Second chances in many different ways

Synopsis

Thirty-three-year-old Ruth Henderson and her daughter Maggie have some hard choices to make. Following the tragic death of Maggie’s father, they are left with a mountain of debt and broken hearts. So, despite her vow never to return home after the fall-out from her teenage pregnancy, Ruth can’t see any option other than for the two of them to move back in with her parents.

Going home means many things – finally confronting her estranged father, navigating her mother’s desperate need to make everything ok despite the wobbles in her own marriage, not to mention helping a still-grieving Maggie to settle into a new school, find new friends, and stop expressing her emotions through her ever-changing hair colour.

What Ruth needs are friends, but she abandoned her childhood ones when she left all those years ago. Luckily for Ruth, they haven’t abandoned her. Slowly she lets herself be embraced by a group of women who have always had her back – even when she didn’t know it. And as the grief and shock recede, Ruth can even begin to imagine sharing her life with someone other than just Maggie – if Maggie will let her.

My review

Ruth Henderson and her daughter Maggie are moving back home, after the death of Maggie’s father, and discovery of the mountain of debts.
Moving back to your parents is never easy, but in Ruth’s case it’s even worse, because with her teenage pregnancy years ago, she became estranged from her father.
She always felt like the odd one out, and those feelings only increased with the years.
Ruth also has to face the fact that her mother wants everything to be okay, even if they are not. And then there are the obvious struggles of raising a teenage daughter. A daughter that is still grieving over the loss of her father, and expresses her emotions by the colour of her hair.
But living back with her parents, also means seeing back Ruth’s childhood friends, friends that are welcoming her back. And also seeing again the one person who truly stole her hearts years ago…
However, being a mother means that Maggie will always be her first priority, a priority who may not be ready to see her mother dating another man… 

With Beth Moran, you know that you will get on an emotional rollercoaster, with a few unexpected twists and turns. However, just like on a real rollercoaster, once the ride is over, you feel happy of the trip you made! 

Ruth is the kind of character that even as a reader is a bit hard to instant like. We meet her at perhaps her lowest moment, as she has just lost the father of her daughter, she discovers the debts they have and has no other option to return home to her parents. To make things even worse, she and her father have an cold relationship, and Ruth clearly feels the disappointment he feels. 

So yes, all the above made me pity her. But why exactly I didn’t liked her from first instance, is perhaps the fact that she makes the right decisions, on paper.
Her pregnancy came as a total surprise, and while it is somehow admirable that the couple give it a shot, it’s clearly that they are just not that well – fitted.
As her partner never really has a part in the story itself, it makes it harder to have an honest opinion over the family as a unit, yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that the only thing in common was the love for Maggie. 

However, Ruth also shows an admirable determination. If I had to go back living with my parents, it would be just terrible. And I have a great relationship with them! But as Ruth doesn’t have that, I could see why she saw it as admitting her defeat… 

We also see her as a protective mother, as she sees behind Maggie’s mask. Ruth understands what Maggie is going through, and I liked it how Ruth even understood what the message of each new colour of Maggie’s hair meant.
Yet that doesn’t take away that Maggie has a free pass on everything. Ruth can still be strict when needed. And while she may appear too strict in a few occasions, she is always righteous. 

There are several events in this story. Obviously there is Ruth and Maggie adapting in a ‘new old’ place. But also Ruth and her father something attempting to make amends. And then the relationship between Ruth’s own parents are also seemingly reaching a breaking point.
And the cringy fact of a doctor not understanding or accepting rejections… 

But what stood the most out in this story, is the warmth. Because Ruth, even if she appeared to have burnt many bridges in the past, finds herself welcomed back by her old friends. She finds ‘her people’ again, ready to forgive her for leaving them.
They are helping her, without question, even if they have also their own issues.
But also warmth from Ruth’s ow family. That perhaps don’t show it that easily, but the love is still there, despite their differences and feuds in the past years. Because no matter what happened in the past or what will happen in the future, they are and always will be family… 

And then there is also so much strength in this story. Because yes, Ruth has been knocked down several times, yet she finds the resilience to just keep going. she is adamant to pay of the debts, even if that means taking two jobs. Even if that means working for someone she dislikes. Because she has her complete focus on the endgame. 

And then there is, of course, so much love in this story.
Love for your own child, a love that turns you in an enraged Mama – Bear when needed. But it’s also the kind of love that makes you stand your ground.
But there is also love for your friends, as I stated above, a love that can stand the test of time and distance.
And love for your family, that is unbreakable no matter what.
And then… the first love…
The purest kind of love… a love that so often just fades away, ends in heartbreak. But that once in a while, turns out to be the only, perfect love. 

Like I said, this was an emotional rollercoaster. I had many laughs, several snickering moments, a few gasps, and a lot of heart – warming bits.
This author shows again that sometimes the most plain starts in a book can turn into a great, unexpected yet wonderful, inspiring, encouraging story about second chances in so many different aspects.

Can you get a fresh start while the past is still haunting you and your loved ones?

Synopsis

When Cate Rivers leaves her husband in the middle of the night with their young daughter, Eliza, she has no idea what the future holds. Taking a live-in position at Hollow House on the Dorset coast, she determines to make a new life for her and Eliza. 

But Cate’s new boss, fossil hunter Charles Thorner, could do without the problems of a couple of runaways under his roof. He’s got enough worries of his own, including a painful past which still holds him prisoner today.

As the two of them learn to work alongside each other, secrets are shared and a new closeness is found, but they soon discover that you can only hide from the past for so long…

The Way to the Sea is the latest heartwarming novel by the bestselling author of The Beauty of Broken Things and The Rose Girls.

My review

Cate Rivers has no other option than leaving her husband in the middle of the night. Her marriage wasn’t a happy one, and for her and her daughter’s sake, they needed to get out of there as fast as possible.
Cate is determined to build a new life, together with Eliza on the Dorset coast, and she even has found a live – in position at Hollow House.
But her boss, Charles Thorner, wasn’t aware that Cate would come with a child, and he for sure could do without their problems. Especially as he has his own problems and traumas.
However, slowly, and with Eliza’s interest in fossils, exactly Charles expertise, things start to change at Hollow House…
And both Cate and Charles learn to trust each other, not only wit their problems but also with their secrets, even if those demons come and resurface, and it’s time to face them once and for all… 

Victoria Connelly is one of those authors that never write easy stories. All her books include characters that aren’t having an easy life, there is always something haunting them.
Yet all her characters are so easy to like and love, and has you rooting for them from the first paragraph in the book. 

And this book isn’t an exception… 

We get to know Cate as an unhappy woman. Even worse, as a woman who is afraid of her husband, fearing for her life, and her daughter’s.
While we are luckily spared from the details, we immediately understand her and the choice she has made to flee the scene. 

I can only try to understand the hardship she had to endure, and it’s clear to see how this disturbed marriage effected poor Eliza…
It angers me so much to see how a person only dares to behave that way, just to feel superior…  

On the other hand, I was happy to see that Cate could count on the friendship and kindness of Allie, even if they haven’t been in touch for years.
With my faith lost with Cate’s husband, Allie’s actions restored my faith completely. Allie gives Cate all the possible help by even finding Cate an employment and a place to stay. 

An employment that doesn’t start very well, as her boss doesn’t know he has hired a ‘package – deal’.
I have to be honest, Charles’ behaviour at the start didn’t score any brownie points…
He is cold, stand – offish, even rude at moments. And yes, him being a fossil hunter didn’t help for sure, as I don’t have any kind of feelings towards fossils! 

However…
Slowly we get to understand why Charles acts the way he does. And my heart just broke for him… I am not going to give anything away, but I could understand why he is being distant, as I could feel him carrying the worries of the world on his shoulders… 

And of course, seeing him with Eliza, showing his patience, even his acceptance towards Eliza’s own particular situation, well, it made my heart just melt while I was reading!
I loved seeing this complete other side of Mr. Fossil, showing that first impressions can absolutely be wrong! 

Obviously, while Cate, Eliza and Charles are finding each other, trusting each other and starting to see a whole new life, things couldn’t keep going uphill…
And even if it didn’t come as a total surprise, it kept me sitting on the edge of my seat! And even if the resolution of it came a bit ‘too easy’, it also made complete sense. 

Beside cate’s story, the author also takes her time to let us get to know Allie and her own little family a bit better.
And while I loved those bits too, I also felt like it was a missed opportunity… because I absolutely loved Allie, and I wouldn’t have minded to let her have her own, separate tale to tell us, without having to share the spotlight. 

But it also helped to show us that no family is perfect, that families comes in different shapes and forms. No family is perfect, and in each family there has to be room for communication, but also finding compromises.
And it also shows us that members of a family can be found when you least expect it. 

I loved reading this book, as the author managed to get me again on a wonderful emotional rollercoaster. It shows us the ugliness of life, but especially the beauty and the strength of life and people. Because no matter how broken you appear to be, there will always be a strength in you, ready to fight for perhaps not your own happiness per se, but for the happiness of the person you love and treasure the most.
And with that same strength, you will be able to pick up the pieces (or fossils?) of your own life and be ready to start all over again, with again your hope and faith and courage to love restored!

Can you get a fresh start while the past is still haunting you and your loved ones?

Synopsis

When Cate Rivers leaves her husband in the middle of the night with their young daughter, Eliza, she has no idea what the future holds. Taking a live-in position at Hollow House on the Dorset coast, she determines to make a new life for her and Eliza. 

But Cate’s new boss, fossil hunter Charles Thorner, could do without the problems of a couple of runaways under his roof. He’s got enough worries of his own, including a painful past which still holds him prisoner today.

As the two of them learn to work alongside each other, secrets are shared and a new closeness is found, but they soon discover that you can only hide from the past for so long…

The Way to the Sea is the latest heartwarming novel by the bestselling author of The Beauty of Broken Things and The Rose Girls.

My review

Cate Rivers has no other option than leaving her husband in the middle of the night. Her marriage wasn’t a happy one, and for her and her daughter’s sake, they needed to get out of there as fast as possible.
Cate is determined to build a new life, together with Eliza on the Dorset coast, and she even has found a live – in position at Hollow House.
But her boss, Charles Thorner, wasn’t aware that Cate would come with a child, and he for sure could do without their problems. Especially as he has his own problems and traumas.
However, slowly, and with Eliza’s interest in fossils, exactly Charles expertise, things start to change at Hollow House…
And both Cate and Charles learn to trust each other, not only wit their problems but also with their secrets, even if those demons come and resurface, and it’s time to face them once and for all… 

Victoria Connelly is one of those authors that never write easy stories. All her books include characters that aren’t having an easy life, there is always something haunting them.
Yet all her characters are so easy to like and love, and has you rooting for them from the first paragraph in the book. 

And this book isn’t an exception… 

We get to know Cate as an unhappy woman. Even worse, as a woman who is afraid of her husband, fearing for her life, and her daughter’s.
While we are luckily spared from the details, we immediately understand her and the choice she has made to flee the scene. 

I can only try to understand the hardship she had to endure, and it’s clear to see how this disturbed marriage effected poor Eliza…
It angers me so much to see how a person only dares to behave that way, just to feel superior…  

On the other hand, I was happy to see that Cate could count on the friendship and kindness of Allie, even if they haven’t been in touch for years.
With my faith lost with Cate’s husband, Allie’s actions restored my faith completely. Allie gives Cate all the possible help by even finding Cate an employment and a place to stay. 

An employment that doesn’t start very well, as her boss doesn’t know he has hired a ‘package – deal’.
I have to be honest, Charles’ behaviour at the start didn’t score any brownie points…
He is cold, stand – offish, even rude at moments. And yes, him being a fossil hunter didn’t help for sure, as I don’t have any kind of feelings towards fossils! 

However…
Slowly we get to understand why Charles acts the way he does. And my heart just broke for him… I am not going to give anything away, but I could understand why he is being distant, as I could feel him carrying the worries of the world on his shoulders… 

And of course, seeing him with Eliza, showing his patience, even his acceptance towards Eliza’s own particular situation, well, it made my heart just melt while I was reading!
I loved seeing this complete other side of Mr. Fossil, showing that first impressions can absolutely be wrong! 

Obviously, while Cate, Eliza and Charles are finding each other, trusting each other and starting to see a whole new life, things couldn’t keep going uphill…
And even if it didn’t come as a total surprise, it kept me sitting on the edge of my seat! And even if the resolution of it came a bit ‘too easy’, it also made complete sense. 

Beside cate’s story, the author also takes her time to let us get to know Allie and her own little family a bit better.
And while I loved those bits too, I also felt like it was a missed opportunity… because I absolutely loved Allie, and I wouldn’t have minded to let her have her own, separate tale to tell us, without having to share the spotlight. 

But it also helped to show us that no family is perfect, that families comes in different shapes and forms. No family is perfect, and in each family there has to be room for communication, but also finding compromises.
And it also shows us that members of a family can be found when you least expect it. 

I loved reading this book, as the author managed to get me again on a wonderful emotional rollercoaster. It shows us the ugliness of life, but especially the beauty and the strength of life and people. Because no matter how broken you appear to be, there will always be a strength in you, ready to fight for perhaps not your own happiness per se, but for the happiness of the person you love and treasure the most.
And with that same strength, you will be able to pick up the pieces (or fossils?) of your own life and be ready to start all over again, with again your hope and faith and courage to love restored!

Never apply on a job advert when drunk, you’ll never know where you’ll end up with!

Synopsis

When high flying, workaholic Katy Smith is suddenly made redundant, she needs to find a job fast!

After mistakenly answering an advert online, she quickly realises that the rundown railway station in sleepy Cranfield isn’t the 5-star London hotels she’s used to working in!

But a job’s a job. Right?

Chef Ryan Connelly is having a crisis of confidence after his Italian dream turns sour.

Returning home to try to pick up the pieces of his parents broken marriage, he soon discovers that his family home, the railway station, is close to financial ruin

Can Katy use all of her skills and find a way to save the railway station?

And can Ryan rediscover his passion of cooking once more?

As winter in Cranfield begins to sprinkle its magic, perhaps Katy and Ryan can find their very own new beginning on Railway Lane.

My review

Katy Smith didn’t expect being made redundant when she was summoned in the office. With her being a workaholic, she needs to finds a new job as soon as possible. But jobs in hospitality aren’t that easily found.
So when one evening, enjoying a drink too many, she seems to have found the perfect job, she doesn’t think (or sober up) and applies for it.
Katy is over the moon when the job is hers, but shocked when she realizes that she hasn’t at all applied for a job in a 5 – star London hotel, but a rundown railway station in Cranfield. And not at all a hotel!
Yet a job is a job, and she is determined to make the best of her situation, even if her world and those of the Connelly’s are far apart.
Ryan Connelly is a chef who has returned home, with his dad needing support after his failed marriage. And while Ryan himself is struggling with picking up the pieces of his own life, he now must also do something to save his home.
Perhaps with joining forces with Katy, Ryan will be able to not only save the station, but also find again the passion of cooking… 

Alison Sherlock is the kind of author that can write a seemingly ‘easy’ story, but can elevate it in a wonderful, lovely story.
So when I started reading it, I was completely ready to be falling in love with the main characters while at the same time returning to a wonderful place I have been visiting before.
You can perfectly read this story as a standalone, but why should you? 

From the start, it’s clear that Katy is a strong, determined woman. She knows what she wants, and knows what it takes to reach her goal. Living in London made sure that Katy walks and talks like a real, empowered city – girl. She talks the talk and she wears the labels. 

Yet it becomes also clear that her strength is only a way to protect herself. She won’t allow anyone to break her heart like her father did, so she just won’t allow anyone getting close to her.
And it saddened me to read this, as while I was a fan of Katy chasing her dreams, she is also a lonely person.  

As a reader, we know that the job advert she applies for, isn’t at all for a fancy hotel. And in my mind I thought: Well Katy, that’ll teach you to apply for a job after drinking!
and it was a bit funny to see how this city – girl finds herself with her fancy clothes and designer shoes in the middle of nowhere! 

I wouldn’t have judged her if she packed and left immediately, but I liked it how somehow she saw something in the Connelly’s family, and how she was touched by Bob Connelly, struggling after his wife left him…
She sees and understands his pain, because she herself has endured something alike. 

I found myself snickering several time over the cultural shock that Katy is going through. Willingly or unwillingly, she finds herself drawn into Cranfield – life. And it was so sweet to see how, no matter how hard she tries to keep her distance, is finding real friends, in the shape of our own old friends!
And perhaps even learns to open up her heart for love, for Ryan. 

Now, Ryan Connelly is my kind of man! And no, I am not only saying that because he is a chef who has lived in Italy, chasing his own dreams!
but because we see Ryan as a man who has been chased by his own demons, yet doesn’t hesitate to help out his family with their struggles. 

His father needs him, and even if Ryan hasn’t figured out yet how to help, he is ready to stay in Cranfield, even letting Katy stay while he himself doesn’t see how she could possibly help. 

Obviously, the both of them don’t get along from the start. As that would have been just too easy. Yet despite the many differences, they slowly start to see the real person behind the facades.
Ryan quickly realizes that Katy is a force of nature, with great ideas to turn the tide, but Katy also sees that Ryan needs a (not so) gentle nudge to allow himself to dream big again. But she also sees that Ryan may be the person who will show her that loving someone doesn’t mean that it will end in heartbreak. 

Both characters slowly start to trust each other. Ryan is what Katy needs but didn’t know, and vice versa. They push each other in the right direction, but It doesn’t happen without trial and error. 

The best bits however, no matter how lovely the evolution between Katy and Ryan is, is seeing how Katy realize that deep down, she is more a village – girl than a city – girl and how she starts to feel more at home and even loved in a new place than what she saw as her home. And Cranfield shows again what a great community it is, by not only welcoming Katy, but also offering helping hands in whichever way they can. 

It was also heart – warming to see how Ryan’s father Bob is coming out of his shell, after being heart – broken and even depressed about it. 

This book shows us that no matter how much pain we have endured in our lives, in the right place with the right people, we can find a wonderful second chance. A chance not in the shape we thought it would come, but nevertheless exactly in the shape we needed it to come. 

Alison Sherlock wrote again a marvellous story, with lovely characters, with many smiles and perhaps a tear here and there.

I want more!!!

Synopsis

Are a rocket scientist and one of Hollywood’s brightest stars a match made in heaven or is it a catastrophe headed for a crash landing?

Lana loves four things: science, her cats, her friends, and her books. She’s on her way to earning her professorship when she finds out her long-term boyfriend has been sleeping with her best friend! That discovery has her hiding in the broom closet at a posh hotel.

Only, it turns out broom closets are the place to be these days. 

Christian Slade, America’s sexiest man alive (as voted by fans), in a desperate attempt to escape the paparazzi finds himself in a broom closet with one sobbing occupant. Unable to leave a damsel in distress, he offers help, only to realise she has no idea who he is! It’s like he’s been given a gift. A smart, beautiful woman, who isn’t after him for fame and fortune . . .

Soon Christian is buying a Tesla to impress his scientist with his eco credentials and taking her on dates where no one will recognise him.

My review

I am not happy with this book… this because I finished reading it too quickly!

I want more!!!

This story has just everything. It starts in a dramatic tone… Lana has just discovered that her boyfriend cheated on her. And not just with a random woman, but with her best friend!

Following them in a hotel, she ends up hiding in a closet.

And by sheer coincidence, she meets Christian, the most famous actor,in the world.

Having no idea who Christian is, Lana is immediately on his radar!

Once I started, I was hooked and kept reading and reading and reading. And sadly way too quickly I reached the end.

Proof that I enjoyed it in full!

The story is a sweet, charming story. Christian is the perfect boyfriend, even though sometimes he’s struggling with doing the right thing. It was funny to see how he tries to do the right thing, having the complete opposite result! Yet it was also endaring to see him struggling a little bit!

Even if at moments he fails, we can clearly see his character. He is caring, gentle, even generous and when he cares, he *cares*.

And Lana is so lovely down to earth, standing strong when she’s faced with the cons of dating a famous person. I can only try to imagine what it must be like to date a famous actor, yet I admired how she keeps her head on her shoulders. She isn’t starstruck at all, and she only cares about the real person, and not the actor Christian.

Of course there are some hurdles our main characters have to jump over, otherwise the story would be over even quicker. And some hurdles could have been totally unnecessary if both characters just took their time and actually communicated clearly at some points. But on the other hand, it also shows that even with love, things don’t always come that easy…

It’s a lovely story, about not only falling in love with someone amazing, but finding the perfect balance without losing each other in the process. It also shows that even for love, stupid mistakes can be made. But that in the end, it doesn’t matter if it all comes together perfectly.

Just like the other books of this amazing author, I was completely hooked from the first pages. Whenever I start a new book of her, I know that I will be in for a marvellous story, without any disappointment!

Is being content with your life enough?

Synopsis

When Seren’s brother Andrew signs her up to Yorkshire Dating, only for them to recommend that she ‘gets a life’ before they find her a match, Seren has to admit that they may have a point.  

She loves her job cooking at an elder day centre and her little flat, but it’s fair to say her life is a little short of hobbies and friends. Since she was young Seren has felt safer close to home, but now she’s a thirty-something divorcee, it’s time for a change.

Change arrives in the shape of alarmingly clever collie Kez, who Seren offers to take in ‘temporarily’, and kind but mysterious new colleague Ned. But as Ned and Kez tempt Seren out of her shell, it means facing her fears. And when Andrew finally reveals the secrets of their childhood, Seren’s need for safety suddenly makes sense.

A problem shared is a problem halved, and with friends by her side, Seren might be able to get a life that she loves at last.

My review

Seren is fed  up with her brother Andrew wanting her to date. She is absolutely fine with her life just how it is. So who cares if she doesn’t have really a hobby? Or that she is living in her little flat, above the elder day centre where she works cooking for the visitors?
But when a dating app even suggests her to make her profile a little more interesting, she has to admit that perhaps they may have a point…
However, how to change that safe life Seren is so accustomed to? Seren reluctantly agrees in joining her brother and his husband on a Game night, and even agrees n helping out a dog training session. A session that ends with her taking a collie, Kez, temporarily at her place.
With Kez, she has no option by getting more outside. And even new colleague Ned, despite his mysterious air around him, is tempting Seren to get out of her shell.
But fears don’t disappear overnight, how much Seren wants them to. And the reason of her fears may be closer to home than Seren thought, and she may need all the support she can get to have even a chance to find her happiness. 

Jane Lovering has the most amazing talent of writing books that warm your heart and yet also break them at the same time. Yet you cannot not love each book she writes. And this book was again proof of her talent! 

The story starts with Seren being annoyed by her brother Andrew’s interference. And oh dear, did I comprehend her! Being happily single myself, I could understand Seren’s frustration. What’s wrong with being on your own? Why do we need a partner to make us feel happy?
But I could also understand that Andrew was doing it out of concern, but perhaps addressing it in the wrong way. 

Yet it’s clear that his worries are not only about Seren being on her own, it’s the fact that Seren just doesn’t do anything. She doesn’t do anything adventurous, even going to a place she hasn’t been before is terrifying her.
So even if she doesn’t see it herself, there must have been something that caused her fear. And it saddened me reading how she doesn’t see how that fear has a tight grip on her life. 

Of course Seren isn’t a total tragic character. Because she loves her job cooking at the elder day care, and she truly cares about the people coming in every day, with all their shenanigans. And if we truly need to see more, just look at the lengths she goes for the latest addition in the group, Mimi. 

We see also that Seren is the kind of person who agrees on doing things she rather doesn’t want to do, just to please please.
She doesn’t care about Dungeons and Dragons, she doesn’t want to help a dog training session, yet she does them anyway.
Even keeping Kez in her flat, she truly doesn’t want to do that, yet there Kez is, in her flat… 

But with Kez in her life, slowly things start to take a turn for Seren. They always say that dogs are great at seeing people’s true character, and Kez sees Seren and absolutely adores her. As if we needed more proof… 

Kez forces Seren to get more outside, literally. And we see how Kez has an absolute positive impact on Seren… 

Another person with a great impact is Ned. I have to admit, I had a few laughs with Seren’s suspiciousness and even fantasy. She thinks the strangest things of Ned, and yes, even if he has a few secrets, Seren’s mind is going a bit over the top! 

But we can see the gentleness in Ned, that he doesn’t only do his job because it’s the expected thing, but we see also how much he cares about the people (Seren included) and Kez. 

We see Seren getting more outside, and more out of her shell. And with Ned by her side, she slowly starts to understand that while she is content with her life, she is letting her fears holding back.
But acknowledge your fears, and understand them is a total different thing. And I understood Ned why he wanted Seren to discover the truth. But I also understood Seren as she believed there was nothing there to discover. 

Of course, there was…
And it truly broke my heart to read what had caused Seren’s fears, and even more. With her talking to Andrew, so many things made totally sense while before they just didn’t… I can only try to understand how difficult it can be to face that past that you have put away in your mind. But with understanding comes also the ability to do something about it, by taking baby steps of course. 

I found this somehow an inspiring story. It shows us that being content with our lives is okay, but why settle down with just being content, if with stopping our fears, we could find true happiness? But it also shows that happiness doesn’t come instantly, it takes some take to get there. It is just like Mimi, we need to take our time to finally get that click. And it may be hard work, but once it’s there, you’ll get the greatest reward! 

And as a person who loves to bake, I absolutely LOVED having those recipes in the book! There are several ones I will try out for sure, making me find my own little happiness with creating (and obviously eating! 😊) something delicious!

When a forced trip couldn’t be further away from your own world, what would happen?

Synopsis

When the Big C takes her best friend too soon, Willa Jenkins struggles to recapture the joy in her life, and all she wants is to get away from LA’s glitzy party circuit. But superfan Valentina had other plans. For her final, wickedly funny act, she’s packing her bestie off on a two-week Outlander-themed experience at Balcraigie Castle, Scotland.

Expecting a couple of weeks with Valentina’s hot brother Gabe, Willa gets more than she bargained for when she’s put to work doing actual, real-life farm work. Not only that, but to get the ‘full’ experience, she’s paired up with the irritating—and irritatingly sexy—Finn, with whom she will pose as fake husband and wife for the next two weeks.

Willa despairs of Valentina’s terrible trick. But then she makes a discovery. Finn’s family might just lose the castle if they can’t make the experience worthwhile for the other attendees. The stakes are high, but as the days pass and the fake marriage she signed up for starts to feel all too real, could Willa be in for a prize of a different kind…love?

My review

Willa Jenkins is living the life in LA, as her job at a tv – station makes her meet famous people all the time.
However, losing her best friend Valentina took away all the fun in Willa’s life. Yet even now Valentina manages to surprise/ shock Willa, as Willa is being sent off on a two – week Outlander themed experience in Scotland.
But not only that, she is going to spend that time together with Valentina’s estranged brother Gabe.
To get the full experience, all the guests are being put to work, and do actual real – life farm work. And instead of being paired up with Gabe, Willa finds herself fake – married to Finn, whose family own the castle but is also the one person who truly annoys Willa.
But soon Willa also learns that Finn’s family may lose the castle and Willa finds herself offering her help. Will Willa be able to save the castle together with Finn, who turns out to be different than Willa thought? 

So, I am not making myself very popular with my next statement…
I started watching Outlander, but then somehow I found myself giving up. I didn’t get any further than season 1. I don’t know exactly why, but I just didn’t watch it anymore… 

Yet that made me understand Willa a little bit, as she also doesn’t comprehend the whole hype either. Of course, if you are a fan of the show, I totally respect that! Everyone should be able to love whatever show they are watching. And I liked the dedication the other guests had while being on the experience. 

Willa is a woman who is also very focused on her career. She has a very alluring job, yet she wants to keep on stepping up on the ladder. I liked reading how she meets all those famous people, and how she manages to use her Willa – power over them, letting them say and do things they otherwise never would. 

While I liked that force of nature she is, seeing that other side of Willa, the side of a woman who has lost her best friend, and is even a bit at loss without her, broke my heart.
Her pain is somehow the other side of the medal, the darker side of all that glimmer and glamour. Because the bond Willa and Valentina has was truly unique. I laughed reading about their friendship and I think I would have liked Valentina as a friend too.
And we see how caring Valentina was, in so many different occasions. 

I could understand the shock Willa had when she was informed about the themed experience, and also the shock of having it to spend with Valentina’s brother Gabe.
Yet it was sweet to see how, once that first awkward meeting was over, how good they got along.
I have to admit, I thought that story would take that direction, as it would have been a full circle and also just so perfect.
So saying I was surprised at a specific moment, is an understatement. However, somehow it also made perfectly sense… 

Once Willa is ‘married’ to Finn, for me it felt that that was the moment the story truly took off. Because there we get to see a change in character in Willa, where she in fact shows her true colours, or rather, finds them herself.
While things with Finn don’t start well, slowly she starts to see the troubles he is having and with the excuse of their ‘marriage’, she wants to help to save the castle.
And it for sure was great to see Willa at work, seeing how she manages even the impossible! And of course, seeing feelings develop was also a great treat! 

It took me some time to get truly into the story, but that is also because the author takes her time to let us to get to know Willa, the career – minded one, but also the caring Willa. And we see also a shift inside her. We see her change right in front of our eyes. 

This story makes us dream of an Outlander experience, even for people who are not exactly fans. We see the hard work and passion running a castle needs, and we see that it takes a village to make something work.
And also we get to see what a well – meant apology can do.
But most important, we get to see and understand that sometime we need to get outside our comfort – zone, literally in this case, to understand what truly matters and what truly makes us happy. Even it that would take us to a castle on the other side of the world!

To overcome your fears to discover the truth…

Synopsis

Laura is watching the world go by without her.  

Unable to leave her house since suffering a trauma, Laura is stuck gazing out of her window at Willow Crescent, relying on husband Jim and best friend Debbie for help.

Then one day, Jim doesn’t come home.

A day becomes two, days become a week, and still no sign of Jim.  And with the police half-hearted in their efforts to look for him, Laura is forced into a decision.  She’s going to have to face the world outside and find her husband herself.

But what Laura hasn’t realised is that Willow Crescent is a community, eager to help. From Arthur and Carol next door ready to rally the neighbours, to Marjorie and her daughter Faye at number nine looking for their own reasons to engage with the world. From Sonja at number seven who thinks she may have seen Jim in London, to widower Ben at number four who understands all about being lonely. Laura has a world ready to embrace her if she can just find the nerve.

And when it slowly dawns on them all, that the Jim they thought they knew, may have been hiding some unfathomable secrets, Laura has a choice – retreat back behind her window, or start living the life that was waiting for her all along.

This is Clare Swatman’s tour de force. At the same time emotional, uplifting, page-turning and breath-taking, Laura is a character you will never forget.

My review

After a trauma, Laura is unable to leave her house. Even moving to Willow Crescent, away from the place of the trauma, she isn’t able to take one step outside her house.
She is lucky she can count on her husband Jim and her best friend Debbie for help.
Het life is really straightforward, there are no surprises at all. She could even stopwatch the moments Jim is expected to be home.
But one day, Jim doesn’t return home… which worries Laura terribly.
And when even after several days, there is no sign of Jim, and the police isn’t taking Laura serious, Laura may need to take matter in her own hands.
Even if that means to step outside and ask her neighbours for help. Neighbours she has never met, but who are willing to help their mysterious neighbour to find her husband back.
With each neighbour adding snippets of Jim’s character, Laura starts to realize that perhaps she didn’t know her husband that well at all, as he has been obviously been keeping secrets… 

Having read several marvellous stories of this author, I was ready to dive into the latest book. Yet I have to admit, this story was a bit different compared with her other books. 

While reading the blurb, it would seem that agoraphobia is the only thing Laura is struggling with. But it’s easy to see that there is so much more going on in Laura’s life, she is having more issues than I first assumed. 

My heart went out to her, as we discover that she was having a promising career as a chef, until the attack happens.
Obviously, it’s a terrible thing to happen, and I can only try to imagine what Laura is going through.
It broke my heart to see how that one attack took all her confidence and strength away, even turning her into a scaredy cat. 

Of course that doesn’t happen overnight. And even if there are no real clues, I felt that somehow her relationship with Jim wasn’t helping her to overcome her fears…
On the contrary, I even felt somehow that he was fuelling her fears even more. 

But there are so many other things to say about Laura and Jim…
At some moments it felt like Laura was a tiny bit too gullible. Yes, we have all fallen head over heals in love once or even twice. But Laura took the next steps too fast for my liking, and also her best friend’s liking.
Yes, you love guy, but you also barely know the guy. Why the rush of living together, getting married so quickly? 

And even after years being married to Jim, before the attack even happened, Laura continues to be ignorant about Jim, his job and his whereabouts… 

Now, when I started to read this book, I had to keep in mind that this was set in a time where there are no smartphones, no social media and no internet. So just doing a search over the internet, trying to locate Jim over his smartphone was not possible.
It had to be search ‘old – school’, by questioning the neighbours and following several leads.
For any of us, it would be easy to go knocking on doors, but for Laura it’s a huge step. 

Of course she just doesn’t open the door and step outside, but she has to take tiny steps to overcome her fear. And I admired her persistence to do exactly that, out of love for Jim.
We can clearly see her struggles, but we can also see how those struggles diminish within time. And obviously it helps having such understanding neighbours (even if a few are bit too curious and nosy!). somehow they all know Jim, for one reason or another, and they do all their best to help poor Laura out, to find out where Jim is. 

There are several neighbours I immediately liked, with Ben being my absolute Nr. 1 favourite! It warmed my heart to see how non – judgemental each neighbour is about Laura’s situation, and how they make her feel welcome in their homes, how terrified Laura may look like. 

The truth about Jim didn’t come as a that big of a surprise to me, as there were several hints throughout the book. And while Jim tries to explain his actions, I still don’t feel any sympathy towards him whatsoever.
I just couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was more than one thing off with him… 

This story shows us that there are so many people struggling in their life for different reasons. And that one event can turn out toe be the catalyst of a downward spiral, only dragging you more and more down.
But it also shows that struggles can be overcome. It may not be an easy task to do so, but with admitting your need of help, and you finding help in unexpected corners, you can take that one step outside, and start to see the beautiful life outside again.
And even if people in your life disappoint you, there are many others out there that may bring you happiness again.

When a surprise turns into another kind of surprise, and then…

Synopsis

A new fun and fresh rom-com set in Sicily by Canadian-Italian author Nancy Barone.

In an attempt to resuscitate her twenty-five-year-old marriage, aerophobic Gillian Dobson knocks down a few tranquilisers and takes a dreaded flight to the Sicilian Island of Lipari to surprise her husband, away on a business trip. But her troubles are just about to begin…

My review

Gillian Dobson wants to surprise her husband who is on a business trip in Sicily. While their marriage wasn’t the most exhilarating anymore, after twenty years, she wants to rekindle their romance by facing her fears of flying and visit him on the island of Lipari.
But Gillian is the one to get a surprise, as she finds out that her husband is enjoying the company of another woman.
Gillian, devastated by this revelation, nearly has a car accident, colliding with handsome Sicilian Mattia Spadaro.
Mattia, who gives her electric shocks, but Gillian wants to stay away from his as far as possible, with not only his goods looks but also his reputation.
However, Sicily is giving Gillian many new opportunities and insights. Not only does Gillian dare to dream to a life on the island, but she falls in love with the typical Sicilian desserts. A love she shares with… Mattia. 

A book set in Italy, that’s all you need for me to grab it! To make things even better, add typical dessert in it, and I’ll love it. Add a great story and I will absolutely devour it! 

And this book ticked all the above boxes! 

I am not a fan of flying myself, I have seen too many disaster movies for that, so I could comprehend Gillian’s reluctance.
Yet I also admired her for taking that fearful step, for the sake of her marriage and surprise her husband.
It shows not only that she sees that her marriage is lacking something, but she is also willing to do something about it.
Only to have the biggest surprise herself… 

As a reader, the betrayal wasn’t as shocking as it was for Gillian. And it may be evil to say it, I had a good laugh to see her running on the street the way she was, and having almost an accident. 

I have to say, I had several good laughs at Gillian’s sake, as there were several moments that were terrible to undergo, but hilarious to read as a bystander! 

But beside my laughs, my heart also went out to Gillian. She isn’t the most confident woman in the world, she has her own issues, like her weight and finding the right size in clothes.
All while we all could see that she truly is a great woman, caring about her family, her old and even new friends.
Yet she allows her own doubts cloud the reality. Because she fails to see why someone like Mattia would even be interested in her. 

And those doubts were sometimes even frustrating, because the age – gap isn’t that big, Mattia has a genuine interest in her, and there is absolutely nothing wrong about enjoying desserts! 

But is was also sweet to see how Gillian is finding life in Liparo great. She may not be speaking the language, but she makes friends, even has a dog (in a way…) and finds a place with so much potential. We see both a physical as psychological change in Gillian, as she becomes not only more self – confident but also a part of the lovely community. 

With Mattia it’s obvious who her love interest is. But the author also shows us that before we can start to love someone else, we have to love and accept ourselves first.  

And things with Mattia don’t go always as easy, but my statement applies also on him. He has his own story, which is also holding him back somehow.
He has the playboy – attitude, but it’s only a façade, as he is struggling to find the right balance between his past, his present and the consequences of a rift in his family. 

This was a wonderful, even inspiring story to read, about how one event can be initially a terrible discovery, but can turn out eventually the best thing that could happen, as that one thing can be the catalyst of not changing yourself, but accepting yourself. And how you may discover that your happiness may lay somewhere else, with someone else, if you would only allow it and not let doubts hold you back.

The higher you rise, the deeper you will eventually fall…

Synopsis

They climbed up from the mean streets of Glasgow to the top of the world. Now these Hollywood icons are heading for a fall.

Twenty-five years ago, three friends from Glasgow shocked the world when they became Oscar-winning legends.

But now, they are all fighting for survival.

A-list actor Zander Leith has finally found happiness with his adored wife, Hollie. But a stalker with a familiar face is determined to take away the only peace he’s ever known.

Mirren McLean is one of the most powerful women in the industry. Successful. Respected. Untouchable. Until one mistake threatens to destroy her marriage and her career.

And Davie Johnston was once the king of late-night television. Now, his only chance to reclaim his crown is to gamble everything on himself.

Three stars, three tales of struggle and success. Now they’re discovering that in Hollywood, happy endings don’t last for ever.

Sometimes they’re just the calm before the storm…

My review

It took them a while, but now Zander Leith, Mirren McLean and Davie Johnston have reached the Mount Olympus. They are successful, powerful and with having each other back in their lives, things couldn’t get any better.
But not everything that shines is gold…
Because Zander and his beloved wife Hollie are suddenly faced with a stalker…
Mirren also has to face the consequences of her one mistake. A mistake that may not only destroy her marriage but also her career.
And Davie may have been able to turn everything he touched int gold, but now he only has one chance left to show his worth. And also his relationship with Sarah is taking an unexpected turn.
Is it only a matter of time before the mighty fall? Or will their friendship be what will put them all through the most difficult times of their lives? 

When I started to read this magnificent third part of the series, I knew that already the prologue would give me a big scare.
So, I was mentally prepared to not assume the worst by those first pages. 

However… I wasn’t prepared for what would come next… 

It’s not a secret that I don’t like stories in a series where all the previous hard work is undone by the next read. But again, I was a little prepared as I knew that our friends were not out of the woods yet.
And it broke my heart to see how all three friends have to face again horrible moments, while trying to hold onto everything they have worked so hard far. 

At the start, I couldn’t be more happy for Zander and Hollie. It took them two complete books to get where they are now, and it truly warmed my heart to see how Zander has finally found his peace with Hollie by his side.
Talking about a power couple! Hollie is exactly what Zander needs, and vice versa! 

So obviously, at one terrible moment, I hated both authors. Yes Shari Low and Ross King, I HATED the both of you!
My heart got broken in one trillion (million is not even enough to explain the hurt…) little pieces to read what happened to Zander and Hollie.
I know this is fiction, but why couldn’t they keep their happiness??? 

And then there is Mirren…
Compared to Zander’s storyline, hers is perhaps not the most crushing story. But it still was painful to see how also her world falls apart.
Her mistake is one that I don’t condone. Yet I could comprehend how she got to that point.
It saddened me to see how not only that mistake could cost her her marriage, but also her career, her credibility.
And all that because there is a lecherous person, ready to exploit the story for his own benefits. 

Davie hasn’t been always my favourite person in the series. He has this air about him, always believing he is the best at everything.
He is rather vain concerning his career, not seeing that his star is not shining so brightly anymore.
That makes him make disastrous decisions, making him cost everything…
He learns the terrible lesson that not everyone that helps out, does it with the best intentions… 

I was somehow glad that the three friends, even at their lowest, could always count on each other. Zander sees that his friends are annoyingly always checking on him after the terrible event, Mirren has Zander and Davie by her side when her whole world is falling apart.
And Davie can rely on the friends when not only his career is deteriorating, but also his relationship with Sarah is taking a turn for the worse, which he cannot explain why… 

Sarah may not be the main protagonist, but she has perhaps the most important story of them all.
The story she is chasing, is one close to reality. Without giving too much away, when she starts to investigate and trying to find witnesses/ victims, I could recall easily all the headlines in the news not so long ago.
And I admired Sarah’s determination but also courage to persist, even at her own cost somehow. 

Now, it may seem that this story is filled with negative moments and no joy at all. But that is not completely true.
Because no matter how rough things are getting for our main characters, they also show the strength of friendship. That even at the most difficult moments, the right, genuine friends will always stand by your side, fighting in your corner.
And that is the beauty of this story, that even with a few hiccups in the past, these friends are always there for each other. 

There were also lighter moments, and I absolutely liked those small nudges, references, appearances to real-life personas.
And there was also a wonderful wink – wink moment towards one of the authors of this gripping, heart – wrenching book.
Again I found it impossible to put this book away, as the story of three childhood friends who made it in Hollywood, their raise and fall, is one that once caught your attention won’t give it away easily. It caused me sleepless nights, as I kept reading, but in the end, it was worth it!