When love is absolutely the last thing on your mind…

Synopsis

A Hotshot Manhattan Attorney.

Drew Harrington knows exactly who he is—a legal shark with a love ‘em and leave ‘em attitude that works just fine in his cutthroat world. He’s on the cusp of being named a partner in his firm, but only if he can prove to his colleagues that he has a more human side.

A Sweetheart of a British Patisserie Chef.

Becky Fletcher is running from her past, so the last thing she’s looking for is love. What she does want is a friendly face in a cold city. Her sunny outlook is perfect opposite to Drew’s hard exterior, but can she afford to let down her guard?

One fateful meeting at a bagel cart.

They sound like a match made in heaven—or is it a car crash?

My review

Drew Harrington is so close to finally become a partner in the law firm he is working in. But his streak of successes also means that his colleagues don’t see his human side. And he needs his colleagues votes to have his name on the building.
The last thing Drew needs, is people loitering around when time is money.
So when at his usual bagel cart the customer before him takes too long, his patience is being tested. But all that Becky Fletcher wants, is to have a friend in a city that is not her home. And the last thing she needs, is a lawyer rushing her and not liking desserts at all.
Yet somehow American Drew and British Becky keep being drawn to each other, no matter how different they are…

I thought I knew what to expect from this story. Because haven’t we all read this kind of stories before? And while I absolutely love this kind of trope, I am always a bit fearful of having a story that is a dime a dozen.

Yet with this story, that was absolutely not the case, as yes it is about love, but also about self – discovery and facing dark demons of your past.

We see mainly Drew’s point of view, which was rather refreshing, as it’s often the female main character’s view we read. So that’s already an extra cookie point for the author by doing the opposite!

Now, Drew isn’t immediately the most likeable character you could meet. He isn’t a warm character, and his focus of becoming a partner makes it easy to understand his colleagues’ perception of him. He is great at his job, and he isn’t afraid to use every trick in his sleeve to win a case.
And while as a lawyer you couldn’t wish for anyone better, as a human, well, he is not really scoring points.

Drew is the typical kind of person who sees losing time as losing money, not seeing the beauty around him and doesn’t realize what he is missing out, if only he would take time to pause for a minute. But no, he appears to take everything for granted.

The difference couldn’t be greater with how Becky sees things. Her past brought her in a city on the other side of the world. She sees everything with fresh eyes.
But Becky also has something melancholically over her. Her past is still haunting her, yet she is ready to start over her and all she needs is friendship and kindness.

While her past isn’t clear from the beginning, it’s easy to see it was a difficult past. Yet I admired Becky’s positivism and determination. She wants to start a new life, and wants to be surrounded by happy thoughts.
Despite her background, she never loses her kindness. Her lightness truly lifts up the mood.

The initial banter between Drew and Becky is absolutely hilarious. What starts as a real annoyance turns into a friendly teasing.
They start on the wrong food, but seeing their relationship evolve into a friendship, the kind they both need and can rely on ,honesty included, was wonderful to read.
With Becky by his side, Drew learns to show his ‘humanity’ to more people and not only to those close to him. And he learns that there is more in life than just work.

And with Drew by her side, Becky not only discovers the beauty of a new city, but also again in trusting people and new friends.
And she also discovers who the real Becky is, as she for too long has been hiding herself and losing herself.

They respect each other’s boundaries, yet it was lovely to see how eventually their real feelings get the better of them.
And yet the struggle is real, as things aren’t just that straightforward…

I truly enjoyed reading this story! This was a wonderful story about two people, at different points in their lives, meeting/clashing. Yet thanks to each other they discover how much better life can be, if only they are open for it.
In this book we see how lovely characters grow and grow closer to each other. And we see how sometimes meeting opposite people may be a way to enrich our lives.

This author was once again able to write a compelling and warm story that didn’t disappoint at all!

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side…

Synopsis

In this captivating story from the bestselling author of Picking up the Pieces, Daisy has always envied the perfect family next door. But will a weekend of unexpected drama prove that the grass isn’t always greener?

Daisy Harrop has always felt like she exists in the background, and since her mother stopped getting out of bed, her life has come to a complete standstill. Daisy would give anything to leave the shabbiest house on the street and be more like the golden Kelleways next door, with their perfectly raked driveway and flourishing rose garden…

Winnie Kelleway is proud of the beautiful family she’s built. They’ve had their ups and downs—hasn’t everyone? But this weekend, celebrating her golden wedding anniversary is truly proof of their happiness, a joyful gathering for all the neighbours to see.

But as the festivities get underway, are the cracks in the ‘perfect’ Kelleway life beginning to show? As one bombshell revelation leads to another and events start to spiral out of control, Daisy and Winnie are about to discover that things aren’t always what they seem.

My review

Daisy Harrop always wished she were part of her neighbours family, the Kelleways. The Kelleways have everything they could dream of, while Daisy’s home is a struggling one.
Daisy’s mother is struggling with depression, their house isn’t the nicest looking one and Daisy doesn’t stand out in anything. Yet young Daisy has the hope that one day her crush Cas Kelleway will admit that her feelings are reciprocated.
But the Kelleways aren’t that a happy family as everyone may think. As there are the festivities of the matriarch and patriarch’s golden wedding anniversary are taking place at the restaurant where Daisy works, slowly more and more revelations are being made that are putting the show of a happy family at risk…

I was very intrigued and looking forward at starting this book. It’s a bit of an evil side of me, wanting to see how things slowly falling apart…
And not only that, but also seeing what secrets are being revealed and how it affects the people involved.

Daisy is a character I immediately liked but also pitied a little bit. She isn’t a really bubbly character, she isn’t a popular girl and even at home things don’t got that well, as her mother is struggling with a depression and it affects the whole family.

Her behaviour, dreams and hopes are very recognizable, as she sees how easy things appear to go for her neighbours and she even has a secret and unreciprocated crush on the neighbours’ grandson Cas.

Winnie Kelleway I found to be the total opposite… I never took a liking to her, as I found her obnoxious, selfish and a smart ass.
She may have the wealth, but she cares more about appearances and not about the real happiness of her children.
Even the fact that she has an actual favourite child, bothered me a lot, and how she discards her daughter’s choices made even boil my blood.

This is a story about secrets and how things aren’t always that straightforward as they may seem. A few revelations didn’t come as a real surprise, while others absolutely did.
There were secrets that were accepted without prejudice, showing the power of unselfish love. But there were secrets that only show the egocentric characters.

Every family has its own cross to bear, no matter how perfect the family appears to be. And this book shows us perfectly that even if we are jealous of someone else’s perfect life, we should appreciate what we have.
And that works both ways in this book. Both the Harrops and the Kelleways should appreciate the lives they have, and accept also each other for who they are. But also learn from the mistakes and admit the need of help.
Because your loved ones can only accept and forgive until a certain point…

Perhaps in this book I would have loved to see more how things would actually be wrapped up. As I didn’t have an actual answer to all my questions. But I guess that is also part of life, that things don’t get solved that quickly and that it may take a whole different journey.

This for sure is a book that makes you pause and think about your own life and makes you appreciate what you have, even if it isn’t the perfect life you imagined having…

Check out this cover of the latest of an amazing author!

Synopsis

One murder mystery weekend. Two rival sleuths.

They’re looking for answers. But will they find love?

Kate Brannon is delighted to be attending her first murder mystery weekend in a movie-worthy Victorian manor house. Still getting over being dumped, cracking the case would be a welcome boost to her flagging confidence. And the prize money wouldn’t hurt either.

But Kate’s dreams of victory become a nightmare with the arrival of Max Ravenscroft. Smart, enigmatic and annoyingly handsome, Max is Kate’s sleuthing nemesis. 

When she and Max are forced to work together, Kate despairs. But, as the investigation brings them closer, she finds being his partner in solving crime isn’t all bad. 

With growing suspicions that the game is rigged against them, can Kate and Max beat the odds to find the killer? And, as their partnership deepens, can they find romance too?

A sweet romantic comedy with a cosy mystery at its heart. Perfect for fans of Kathryn Freeman, Laura Jane Williams and Katie Fforde.

Pre-order Link – https://mybook.to/CluesToYou

Publication Date: 19th September

About the author

Claire Huston lives in Warwickshire with her husband and two children. She writes uplifting modern love stories about characters who are meant for each other but sometimes need a little help to realise it.

A keen amateur baker, she enjoys making cakes, biscuits and brownies almost as much as eating them. You can find recipes for over a hundred sweet treats at clairehuston.co.uk. This is also where she talks about and reviews books.

Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/clairehuston_author

The cover

A weekend away but not as relaxing and destressing as it should…

Synopsis

It should have been the perfect weekend…

Work colleagues Nicole, Margo, Paisley and Audrey all appear to be looking forward to a weekend away at Nicole’s luxurious beach house on the Dorset coast. It should be a chance for the women to kick back, relax and regroup after a stressful moment at work.

But this is no normal girls’ getaway. And the beach house is no normal home. This place holds dark secrets for Nicole, which threaten to be revealed when its doors are opened.

And unbeknownst to host Nicole, each of the three other guests all have secrets of their own…and some of them could be deadly.

My review

Nicole, Margo, Paisley and Audrey are work colleagues who are going to stay a weekend at Nicole’s beach house in Dorset.
However, this will not be the kind of weekend where there will be done some relaxing, girls’ nights out, and getting together even fiercer than before.
Because now there are four women together, each having secrets of their own, and some secrets involve each other.
With a weekend together, in a house keeping secrets of its own, it’s only a matter of time when it all will explode, and not in a good way… 

Can you imagine, four friends going on a weekend together in a marvellous beach house, ready to decompose from the hectic of their lives. a dream coming true, right?
Well, this story isn’t a dream at all, it’s a real nightmare! 

There are several points of view in this book, with also flashbacks to The Party. A party where many secrets have started, but as a reader we only can have our suspicions. But what we do know for sure that whatever happened at the party, the consequences will be shown during the weekend. 

I have to admit, not all the main characters are that easy to like. And even at the end, some could not change my mind, they only reinforced my feelings. But there are also characters who proved me wrong…
And I was glad to read that some revelations were not what I expected them to be. Because if it were to be true, that kind of betrayal would be the worst kind.
Although, there was an actual betrayal, and it was a very twisted kind… 

While reading, it was like watching a movie, where you know that the characters know and it’s all a game of suspicious looks, wariness and suspicion.
You can feel the tension rise with each page, making you grow anxious about just everything that is being said or done. 

Also when there are new entries in the story, you cannot stop yourself from being wary of them. Are they the good ones or the bad ones?
And just at the moment that you think you have figured it out, or at least when I did, another twist arrives, making me even doubt my own gut feeling. 

The story takes a while to get to its climax, making only increase the suspicion. And making me wonder if there are some other secrets we are not aware of just yet.
When the climax finally arrived, it’s like an explosion, where everything happens all at once at the same time. I couldn’t read faster than I already did, so much I wanted to discover it all and see how it all would end. 

Yes, there are a few moments that I wondered if it all were truly all that easy. Both the secrets that were being kept, but also how some matters were solved. The whole story took me on an anxious ride and I somehow expected an even more dramatic ending. 

But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy reading this thriller, showing that even those that are the closest to us, can have world – crashing secrets. We see how secrets can affect the people that are being left in the dark about them, but also how secrets affects the people who are having them.
And that some secrets are made out of love and protection, and some are… not…

When you hate something just so much…

Synopsis

Summer Hastings hates Christmas. She loves sunshine, the beach and running her travel agency, sending people off to their dream destinations – even if she doesn’t get to see the world for herself. For Summer, Christmas is nothing but a reminder of all the things that have gone horribly wrong in her life, so when handsome Noel Pritchett moves his pop-up Christmas shop in the store next to hers, Summer is livid.

Noel loves Christmas…and he also has a sneaking suspicion that he might be falling in love with Summer, if only he could break through the armour she has surrounded herself with. Just why does Summer hate Christmas so much? And can Noel be the one to prove to her that life can be sweet all year round?

My review

Summer Hastings loves running her travel agency. She loves dreaming away about sunny beaches, cocktails and getting all the Vitamin D.
There is one thing that Summer hates… and that is Christmas. For her Christmas cannot be over fast enough.
So when there is a brand new pop – up shop next to her, she can feel her hate only increase. Because Noel Pritchett’s shop has just  *everything*  that is even slightly related to Christmas.
While Summer’s hate – feelings also expand to Noel, Noel cannot stop feeling attracted to Summer. But what Noel doesn’t know is that there is a reason for Summer’s hate of the most wonderful time of the year. A reason that go years back, and affected her life more than he could ever imagine. 

First of all, the title already put a smile on my face. There are only three words in it, yet those three words put perfectly into words how different the main characters are.
And then of course the main characters’ names too, Summer and Noel, could it be any more clearer!😊 

While most of the book is a hilarious story, there are also a few bits that made me reflect about how life can take a turn… 

We all have things we don’t like, even holidays we like less compared to others. Yet seeing Summer’s real hate towards Christmas is a dead giveaway that something happened in her past around this great festive holiday that made her hate Christmas as much as she does. And seeing how she is living alone with her mother, well, the reason is quickly found.  

The way Summer keeps looking after her mother makes it clear that Summer is a wonderful character. She is a dutiful daughter, but she also enjoys seeing the happiness on her customers’ faces when another holiday is booked.
However, we also see how limited her life is. Not only the constant calls of her mother, but also carrying the burden of looking after the house, not having a moment for herself. She dreams of amazing vacations, but she will never be able to go anywhere. 

And that saddened me, because lovely Summer deserves to discover the world, see the places for real instead of only seeing pictures of them.
And I absolutely understood her where she has reached her boiling point, gently forcing her mother to get out. 

Now, when we see Summer’s mother Angie doing exactly that, I found it a bit strange, as it appears to go all way to easily. So I was in a kind happy to see Angie’s relapse. The relapse was in a terrible way, and I absolutely don’t agree with her Angie’s behaviour, but that only shows that it isn’t that easy to overcome a certain situation. 

Enemies – to – lovers is a trope that I absolutely adore, and Summer and Noel are the epitome of it. These two couldn’t be more different. Noel has seen the world, loves Christmas and is so easy – going, while Summer is… just not.
Yet these two together warmed my heart. Because even if Summer makes her dislike more than clear, Noel is not one to give up.  

We see that Noel, even without knowing exactly what is going on, just gets Summer. He is persistent in befriending Summer, and slowly succeeds in it too! 

Noel’s enthusiasm is exactly what Summer needs and even if she doesn’t realize it immediately, what she wants.   

With the arrival of Avril in the book, there is a twist that isn’t exactly a real twist, as I had figured out who she was really early in the book. But even if the revelation didn’t come as a shock to me, it is what this story needed, to get all the pieces of the puzzle fall together. 

One thing I perhaps would have loved, is to have more of Jean in the book. Jean is Summer’s friend and shows her invaluable worth in so many different occasions. I was very happy to see how this lady at age but not showing it at all, is having her spot in the lights too. if only we could have seen her and her new neighbour a bit more! 

This book for sure lifted my spirits, as it made me laugh over so many things. From a spray – tan to a skateboarding elf, or a Grinch declaring love.
But the author also shows us the hardships of lives, of how one’s behaviour can affect everyone around them.
Yet that by finding the right incentive, the wrong person that may turn out to be the right person, it can be the start of a life we all have been dreaming about.

How can it go from a one night to working together?

Synopsis

One night, one second chance, and a love story waiting to happen

Vivacious forestry worker Cha Gilchrist doesn’t usually have flings with buttoned-up guys who dress like her old geography teacher, no matter how secretly attractive she finds them. But she makes one exception; after all, she’ll never see the guy again…

Reserved Nick Harkness is used to people thinking he’s dull – better that than having them discover his secrets. But his carefully constructed life is cracked open when the blue-haired goddess he chanced an uncharacteristic fling with appears in his office and gives the perfect interview for a woodland management job. Nick has no option but to hire her.

Working together on the Glenbriar Forest Light Show, Nick and Cha uncover corruption at the heart of the organising committee, but under their professional façade, a burning attraction simmers. As they attempt to expose the truth, they can’t ignore the intensity of their feelings.

Pursuing her boss is a risky step, even for daring Cha, but if Nick’s secrets come to light, then his position in the company might be the least of their problems.

My review

Charlotte Gilchrist, called Cha by everyone, has been burnt by love once, and that has been more than enough. So when she meets Nick Harkness, with his tweeds that remind her of her old geography teacher, she does something she normally doesn’t do, and spends the night with him.
With no exchanging names or numbers, they both don’t expect to see each ever again.
But then Cha applies for a woodland management job, Nick has to admit she is the perfect candidate. And now Nick is Cha’s boss, while they are both working together on the Glenbriar Forest Light Show. While uncovering corruption, Nick and Cha cannot keep ignoring the attraction between them. But with strict rules about dating between colleagues, how long can they keep the sparks preventing to combust? 

Ooooh how delightful it is to return to Glenbriar! And how marvellous it was to get to know Cha and Nick! 

I have read each book of the series, and in the previous book, Cha’s character intrigued me from her first appearance. Now, it’s not mandatory having read the previous book, but I for sure can recommend them each and every one of them, as I truly enjoyed reading them. 

Cha makes a fierce impression with her bright blue hair. But even from the first chapter it’s clear that in fact, she is just a girl that wants what everyone else wants. And that is to be loved.
We see her vulnerability despite her efforts trying to hide them. And that makes me like her even more. 

Cha and Nick couldn’t be more different, but that is exactly why they work. Because despite their differences, they also have so much in common, like their care for nature.
They also know that they have to forget about their one night together, to make things work at, well their work.
At work, they show that they are indeed a force to be reckoned with. And then I’m only talking about the real work. 

Of course the sparks can be ignored for just a small period of time, and Cha and Nick have to admit that they cannot just stay away from each other. yet it’s not only the sexual attraction between them.  I loved how eccentric Cha pushes Nick’s buttons by giving some innuendos or her teasing about his wardrobe choices.
And I loved to see how Nick somehow has a calming effect on Cha.  

While Nick is such a lovable character, it frustrated me to read just how much of a nice guy he is. It even comes to a point that he is taken advantage of someone of his past, jeopardizing what has been building up with Cha. 

In this book we see two totally different characters together. And we see how being different can bring out the best in them. Cha is fierce, and her fierceness makes it possible for Nick to stand up tall and chase his demons away.
And Nick makes it possible for Cha to believe in love again. 

Margaret Amatt wrote once again an amazing story about two characters that would never fit together in any other kind of story. But in this marvellous book, they just are the Ying to each other Yang. With their joined forces, they can achieve anything, even discovering corruption and doing whatever they can to do the right thing. 

Obviously the appearances of some old friends of the previous books was the cherry on top of the best cake ever. It was lovely to see how these characters were doing. 

I truly enjoyed reading this story, about people finding love with someone totally unexpected. But that’s just how life is, sometimes the most unexpected things, like tweed jackets or blue hair, can bring us the most amazing turn – outs!

To have a housemate but not the kind you expected…

Synopsis

Cath Beckinsale is in a jam. She’s a single mum of three, with her 40th birthday in sight and a precarious hold on employment. And she can’t quite let go of her late husband Gaz, whose ashes are still in an urn on the kitchen table.

To make ends meet a student lodger seems like the perfect solution – after all, what’s one more child in the house? But when Dan flies in from the US, complete with guitar and chest hair on display, it’s immediately clear that he’s no teenager, but someone who quickly sends life in an unexpected direction.

My review

Cath Beckinsale is a single mum of three, trying to keep all the balls up in the air. With her fortieth birthday approaching, a job that isn’t giving her real satisfaction or stability, and finding it still difficult to let go of her late husband, Cath knows that things need to change. But how? And is she ready to make such changes?
With her oldest daughter leaving for college, the most sensible solution of having more money, is taking a student lodger in the house. But Dan from the States isn’t the teenager Cath expected him to be. And his arrival may be the start of a much needed change of direction… 

Purely based on the blurb, I had a totally different, lighter story in mind. I thought that sparks would fly around Cath and Dan, and then they would start something, having a hurdle somewhere to only end up together anyway. You know that kind of story… 

But this isn’t that kind of story, as while dan’s arrival may be the catalyst in many aspects, it isn’t actually a story about Cath finding someone to love after losing the love of her life. 

I have to say, that from the start, I admired Cath’s resilience and strength. Not only did she lose the man she deeply lost, but even beforehand life hasn’t been easy on this family. Yet Cath, even at the most darkest moments in her life, didn’t give up, or would have made any kind of different decision. 

And we also see a Cath that is a teacher in the real sense of the word. While having to fight against several obnoxious colleagues and having to face injustice towards herself, we see how committed she is towards the students. Just like teacher should be, Cath sees more to them than the ire situation some of them are in.
And she truly cares about them, even going lengths to show them their own capabilities. 

But we also see a woman struggling, because it isn’t easy to run a household on your own. The struggles are real, and while she can rely on friends and family for help, it’s not easy to run everything smoothly. 

Like I said earlier, with Dan’s arrival, Cath life stars to change, and it’s not because of the romantic involvement, but more because of Dan being a helping hand somehow.
A helping hand that started as Cath wanting to interest her students, turning her into an internet celebrity. 

And I couldn’t stop making comparisons with high school behaviour somehow. Because what Cath is going through once she is gaining online popularity, is so easily to be alike with all the drama we all faced when we were teenagers.  Even Cath’s behaviour can be linked to that of a teenager, wanting to keep that popularity, and forgetting about the real purpose and goal of it all. 

But we also see that Cath starts to realize that perhaps the time has come to move on, to stop having Gaz literally on the kitchen table. Cath also realizes that while even if she hasn’t had the time to actually grieve over the family’s loss, she isn’t the only one. 

For me this story is more about a woman’s journey, trying to be successful. Like explained in the book, being successful can mean so many different things. And it’s up to you to figure out which kind of successful you want to be, which kind of being successful truly matters.  

Now, I know that what I wrote makes it look like this is a very deep and heavy story. And it is, as it makes you stop and just think about your own life. But it is also very funny, as there were several moments that Cath put a smile on my face, even if some of those moments weren’t meant to be funny according to Cath.
Yet that is also something very recognizable, as Cath’s clumsiness and “ignorance” are something we can all relate to somehow. 

As a little point of critique, if I can call it that way, is that I perhaps would have loved to have more of Leanne in this book. She for sure is a force of nature and rather spot – on too! 

This book is filled with all kind of emotions. We see not only Cath, but all the characters going through the highs and lows of life. We see them struggling but also we see so much love and altruism. We see characters making the wrong decisions but also making the right decisions. We see them doubting but also adamant on making a change.
We see a journey taking place, a journey where things go easy, but also where things go difficult. But that’s also just how life goes…

The magic of Paris, found in a little toyshop…

Synopsis

In the tangled streets of Paris, there is a toyshop…

A place where memories are lost and found, where pain and love, regret and joy are waiting to be discovered.

The old man sets the animals in the cars of the miniature train. A tiger with a jewelled collar, a monkey in a pillbox hat, a poodle, a dancing bear, an elephant, an ostrich with plumed tail feathers. The music plays; the animals trundle around the track. Their gentle faces have seen everything and reveal nothing. The joy, the sorrow, all the spaces in between. On the outside, they are smiling. Inside, they mourn the one that was lost.

When Sarah, a successful hotel designer, encounters a run-down toyshop in Paris, little does she know that her life is about to change. Against her better judgment, she agrees to help the elderly owner, Franz, save his shop and transform it into a magical destination for children and adults. She meets Tomas, a small-time crime novelist, who gives her a glimpse of a different life – one that can only exist on the other side of her own grief and guilt. But Tomas is hiding painful secrets of his own that threaten to destroy their blossoming relationship.

Can two lonely people move beyond the shame and heartbreak of the past to find their own happily ever after?

A spellbinding tale of love and memories lost and found. Perfect for fans of Joanne Harris’s Chocolat, Karen Swan, and Jojo Moyes, The Little Paris Toyshop will hit every emotion for readers who love literary romance.

My review

For her job as a hotel designer, Sarah finds herself in Paris, going what she does best. On an errand to please a client, accidently Sarah stumbles upon a toyshop. But it’s not just a normal toyshop… despite it not having the allures of the bigger toyshops, there is something about it and its owner Franz that Sarah finds herself drawn to it. And so Sarah finds herself helping the elderly Franz to save the toyshop and show its magic to everybody.
Luckily, she is not the only one determined to help Franz, as also Tomas, as crime novelist want to offer his help.
While working together, friendships are being built, but are these friendships strong enough to overcome the secrets and guilt they are all having? 

I didn’t know what to expect from this book, and I just decided on a feeling that this book would be worthy of being read.
And was I glad I followed my gut feeling? Of course I did!  

Now, be warned beforehand, this isn’t exactly the feel – good kind of book, that will put a smile on your face from start until the end.
But believe me, by the end, that smile will be on your face! 

It’s clear from the very start that Sarah’s hear has been broken in the most terrible way, and that she is still carrying a tremendous grief and sense of guilt around her. I figured out rather quickly the broad outlines of what happened, but there were still things being kept from the readers. 

I can only try to understand how Sarah, or anyone in her situation would feel, but even if I can impossible understand it fully, I could see why she acted the way she did. And how it’s just impossible for her to move on with her life. 

The way she stumbled upon the unique toyshop is just too spot – on to be random, but somehow that fits perfectly with the magical atmosphere the shop embraces you with. Don’t worry, there isn’t actual magic involved, but it’s the feeling you get from the shop. 

The shop puts Franz and Tomas on Sarah’s path, characters that just like her, are carrying the same kind of guilt, yet for completely different reasons.
Yet, even if they are carrying around the same feeling, they are trying to make show each other that even what happened in the past is terrible, the guilt is also something from the past and they all should try to move on from it, and start to live again. But how can you see the splinter in the eye of another person and not the bean in your own? 

This is a slow story, where things are not solved overnight. And that slow pace is exactly spot – on. Because you don’t just get over things just because someone tells you to. You cannot just step outside your home purely on sheer determination. Just like Sarah tries to make poor Andre understand, you have to take it one step at the time, not wanting to take the next step too quickly, otherwise you will go back to square one… 

I see you think, who is Andre now? Well, I see him as the glue of the whole story. The poor kid/teenager is Tomas’ neighbour. and with Sarah and Franz meeting him, he is even the bigger catalyst to the next step for each character than the toyshop is. 

In this book, none of the characters are flawless. Sarah’s guilt is comprehendible, what Franz did in the past was wrong, but he did it to impress the girl he loved. Tomas’ secret was not what I expected it to be, taking me once again by surprise. But also in his case, I could see how it could have happened. 

The author manages perfectly to write a compelling story about broken people, who find it hard to come to terms with their past. Yet by finding each other, helping each other, they are slowly able to understand that living in the past isn’t living at all and that no matter how hard we wish for it, we cannot change the past. 

I found myself on an emotional rollercoaster, seeing all the characters slowly trying to start living again, but with trial and error, just like in real life we all do. And even when there is a small relapse, only those who understand you, still see the progress you are making, and applaud that, instead of focusing on the negatives. 

And I absolutely loved those little snippets of some toys, with how they too see the world and feel the emotions they are surrounded by!  These little bits added to the magical atmosphere of the story, and made me remember the times that we all had, believing that our own toys were real and understood us better than anyone else! 

This story was a wonderful discovery for me, about pain, secrets and guilt, and how all those feelings slowly can be turned into something beautiful.
And no matter how heavy some aspects of this book were, in the end I felt a lightness over me, and believing that even by having a tough journey, all’s well that ends well…

New beginnings that will bring new realizations…

Synopsis

New beginnings don’t always mean painful endings . . .

A fabulous, timeless story of friendship set in Devon from bestselling author Jennifer Bohnet.

As time ebbs and flows over the summer both Katie Teague and her godmother Mattie Cranford discover their lives are at a crossroads

Mattie shackled to the family wool shop for over 50 years, feels life has passed her by. She dreams of seeing the world and shaking off a lifetime of regrets.

When Katie is made redundant, Mattie seizes the moment and asks Katie to move back to her home town of Dartmouth and breathe new life into the rundown wool shop and to her surprise Katie agrees.

As Katie settles back into the rhythm of Devon life and renovating the shop, Mattie sets off on a luxury cruise.

But the arrival of Katie’s ex-boyfriend with an unexpected dream job offer threatens to unsettle the calm waters.

Will she sacrifice the shop and Mattie’s happiness – or her own career?

Previously published as Shadows of Conflict

My review

Katie Teague accepts the offer of her godmother Mattie Cranford to return to Dartmouth after being made redundant. Mattie wants Katie to take over the family wool shop, as Mattie knows that it’s time for a change and the shop for sure needs a breath of fresh air.
Katie herself never thought of running the wool shop, yet quickly she discovers the joy she feels while renovating the place.
Meanwhile Mattie decides to go on a luxury cruise, discovering the world she only dreamt about discovering.
But is the wool shop enough for Katie to stay in Dartmouth, and will Mattie be ever able to overcome the heartbreak she endured as a child after losing her beloved sister? 

Well, Jennifer Bohnet did it again! I found myself totally submerged into this story, finding it almost impossible to put it away. 

The story started rather slowly, but that only gave the perfect chance to let the readers comprehend the current state of the characters better. And before I knew, the slowness completely disappeared. 

When Katie is made redundant, she isn’t exactly jumping for joy to return to Dartmouth. But when there aren’t any jobs available, she decides to go visit her godmother Mattie.
I could understand her reluctance of taking over the wool shop, because let’s be honest, it doesn’t really sound like the most exciting job for Katie, especially as her former job absolutely was. 

The love between Katie and Mattie is palpable from the pages, even if they are only godmother and goddaughter. Katie is the daughter Mattie would dream of having, and the feeling for sure is mutual. And it made sense that Mattie would want Katie to be in charge of the store. 

We see how slowly Katie realizes that Dartmouth is exactly giving her what she needs. She finds herself more and more invested in not only the wool shop but in the whole community. She rekindles old friendships, and being back ‘home’ makes her rethink about her past life and career. Was it truly all that amazing and was her relationship truly that steadfast, especially she sees how her boyfriend Patrick is behaving?  

And then there is Mattie’s tale. Because yes, we get two stories for the price of one, what a bargain! She was just a child during the war, yet the loss of her sister in the aftermath made Mattie dislike anything linked to the war, and made her dislike Americans in general. 

She never left Dartmouth and now she starts to realize that it’s rather now or never. And what better way to do it ‘now’ than go n a luxury cruise!
I found it truly sweet to see how Mattie is stepping out of her comfort zone, enjoying the luxury, and making new friends. Well, especially one new friend, Henri… 

With Katie coming back home, and Mattie going away from home, we can see the same shift in their lives but from a different starting point.
Katie learns that perhaps what she was missing in her life may have been closer than expected. And that returning to your roots may be exactly what she needs.
And Mattie learns that sometimes distance (literally and figuratively speaking) may put everything in perspective and can heal a broken heart. 

I have to say, that the historical bit was an unknown part for me, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t grasp the hurt it caused Mattie but also the importance to others. And I liked it how the author managed to turn something horrible for Mattie into something that would offer her comfort and peace. 

I loved reading this book about new beginnings, not for one but for two lovely characters. A story where old acquaintances and new ones show the main characters and us too, that starting again isn’t that scary at all, as long as we follow what our hearts are telling us. And that stepping outside our comfort zone may offer so much more than we thought possible. But also returning to our comfort zone may give us exactly that!

How can work and private life be kept separate when the one you start to like is the one who can take your family away?

Synopsis

Tall, dark and handsome. That’s what I thought the first time I saw Rupert Evans in the library. 

But then I found out he was the developer who just sent my community garden a cease-and-desist letter because he plans to raze the garden and construct some towering monstrosity there.

The only one who is going to cease and desist is him. That community garden is my found family.

But then he asks me out at book club night.

Suspicious, right?

I’m attractive but I’m not the type hot bachelors are lining up around the block to ask out. Let’s be real. I’m still in the brunch date spot with my next-door neighbor after a year of my pursuing him.

Rupert is trying to butter me up and lead me down the garden path so I concede. Never. 

He has no idea what we’ve planned to stop him. Our little community group may look like a bunch of frail roses, but we’ve got thorns. As long as I weed out these pesky feelings for him, I know we can win.

My review

Lily is a librarian in New York city. She loves her job, she loves living with her best friend and absolutely loves spending time in the neighbourhood’s community garden. After losing her mother and her father going constantly on trips on his own, Lily has created he own little family with people she cares about.
So when a developer sends the community garden a cease – and – desist letter, Lily won’t go down without a fight!
But then she learns that the developer is Rupert Evans, the tall and handsome man she met in the library. And when he shows an interest in her, it for sure is suspicious, isn’t it? Or is Rupert honestly interested in Lily, no matter if the garden is standing between them? 

There are authors that you don’t even need a blurb of their books to know that you will read it anyway. And Kathy Strobos is for sure a great addition to that kind of list of mine! 

The story may seem a simple one, woman meets man of her dreams, oh no there is a conflict, they work it out and poof – happily ever after.
But trust me when I say that this story goes way deeper, and it makes it so easy for you to love reading it! 

From the very start, it’s crystal-clear that Lily is an amazing character. First of all, she’s a librarian, so how can we not like someone who loves books just like we do?
But that’s not all to like about Lily. The lengths she went for the community garden (even before the conflict) and how she truly cares about the visitors, shows her kind heart. 

Yet she has also a vulnerability in her. Losing her mother, and having a rather distant father (literally and figuratively speaking), made her feel alone and lonely. That made her create her own family, with all her friends and the people taking care of the garden. And that makes her very protective of each and every one of them. 

When she meets Rupert, she obviously has no idea who he truly is. But her offering her copy of the book Rupert is looking for, shows again just how altruistic Lily is. 

Rupert… obviously he is a great guy. Despite his plans for the garden, he is just amazing. He has always wanted to work in the family business, and now with his goal so close within reach, he has to decide which path to follow…
He is at a crossroad, to pursue the career he always dreamt of, or to follow his heart and risking to lose everything he worked so hard for? 

But Rupert isn’t only focused on the job, because we see Rupert ‘outside the working hours’, and we see a kind man, a caring man, a man who sees more than we would think. But he is also a man that doesn’t fall in love easily and a man that isn’t sure if the women who like him, like Rupert The Man, or Rupert The Man With Wealth…
He is also the kind of man that doesn’t make any promise he cannot keep. When he promises something, he want to be sure he can keep them. 

What I absolutely loved about this book, is that Lily and Rupert are falling for each other, yet they don’t expect to stop their battle concerning the garden.
Both Lily and Rupert want that they both give all they’ve got and not let their feelings interfere with their plans.
Yet it never turns nasty. They respect each other’s fights and even when they are standing on opposite sides, they will always look after each other. just like how Rupert makes sure the protesters are being looked after and provides them everything they may need on a cold day. 

It was wonderful to see how both characters, despite the conflict they have, find each other and understand each other better than anyone else. But also it was refreshing to read how somehow there is still an inch of a doubt or scepticism, because after all, they don’t know each other that long. 

Of course this wouldn’t be a Kathy Strobos book if there wasn’t time for laughter and humour in it too, voluntarily or not. I could just imagine Lily in a dress on a bike, or her in disguise! And even the children protesting in costumes put a big smile on my face! 😊  

Lily surrounded by her ‘family’, ready to fight for a little bit of heaven in the city, Rupert almost fighting against his own family, there is a lot of fight and strong character in this book. But the harder the fights are getting, the more I felt the warmth and love in it. Because it’s all done out of love. Love to protect what has been built, love for the community that comes together, love for family, that is what the characters are fighting for.  

And in the end, that is all that matters, love and what it makes us find in perhaps the least expected ways!