How long can you hang on to a past that will never return?

Synopsis

When life changes in an instant, how do you find the courage to begin again? ❤️‍🩹

A&E doctor, Eve Bellingham’s life changed forever the night her fiancé Max was the victim of a brutal attack. Now, two years later, she has moved her life to Cornwall and is working at St Piran’s Hospital, helping his family cope as Max struggles with his devastating injuries.

But though Eve’s loyalty has never wavered, the man she loved is gone. Annie – Max’s mother – still clings to the hope that one day everything will return to how it was, but Eve isn’t so sure it ever will. Torn between duty and despair, Eve feels trapped in a life that no longer fits.

Then she meets Felix Grainger, the dedicated occupational therapist helping Max towards independence. With kindness and quiet strength, he awakens feelings Eve thought she’d lost forever.

To seize her second chance, Eve must risk breaking the only family she’s ever known. Because sometimes, letting go is the bravest way to begin again.

My review

Eve Bellingham had it all just two years ago, until one brutal attack destroyed her fiancé’s life and thus also hers. In order to have Max properly taken care of, not jus his family, but also Eve made the move to Cornwall. Even if Eve knows better, Max’s family, especially his mother, believe that one day the Max they all knew and loved, will return. However, at the moment Max is working hard to just gain his independence back, together with occupational therapist Felix Grainger, which is easier said than done. Though Eve hopes that Max will get better, she has lost the man she loved with all her heart. And even if her loyalty is always with Max and his family, nobody at St Piran’s Hospital know the complete story, no matter how wonderful all of Eve’s colleagues are. Despite Max’s family is the only family Eve ever had, when Felix starts to make Eve feel things she never thought to be feeling again, how can Eve ever think of starting again without the people she used to and still loves deeply?

Having read all the previous books of this series, I was sooooo ready for this next chapter! Because this wonderful author just manages book after book to write about great people, in a turmoil yes, but no matter what the characters are going through, there is always a ray of love, warmth, friendship and hope.

I haven’t found the love of my life (yet), but is there something more terrible than losing that person while there were still so many plans to make and execute? Well, in this book we see there is… 

Because while it is terrible that Max has been brutally attacked, he did survive the assault. But the Max Eve has fallen in love with, that amazing man, is gone… I don’t understand the whole medical specifics about it, but it broke my heart to read how whole his personality has changed in just one night, by just pure bad luck, meeting the wrong person at the wrong time.

And it broke my heart to see Eve struggling. Of course Max is in a worse position, as he is the literal real victim of the assault, but it doesn’t take away that also his family and Eve are victims too. Because of course they want to give Max the best help possible, even if that means moving to Cornwall, and going for visits without having a warm welcome at all…

Eve shows in this book how loyal she is not only as a fiancée, but also as an almost – daughter – in – law. While it is clear that the life she had envisioned with Max is out of the question now, it is also obvious that her visits are becoming a chore and aren’t doing any good. Not to Eve, but not to Max either. And I don’t mean this in a bad way, but it is clear that what Eve and Max once had, is long gone.

Yet we see that despite that Eve doesn’t love Max the same way, she still truly cares about him, and wants him to get better. And the same applies for her feelings towards Max’s family.

Initially I found it a bit difficult to understand the dynamics, and why Eve finds it impossible to stand up against Annie, Max’s mother. But slowly, reading how Eve found with Max the family she always longed for, made me understand it all so much better.

I don’t know if I could do what Eve is doing for Max and his family, being the rock everyone needs her to be. Because who is Eve’s rock? Who is there to comfort her, to listen to her own fears and doubts, hopes and wishes? I am not saying that Max is being a burden, but the whole situations everyone is, is a burden. And I could understand why Eve is keeping her personal situation a secret from all the people in St Piran.

Because at the hospital, Eve can be ‘just Eve’, not ‘Max’s Eve’. At the hospital, Eve can be herself, forget in a way all the curveballs life has thrown.

But at the same time, keeping it all to herself, Eve is more alone and lonely. She keeps her distance from her lovely colleagues, out of fear. But it is obvious that all she needs, is to have all these wonderful people by her side.

And seeing how St Piran is working its magic on Eve, was just so heartwarming. Because everyone in St Piran is just being there for Eve, giving her the time and space she needs to open up about her life, to find that courage.

St Piran is exactly what Eve needs, because she needs to understand that while she still loves Max in a different way, she also has to allow to be free again, to be herself again, to find peace again, and even to find love again.

And why not let Felix help Eve to figure this all out?

Felix has also been through an emotional rollercoaster, and he may have moved back to Cornwall, but the past hasn’t let him completely go.

It is clear that the weight of that past is still haunting him, but at the same time, we also see that Felix is the kind of person that you can always turn to for help. His demons hasn’t turned him in to a cynical person, on the contrary, it has made him more adamant to help those in need.

We see this not only with his interaction with Max, but also in so many other moments, where his kindness and availability truly shine.

So is it truly that mysterious why there is an attraction between Eve and Felix? Absolutely not. Because Eve needs to understand that letting go of Max is the right thing to do, for her own sanity in a way. But Felix also understands that Eve needs time to come to terms with it.

In a way, I found this a sad story too. Because Eve is trapped in a way, in a situation she cannot see how to get out of it. She loves the people that are more family than her own family, but is it fair for her to keep hanging on to what has been? To be forced in a way to clinging on a past, seeking for revenge, instead of forgiving and moving on.

But while this is a sad story in a way, it is also a beautiful, wonderful, heartwarming and even eye-opening story. Because it is perhaps easy to hang onto the past, but it takes courage to stand up for yourself in a way, letting go of all the ‘what –  ifs’ that are circling in your head. It takes courage to open up, to let people back in. It takes courage to understand that choosing yourself isn’t always a selfish act. Because everyone, you included, deserve to be love and be loved unconditionally, deserve to follow the happiness.

And Jo Bartlett wrote all of this in a story that will break your heart, will warm your heart, will touch your heart. This story for sure didn’t let me go that easily, but even as just a reader, it was absolutely worth the emotional rollercoaster I went through!

Why wait?

Synopsis

It’s never too late to find yourself… 💫

When she unexpectedly loses her husband, Yvonne Kellerman’s world turns quiet and grey. Five years on, her days are filled with the gentle chatter of her loyal parrot, Trevor, and the comfort of her crafting table—but she can’t shake the feeling that life is slipping her by and Yvonne feels lost and lonelier than ever.

When she joins the local crafting club at Willowdale Village Hall, Yvonne expects nothing more than a few afternoons of sewing. Instead, amongst the other local crafters, she discovers friendship, laughter and a renewed appreciation for her gorgeous Lake District home. It’s a reminder that she isn’t alone and, with each new stitch, her confidence returns, and so does her belief that it’s never too late for fresh starts and new beginnings.

When a familiar face from her past reappears, Yvonne finds herself standing at a crossroads: will she protect her heart, or embrace the chance to love—and truly live—again?

My review

Yvonne Kellerman has a lovely life with her husband. But after losing him unexpectedly, her world has turned lonely. Yes, she has some lovely neighbours, but when even her best friend is moving away, and the neighbourhood doesn’t feel all that warm and cosy anymore with all the new families around, Yvonne feels that life is slipping away and she realizes that something has to change before she feels truly all alone on the world. So when she hears about a local crafting club at Willowdale Village Hall, with a little bit of fear in her shoes, Yvonne decides to go over. And slowly, after spending several afternoon sewing, Yvonne finds new friends with the local crafters, and her life starts to shine a little bit brighter. And slowly, stitch after stitch, not only is her passion returning, but also her own confidence. And with her new friends, Yvonne starts to understand that it is never too late to start again, especially when someone unexpected from her past reappears…

It is not a secret that I absolutely adore Jessica Redland. If she would be living in Belgium, or just nearer my home, I think I would have a restraining order from her 😊

With every book Jessica writes, I find it so easy to connect with the main characters, and it is just devouring time when reading, as each time it is such a compelling story. Although I was a tiny bit afraid with this book, as Yvonne is in a complete different stage in her life than I am. It is a fact that Yvonne is a bit older than me, and has been through a lot already.

But I should not have doubted Jessica for a minute, because even if Yvonne’s life and mine are completely different, I connected with her too immediately, and I understood her with her every thought, feeling, doubt and emotion.

There is something about Yvonne, right from the start, that makes you wonder how her life has been. Because it is obvious that she is still grieving over the loss of her lovely husband, who was also her best friend. But it is also clear that that isn’t all there is to tell about Yvonne.

Even if my situation is nothing like Yvonne’s, I could perfectly understand and even feel the loneliness and loss Yvonne is feeling at the start of the book. And her sense of not belonging in her neighbourhood anymore, was also something I could understand. Because life goes on for everyone, and no matter how lovely the neighbourhood used to be, and what great friendships Yvonne has built over the years, change always is coming.

And unfortunately, seeing how the new neighbours aren’t that neighbourly as Yvonne expected them to be, it is also something very recognizable. Because let’s be honest, who does truly know their neighbours? Who truly goes for just a coffee? Not the younger of us, that’s for sure. And while I sometimes curse my elder neighbours, and their lack of distance at moments, I also appreciate the fact that especially those older than me, are just a shout away if I would ever need a helping hand!

I admired Yvonne as she finds the courage to go to the local crafting club. And while I admired her, I also felt more alike her, reading about her trepidation of entering the village hall on her own. I hate entering a new place on my own, I would rather run away, so I completely understood Yvonne’s fears.

Of course it is clear that Yvonne will enter the local crafting club, and that things will start to change for her, for the better. But I still was happy to see her enter the hall, even if she doesn’t truly have a choice there, doesn’t she 😊.

I loved reading how warm and welcoming everyone is, seeing Yvonne becoming a part of their little crafting community. And it warmed my heart reading how Yvonne has found her happy place. A happy place where not only she has found her kind of people, but a place where she can be herself, but where she is also becoming a person to go to.

And with her finding her peace and confidence again, having found a safe place, she has found people that she can trust, and open up to about her past, and what is tormenting her.

As a child, I used to have a journal, who hasn’t, but I never though about it how the journal is being used in this story, as an adult. And while I still don’t see it doing it myself, I can see the appeal of it, how it can be liberating.

And with Yvonne taking the task of journalling very serious, I could see how it helps her letting go of things she cannot change, but also how it helps her looking forward to a future of her own making in a way.

Especially letting go of the past is a huge task for Yvonne. She has been through a lot while growing up and while it may not have been an easy choice she made then, I could understand what drove her to make those choices. Yet it also felt that she has been missing out a lot, and even a chance of a happier, a more being loved life.

It sounds rather strange, but you just need to read the book to understand what I am talking about, and it will all be making sense…

There is the resurface of an old face in this story, but it didn’t feel at all that that was the point of the story. I truly believe that Jessica wants to show us that no matter what age you are, it is never too late to step outside, meet new people, make new friends, and just start again. It may all sound very scary, but the reward you will get instead will be worth of it all!

Jessica once again wrote a marvellous story, making me feel all the possible emotions once again. And as I am used now with this wonderful author, I have the need to read more, but also to read less. I want to know how it will end, but I don’t want to say goodbye yet…

If you need to read an inspiring story, need a little nudge to get outside yourself, go on, pick up this book and get inspired. Because after all, why wait for tomorrow if you can start today?

When Christmas isn’t turning out to be the most wonderful time of the year…

Synopsis

Festive excitement is in the air, the tree is sparkling on the village green and Christmas music is making even the most hardened cynic feel a little sentimental – but one Little Duck Pond Café favourite is feeling anything but romantic! Is this destined to be a festive season best forgotten? Or could Katja’s dream of a merry little Christmas possibly end up coming true?

My review

After a terrible breakup, Katja truly believed she has found love again, in the form of Caleb. Not only is he just amazing, but he also understands Katje better than no one else did before. He knows that things need to go slowly, not because Katja isn’t sure about her feelings, but because she is afraid of the depths of them. However, while Katje doesn’t want anything more than snuggling with Caleb for their first Christmas together, there are things that worry Katja. Firstly, there are these reoccurring nightmares she keeps on having, making her fear for what she may lose, and secondly, Caleb starts to act out of character. Has Caleb run out of patience and is letting her down slowly, and will this be a lonely Christmas for Katja after all? Or is there more than what the eye sees?

Initially, I was over the moon reading this next instalment that I absolutely love. However, that feeling started to shift the more I was reading it. Now my dearest Rosie, don’t go panicking, keep on reading my thoughts of the book and you’ll see what you have done to my emotions and more important, to my heart! 😊

Of course I knew who Katja is as she also takes part in the previous parts of the series. So I knew already what she had endured in the past, and how her previous relationship ended not only in heartbreak, but also in a terrible way.

Even if now she had found love again with Caleb, I could understand why she wants to take things slowly with him, and how she is a bit afraid of admitting what she truly feels. Having been burnt by love before does that with people, doesn’t it?

And my heart went out to her, seeing how she is being haunted by nightmares and how those nightmares are exhausting her. I think I could understand where those nightmares are coming from, but as I have been haunted by nightmares myself for a longer period (though for complete different reasons), I know that even if you know better, it doesn’t stop those nightmares from returning.

When you are in need, you should get all the possible support. And how much did it warm my heart how all of Katja’s family and friends are always there for her. It is not easy to understand what is going on in someone’s head, but seeing their support, shows how close and how caring just everyone is in this wonderful community.

A community that wants Katja to be happy, just like she deserves to be. A community that wants Katja to understand that she has the real deal found with Caleb.

However… no matter how amazing Caleb has been, how patient he has been and how understanding he has been, the change of his behaviour made me share Katja’s doubts…

We see Caleb becoming more distant, dodgy even. And I did not like this side of Caleb. Even if I knew that this author would never disappoint me with characters that I would truly dislike, Caleb for sure was testing me in every possible way.

I truly tried to keep my faith and I truly tried to believe him and his goodness. But Caleb also made sure that no matter what I wanted to believe, I only saw the bad things… Bad things I didn’t want to see, but couldn’t otherwise…

There is so much to say about Caleb’s character and behaviour, and things will be made clear in the end. But as this is a spoiler – free review, I cannot divulge further on it. But what I can say, is that Rosie for sure played dirty!  And I don’t know if I have forgiven her yet! 😊

Despite the turmoil Katja is going through, and all the doubts she is having, we see also her strength in this story. She has been through a lot, but that also makes her a compassionate person, seeing signs that perhaps not everyone sees. She is ready to help out those who find it scary to stand up for themselves. Katje shows us that no matter how difficult life gets, kindness and care don’t cost a thing.

Rosie Green wrote a beautiful, strong, compassionate story, where things aren’t going easy for the main characters. But the characters are always kind-hearted, patient, righteous and protective of their loved ones, but strong enough to not let the bad ones win and take over. All this is written in a wonderful tale, surrounded with some Christmas sprinkles, making me (in the end 😊) love the story completely and full heartedly!

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

Synopsis

From grieving widow…

1851, England. After her merchant husband saved her from a life of prostitution, Louisa Hill was briefly happy as a housewife in Bristol. But then a constable arrives at her door. Her husband has been found hanged in a Bath hotel room, a note and a key to a property in Bath she knew nothing about the only things she has left of him.

To a new life as a madam…

Knowing the debt collectors will arrive any moment, Louisa must leave everything she knows behind, and move to Bath. But left with no means of income, Louisa knows she has little choice but to return to but her old way of life. But this time, she’ll do it on her own terms – by turning her new home into a brothel for upper class gentleman. And she’s determined the horrors she was forced to endure in the past are not experienced by the girls she saves from the streets.

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

My review

Louisa thought she finally escaped a life of prostitution, by getting married. She enjoyed her life as a housewife, but when a constable knocks on her door, her dream falls apart. Her husband has been found dead in a hotel room and left her a property in Bath and many debts. Now that Louisa has no more income, she sees no other option than returning to her old job. But this time it will be on her conditions. She won’t run just a random brothel, but one for upper class gentlemen. And to make sure that every woman in the house is safe, she needs someone to watch the house. And her eye falls on boxer Jacob Jackson. Will Louisa succeed in run the brothel how she envisions it? And can she truly protect the girls?

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Classic story, updated

Synopsis

Caroline’s got frugality down to a fine art. She can make a tin of soup stretch for days, considers “reduced to clear” her love language, and thinks Christmas is just a daft excuse for people to throw their money away on tinsel trimmed tat. 

But Christmas Eve night takes a turn when her best mate, Marlene, drops in for a chat. Lovely, right? Except Marlene’s been dead for seven years and she’s got a message for Caroline, she will be visited by three spirits and if she doesn’t pay attention, her future’s looking bleaker than the contents of her fridge freezer. 

Caroline’s convinced she’s having a hallucination. Ghosts? Surely not! But as the night goes on, she starts to wonder if she might just learn something worth more than her latest discount voucher. And for someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing, this might be the wake-up call she didn’t see coming. 

Move over Ebenezer! This modern, laugh-out-loud retelling of the Dickens classic has a new Scrooge in town. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella. 

My review

When you would look up frugality in the dictionary, there is definitely a picture of Caroline next to the description. So what if she is eating from the same tin of soup for days, so what if her sofa is killing her back, as long as she doesn’t have to spend an extra penny. Not even her friends can make her change her way of living, especially as in fact, Caroline doesn’t have many. But one evening, Caroline gets a wake – up call from her best friend Marlene. Nothing strange, weren’t it for the fact that Marlene has passed away seven years ago… And Marlene is telling Caroline that she will be visited by three ghosts, hoping they can make Caroline see that if nothing changes, her future will be bleak and lonely… Sceptical initially, Caroline starts to wonder if there may be some truths in what she is being told…

Of course the classic of A Christmas Carol is known to me. And while I have seen adaptations of it, movies and series, I haven’t ever read the actual book. I know, shame on me!

And I can only imagine how not only how difficult it can be for an author to take such a beloved story and give it another twist to it, but it also courageous, because there is so much to take in account and a lot of prejudice against it too.

I can understand how especially in these current times, sometimes you have to think about every penny and how to spend it. And initially I thought that Caroline couldn’t afford any frivolity, and that it makes sense for her to use the same tin of soup for days.

So learning that in fact Caroline would have been able to buy a more comfortable sofa, but just doesn’t want to, made me frown a little bit. Yes, you shouldn’t spend your money on unnecessary things, but when it is a necessity… And even if it weren’t unnecessary, but it is something you truly want, why not? You only live once, right?

When Marlene appears, knowing that Caroline’s best friend has passed away, it makes sense for Caroline to think that she is hallucinating, wouldn’t you freak out too? But it is also a necessary wake – up call, because there is still time for Caroline to change her own life.

Obviously, Caroline is a stubborn woman, and thus strong ways must be found. So let the known three ghosts enter the scene!

While I truly wanted Caroline to realize that her way of life is no way of living in fact, it also saddened me to read how it came this far with her. And how alone and lonely in fact Caroline is. Yes, partly it can be blamed on herself and the choices she has made overtime, but still… Being lonely and alone is somehow a vicious circle, difficult to get out of it on your own…

Yes, perhaps after the visit of the last ghost, Caroline’s action were a total 180 compared to her previous behaviour, but is makes it obvious to the readers how much the ghosts have affected her and how well the message has arrived.

I truly enjoyed reading this revisited version and how it was set in the present, with everything we know and have now. Of course the classic remains the classic, but I truly believe the author owned this story. And with reading this tale, it made me once again realize how life should be lived at its fullest, enjoy it at the fullest, with the people you love, because before you know, it can be over in a blink. And you wouldn’t want to be just a footnote in someone’s else life, would you? Don’t you want to be the star in your own life?  

Is all truly lost when we think it is?

Synopsis

A sweeping Regency tale of identity, devotion, and unexpected romance.

Lady Antonella thought she knew who she was—until a shattering family secret strips her of her name, her place in society, and her future. Cast adrift in Cornwall, she finds an injured goshawk in a poacher’s net and begins to nurse it back to health. But the hawk belongs to the war-scarred Lord Atherleigh—a man haunted by loss, determined to dismantle his mews, and certainly not expecting a spirited young woman to upend his solitude.

In London, her twin sister Belinda—radiant, poised, and newly on the marriage market—has only one goal: to find a worthy match… for Antonella. But when Hector Gainesworth, a charming rogue with laughter in his eyes and secrets of his own, turns his attention to Belinda instead, her heart begins to spin in an altogether unexpected direction.

As the sisters navigate betrayal, desire, and the demands of their hearts, two men must decide whether to risk everything for love. And Antonella’s goshawk may be the wild, winged thread that binds their fates.

My review

Antonella and Belinda have been the closest of sisters, and not just because they are twins. Or at least that it what they always believed to be. However, one shocking revelation makes Antonella not only take away her place in society, but also her identity. She doesn’t know who she truly is and where she belongs. The only thing that brings her solace, is her passion for birds. So when she finds an injured goshawk, she is determined to bring it back to health. Little does Antonella know that in fact, the goshawk belongs to Lord Atherleigh, who lost not only his hand but also hope and the will to live during war. And little does Antonella know that what starts as a random encounter, could possibly bring them together. Or not? Meanwhile in London is Belinda determined to protect her sister, and she is ready to make sure that Antonella’s life is secured. And that means to find a compatible suitor for her. But when Belinda meets Mr. Gainesworth, who is perfect for Antonella, Belinda must make an impossible choice and understand what her heart truly desires…

When I started reading this book, I was a bit in doubts. Not because I doubted the story, but because I am absolutely not into birds at all. In fact, I am a bit terrified of them! They can stay in the sky as long as they won’t, as long they don’t come near me! 😊

In that aspect, I found a kindred spirit in Belinda, as she feels the same about those feathered animals. But as a wonderful, supporting and loyal sister, she is in Antonella’s corner and even if she doesn’t understand it herself, she sees the passion Antonella has for them.

The love between the sisters is so sweet to read. Of course being twins is even a closer bond, but as I have an amazing relationship with my own brother, I can understand how the sisters would do anything for each other. Their differences, both physical as their interests, cannot break their sisterly connection.

A connection that cannot be broken by hearing upon the news that in fact they aren’t sisters at all. Of course, being sisters for years cannot be erased by one shocking revelation. You cannot just stop being sisters overnight. And I loved reading the determination from both women, that nothing would tear them apart, that they would find ways to always be in each other’s lives.

I have to admit, I was shocked how the news was brought to them, how cold, how rationale, without any feeling. And it not only saddened me but also it also broke my heart seeing how easily Antonella was dismissed, ‘downgraded’. Even if Antonella isn’t truly family, you raised this woman, so how can you not care about her anymore?

Of course Antonella is at loss after the news. Wouldn’t you be too? Everything you thought you knew, turns out to be a lie… At loss is even an understatement! Obviously Antonella needs to find her peace in a special place.

And seeing how she has that place, and how it brings her inner calmness, made me in a way happy for her. Seeing also how she is determined to help out the injured goshawk, how she somehow connects with it, made me like her, admire her even more.

A hurt Antonella and an injured bird, they need an equally pained character.

Lord Atherleigh for sure fits the bill, haunted by not only the loss of his hand, but also the demons of the war that are still haunting him. How to cope with everything you have seen, everything you have lost, and knowing that people are starting at you.

I could absolutely comprehend how he feels that he has lost everything, that there is nothing left for him. But I also wished for him to see quickly the light again, and that he would understand that there is still more than enough in life.

So seeing Antonella and Lord Atherleigh somehow finding each other, understanding each other, warmed my heart. But are those few encounters truly enough?

At the same time, we see Belinda in London, trying her best to find the best suitor for Antonella.

Seeing that sisterly love, that determination, made me immediately like Belinda even more than I already did before!

Whenever Belinda is in Society, she is looking around, not for herself, but for Antonella. Yes, that makes some strange conversations, putting several smiles on my face 😊

And when Belinda meets Mr. Gainesworth, I could see why Belinda thinks he is the perfect match for Antonella. But I could clearly see who would be an even perfecter match! 😊

In this book we see how even the most disruptive news cannot break a bond that is thicker than blood. But we also see how it can make you still question everything and even yourself. And we see how different people are, and how different lives can go. Yet no matter how different people are, or what they have been through, there is also an unexplainable connection that can be formed, against own beliefs and altruism.

And that is the strength also of this book, how all the characters, no matter their hurt, are thinking about others. We see how despite everything that is happening, how big each character’s heart is. That made me forget about my fear and dislike of birds that connect the characters one way or another!  

Let’s get you curious with an extract!

Synopsis

Odele Gardia . . . married to wealthy businessman Howard, is the hard-nosed matriarch of the family and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. She’s ruthless in the boardroom and not afraid to lean on adversaries. 

Sebastian Gardia . . . Odele’s brother and business partner. His wife, Freya, reveals that she is pregnant with their first child.

Elliot . . . the prodigal son, is returning from America with his girlfriend, intending to propose to her.

Business is booming, her brother is going to become a father, and her son is coming home – it’s surely a time to celebrate. But Odele is hiding a huge secret and is constantly looking over her shoulder. If the secret came out, it would destroy the family.

Jimmy Alder . . . booted out of the police force, has been paid to spy on the family. The discovery he makes could have catastrophic consequences for them all.

A dysfunctional family, protectors of their power, wealth and each other, have no warning of the revelations about to erupt and the cost to their dynasty.

Extract

Wealthy Odele Gardia, the ruthless matriarch, is looking for a fixer. She requires someone discreet to ‘lean on’ a family member.

Odele parked her car in the executive car park that she’d purchased a permanent parking space for, and made her way down in the lift and out into the fresh air as she started the short walk to the office. As she approached the entrance, the vagrant was back, sitting on the pavement. She’d labelled him as a vagrant, but he was far from it. While he might be unshaved and dressed shabbily, he was too good looking to be who he was trying to be. And she was well ahead of him now, anyway.

“I paid you to move on. Why are you still here?”

He shrugged. “I need more money. Ten quid doesn’t go far.”

“Can’t you take yourself off and loiter somewhere else?”

“I could,” he nodded to the paper cup at the side of him, “but I don’t get handed Costa coffees down the side streets.”

“Where do you live?”

He shrugged again. “Here and there.”

“Are you Jimmy Alder?” she asked and she noticed the surprise in his eyes.

“Lady,” he said, “I can be anyone you want me to be.”

“Very funny. I understand you used to be a police officer?”

He didn’t answer. 

“Well, did you?”

“I might have been.”

“But you got kicked out of the force.”

“Did I?”

“That’s what I’m told. And now you’re being paid to watch my brother?”

“Really?”

“Yes, by his wife, my sister-in-law. You’re following him, that’s why you’re here, so no need to play the innocent.”

“Look lady, I’m happy to move on if you pay for a decent lunch for me.”

“I can do better than that. I can give you some work.”

“What sort of work?”

“Work that’ll bring you in some money, so you don’t sit outside my office every day.”

“I’m listening.”

“Are you discreet?”

“It’s my middle name.”

Odele glanced at her Rolex. “Do you know cafe Valerie on the high street?”

“Yep.”

“Meet me there at midday.”

“And you’ll shout me lunch?”

“Yes.”

“How can I refuse, then? A man’s got to eat.”

Odele opened her purse and tossed a ten-pound note at him. “In the meantime, clear off. I’ll see you at 12.”

How strong is love truly?

Synopsis

Emma is at an all-time low the day she meets Nick. She sits down in a quiet rose garden in her local park, and from nowhere a handsome man sits next to her and turns her world upside down.

Over the weeks, she and Nick meet regularly, always in the same place, always at the same time. They discover they have a lot in common – shared heartbreak, and shared dreams. They tell each other stories about the people they’ve lost – things they’ve never told anyone else. Bit by bit, they get to know each other, and fall in love.

But there’s a catch, because however much they have in common, they have one big thing keeping them apart… twenty years apart. Because when Nick is sitting in the garden it’s 1999 – two decades before Emma is there.

Emma never expected to fall in love again, but now she has, she’s not going to give up on it without a fight. But how do you turn something impossible into a happy ever after?

My review

It’s one of those days for Emma… not only is she still struggling with the loss of her husband, but at her work things didn’t go easy today. So after a day she just wants to forget, she decides to make a stop in a rose garden at her local park. Nick had exact same idea after still grieving over the loss of his wife a few years ago. While normally the both of them find it difficult to talk about what they have been through, Emma and Nick connect and are able to talk just about everything. Over the weeks, they keep on meeting in their special spot, and slowly the both of them start to believe that they may fall in love again. However things aren’t just that easy as they may think, and meeting outside the rose garden is impossible, because they learn that in fact, they are not living in the same year and there are twenty years separating them… So even if Emma and Nick are ready to fight for what there is blooming between them, could there possibly be a future for them, when even the present is trying to tear them apart?

Clare Swatman always writes wonderful stories, that truly touch your heart, but also stories with a little extra, an extra that will also make your heart ache….

While I was reading this book, I couldn’t not think about a wonderful movie starring a certain Sandra B. and a certain Keanu R. There are similarities of course, but also many differences, making me not only fall in love with both main characters, the story but also made me feel their own heartbreaks.

I can only try to imagine how it feels to love your partner. And when you loved so dearly, like Emma and Nick did and still do at the start of the story, I could comprehend that the both of them are struggling with letting go and just attempting to move on.

So obviously, when Emma and Nick meet in the rose garden, and connect, I was happy for the both of them. There is no time limit for grief, and weeing how their meeting is able to get over their pain and sense of loss, was just so heartwarming.

It would be easy to ‘blame’ their connection on the fact they share a common grief, but the more time they spend together, the clearer it becomes that there is so much more that connect them than just the loss of their partner.

I have to admit, that when I started reading this book, I haven’t read the blurb thus didn’t know what the twist of their love story would be. Of course there were signs the more we got to know Nick and Emma better, but when the penny finally dropped for them and me, I was a bit shocked.

The fact that the evolution of Emma’s and Nick’s romance is limited to the rose garden, made me wonder how long the magic would be able to capture my attention. But I should not have worried, because I was just so into the story!

And while Emma and Nick for sure spend their shared time together in this mystical, magical garden, we also get enough to see of Emma and Nick on their own, at their homes, with their family and friends.

But we also see how the both of them are trying to make sense of what is happening to them, even if it doesn’t make sense at all. Why can they see each other, even if there are twenty years between them? And why are they falling for each other, when the prospect of a future together is nihil?

This book is split in three big parts. Parts that show how both Emma’s and Nick’s lives have changed after meeting each other, and how their presence in each other’s lives affected their own personal lives and paths.

There are also several fears outspoken in this book. What will ever come of the feelings Emma and Nick are having? Can the future be altered, and how will it be altered? Is it courageous to fall in love again after having had it all already?

Clare Swatman wrote an amazing, heartfelt story, showing us the beauty but also the ‘impossibilities’ of love. She shows us the power of love, but also the fragility of it. But she also shows us hope, courage, strength, determination and how the strangest things happening to us can bring us the most beautiful things.

After I finished reading this book, I could not stop thinking: what a story I just read! A story that I for sure recommend to read! 😊

Can you trust people when it involves money?

Synopsis

Ben Walker’s life shatters after one reckless night. Seduced by Maxine—a ruthless femme fatale—he wakes to a nightmare: compromising photos, blackmail, and the threat of losing everything—his marriage, career, and freedom.

Faced with impossible choices, Ben pays the price. But one payment is never enough.

Dragged deeper into a deadly web of lies and manipulation, the stakes escalate, and the noose tightens. What began as a desperate bid to protect his secrets becomes a desperate fight for survival.

With his world crumbling and prison on the horizon, Ben must confront a brutal truth—how far will he go to break free? And can anyone truly escape the sins of their past?

A gripping neo-noir thriller of betrayal, seduction, and deadly consequences.

My review

Ben Walker never expected that being seduced by Maxine would end up in compromising pictures, blackmail and just lose everything he has and loves. But everyone knows that blackmail never stops after just one payment, and Ben finds himself in a downward spiral, taking risks he never thought he would take. However, the depth of what is going on, goes much deeper than Ben expects, and even if the noose around his neck tightens, he has no idea which web of ideas have been concocted…

When I started with this book, I knew that things wouldn’t be as they would appear at first sights. Of course with the blurb it is a dead giveaway, but it for sure had me intrigued and I was very curious to see how many levels of betrayal would be revealed.

Being a normal person, never having had any financial issues but also not swimming in it, I never had those big dreams like the main characters have in this book. Of course having more is always better, but I am happy with the current situation.

At the start of the story, I felt sorry for Ben. He has made a mistake in the past, and that truly put a strain on his marriage. And while I for sure condemn his choice to go along with Maxine, on a certain level I understood him. He always wanted to do all the possible to please his wife, and one indiscretion, a wrong one yes, put everything at risk. And while the road Ben is taking, is the wrong one, he just want to erase that one mistake…

The love he has for Eleanor, his wife, is clear for everyone. They started as a couple when things went well, but as things took a turn, I somehow started to see that Eleanor is a driven woman. A woman driven by money and luxury. And the relationship she has now with Ben is not the life she envisioned. A life she hasn’t given up on yet and a life that her best friends seem to have. 

I could understand Eleanor’s anger towards Ben, because once again a man in her life has betrayed her. Yet I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling this woman gave me. Not only there are clearly lengths Eleanor would go to get what she thinks she deserves, but it is also a fact that while she begrudges Ben for his choices, she isn’t the angel she pretends to be.

Right from the start I knew that there would be so many levels of betrayal, deception in this book. And while I thought I would figure it all out rather quickly, there for sure are a few twists and turns that i didn’t expect. That I didn’t expect and that shows how far people are ready to go to achieve their own dreams, and how people can be selfish and even throw their own ‘loved ones’ under the bus.

We see here how beautiful life and love may seem, but at the same time how fragile it also can be. And we see how far people are ready to go, how self-centred people can be, and how just ugly people can be… So while this is absolutely a dark thriller, a psychological thriller showing us all the ugliness in the world, it also made me appreciate more the ‘normal’ life I have, the ‘normal’ people in my life, and the genuine, real, love I get from my loved ones.  

A fresh start starts with a fresh garden

Synopsis

Rosie Steadman needs a new start. It’s over a year since her husband died, and there must be more to life than her job in retail. When she spots an advert to rent a garden, it feels like the perfect project.

Media celebrity Connor Forbes is currently lying low in his brother’s flat after a public break-up and, with job prospects drying up, finding someone to look after the overgrown garden is the least of his problems. 

For both Rosie and Connor, it’s a strictly business arrangement. But can they keep it that way? 

As Rosie gets to know the man beneath the tarnished image, she finds it harder to resist his charms, but she’s been hurt before and Connor has a reputation – can this really be a second chance at love?

My review

It’s been a year since Rosie Steadman became a widow. And she cannot really say that she has moved on after losing her husband. But now the time has come to start again. And when she sees an advert of a garden being rented out, she sees this as a sign. Not that she green fingers, but somehow the advert allures her and she cannot wait to get her hands dirty. What Rosie doesn’t know is that she is renting the garden from Connor Forbes. Connor is hiding away in his brother’s flat, after a very public break – up causing also his television job drying up. And while his neighbours are complaining about the overgrown garden, he couldn’t care less. So when Rosie agrees to look after the garden, that is at least one thing less on his worry – list. While things start off strictly business, slowly Rosie and Connor get to know each other and slowly become friends, helping each other out. However, when opportunities arise, can Rosie find the courage to open up her heart again, or will Connor live up to his reputation?

There are plenty of books in the world about starting all over again. There are even plenty of stories where one of the main characters has lost a partner and find it difficult to move on. And yes, there are some tropes, when you have read of them, you have read all of them. But luckily for us, this book isn’t that kind of book! 😊

Being single myself, and not having had to cope yet with a great loss in my life (or at least where I was old enough to comprehend it), I can only try to understand how Rosie felt and is still feeling at the start of the book.

When you are married, life is filled with compromising. There are obviously moments where you don’t get along, but you have to add some water to your wine. But I felt really early on, that in her marriage, it was especially Rosie adding water, wanting to please her husband.

And that made me not only feel sad for her, but also made me understand better just how much at loss she is.

I don’t know if I would react on an advert to look after a garden, and no, it isn’t because I am anything but a person with green fingers 😊 But more because I would be too wary reading that add and I would believe that it would be a crazy person who put that advert there.

Crazy is not how I would describe Connor, but a tormented man, a hurt man, a man in hiding. And he for sure isn’t scoring any points in his initial behaviour. No matter what you have ben through, it doesn’t cost a thing being kind to others, doesn’t it?

But I also have to admit, the way he has been painted as a bad guy, and how easily people just put him aside, it angered me. Yes, perhaps Connor didn’t see and understand what was happening, and he could have been more perceptive, but that doesn’t mean that what has happened to him is fair in any way. So yes, I could understand him hiding away, keeping to himself.

Rosie needs a nudge to start again, and Connor is the way. Of course things don’t start off great between them. I would even dare to say it starts rather hostile. The contrast between the pair of them couldn’t be bigger. Where Rosie is a little ray of sunshine, even happy to meet Connor’s neighbours, Connor is a dark cloud, even feared by others.

However, Rosie’s kindness doesn’t let her reciprocate Connor’s behaviour, even if Rosie truly does want to. In fact, when Connor needs it the most, it is Rosie who helps him. And it is there that we see a shift, a change in their strained relationship.

A change that they both need, to move on. Having each other in their lives and not only in a business matter, is what they both need. With each other in each other’s lives, the dark clouds are slowly disappearing, and I could feel a lightness in my heart myself seeing how their own confidence starts to grow, how they elevate each other.

While I truly melted seeing how the relationship evolves between Rosie and Connor, what warmed my heart was seeing Connor also opening up towards others, showing his real character and not just affirming what people assume of him.

But while things are going great, we also see that humans are still humans, and miscommunications happen, wrong decisions and choices are being made. And while as a reader, that can be frustrating, it adds a real level of humanity, realness to the characters.

What starts as a perhaps strange advert, shows us the healing powers of tending a garden. You never know what people you may encounter in the strangest ways, but that can be the catalyst of beginning all over again. It can give you courage, strength, and even make you understand better the past and how not to make the same mistakes again.

Linda Corbett wrote not only a beautiful story, but also a strong one. She shows us that no matter what happened in the past, we can always start again.