On the cruise plans: revenge

Synopsis

A woman scorned…

On board the superyacht Perseus, moored in the glamorous harbour in Antibes, Freya Addison is settling into her new role as hostess.

The other crew members all like Freya, she is calm and diligent and a hard worker, but what they don’t know is that Freya has a secret and an ulterior motive for being on board.

Revenge will be hers.

Because Freya isn’t here to travel the world in style. She has her sights set on one thing only, bringing down the owner of the yacht – the rich and arrogant Julian Falcon.

A man who ripped the heart out of Freya’s family.

And a man she will make pay…

My review

When the superyacht Perseus sets off to its next journey, nobody knows that the latest hostess Freya is on a mission.
Because the owner of the yacht, Julian Falcon, is responsible for the heartbreak Freya’s family had to endure. And Freya is determined to bring him down, at any cost.
But Freya herself will learn that getting revenge won’t be that easy at all… and that she should never underestimate whoever is also on board…

Often in a thriller, all the action and suspense takes place in several places. But what when it’s all limited on one place (or almost). And let that one place be also a tricky one, as it’s a yacht.

I have to say, I don’t think I would have the guts that Freya has in this book. Of course I understood her reasons, who wouldn’t, but it’s also crystal-clear that Julian Falcon is a very dangerous man, without any scruples. He doesn’t hesitate to do things that will never see the light of day.
And so Freya willingly working on his yacht, ready to take him down, well it only means that Freya herself is on a mission and she will do anything to succeed.

It was terrible to read what people can do to other people, how they are responsible for one’s downfall. And it angered me to read how yes, there may be perhaps some remorse, but also no intention of changing anything. Julian Falcon is the kind of person that you want to see going down, finally understanding that what comes around, goes around.

I was a bit surprised in some revelations in this book, but on the other hand I wasn’t. Because with such a evil persona, it makes sense that there are more than just one person going after him.
And the more was revealed, the more I was disgusted by Falcon, and the more I was cheering for Freya and her mission.

This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat, not knowing who to trust and who not. Because let me assure you, there are twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting. There are unexpected alliances but also unexpected betrayals.
While I was reading, I was feeling terrified, feeling anxious, but also feeling courageous together with Freya, determined and even strong.
I didn’t know how Freya would get her revenge, I was afraid Julian Falcon would get away once again, and I was afraid for the lives of other people…

And while I was going through all of this, I realized that Evie Hunter achieved perfectly what is expected from a thriller: having her readers not wanting to continue to read, afraid of the outcome, but also at the same time have the need to continue to read, to see if there is a way to get the resolution everyone is hoping for.  

What when life throws you an unexpected curveball?

Synopsis

Autumn’s summer is off to a smashing start… sort of.

Earlier this year, Autumn’s life looked great: she had a great relationship with her brilliant teenage daughter Chloe and from September she was all set to be Deputy Head at the London school where she works. And with a pay rise on the cards, she was excited for her and her long-term boyfriend Marc to buy their first home.

But Autumn’s barely opened the estate agent’s website when Marc vanishes with half their savings, leaving her no choice but to move into grandma’s rural home in Kent. And things go from bad to worse when Autumn is involved in an accident during the move, leaving the village’s dashing new baker Jake in plaster cast, and making her a local outcast before she’s even unpacked her bags.

Determined to put things right, Autumn offers to help Jake in the bakery over the summer holidays. But as things heat up in the kitchen, Autumn can’t help noticing that Jake is a lot more Paul Hollywood and a lot less Mr Kipling than she originally thought.

Maybe this summer isn’t such a write off after all?

My review

When Autumn hears that starting from September, she will be Deputy Head at the school she works at, she truly believes that it’s her and her family’s time.
Because with her promotion, Autumn and her long – term boyfriend will be finally able to buy their first home.
But Autumn is in for a shock, when one morning she wakes up, and Marc has disappeared, taking half of their savings with him.
With now having financial problems, Autumn and daughter Chloe have no other option to move back, temporarily, to Autumn’s mother, in Kent.
Things already start great, as Autumn is involved in an accident, resulting in local baker Jake in a plaster. With the rumours quickly spreading, and putting Autumn in a bad daylight, Autumn is determined to make things right again, and she offers Jake her help in the bakery for as long as the summer lasts.
Even if her life isn’t going as planned, Autumn, and also her daughter Chloe, learn that even when things have went awry, it isn’t all that bad…

In this book, both the characters as the readers go through a whirlwind of emotions.

I was ecstatic to read how Autumn has the chance to be Deputy Head, showing us that skills prevail over seniority. And I could understand that she was over the moon, that now her perhaps unconventional family would be able to buy their first family home.

It was strange to see how everything seemed to be working, as Autumn and Marc truly are getting along, there is a lot of affection visible between the pair.
Knowing that a disappearing act would be taking place, I couldn’t comprehend why Marc would possibly ever would want to leave.
And it made me furious to see how easy it was for Marc to just pack and go away, without any regards for his family. And to make things even worse, to take half of their savings with him!

What angered me also, was seeing how Autumn is going through worst case scenario, even calling the police, to realize that in fact Marc was just being selfish and took off.

But I also admired Autumn’s resilience. She is going through a terrible time, and has no other choice to return and stay with her mother. And even after the incident with Jake, she tries to make the best out of the complete situation.
I liked it how she didn’t just let the gossip pas her by, but she stood up for herself.
But I especially liked her kindness in general. She didn’t have to help out Jake, but she did it because that’s just the kind of person she is.

It was sweet but also hilarious at the same time, seeing three generations living together. I loved how the trio live together, tease each other, but mainly just love and support each other.
It was funny to see alliances shifted with each new situation!

I have to say, while I enjoy baking myself, working in a bakery would definitely not be my cup of tea… I need my sleep and to get up that early would be my personal hell. So in that view, I admired Jake as he truly is passionate about his baking skills, but I also admired Autumn, as she is ready to help in out.

Autumn and Jake, what a lovely friendship that they have created! Both being hurt and burnt by love, they probably understand each other better than anyone else could.
What starts as an act of kindness, becomes  something genuine, honest and real.

There is also so much growth in this book, for each main and side character. While not every character was someone to dislike, the more the story evolved, the more changes happened, the more I liked each character. From Autumn to Chloe, to the village gossiper, that managed to turn into a lovely person!

This book was so easy to read, it captured my attention, refused to let it go for even just one instance. The lovely Phoebe MacLeod shows us with her amazing writing skills that sometimes the ugliest thing that happens to us, can turn out to be the best that could happen to us. And all of this wrapped in a beautiful story, with wonderful, strong female lead characters!

Life isn’t a pony camp…

Synopsis

A Poignant and Humorous Journey of Self-discovery, Resilience, and Redemption

Once, Julie dreamed of a life filled with love and laughter. Now, in her mid-forties, she faces a starkly different reality. She’s single, lonely, and reeling from breaking her hard-earned sobriety in front of her family and friends.

Opting for self-recovery over romance, Julie dives into planning her best friend Kate’s wedding. However, sharing this task with the irritatingly cheerful best man, single dad Luke, proves to be an unexpected challenge.

As Luke’s persistent kindness chips away at her icy exterior, a friendship forms, stirring a longing she’d sworn to suppress. But with self-forgiveness as her biggest hurdle, and her past ready to sabotage her future, can Julie confront the shame and trauma that have darkened so much of her life and find the courage to love again? Or will her demons shatter both her and Luke’s hearts in the process?

Jamie Anderson, author of the hilarious and heartwarming Someone to Kiss, is back with another witty, acerbic, and relatable story. Love, Julie is a richly emotional tale of recovery, forgiveness, and romance that readers have praised for “nailing the humor and snarky nature of our generation.”

My review

Being in her mid – forties, it would be expected that Julie would have her life on track. But Julie’s life is everything except on track, she is single, lonely and because she thought she could manage, her sobriety ended badly on the worst possible day, the engagement party of her brother and best friend.
So to show her good intentions and her determination to succeed once again in her sobriety, she offers to plan Kate and Ben’s wedding.
But what she didn’t take in account is that now she has to work together with Mr. Positivo and best man Luke.
Slowly, Luke’s presence is having a positive effect on Julie, and they are becoming friends. But with Julie’s feelings progressing, is Julie herself ready to let go of her fears, doubts, and all her other demons that are chasing her?

This was not the kind of story I was expecting when I started with this book. But as it was something else, it doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy it. On the contrary, I just loved this book, even if it was the complete light-hearted book I had in mind.

It was too easy to blame Julie for mistakes, past and present ones. Of course, it’s a choice she makes, but in this book we see clearly what brings Julie to make those choices.
Julie has a problem with alcohol, a problem that has been there for years. Problems that turned her into a person she isn’t at heart. Problems that make the others around her think that Julie *is* the problem, and they only see Julie in that light, and not as the person she has been for the months that she has been sober.

I truly felt sorry for her, because not only is she a victim, but she also tries her best to get better. But that is always easier said than done, and as we can see with Julie, it’s also about finding what works for you. Because what has been working for others, doesn’t mean that it also has to work for you.

But at the same time, I also truly admired Julie. She knows that things have to change, and she is ready to show Kate and Ben that she can do it. She wants to prove that she can be a reliable person, someone that is trustworthy.
So even if it isn’t something that she is truly thrilled about, she wants to do something for the people she loves the most.

Julie and Luke couldn’t be more different from each other. Whenever Luke appears, I could feel his positivism spark from the pages. He sees the good in everything and everyone. And he believes in people. Even in a bad situation he sees something good, and he is the kind of person that doesn’t judge.

When Julie and Luke first meet, it isn’t in the best of circumstances, and I could for sure understand Julie’s reluctance to work together with him in planning the wedding.
Nevertheless, it was sweet to see how slowly Luke manages to break those high walls that Julie has built over time.
And it was great to see how Julie takes over his ‘Lukiness’! 😊

Of course Julie isn’t having a walk in the park, as there are still many hurdles to overcome. Past mistakes that resurface, dealing with the prejudice of people, but also Julie’s own fears and doubts holding her back, letting her make again some mistakes.

I have to say, as this book works with mails Julie is writing in the present and we are seeing what happened in the timespan of a year, the author made me think for the absolute worst.
On one hand I wanted to continue to read, but on the other hand, I didn’t want to face that heartbreak, not only Julie’s but mine too…

This was a courageous story, an inspiring one too. It shows us that everyone makes mistakes, for one reason or another. And even relapsing in old habits, it is a human thing.
But it’s also about the determination to make a change, to have redemption. We see a character  develop, mature, but also ready to fight her demons.
I found this a very realistic book, with many trails and errors, but also so many beautiful things that show you that a change can be made, with the right incentive and mainly the right people by your side.

Sometimes nothing happens in one weekend, and other times, everything happens

Synopsis

When all seems lost, hope remains…

Val Murray has mislaid her most precious mementoes of the people she’s loved and lost. Can her family, the wonders of technology and a little divine intervention somehow mend her shattered heart?

Sophie Smith had to take a rain check on a marriage proposal. Will her bid to turn back the clock lead her to her greatest love or yet another heartbreak?

Alice McLenn stood by her husband, Larry when a scandal cost them everything. When he hits the headlines again, Alice has an opportunity to leave – but can she find the strength to finally walk away?

Rory Brookes was forced to turn his back on his parents to save his career and marriage. Now, he’s lost his job and wife on the same day. Is it too late to make amends with the one person who never let him down?

Three days. Four broken hearts. Just one weekend to make them whole again.

My review

After losing her beloved husband after many blissful years being married to Don, Val Murray is a little bit at loss. So after some persuasion, she agrees to spend two weeks in London, with her nieces Carly and Carol.
Only to be devastated once again when Val realizes that she has lost her most precious rings. Not that they hold that big of a monetary value, but the emotional value is just priceless.
Little does Val know that the rings are in hands of Sophie Smith, who herself is on a quest to reconnect with the man that proposed to her two years ago. But with the complete wrong timing, she couldn’t possibly accept…
But Sophie herself doesn’t know that getting into the same taxi as Val did, with the same rude driver, she won’t manage to get on time to the meeting point…
And Alice McLenn has had enough of being married to Larry, as a scandal cost her everything, and now his behaviour is putting them back in the headlines. But most of all, she regrets the loss of contact with her son Rory Brookes, who sees his marriage falling apart and losing his job on the same day.
In three days, the world of four people will change, but in what way?

Shari Low for sure knows how to write books that keep you sitting on the edge of your seat. It took me a little while to realize that Val is a character that has appeared before in Shari’s previous books. When that realization struck, I had a little squeal of excitement, as I absolutely loved Val whenever she appeared. But if this is your first book of this amazing author (shame on you that you haven’t discovered her earlier! 😊), there is no need to worry as you can read this perfectly as a standalone.

I was very curious to discover how each separate story would fit in the greater picture, because each character has such a specific and personal story to tell, that I truly believe that they could fill a whole book on their own.

Each character has been through or is still going through a rough patch, like losing a husband, losing a mother, losing a marriage.
I cannot even say which character I loved the most. Was it Val, who is heartbroken after losing her Don and discovering she has lost the rings that mean so much her? But also being the kind of person that is able to see more than what sees the eye? And manages to get you all teared up by just talking about her life?

Or is it young Sophie, on a mission, not telling her father so that he is not worried about her? Sophie, who finally has given losing her mom a place and is finally ready to move on? And that same Sophie that knows that her mission is a difficult one, but is ready to just go for it? And that same Sophie that shows that there still are good people in this world, that do the right thing, and not doing what many other people would do.

Or is it Alice, the woman that has lost everything, ‘thanks’ to her husband. Being married to Larry has not been the marriage of life she envisioned, but she never found the right time to leave. Alice, that to protect the person she cares the most about, pushed him away. Alice, that is building up the courage to take that final step. Alice, that perhaps finally has the perfect opportunity to finally do what’s right for her.

Or perhaps it’s Rory, that after still hoping his wife would return to him, learns that his marriage is truly over, even costing him his job. But also understanding that now there is nothing else to lose and perhaps it’s time to get back in touch with the one person that would do anything for him.

So it’s clear, I cannot pick a favourite person. But I for sure can pick the person I disliked the most. A person that shows us that despite all the good people in the world, there will always be someone thinking about his own gains, and doesn’t take in account the feelings of those around him. And I was happy to see how karma can be a total b****.

It was so heart – warming to see how each main character is surrounded by love, love from their friends, family, or even people they have just met like a kind nurse, or how fate has brought them on their paths.

This book is filled with so much love, kindness, gentleness, understanding and forgiveness, but also courage and determination.
We see how in one weekend, three days, can have a complete impact on your life. How in three days you can make new acquaintances, and bonds that will last a lifetime.

Shari Low has this amazing talent that she can write a whole book with something that starts of so randomly, and yet how the universe can turn that randomness into perhaps the best thing that could ever happen to you. Because it brings people on your path that you didn’t know you needed, or that they needed you.
I was captivated by this story from the first page until the very last one, something that shouldn’t surprise me anymore as I know what this author can do.

When you need to refocus, an escape to Greece is the answer

Synopsis

Can a Greek escape be the start of something special?

Xanthe Fox has it all: a famous, drop-dead gorgeous boyfriend, a dream career and bright future – until heartbreak sends her life into a tailspin.

So when Xanthe’s Greek godmother unexpectedly leaves her a villa on the sumptuous island of Kefalonia, Xanthe jumps at the chance to put her life in London on hold and escape to the island hideaway to rethink her future.

The break allows Xanthe the time to explore her passions, sift through her feelings and discover more about her estranged Greek family while renovating her godmother’s enchanting Villa Aster.

But not everyone is happy to see her. Unfazed by her hostile neighbours and after making a mortifying mistake with a sexy builder, Xanthe is equally charmed by Kefalonia and a handsome, brooding gardener.

Chasing dreams, taking chances and saying ‘yes’ has the potential to turn Xanthe’s life upside down, but will a summer escape allow her to sparkle once more?

My review

Xanthe Fox has worked hard to get her acting career at the point it’s now. But how things ended with her famous boyfriend, turned her world upside down.
So when she inherits her Greek godmother’s house in Kefalonia, for Xanthe it’s the perfect opportunity to get away from everything and everyone to rethink about her future.
And of course it helps that now she has the chance to learn more about her own family, as that topic is off – limits for her own mother.
Yet this summer Xanthe is spending in Kefalonia, will be one full with surprises, pleasant ones and  not so pleasant ones. However, it will be for sure one that Xanthe will never forget.

Another book from this author that I just devoured… what a dream – worthy setting, what amazing yet also complicated characters, what a story!

I loved to see how Xanthe has finally the career she always dreamed about. Of course, standing on stage would be just terrifying for me, but I could easily Xanthe standing there, capturing her audience.
She worked hard to get where she is now, and her hard word absolutely paid off. But her personal life isn’t all that glitter and glam. And her heart got broken in a terrible way. It angered me to see how that despicable ex of her even managed to turn that into his advantage while Xanthe is still hurt from his behaviour.

It was amazing to discover Kefalonia together with Xanthe, while she herself was getting reacquainted with the place that she used to visit as a child.
Initially it was a bit weird reading how she inherited Villa Aster from her godmother. But learning about the letters she and Agatha wrote to each other over the years, show us the real bond between these two people.
And even if over time the letters diminished, the love Agathe had for Xanthe and the other way around was still very obvious.

And even if Agatha is no longer here, it’s clear how important she was. Not only in Xanthe’s life, but also for the people on the island. She truly cared about the people in her life, even if things weren’t always easy for her, and she also had her heart broken a few times…

Staying in Villa Aster is a way for Xanthe to reconnect with her godmother, and to understand better the dynamics between Agatha and her mother.
It was a bit sad to read how Xanthe slowly regrets getting out of touch with the woman that clearly loved her so much.

Obviously her stay in Kefalonia isn’t always a walk in the park, as she has to face prejudice of some people, she even has to face the wrath of some. And one bad decision makes her even feel ashamed of her actions.
But there is also the good of people, as she is welcomed with open arms by lovely people, she even makes new friends and slowly she starts to feel at home.

There is some romance in this book, of course there is. Yet it’s one that starts off not that greatly, with some misunderstandings but we also see how gatecrashing can be the start of something unexpected. And of course, having that kind of neighbour does help the romance bits 😊

I loved reading how at ease Xanthe starts to feel in a place that holds her own roots. And how we can clearly see how getting away from her busy life is the perfect medicine for Xanthe to regroup her thoughts.
On this journey, Xanthe has to make decisions that affect her future. And as they consist of different kind of dreams, it was not an easy choice to make.

But that’s life, a journey filled with choices we have to make every day. Perhaps not all choices are as complicated as Xanthe’s during her summer on Kefalonia, but they affect our lives one way or another.
And with making choices, it’s also a way to understand yourself better, to understand what makes your heart beat a little bit faster.

This was a wonderful book, set in a marvellous place, with great people, showing us that sometimes a time out can be the best thing we can have, to only have a bigger understanding of what we dream for our own future. It can also bring us closure over things happened in the past. But also that perhaps we should be more precious about the people we care about and that care about us, because we may never know that the day may come that it’s too late…

Can love truly stand against everything, even if your heart already got broken?

Synopsis

Welcome to Pepper Bay, where you’ll find love, drama, and a happily ever after.
Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Alison Sherlock, Rachael Lucas, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories, best read in order, that intertwine with recurring characters.

Silver Wish Farm: After Rhett left Heath on their wedding day, things were never the same for them, but because they have a daughter, they’ve always tried their best to keep the peace. But then life changes for Heath, and he suddenly wants answers about their past and the future he believes he should have had, but will Rhett tell him the real reason she left him all those years ago?

My review

Heath has always loved Rhett, even if she left him waiting for her in vain at their wedding day many years ago. But as they also have a child together, the pair of them have always been trying to do their best at co – parenting, for their daughter Willow’s sake.
But when tragedy happens, Heath now has the need to know what happened to Rhett to change her mind about them.
All the while Rhett herself is finding herself in difficulties and has no other option to do what she hates the most: asking for help.
Will the truth set them free and will prevail? Or is everything beyond repair?

As a real lover of the Pepper Bay series, there isn’t a pair that intrigued me more than Rhett and Heath. Beside their iconic names, there is history in their relationship. History that did not end well, yet there is still so much simmering and I needed to know what happened and if something would be still salvageable.  
So of course I was over the moon when this author gave this pair their own story to be shared and read!

When I started to read, I knew I would love Heath. Because let’s be honest, he is just the perfect man, father, friend, brother and son.
I don’t think there are many people in this world that would still hold a torch for the person they love, after being hurt like Heath has been by the hands of Rhett.
And it’s not only for their daughter’s sake that he is being the kind and generous person, but it’s just who Heath is at heart.
He’s the protective kind of person, who would literally attempt to walk on water for his loved ones. And if there is a problem he doesn’t has an immediate solution for, he for sure will try to find one as soon as possible.

But my heart also broke for Heath, as his loss at the start of the book is one that nearly broke him. It may sound weird, but it was also in a way beautiful, as it only shows what an amazing the Silver family is, open, kind, generous, loving. It’s no wonder Heath turned out to be the marvellous man he is, with such a family!

I have to be honest, Rhett was not that easy to like, in my opinion. Perhaps that was because I knew that she broke Heath’s heart, and I couldn’t forgive her for that?
But slowly, getting to know her better, made me also realize that I truly only knew one side of their story.
And that Rhett has her reasons to break Heath’s heart that many years ago…

So slowly my dislike for her started to dissipate and compassion started to come… Because we see that Rhett has hidden a lot of things. Not only from Heath or the Silver family, but also from her own sister.
It was sad to read how Rhett had to make things work on her own, how she even now is reluctant to ask for help, but is forced to do so. She knows she has to do it, even if it goes against her nature, as she believes it’s a sign of weakness.

Both characters have been through a lot, and are still going through a lot. But they know that they can always rely on each other. Without a doubt they will always stand in each other’s corner, ready to fight against whatever enemy they have to face.
And while perhaps they are afraid to speak out clearly what they are truly feeling, it’s crystal – clear to the readers what their feelings truly are.

I truly enjoyed reading this wonderful next chapter of a marvellous series. Because it’s all about warmth, love, kindness and family. Perhaps not in the way that would be seen as ‘standard’ or ‘normal’, but what is wrong with that? This is a story about making mistakes in the past, making the best out of the current situation.
But also it’s a story about coming clean, daring to open up, admitting that you need help. And it’s a story about love, how it can hurt someone but also about how it can be the most beautiful thing and the most healing thing in the world. If only we find the courage to allow it back again…  

When someone you put in jail once asks for help…

Dan Armstrong is surprised when Bianca Moretti asks for his help to solve what she thinks is a murder. He is surprised, as he is the one who sent Bianca to prison a while ago.
But he also truly believes that people can change, and he is of course intrigued as why Bianca believes that a guest at her father’s retreat has been murdered while investigations have closed the case as accidental.
With his loyal companion Oscar, Dan sets of to the Italian Riviera, to be once again shocked to learn that the retreat is in fact a naturist one. And his determination to see if the death is in fact a murder and even attempt to solve it, means that Dan has to blend in…
Is it truly murder, and will this pair solve it once again? But also, on a personal level, will Dan avoid making the same mistakes of the past?

Is there a lovelier investigation team than Dan and Oscar on this world? I truly don’t think so…
I was delighted to see my friends again, and it truly was great to see how Dan and his loyal companion Oscar have perfectly adapted to the Italian life.

I found it a bit strange when Bianca Moretti asked for Dan’s help. Because let’s be honest, would you ask the person who put you in prison for help?
But on the other hand, it also shows that Dan is an integer person, because Bianca knows that Dan will get to the bottom of the truth. And that is a quality everyone has.

Dan being Dan, of course he has to investigate. He may be out of the Force, but once a cop, always a cop.
And I was just as shocked as he was, when arriving at the retreat and finding out that well, everyone is walking around naked…
I in a way admired Dan also, how he decides to blend in, because I know for sure that for no money in the world I would be doing that! 😊

The investigation itself goes the way we have learned to love with Dan and Oscar. Dan never gets in the way of the Italian officers, just offers his help and insights, which this time around are truly welcomed.
And Oscar is up to his usual tricks, yet also showing us that he truly is Dan’s dog, being a great judge of character.
The more Oscar steals the spotlight, the more I start to believe that he has more human behaviour in his bones than doggy antics! 😊

In this book there is also some trouble on a more personal level for Dan. And I was afraid he would be jeopardizing his relationship with Anna, by being a typical man, and also allowing his past to be perhaps too cautious.
But here we see that at any age you can mess up, and that there is no exception to that.

Once again I found myself investigating alongside Dan and Oscar, and just like them, I have several times alarm bells going off in my head. And I was happy to see that it was with the same people Dan had several question marks.
Of course, while I just had a gut feeling, and no idea about the why, Dan was there to fill those gaps for me!

T.A. Williams once again wrote an amazing chapter in his cozy mystery series. And while the main event is always the same, being a murder taken place, there never is a sense of repetition in it. In this book perhaps I had more laughs than in the previous ones, even more awkward laughs, but I also had a moment where my heart skipped a beat (I still haven’t forgiven the author for that! 😊).
I easily devoured this book, as it not only took me back to Italy, but I was allowed to spend once again time with two wonderful characters like Dan and Oscar!

When a terrible moment means a change in your life

Synopsis

Welcome to your happy place…

Each morning as bookseller Florrie Appleton cycles along the promenade of her seaside hometown, watching the surfers far out in the bay, breathing in the fresh salty air, she counts herself lucky. She has a small but picture-perfect cottage overlooking the sea, a group of friends she can always rely on, and the job of her dreams at her favourite bookshop. But when tragedy strikes, her little slice of heaven is in danger of being lost forever.

To save the bookshop from closure, Florrie finds herself thrown together with the elderly owner’s handsome grandson, Ed Hartes, who has a habit of making butterflies dance in her stomach. But the only romance Florrie has time for lies within the pages of her favourite novels, and her instincts are telling her to be wary. There’s something Ed’s keeping from her, and she can’t face another heartbreak.

When Florrie stumbles upon a mysterious stash of yellowed letters in the storeroom, it seems Ed isn’t the only one with secrets. The old bookshop is full of stories waiting to be told, and they aren’t only in the pages of the books….

The perfect uplifting, feel-good read for fans of Jessica Redland, Jenny Colgan and Phillipa Ashley.

My review

Florrie Appleton has never thought about leaving the town she lives in. She has her family, her amazing friends, a boyfriend that doesn’t make sparks fly around but he’ll do, and a job at Happy Hartes Bookshop.
Being a bookworm, Florrie has started working with love and passion at the bookshop as a weekend job when younger, and now she is still working there with the same energy fulltime.
Little does she know that one Monday morning, her whole world will turn around with a devastating discovery…
Because now she owns half of the bookshop, together with her boss’ estranged grandson Ed Harte.
And while she has many ideas to keep the bookshop a success, she doesn’t dare to give in the growing feelings she is cultivating for Ed. Because she cannot give her heart to someone who doesn’t know if he will be sticking around or not. 

Is there something better for a bookworm like me than reading a book about a bookworm, working in a bookshop, and perhaps even finding romance, and add a little mystery to it too?
That’s what I thought… 

So obviously I immediately liked Florrie. But not only because we have a shared passion for books, but because she just is such a nice person!
The way she looks after the customers of the bookshops, how she laughs and cries with her friends, and the way she takes Gerty in after their loss, these are just some of the examples to proof who Florrie really is.
Even the way she is reluctant of getting out of a passionless relationship shows her she thinks more about other people than herself. 

My heart broke when it was her who made the discovery that Monday morning, and her reaction shows us that Bernard was so much more than just her boss.
Bernard, the kind of grandfather everyone would love to have, making Florrie his ‘honorary’ granddaughter…
It made me wonder with such a great character, how it would be possible that he has such an ungrateful family… A family that broke all contact when they didn’t get things their way… 

But luckily Bernard’s kind character can be found in Ed’s character too. Because Ed decides he wants to know his grandfather, and that is of course the right decision, not only for the matter of the heart, but also that is great news for our own Florrie! 

This isn’t just a story about two people finding each other. But it’s also about people trying to figure out where they want to go with their lives. Because not everyone always knows what they want from life and what the right direction is.

And there I understood why Florrie didn’t want to invest too much of her heart in getting closer to Ed. Because what if he would just leave and leave her and her heart broken?

While it was lovely to see how feelings grew stronger, I also was very invested in the story of some side characters. Without giving too much away, their story warmed my heart and I was glad I was put on the wrong track for once, as the reality was even better than I imagined! 

I loved reading this book, with two lovely characters who both deserve the world, amazing friends that will make you laugh and a bookshop I wish I could spend all my time and money!
This story shows us that family doesn’t mean that there has to be a connection by blood. And that fighting in the same corner, even with a small diversion there, can be the start of a wonderful romance.

Cooking is love, love is cooking

Synopsis

Mix together a group of mature students:

A culinary Sloane, a take-away cook and a food journalist.

Add in:

A handsome host

Season with:

A celebrity chef

Bring to the boil:

At a luxurious cookery school in France!

 

Waltho Williams has no idea what he’s letting himself in for when he opens the doors of La Maison du Paradis, his beautiful French home. But with dwindling funds, a cookery school seems like the ideal business plan. 

Running away from an impending divorce, super-snob Caroline Carrington hopes a luxurious cookery holiday will put her back on her feet. Blackpool fish and chip café owner Fran Cartwright thinks she’s won the lottery when her husband Sid books her on a week working alongside a celebrity chef. Meanwhile, feeling she is fading at fifty, journalist Sally Parker-Brown hopes her press week covering the cookery course will enable her to boost her career.

But will the eclectic group be a recipe for success, or will the mismatched relationships sink like a souffle? 

Whip out an apron, grab a wooden spoon and take a culinary trip to La Maison du Paradis, then sit back and enjoy The French Cookery School!

My review

This summer, La Maison du Paradis has opened its doors as a cookery school, as its owner Waltho Williams needs the funds to keep the place going.
And with such a celebrity chef teaching the secrets of the French cuisine, Waltho hopes that this may be the start of a successful new business plan.
To say that the first group of students is an eclectic one, is an understatement. Because not only there is Caroline, who is at the verge of a divorce and has to learn how to be independent. But there is also Fran, whose presence is always very clear and loudly, but with a heart of gold, and wants to learn in order to fulfil her and her husband’s dream. This all with the watchful eyes of Sally, a food journalist who sees and hears everything. And has caught the eye of bad boy/ teaching chef Daniel.
But no matter who they are, one way or another, this summer course is one that everyone will remember.

Being an Italian, it means that love for food and cooking runs through my veins. Whenever I feel stressed, let me bake some cakes or cookies, and all the stress evaporates. When I want to impress a person of interest, you can be sure that my homemade pasta with polpette will be on the table. SO of course I have to read a book where cooking is involved. And yes, as an Italian I am ready to leave the all known rivalry with the French aside 😊. Because passion for food is something that doesn’t know boundaries or borders.

And in this book there is not only a shared passion for food or cooking, but it’s also a place where friendships are being born, lessons learnt and not only related to cooking!

Caroline is perhaps the most tragic character of this book. Although, perhaps it’s a shared first place with Waltho…
It saddened me to get to know her better, because she hasn’t had an easy life. And that is for sure an understatement…
She for once in her life is doing something for herself, after a marriage filled with gaslighting, betrayal, and loneliness.
Initially I thought that this cookery course wasn’t what Caroline needed in her life, but after finishing it, I couldn’t agree more that it was exactly what Caroline needed.

I cannot imagine how her life has been before, and how little and insignificant Caroline must have felt. And even now, free from those shackles, Caroline is still struggling with truly letting go and just enjoy life, its beauty and even the simple things like food. The restraint she put on herself, “thanks” to her “wonderful” husband, I for sure couldn’t be possible be living like that.

Caroline can be best described as a loner, she wants peace and quiet. So of course she clashes with the character that is her total opposite!
Because Fran is a force of nature, always cheerful, loud and for sure catches the eye!
I liked her character, perhaps because I think I am equally loud? 😊
She also makes easily friends, and lets everyone be themselves.

But I also liked her because she took this course for fulfilling her darling husband’s dream. She is a bunch of joy, happiness and laughter, but she is also eager to learn. Yet at the same time she is a very helpful person, even if that means that she finds herself failing during the lessons.

And let chef Daniel just be the kind of person that is showing Fran’s failures and making her ‘pay’ for them.

You would think that not much would or could happen in the time the guests/pupils are staying at La Maison. But you are so wrong. Because what happens there is more than perhaps has happened in a whole year in my own life!

There is some serious clashing, there is drama, there is comradery, there is a shared passion for food, there is summer romance, there is forgiveness, there is understanding, there is love. There is just so much more than even I initially thought! And each new recipe, each new excursion, each new development was a real joy to read.

It was lovely to see how the characters learn that there is more than sees the eye. And that our first impression of someone can be wrong. Because we don’t know what someone has been through or is still going through. And that made it even more heart – warming to see how perhaps even the most unlikely friendships were being made.
But what I liked the most, is how one journey can be filled with extraordinary experiences, and how you can find the most unexpected yet most lasting things!

This book was a delight to read, and even if it made me hungry while reading, I truly enjoyed every bit of this heart – warming story!

What to do when life is trying to squash you?

Synopsis

WHEN LIFE FEELS LIKE…
A TEST YOU DIDN’T STUDY FOR

When Maggie King turned sixty, she thought her life complete.

Now she’s sixty-one, and everything has gone horribly wrong.

Husband Greg has abruptly upped and left leaving Maggie bewildered. But there’s no time to question his departure because her ancient parents are all-consuming.

Once fondly referred to as the Golden Oldies, they’re now the BOBs – Bad-Tempered Old Buggers.

Sister Freya is never available to help, and Maggie is rapidly reaching the end of her tether.

She wants her life – and husband – back.

Instead, she’s trapped in what has been coined the Sandwich Generation – supporting both children and parents – except this particular sarnie is in danger of falling apart.

Maggie needs to learn that when life is like a club sandwich, it needs the best ingredients – and that includes lashings of love and some knee-trembling romance!

My review

At her sixtieth birthday, Maggie thought she had the best life. Even if thing weren’t always that perfect, it for sure worked for her!
Little did she know that one year later, her whole life would have been turned upside down. Not only did her husband Greg leave her, the health of her parents is also deteriorating. And she cannot count on her sister for any help, because her parents and her sister don’t see her job as a photographer as a ‘real’ job and expect her to be available all the time.
And while her own children can mend for themselves, as a mother the worrying never really stops.
Can Maggie find the way to put everything into the right balance and not forget herself in this whole new process?

Opening a book of Debbie Viggiano is like starting a journey that you never know where it will end. Knowing this author, I don’t that even if I don’t know a lot about the journey,  I know I will love the journey and the final destination of it!

And my oh my, what a great book this was! I have to say, that Debbie for sure wrote another compelling, heart – breaking but also heart – warming and inspiring story.

It all starts very positive, where Maggie celebrates her birthday with her loved ones, and how everything seems to be working out for her and her family. Of course there are a few bumps on the road, and Maggie worries about the health of her parents. But isn’t that natural, as both her parents aren’t getting any younger and have their own fights to fight.

The contrast one year later couldn’t be bigger… because we see Maggie trying to communicate with Greg, but her husband isn’t the most talkative and loving husband anymore. And while initially Maggie was mainly worrying about her mother, now also her father is showing a faltering health.

It saddened me to see how at loss Maggie was, with everyone relying on her, parents and sister taking her availability for granted and not realizing that Maggie has a job and that she cannot just cancel prior appointments whenever they ask her to.

Maggie for sure isn’t having an easy time, everyone wants something for her, her time, her availability, her presence, her understanding.
But when she asks for the same things, especially from her sister, she finds herself on her own. And that angered me. Everyone has a life of their own, and yes, we all love our parents, siblings, children etc. But love doesn’t mean to lose yourself and not getting any help when you’re screaming for it.

Luckily, this isn’t a complete sad story, but also a very heart – warming one, in more than just one way.
Because when Maggie decides to finally do something for herself, to have some love back in her life, it truly was a wonderful decision she made.
And it put a smile on my face seeing how the things that frightened her the most, turns out to be the thing she perhaps needed the most.

And that brings also someone on her path, bringing also more light in her life again. I know I am talking in riddles now. But if I start divulging too much, it will take all the surprise and delight away when you are reading this book yourself! 😊
But just let me say this: concerning her husband Greg, not everything is what it seems. And when I realized it myself, I was even a little bit flabbergasted, and I wondered how I didn’t see the signs earlier on!

I truly enjoyed reading this story, even if my world and Maggie’s couldn’t be more further apart. Maggie is in a point in her life where she is still mothering her adult children, but has also become the main carer of her parents. Looking after your parents, especially with their age and their problems, isn’t an easy task, as it’s not easy to make them see that their independence is what is putting them even in greater danger.
But we also see how strong a person can be, and that that strength can come at any age, and everyone can learn to stand up for themselves.
And most important, no matter what age you are, love, no matter in what form, can be found again. And that kindred spirits can always find each other, giving even more strength that we have found ourselves!

Debbie Viggiano wrote a marvellous, inspiring story that even after I finished it, kept lingering around in my thoughts, letting me understand that we cannot just take things for granted, but also that no matter what struggles come on our paths, we should never lose ourselves!