piano, who smiles at her, and she feels that spark she’s always dreamt of. She asks if she can join him, and sings along, seeing his face light up.

He’s called Mark, she later discovers. And he feels the same. They both feel like they’ve been hit with a thunderbolt. But even though it seems like they’ve known each other for lifetime, the truth is that they’re strangers.

Because Holly has secrets. And so does Mark.

And one of them might just kill to keep them…

The Soulmate is the most breathtaking, cat-and-mouse psychological thriller you’ll read all year! A thriller about obsession, love, deceit and murder, perfect for fans of Gone Girl, The Housemaid, and You.

My review

When Holly hears her favourite song being played at a piano at the train station, she cannot help herself, she has to see who is playing it. And when she meets the eyes of the handsome player, a spark ignites. And then she starts to sing along with Mark, and Mark even feels the same spark! But Holly cannot just see what this is between her and Mark, because Holly has many secrets about her life and about her past. But Mark has secrets of this own… And after all, they are complete strangers, right?

Love at first sight, isn’t that something most of us dream about? Just locking eyes with someone and then ZING! Of course, the odds of happening that in real life are rather slim, so at least we will always have books where such things happen.

But what when the meeting eyes with someone is not that easy, and there is so much sanding between the pair of you? And what if the both of you are keeping secrets that are not just silly little secrets, but real dark ones…

Right from the start it’s clear that Holly is a sad character, as she is not living her life at the fullest, and that her current relationship isn’t one built on trust and love. It’s the complete opposite, as she is in an abusive relationship, emotionally and even physically. But getting away from it isn’t that just easy for her, as her past can come back to haunt her at any moment.

And I wanted her to find someone truly special, I wanted Holly to find love, the kind that is genuine and real. I wanted her to have an escape and to have a happily ever after. As a reader we don’t know immediately what happened in her past, yet it’s clear that isn’t not a kitten up a tree, but something really big. But I wanted Holly to have the chance to let go of her past and just be free.

But this is a psychological thriller, so I had to pack away all the romantic thoughts I had, and I had to switch them into darker ones, as the story of Holly and Mark won’t be one with rainbows and unicorns…

Initially, I was hoping that Mark would be everything that Holly needs, a Knight in shining armour, someone that would save her from the dark clutches she is being held.

Yet nothing is what it seems, and while initially Mark for sure seems the right person, there are some red flags appearing. And it even angered me to see those red flag being real, as slowly Mark allows the readers to see how own dark secrets…

I also have to say, I wasn’t sure for a rather long time if both characters could be trusted completely. It’s safe to say that they both appear to act in odd ways, and while I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, I knew that without knowing the whole truth, I couldn’t give my compete trust.

But let it be clear, between all the twists and turns the author lets us going through, and revelation after revelation, there is truly only one person to feel compassion for and one person to despise…

I liked it how the author took a popular trope from romance books and turned it into something sinister. Because no matter how good things may look like at first sight, we cannot always trust our gut feeling. And that sometimes escaping from hell, doesn’t mean you go to heaven…  

When you’re about to marry the love of your and suddenly you’re back in the past with another Love

Synopsis

Liv is given the chance to live one life-changing week over, but can she change her future…? And does she want to? A gorgeous, uplifting novel, perfect for fans of Shari Low, Paige Toon and Beth Moran.

When Liv’s boyfriend Kit disappeared on a hike, seven years earlier, she thought her life was over. But with the help of their family and friends, she’s pushed her way through the grief, and now, miraculously, she’s found a way to love again.

Until the morning of her wedding, when Liv steps through a doorway, and finds herself, somehow, back at the flat she shared with Kit: seven years earlier, six days before he left. Now, Liv has a chance to live those six days over, and change everything. If she gets this right, she can find out why Kit leaves and stop him.

But can she save him? And if she does, how will she choose, between the man she loved then, and the one she loves now?

My review

Liv is ready to marry the love of her life. The past seven years have been really difficult, as her then – boyfriend Kit disappeared and no one has even seen of heard of him again. It took Liv a lot of time overcome the pain, the grief and the uncertainty, but despite everything she believed, she found love again. And no matter what everyone may say or think, she truly believes that James is her One. Until the morning of her wedding, during all the final preparations, when Liv walks through a doorway, she gets the shock of a lifetime. Because suddenly she finds herself back in the flat she used to share with Kit, with Kit himself at home. Somehow, Liv went back in the past, seven years ago. And just six days before Kit left, there was not a writing on the wall of how things would evolve. So now Liv has the chance to get all the answers she has been looking for the past seven years. And perhaps she can change the course of the future. But on the other hand, when messing with the past, how will that affect the present and the future? And where will that leave Liv? With the man she used to love, or the man that helped her through the darkest period of her life and made her believe in love again?

At the start of the book, before I read just one word of it, I thought this would be a rather predictable book. Well, the outset itself is not predictable, but I thought that with Liv finding herself back seven years ago, she logically would like to make changes and then have to make a choice between her former love and her current one.

While the story starts exactly that way, I was pleasantly surprised that in fact, nothing of this book was predictable in the way I expected it to be. The only way that it was predictable, was about how things are way more complicated and secretive than Liv could ever think.

We all had relationships that ended. But I don’t think that there are many relationships that ended because one party just disappeared without just any trace…

As that is exactly what happened to Liv, I truly felt sorry for her. Because nobody should ever go through not only that heartbreak, but nobody should be living with that fear, all those doubts and that uncertainty. And with so many questions, I could understand that Liv truly believed that she would never find love again.

Seeing her seven years later and having found love again, just made me happy. Liv deserves to be loved completely and unconditionally, just like James does. I have to admit, reading how they actually got together, it was a bit strange. But that was just initially, because the more I saw Liv and James as a couple, the more sense it all started to make. And it has been seven years since Kit disappeared, so why can’t Liv and James be happy together?

The fact that Liv finds herself back in time, just a week before Kit’s disappearing act, made me wonder how the story would evolve. Of course Liv wants to try to not only figure out why Kit did what he did, but she also tries to change, to change the past.

And I liked it how the author gives her own twist to things. Because it would be just too simple if Liv could change things that easily. And to be honest, I kind of didn’t want to see Liv’s present changing, as Liv worked hard to get to the point she is now.

Talking about twists, I for sure was a bit flabbergasted when one thing was revealed. Because the book is written in such a way that you think you know what you reading, only to learn later on that it’s just not. I know I am not making a lot of sense, but the people who have read this book, will understand me perfectly 😊.

With this story we see how one event can haunt you for years, but that it’s not impossible to move forward from it. People grow from their experiences, mature from them, and can find something unexpected (or maybe not…) after all the hardship they had to endure previously. But we also see that no matter how well we think we know someone, do we ever truly?

I loved reading this book, as we see something impossible happening, but how that impossible thing gives a lovely and strong character all the answers she was looking for. And we also see how suddenly, with all the questions answered, there is a clarity in what Liv truly wants. Not only wants, but also what Liv needs in her life and in her heart.

This was truly a wonderful story. Not the story I was expecting, but it gave me so much more instead!

When a summer of research turns into another direction…

Synopsis

When ambitious city girl, Darcie Freeman is sent to the Isle of Skye to conduct research for a travel guide, she’s horrified. The prospect of having to travel to a remote island in the Scottish Highlands leaves her wondering what she’ll do.

Step in Logan Burns. Gorgeous and adventurous, he lives and breathes the island, and along with his sister Iona, who owns a rather haphazard PR company, they’re going to show Darcie everything she needs to know about Skye.

As Darcie swaps her designer shoes for her walking boots and her faux fur jacket for her raincoat, will she learn there’s more to life than the picture-perfect presence she shares on social media, or will it be the case that Skye is the limit…

My review

Before Darcie Freeman even realized, she became an influencer. Now she has a name for herself online, but there is a lot of competition to gain the best deal from sponsors. She finally has the prospect of landing a deal on writing a travel guide, yet once arrived on the Isle of Skye, Darcie is shocked. Not only did she expect a more exotic location, but also the job she has to do, is not what she was thinking it was. With a lot of miscommunications beforehand, and lots of cold weather, Darcie isn’t exactly thrilled by the thought of spending her summer on Skye. And the presence of Logan Burns doesn’t help either, as he is everything Darcie is not. Because Logan lives for the island, and couldn’t be more into nature and more adventurous, while Darcie cannot imagine of being offline for even just a moment. However, the more Darcie spends on Skye, the more she sees a different lifestyle. And then she learns about a legend, a myth, one that Logan always intrigued, and when there is an actual chance of getting to the bottom of it, the two most opposites people join their forces. But where will that leave them at the end of the summer?

A story set on the Isle of Skye AND written by Julie Shackman? That is just the perfect combo, isn’t it?

Darcie is the kind of person that is perhaps most recognizable for the youngest generation. She is an influencer, trying to gain as much as possible viewers and trying to have the best deal with sponsors. She is the kind of person that many young people, teenagers and young adults could look up to, as she is truly living the life, or at least so it seems.

But there are several aspects that make Darcie different than other influencers. Well, not that I actually know that many influencers, or that I am such up to date with everything, as yes, I am getting older too… 😊

Perhaps it’s that same age of mine, that I am wary and not that sure that being an influencer is a real and satisfying career. Yes, it can get you famous and immediate satisfaction, but as quickly as your popularity came, it can disappear just as quickly.

And Darcie’s path to become Insta – famous, is not what she wanted from the start, yet it is something that somehow happened to her. And I felt sorry for her, as she for sure feels the constant pressure to deliver and in a sad way, also not having anyone in her corner, fighting her battles, or at least those that matter, together with her.

But beside Darcie being an influencer, she is also the perfect example of a real city – girl. And I don’t mean to say that in a bad way, but she is accustomed to be living in a place that always feels alive, with a loud of noise and constant rush of people. And thus, her arriving on the Isle of Skye, the shock is obviously understandable! While for many Skye would be like a breath of fresh air, Darcie is in for a real culture shock!

The contrast couldn’t be any bigger than with Logan. I found it hilarious how Darcie isn’t ready for the Skye – life and yes, it was funny to see how she is struggling with just everything on the Isle. From the clothes she (didn’t) bring, to the way things are just done. It felt to me that Darcie truly had to switch a button, to make her appreciate Skye, and also to appreciate Logan.

Logan… what a man, what a man, what a man… Initially he may not seem an easy man, as he for sure has his thoughts about Darcie and isn’t afraid to speak them out. But we also quickly see that he is a great and caring brother, and even if he sometimes can be pig – headed especially when it concerns running his business, he has a passion about it that he can make even a layman like me interested in everything he is telling about fossils, nature and the past.

And the myth living on the Isle for sure is something that speaks to one’s imagination, and also mine. For me it felt like this side – story was a nice addition to the bigger picture, and it allows the entrance of characters to the story, but it also adds an extra way of letting Darcie and Logan getting closer.

But what I liked the most, beside the funny bits, the mysterious bits, was seeing the change taking place within Darcie. There is a palpable evolution, as we see Darcie actual change from this actual city – girl to a woman that sees and appreciates even the smaller things in the world and in life. She sees the Skye – way of life, the genuineness of such a life, the easier pace of life. And she sees things through her own eyes again, and no longer through a lens.

And perhaps that is something we all need to learn to do again. Not everything needs to be seen by everyone, not everything we do needs the seal of approval by others, even strangers. We need to appreciate life, nature and those around us without filter, to just enjoy what’s around us.

Julie Shackman wrote once again a wonderful story, with great characters and character development. This is a great story about two completely different people, meeting in the most peculiar and funny way. This is a great story about a character learning again what matters in life. And all of this, in a setting that will sweep you of your feet!  

A fresh start with your first love?

Synopsis

Will they get a second chance at first love?

When newly divorced Tara McTaigh spots an advert for a studio to let in Coorie Castle’s craft centre, she packs up her Edinburgh life and moves to the Isle of Skye, eager for a fresh start.

Little does she know that the castle’s estate manager, single dad Calan Fraser, is the man who broke her heart back at university. Thoroughly done with romance, Tara decides to ignore Cal and focus on building her business – creating dollhouses to commission. But Duncoorie is a small community, and the two keep bumping into each other… 

Just as she is starting to open her heart once more to Cal, a change in his life puts everything on the line. When a surprise storm threatens Tara’s safety, will Cal realise in time that love is worth the risk?

An uplifting and feel-good crafty romance for fans of Holly Martin, Sue Moorcroft and Julie Shackman.

My review

After her divorce, Tara McTaigh is looking for a place to start over. When she sees an advert for a studio in Coorie’s Castle, it seems like serendipity, as it also has a craft centre, ideal for Tara’s job in creating dollhouses. As the call of the Isle of Skye is impossible to resist, Tara sets off to Duncoorie. But what Tara doesn’t know, is that the castle’s estate manager is someone from her past. Because Calan Fraser was her first love, and also the person that broke her heart many years ago. Yet Tara is determined to not get distracted by Cal and focusses purely on her business. But no matter how hard she tries, Duncoorie is a small community and there is no chance of avoiding Cal forever. And the more time they spend together, especially when Cal’s daughter is interested in Tara and her dollhouses, the more they realize that beside the hard feelings of the past, also some other feelings are still present. But is it possible to have a second chance with your first love?

The Isle of Skye seems to be the perfect setting for great stories. I have never been there, but reading how much can happen there, I think I definitely need to visit it, and figure out if there is something in store for me there too! 😊

The end of a marriage is never a good thing, especially when the main character has been the hurt party. Yet it has to be said, that I admired Tara. Yes, initially she doesn’t give her ex an easy time, and why should she? But the moment she makes the switch in her head, she decides to walk away, head up high and move on.

I liked Tara not only because her courage to start over again, but I was also amazed by how talented she is, how she is able to create dollhouses, even on commission! I never had a dollhouse myself, yet it somehow has always been a dream of mine to have one!

In a way, this was a very recognizable story. Because we all remember our first love. And let’s be honest, most of those loves didn’t end with a happily ever after, yet that first love is always unforgettable. What makes Tara’s and Cal’s first love story even more tragic is that while it ended in heartbreak, there was more to it than just their love passed its time, that the love has gone.

And as it ended badly, and truly hurt Tara a lot, it does not come as a surprise that Tara is shocked to find Cal as the estate manager of Tara’s new home. And I cannot blame her, as she is unaware of what truly took place years ago, she isn’t all that happy to be spending time with Cal.

But while Tara is disturbed by Cal’s presence, it’s also clear that Coorie’s Castle is the right place for Tara. Not only is it the place that Tara was looking for but it was also Tara that the place needed. Tara fits perfectly not only at the craft’s centre, but also she fits in the mindset of the community. And the fact that she is easily welcomed and embraced by everyone, just pinpoints that even further.

I was eager to read how Tara and Cal would be grower closer again. Because I was wondering if it would be a case of two former lovers finding each other and getting to know each other once again, and feelings grow once again. Or would it be a case of feelings never having truly disappeared and being truly a case of ‘The One That Got Away’ and the main characters never truly got over the heartbreak?

I am always intrigued by romances with second chances, but especially in this book, we also see that even thinking about a successful ending this second time, the air needs to be cleared, the misunderstandings and the fears and doubts need to communicated. The issues and questions in a relationship, or potential relationship, need to be out in the air, there needs to be clear communication and not let things divert in a bad direction.

It needs to be said that there is one force of nature in this book, being Cal’s daughter. Bonnie is not only a delight, but truly a force to be reckoned with. She has this genuine curiosity, genuine acceptance but also the genuine stubbornness that fits perfectly with her age. She for sure adds an extra little something special to this book!

I absolutely loved reading this book, as it shows us that sometimes a fresh start, somewhere new, can bring something old yet something new back into your life. And with age comes wisdom and clarity, and a hope that a second time around, things can be done differently. Yet communication and openness still is a requirement to make it all work.

This was a wonderful, hopeful story about the power of love, how the right love, a strong love, will always finds its way back to the right people.

To find out the truth, you must be brave and spontaneous

Synopsis

One photo and a handful of letters can change everything.

Emmie Brown has always known she was adopted. Nellie Brown sacrificed everything to make their life together comfortable and, while not the most demonstrative or warm woman, Emmie never doubted her devotion. But, when Emmie finds a stash of letters and a hidden photo after her mother’s death, everything she has believed changes in an instant. And she won’t be able to rest until she finds the mysterious ‘G’ who sent the letters.

Emmie’s quest takes her to the breathtakingly beautiful Isle of Siskin and into the home of the gregarious, fiercely loyal Hawkins family. After an isolated and introverted life, the burst of colour and noise is overwhelming. But soon Emmie feels her heart begin to open, her mind begin to dream. And as her friendship with kind and gorgeous islander Pip Hawkins gets closer, endless possible futures draw into focus.

But the discovery of ‘G’s true identity will mean Emmie has to choose. One of her choices would mean revealing secrets hidden for decades, one could lead to happiness, but both will need Emmie to be braver than she’s ever been…

A truly uplifting, unputdownable, heart-warming and unforgettable read guaranteed to make you smile, read longer than you planned and punch the air with happiness at its beautiful ending. Perfect for all fans of Shari Low, Jill Mansell and Lucy Diamond.

My review

Emmie Brown always knew that her aunt Nellie adopted her. Growing up with Nellie hasn’t always been easy, but Emmie knew that Nellie truly loved her and sacrificed a lot in order to raise Emmie. After Nellie’s death, Emmie finds it difficult to continue what Nellie started and Emmie does not know with her future. And then she finds some hidden letters written to Nellie, and old photos of Nellie. As all the letters are signed by ‘G’, Emmie want to discover who ‘G’ is. Her search brings her to the Isle of Siskin, where she hopes she can find all the answers. For some cheer chance, the Isle of Siskin is the same place where her secret crush Pip lives. And because of a twist of fate, it is his family, the Hawkins family, that may give her all the answers she is looking for. However, the closer Emmie gets to the truth, the more imminent the time to make a choice comes. Because some secrets can jeopardize everything as only being brave  can bring Emmie happiness.

Whenever I pick up a book written by Beth Moran, I know that the characters haven’t had an easy time, or aren’t having an easy time. I also know that the main character in each book is going through a journey, not only a journey to self – discovery but also a journey that hopefully leads to happiness.

When the story takes off, I didn’t know what to actually think and feel about Emmie. Not because she is a person to dislike, but because her life has been and still is very complicated.

Her life has always been strict. She had to follow her mother’s rules, always be focusing on the job and never let anything distract her. And since Nellie has gone, Emmie is clearly lost. Each day she is preparing the pasties to be sold at the airport. But being on her own, makes her wonder what life has in store for her, and if she truly is alone.

Because it is a sad situation, as Emmie knows she has been adopted by her aunt (which is admirable of Nellie, let there be no doubt about that, and she for sure did her best…). But Emmie now feels truly alone and lonely, as she has no contact with any other family member, she doesn’t even know who her biological father is… And it’s not that there are constantly ringing friends at her door. The people also working at the airport feel more like the family and friends she has been missing…

I could understand Emmie’s shock at finding those secret letters and photos of her aunt. As they raised many questions from my side, I could understand the confusion it has with Emmie. Because not only does she question now everything she thought she knew, but she also starts to feel like her mother Nellie gave up a lot for Emmie’s sake.

It was a bit funny to see how Emmie acts out of character, how one act of kindness makes her just take off to the Isle of Siskin, without any kind of preparation at all. For sure that is not something that I could or would ever do, as I need some kind of mental preparation too. Luckily, just before freaking out, Emmie learns that she may have more friends and allies that she may think.

As Emmie has a tender spot for Pip, it may seem like she is following him to his wonderful home. Emmie even knows how strange it may look, but her reasons are genuine, and even if she truly likes Pip, this has nothing to do with him. But of course it’s a nice extra that she now has the chance to get to know Pip better.

And it needs to be said, that Pip and his family are just amazing people. They welcome Emmie with open arms. Even if some are a bit wary of her, they approve of her, as she clearly matters to Pip too. And being surrounded by such amazing people, helps Emmie too. She opens up more, and it feels that Emmie has found a place where she can not only understand who she truly is herself, but also that those strangers around her, people she never knew before, accept her for who she is, and are happy with having her around.

We also see more and more the kind and helpful side of Emmie emerge. Even if she is just a guest of the Hawkins family, she doesn’t hesitate to help out when needed, and offer her cooking skills when needed. Even when some members ask her to do some perhaps odd jobs, she doesn’t hesitate and she isn’t scared to get her hands dirty.

Obviously there is the mystery to be solved around Nellie, and her past. And how exactly that is linked with Pip and his family. It saddened me to read how Nellie sacrificed a lot for her family, and it made me understand her so much better. Yet at the same time it angered me also a bit, as when it’s all out in the open, it’s clear that the outcome could have been totally different, if there wouldn’t have been some selfish interferences… Interferences that even now haven’t completely disappeared…

What I liked the most in this book, is the natural growth that Emmie has. Stepping out of her comfort zone, getting out of her safe bubble, Emmie starts to see the person she is, and what her own dreams and passions are. As Emmie is a rather closed person initially and an introvert, seeing doing her so many ‘first times’ (like flying, going to a family dinner etc.) and those being real eye – openers for her, was truly amazing. We see Emmie evolve to this woman ready to chase her dreams, to do even things she would never think of doing. She finds the courage to be brave the more the story evolves.

And the braver Emmie gets, the more she learns and realizes that there are many people in her corner. People that she has known, but also brand new and unexpected arrivals. Arrivals that are linked with some characters that we as loyal readers already know, so that for sure was a nice extra!

Now, I need to get something off my chest, and I hope that Beth Moran won’t take it all too badly… As Emmie can make amazing pasties in this book, and is even able to come up with great adaptations, I found myself being hungry and longing to taste her creations. And as that is clearly impossible, I am left with a craving that cannot be fulfilled. And that is just not done, do you hear me Beth Moran? 😊

But let it be clear, this was a wonderful story to read, a story with several heartbreaks, but most important, it is an inspiration story, about being brave, about finding yourself, and about love. Lost love, new love, family love, self-love and even love for a place that starts to feel like home. Beth Moran managed to capture so much in this book that she just keep leaving me in awe!

Nothing beats (like) a mother’s heart…

Synopsis

Two sisters, one heartbreaking promise…

To everyone who knows them, Louisa and Tom are the perfect couple. They have two beautiful kids, Stan and Flo, and are about to celebrate ten years of being happily married. Life is perfect. But when Lou is dealt devastating news, that perfect life is turned upside down and Lou and Tom must reevaluate the very foundations their marriage is built on.

Lou’s main concern is who will look after her children if she’s not there to care for them? Will anyone be able to love them like she does?

Holly can’t face the news that Lou is sick. As her older twin sister, she and Lou have always been together, and Holly has always tried to protect Lou. So she’ll do anything, promise anything, to make Lou feel safe and happy. Holly loves Stan and Flo fiercely, but with no children of her own can she ever be the mother her sister wants and needs for her children?

Determined to make the most of every last precious moment, Lou’s final wish for her family is to show them what it really means to live and love. And as Tom and Holly try to navigate their own pain, their only care is to shower Flo and Stan with love and help them make the most of every moment together.

My review

Lou has it all: wonderful husband in Tom, two amazing children named Stan and Flo. Even the bond she has with her twin sister Holly is one of the strongest. Despite the sibling banter, and Holly’s teasing about being older than Lou, the sisters have been through rough times together, only strengthening their bond more. Everything is going perfect, until… the news that Lou is terribly sick. So instead of making more plans for the future, Lou starts making plans for after. Because who will look after her children. Not that she cannot count on Tom on being the doting father he already is, but it isn’t easy to raise two small children on your own. And thus Lou makes Holly promise that Stan and Flo can always count on their Auntie. But despite Holly the children with whole her heart, can she be the person Lou expects her to be? With every minute that counts, both Lou and Tom, together with Holly, are trying to make memories with the children that will hopefully last a lifetime. But no matter what, the pain, but literally and figuratively, never truly disappears. So when the time arrives, can Lou leave everyone behind with a feeling that things will work out somehow? Or cannot everything be planned, like Lou hopes?

This for sure was not an easy book to read, for more than just one reason. Obviously there is the subject of the main character being sick, something that hit closer home to me. My own brother received the news of being ill several years back, and even if in the end, for him it all worked out, I could relate perhaps too easy to the anguish, the fears and the sense of the world falling into pieces…

And then there is the matter that Lou is a wonderful character, a great wife, and an amazing mother. She has so much to look forward to, and seeing all those prospects falling apart… And being the wonderful person that Lou is, she is afraid of leaving the world behind? Not that she is afraid for herself, but the worries she has is for all the people she is leaving behind… It would be easy and understandable to wallow in self-pity,  but that is not who Lou is. She wants to be sure that Tom, Stan, Flo and even Holly will be okay when the time comes.

Receiving such a diagnosis is a real shock, and absolutely not easy to digest. And we see clearly how people react differently. From denial, to not giving up to acceptance, each character, side or main are going through a whirlwind of emotions, and so was I while reading. Despite knowing how it would end for Lou, the optimist in me kept hoping for a miracle for her, that somehow things would change for her. But that doesn’t aways in life, and so it’s only fair in a way that it doesn’t in a book either…

And despite knowing what would be waiting for Lou, I admired her too. Because she is determined to use the time left to make that time count. She shifted the focus from her to her loved ones. It may seem controlling, how Lou somehow wants to make sure of things. But can you blame her? Wouldn’t you want your loved ones to be safe and looked after when you cannot take that task on you anymore?

It warmed my heart reading how Lou finds not only an outlet, but also understanding and compassion online. Of course there are always online trolls, but as the greater part of the responders are with a positive tone and even some good advice, it was not something that Lou needed, but also for us readers, and people in Lou’s same position, knowing that they are not alone… And then there is a wonderful, even more heartwarming/heartbreaking revelation towards the end of the book that made it even more perfect, especially for Lou…

Like I said, this isn’t an easy book to read, and for people having gone through the same or something alike, living with the fear, isn’t an easy task to read it until the very end. But despite  the heartbreak, this book is also filled with so much warmth, love and even strength. Because we see how love makes you want to look after people, even when you won’t be able to do it anymore. We see how a mother’s first worry is always about her children, her family. A mother’s heart, a wife’s heart, a sister’s heart will never stop looking after others, perhaps even if it costs them great effort.

Jo Bartlett wrote a book that shows us that life isn’t fair, it will never be fair. A story about people’s fight, struggles and resilience. Despite what happens, we see so much strength and determination in each character, showing us that that perhaps life can be cut short, but that the heart and the love it holds, will never die…

This for sure is a courageous story for the author to write, about a courageous woman, a courageous family. Even after reaching the end with several tears rolling over my face, I needed a time – out, to digest this wonderful story, to heal my own heart and most important, to appreciate the people around me even more…

A holiday with a past…

Synopsis

Escape to a beautiful Italian island with this wonderfully romantic story, threaded with secrets and intrigue.

It’s time to return to Ischia…

Alessia knows her grandmother grew up on the beautiful Italian island off the coast from Naples. But Ornella seldom talks about her life there – or why she never went back.

So Alessia is amazed when Ornella reveals that, in the months before she left Ischia, she had worked on the set of a famous 1950s movie filmed on the island. Is there a link between the film set and the tragic death of Ornella’s teenage sister?

Ornella has kept her past – and the heart-wrenching promise she made – a secret for over sixty years. She has tried not to think about the love she gave up. But now, perhaps the truth should finally be revealed…

Travelling to Ischia together, Alessia falls in love with the utterly captivating island. Meeting handsome journalist Roberto helps her dig deeper into her family’s past, too. Just what happened to Ornella’s sister? What heart-wrenching secret is her grandmother hiding?

This summer, can Alessia and Ornella put the past to rest and find the happy ending they both deserve?

A wonderfully escapist, romantic and compelling story of secrets and sacrifice, love and loyalty, that is perfect for fans of Karen Swan, Louise Douglas and Rosanna Ley.

My review

Alessia always knew that her lovely grandmother Ornella grew up on the Italian island of Ischia, until Ornella and her husband left the island for England. Now that Alessia’s relationship ended, and she no longer has a job, perhaps is now the perfect time to return to the place that Ornella called home. Yet Nonna Ornella is still able surprise Alessia with revealing that in the 1950’s, she worked on the set of a famous movie filmed on Ischia. Yet Ornella’s reluctance of speaking about that time, makes Alessia wonder if there is a link between the film and her aunt’s, Ornella’s younger sister, tragic death. Because it’s clear that Ornella is keeping more secrets, secrets that she has kept over sixty years. But could it be that returning to Ischia is also the perfect opportunity to open up about what happened to Ornella and her sister? And with Alessia’s encounter with a handsome journalist on a mission of his own, Roberto, Alessa has an ally in discovering the truth. But will there more be found by Alessia on this beautiful island than just the truth?

As an Italian, I may be a little biased when a story takes place in this beautiful country. As an Italian from the south, perhaps I am a little bit more biased. As an Italian that has visited and fallen in love with Ischia, I am perhaps a little bit a lot biased… But honestly, can you blame me? and after all, even if a story is set in the most beautiful place, but the story is not that great, even the best setting cannot fix that…

Luckily for us (and for the author, otherwise she would have to answer to me personally 😊  this is an amazing story, that for sure kept surprising me!Nobody ever needs to find a reason to go to Ischia, as it’s a wonderful place. But the fact that there is an actual link between the place and the main characters, for sure is a nice extra. It means that Ischia is of real importance, and it’s not just a ‘random’ place chosen by cheer chance, or luck.

Right from the start, I liked Alessia. She feels like a real person, someone that could actual live in our real lives. But I also liked her bond with her nonna, Ornella. With there being a generation gap, it would be normal if there would be some friction between the women. And of course not everything goes smoothly all the time, yet the genuine love and care for each other is so palpable from each page.

With Ornella’s reluctance of returning to Ischia, of course Alessia’s curiosity grows. And of course mine grew too! Not only did I wanted to see how Ornella would be returning home, but I was also eager to discover what exactly happened all those years ago to Ornella and her sister. And I have to say, my mind and imagination went wild!

Especially the fact that a famous movie was made when Ornella was young, added extra mystery (and extra plots) to the story. What exactly happened back there? And how could it be that it still had an effect on Ornella as it clearly still haunts her…

Of course there has to be somehow a love interest for Alessia, as let’s not forget that she is also a main character in this book. I liked it how she connects with Roberto, even if they have just met. You would think that him being a journalist, it would be only about getting his story, but that is not Roberto. Yes, his story matters to him, but seeing him with Alessia, makes it clear that these two people, helping each other out, start to feel more and more for each other. And that Roberto’s story starts to fade a little bit.

There are several side characters in this book, that initially don’t seem connected to the greater picture. Yet slowly I was able to connect the dots, and seeing my suspicions finally being right after many attempts, it felt satisfying. And not only for my sake, but also for the characters in the book.

Taking about side characters, it has to be said that I loved seeing how Ornella and Alessia were welcomed (back) to Ischia. The Italians in this book for sure show how open and accepting they can be. 

Of course there is an initial wariness, and here and there someone has to be a d*ckhead, but in general all the people in this book are just warm and kind people, with their hearts at the right place.

This book for sure takes its characters on a journey, together with its readers. Characters that have to discover their roots, characters that have to face their past, characters that have to stop hiding. Characters that somehow are all connected.

And as a reader, I found myself having the urgent need to read more, because those dots needed to be connected asap. Because Victoria Springfield just captures your attention and won’t let you go until you reached the end. And with such a beautiful setting, wonderful, realistic and altruistic characters, why would I just think of putting the book away? 😊

An offer that cannot be refused…

Synopsis

When Life Gives You Lemons, Fake an Engagement

When investment banker Adrian and software engineer Rowena started the day, they didn’t expect to end it engaged! But Adrian has invented a fake fiancée to impress his CEO, regretting the lie almost immediately, and now he is in hot water. Meanwhile, Rowena’s career has just gone up in flames, leaving her unemployed, unexpectedly expecting with no father in the picture, and short of options. When fate throws these two hot messes into a meet-cute of epic proportions, it’s a match made in rock-bottom heaven. They say love is blind, and with nothing to lose, Adrian gets down on one knee… and Rowena says yes!

The rules of engagement are simple:

Pretend to be madly in love

Keep their real lives separate

Absolutely, positively do NOT catch feelings

However, faking it is harder than they thought, especially when every overnight stay comes with only one bed and zero personal space—blurring that imaginary line between ‘just business’ and ‘definitely personal.’

Soon, their carefully constructed charade starts to feel alarmingly… real. Can Adrian and Rowena stick to their engagement pact, or will their fake relationship graduate to something authentically messy, complicated, and wonderful?

Find out in this hilarious, heartwarming tale of two strangers who said “I do” before they even said “Hello.” Because sometimes, the worst day of your life just might lead to the best mistake you’ll ever make.

If the Ring Fits is an age gap, marriage of convenience rom-com with a multi-millionaire MMC and a STEM FMC perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, Sarah Adams and Fallon Ballard**

My review

Software engineer Rowena is falling apart quickly… she is happy that her relationship ended, as it for sure was a toxic one. But she didn’t expect to find herself pregnant, and suddenly also without employment. She doesn’t know what to do nor does she know how she will be able take care of not only her herself but also of the baby that will be arriving. The last thing she expects that while feeling sick in the bathrooms of her what used to be her office budling, she meets up with Adrian. He himself is also feeling sick, as he just told the biggest of lies to the CEO of his firm. Because as the CEO is stepping down, he is looking for a successor and Adrian wants the job. Only needs the next CEO needs to be more of a family man, and that Adrian is not. So Adrian invented a fiancée, and now he needs to deliver. Rowena and Adrian both have something the other needs, so a plan comes to fruition. A crazy plan, but when Adrian pops the question, Rowena accepts. Because they only need each other until they get what they want, right?

Ooh, Camilla Isley just did it again… writing not only a romance story, but one filled with so much more than just a sudden two people finding each other in time of need.

Everyone has a bad moment in life, where things don’t go how we expected them to go. Heck, there can be even more bad moments in life. Unfortunately for Rowena, those bad moments in her life come all at the same time…

While it’s good for her that she is no longer with her douchebag – boyfriend, discovering that she is pregnant for sure shocks her.

To make things even worse, she finds herself losing her job. Not because she is not competent enough, because she for sure is. But because let’s say the environment,  and especially her boss’s attitude, aren’t the healthiest of the places, and sure not a place where equality and righteousness prevails…

I felt both angry in her place and sad for her at the same time. The way she has been treated, both by her boss and even her ex, are just so wrong in many different aspects. And just the moment she is trying to get her life back on track after the break – up, she is faced with another setback. So could I blame her for feeling sick while leaving the building? Of course not! And I don’t think it’s all to blame on her pregnancy…

Her meeting Adrian, in the bathrooms of all places, of course is hilarious. Of all the places they could meet, even an elevator, but no, Camilla had to go a step further and make their first encounter in one of the most awkward and embarrassing places of the whole world. And yes, it was funny they meet in the same circumstances, being sick and needing the toilets. Of course their circumstances are completely different.

I have to say, Adrian doesn’t come off as a great guy at the start of the book. He is focused on his career, seems to care more about his wealth than anything else. And he makes it even ‘worse’ by lying to the CEO, just in order to get the position he has his eyes on.

Now, I knew that Camilla wouldn’t make the main character a horrible person, or a selfish one. So even if Adrian may look like one, I knew that we had to be patient and that Adrian’s real character would show and that we would fall for him.

Perhaps their plan is unconventional. Okay, not perhaps.. 😊 But I could understand where they were coming from. Rowena needs security in her insecure life, and Adrian needs a fake fiancée. So why wouldn’t they join forces and help each other out? This isn’t the kind of story where the main characters just go with the flow. Both Rowena and Adrian come with strict plans and rules. And we already start to see the kind of man Adrian is. Because he is adamant on taking care of Rowena, even just financially, even at the end of their agreement. I don’t think that many people would to that.

What this book isn’t either, is the kind where sparks fly immediately, the main characters share the bed immediately etcetera. No, in this book we see how Rowena and Adrian are not always finding it easy to adapt to the many changes in their lives.

And things don’t always go that smoothly, because not only Rowena isn’t used to all the luxury and sees how the other lives. But we also see that living together doesn’t mean that characters immediately warm towards each other. Adrian is still rather distant, even avoiding Rowena, not making this awkward situation any easier.

Yet slowly, very slowly and very funnily too, we see walls falling down. What starts as physical attraction becomes more. And I am not only talking about it in a romantic way. But we see Adrian opening up, and we see the man he truly is, and how he became the man he is now.

I found it sweet, funny – even hilarious – seeing this unlikely pair being together. I loved reading how they start to form a real unit together, having each other’s back, supporting each other and even help each other out to make their dreams come true.

Dreams that involve the reappearance of some characters that I already loved from previous books that made me literally ‘EEEEEEEEK!’ 😊. Their presence in this book was for sure an extra nice surprise in an already wonderful story!

There is one point that I didn’t fully agree with the author… It’s something that happens rather late in the story, and it involves a name. I understand the meaning behind it, and the idea is a wonderful one. But that doesn’t mean I had to fully like it. But… if that is the only thing I didn’t completely like in the whole story, it’s not that bad, right? 😊

This was absolutely a wonderful story, with a strong and flabbergasting start. A story that for sure kept me captivating. It was impossible to put it away. A story that shows that sometimes when things start off truly badly, it can be the start of a brand new adventure, something unconventional maybe, yet something wonderful.

With each book from this amazing author, I have extreme high expectations. Yet it doesn’t matter how impossible high those expectations may be, Camilla easily fulfils them and keeps on exceeded them! I just cannot wait for her next book!

A temporarily stop before a fresh start? Or not?

Synopsis

Ingrid is desperate to sell up and move on. Recently widowed, she no longer needs the large house or the treasures (and tat) collected by her late husband, Tommy, an auctioneer. Then there’s the debt he left her with, too.

So, she jumps at the chance to downsize and move to Willowbrook on a temporary lease. She’ll open a pop-up shop for just one year – to dispose of Tommy’s accumulated goods – and then move on. No getting embroiled in village life.

But Ingrid hasn’t reckoned on Willowbrook’s extrovert local ladies (known as the Saga Louts). Or handsome local craftsman Joel, with whom there’s a definite attraction. They all want to help set up ‘The Treasure Trove’.

Surprisingly, it turns out Ingrid can also help them.

Will she ever achieve the fresh start and simpler life she craved? Or will Ingrid discover a wonderful new way to move onwards and upwards?

My review

After losing her husband, Ingrid is ready to have a fresh start. As the house is too big for her own, and her husband being an auctioneer collected way too much treasures and tats but also debts, Ingrid has come up with the plan to downsize, and open a pop – up shop in the village of Willowbrook. Not only does she hope to pay off the debts, but Ingrid also dreams of starting all over again. Even if the initial plan is to stay only for a year at Willowbrook, Ingrid finds herself quickly befriending the local ladies, better known as the Saga Louts, each and every one of them determined to help Ingrid with her shop, not letting their age stop them. And there is also Joel, the local craftsman, to which Ingrid cannot keep denying the mutual attraction. And Ingrid finds herself not only accepting the help of these new friends, but she also becomes an invaluable asset. But the plan was only to stay in Willowbrook for one year, right?

Whenever I start reading a book where the characters are older than me, I am always a bit fearful that the experiences the characters have (and have had), are things that make it difficult to relate with them. And then there are stories, just like this one, where there is an actual age difference between reader and character, but yet the reader is perfectly capable to relate with each character. And with an amazing author, the age difference just fades into thin air, as just a minor detail in a bigger picture.

Wanting to start over, and move away from your home, can seem like a drastic measurement. But beside that Ingrid hasn’t a real choice, due to her husband’s debts, I could comprehend why Ingrid wanted to get away. Not only the logical reasons, as the home is too large, but she is just ready to leave it behind and start fresh.

Sometimes it’s the best thing to get away from the places that hold so many memories. And with the opportunity of a lifetime, opening a pop – up store in Willowbrook, Ingrid feels that moving is the only way forward.

While reading how Ingrid is setting up the store, I kept questioning myself if I would be able to have a husband like Ingrid’s. And I am not saying he is a bad person, but all that hoarding! I think I would go out of my mind if Tommy would be my partner! I was flabbergasted reading how Ingrid could fill so much of the shop with just what her husband had, and the things from her home that she herself doesn’t need anymore.

It saddened me also a bit to read how Ingrid didn’t have this close circle of friends. That is clear by how uncomfortable she initially feels when meeting the Saga Louts. She is clearly out of her depth, not only with the move, but with just everything.

And while perhaps not without a real choice, I liked it to read how the women took Ingrid under their wings, offering their help through every step, with words of advice, and also a non – judgemental listening ear. But perhaps I loved it even more to see how quickly how important Ingrid also becomes for her new friends. Sometimes it’s about finding the right people at the right time, and it doesn’t matter how long you know them to be of significant importance to each other.

On that note, I found it sweet to see Ingrid and Joel together. Of course there has to be some kind of love interest in this book for Ingrid, and why would that not be local Joel?

He is the kind of person that always puts other people’s interest before his own. He always wants to do good for everyone, even if that sometimes ends in putting his foot in it. But you cannot deny that everything he does and says, is done with the best of interest.

Perhaps there are some decisions and choices made that are a bit hasty for my liking. But that is purely on me, as perhaps I am too wary, but also too honest and open about things that take place in my own life. Yet perhaps those moments fit exactly with the general pace of the story, as the bonds grow rapidly but also genuinely.

I found this some kind of funny story, because it shows us that no matter what we may plan, we never know what or who exactly will cross our paths. And that something plans are made to be changed. But more important, I found this absolutely a heart – warming story, showing the beauty of friendship and love. And what stood me by after reaching the end, is that even in a rather short time span, even less than a year, the most significant bonds can be created.  And that it’s never too late for a fresh start!