Finding yourself in the place where you need to be

Synopsis

Sometimes, the Last Place You Intended to Go is Exactly Where You Need to Be.

When 26-year-old Daisy’s life in London comes crashing down around her, the only thing she can think of is getting away – far away. That’s how she found herself stumbling off a train in England’s picturesque Peak District – 150 miles from home, with no idea why she’d gone there and even less idea how she intended to get home.

As Daisy explores the gorgeous village of Upper Finlay, she glimpses the possibility of a different life. The Derbyshire Dales offer up new friends, new opportunities, and a distractingly dishy object of attraction in the form of local bookstore owner Alex (and his bumbling Great Dane.) When Daisy discovers Alex’s business is in trouble she steps in to save the day.

But London’s Calling – literally. The life Daisy ran away from is calling her back. Why then, is she so reluctant to heed its call?

Daisy’s got a decision to make: Will she play it safe, and return to what she knew? Or is she brave enough to take a leap of faith and create a bold, new life for herself in the last place she’d ever expected?

Daisy Does it Herself is a sweet, uplifting romantic comedy about the power of self-confidence, friendship and of course love! Fans of warm and witty romantic comedies with a guaranteed happily-ever-after will be entranced.

My review

Daisy believes that this day will turn out great. She has a meeting with her boss and she truly feels that she will get the promotion that she deserves, even if she cannot present the right degree. But what was supposed to be a great day, turned quickly into a nightmare, as she finds herself without a job and she finds her boyfriend Phil in a compromising situation…
Wanting to get away as far as possible, Daisy finds herself suddenly in the village of Upper Finlay. And with the help of local bookstore owner Alex, she finds new friends, new opportunities and plenty of time to think about her own future. A future that perhaps will keep her in Upper Finlay? Especially when she learns that Alex’ business is in trouble and maybe Daisy can find the solution.
But what when London, and Phil call her back? Will she return back to the hectic of London and to Phil? Or is her place in Upper Finlay? 

I truly hate it when a nice character has the most terrible day in the world. Especially when she has absolutely nothing to blame!
Just like Daisy, she has shown her worth at her job, and instead of being grateful, her boss just dismisses her with the lamest of excuses.
And if that isn’t bad enough already, she finds her boyfriend Phil in the arms of another woman! Can you blame her for wanting to run away as far as possible? 

In normal circumstances (well, whatever you call normal…), someone in this situation would to her family or friends. Well, I was left flabbergasted by the reaction of Daisy’s mother! How can a mother act that way? Instead of standing by Daisy’s side, she acts like it’s all Daisy’s fault… the audacity.
And it broke my heart to realize how few friends Daisy has she can actually rely on, something also to blame Phil… 

But of all the places Daisy could find herself stranded, Upper Finlay was just perfection! Not only because the kindness of Alex, but the whole community! It felt like a warm place (figuratively speaking 😊) where anyone in need of help could just find it there. 

And Alex is just the kindest man in the world. Not everybody (excluding the inhabitants of Upper Finlay) would open their place to a stranger and offer more than just a meal. It made me believe again in the goodness of people. 

I could perfectly understand the attraction between Daisy and Alex. But I had also great respect for them. It would have been easy to just give in to that attraction, but that would have also been the wrong thing to do, as Daisy was officially still with Phil, and she has planned to return to London.

Daisy ending up in Upper Finlay may have been the best thing that could happen to her, because slowly she starts to believe in herself again. It was great to see how her confidence grew, and how that confidence made her confident that she could help out with the problems of Alex’ bookstore. And it shows us also the kind of friend Daisy is. Because she would do anything to help out a friend, even if that means to do something she isn’t sure of herself. 

Don’t expect in this story a lot of ‘action’, as the characters never cross that line. But that doesn’t mean that sparks don’t fly around. Because they do for sure! 

I found myself enthralled with Daisy’s tale, on her journey to find herself, her self – confidence but also trying to understand where her future may be. It’s easy to stick to what you know, but is it the right decision? Or is the right decision to take a step into the unknown, not knowing where it will take you, but it may be the perfect thing for you?

To find love as a New Year’s Resolution

Synopsis

A Hilarious and Heartening Take on the Pitfalls of Modern Dating

As the clock strikes midnight over a disastrous New Year’s Eve and happy couples celebrate all around her, Kate makes a resolution, hastily scrawled on the back of a napkin, that next New Year’s Eve she will have found someone of her own to kiss.

But when you’re a forty-something cat-mom who’d rather binge Netflix than brave the singles scene, finding someone to kiss turns out to be harder than it sounds. Kate is totally unprepared for navigating hook-up apps, speed-dating, and sliding into somebody’s DMs.

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, Kate seems further than ever from reaching her goal. As relationships crumble around her and dark long-kept secrets spill out, could Kate’s fixation on her quest cause her to let true love slip through her fingers forever? 

Someone to Kiss is a wry and witty romantic comedy, tackling serious issues with real heart. The perfect new read for fans of Beth O’Leary, Jennier Weiner and JoJo Moyes.

My review

Surrounded by happy couples on New Year’s Eve, Kate makes a slightly drunk resolution to find someone to kiss for next New Year’s Eve. And to make it more binding, she has written it down on a napkin.
But finding that someone is easier said than done, especially as Kate is the kind of person who prefers a Netflix evening over an evening out. And for sure she isn’t ready for the dating scene, filled with dating apps, not so nice DM’s and speed dating.
With the expertise of her best friend Julie, Kate is on a mission. But being so focused, could it be that Kate is not seeing that her true love is closer than she thinks? And with that same focus, she is also not seeing what is happening around her, making her being shocked when dark secrets are being revealed… 

I like it when a character decides to make a New Year’s resolution that will, in the end, make her find love.
And having a character that in many cases is similar to me, makes it easier to keep turning the pages. 

I could absolutely understand Kate in so many aspects. Being on her own, wanting to find that special one, is something many people could relate to. But the fact that Kate prefers a nice evening in instead of just going out, is something I agree on completely. Also the fact that she isn’t the kind of woman that has a great confidence and is more ‘prey’ than ‘predator’, resembles in my own character. 

Of course, seeing her taking those scary steps into the dating scene, was funny to read about! I felt her being uncomfortable, wanting to escape but also being determined to stay at the same time. And seeing how some events turn into disasters, made me laugh and also be glad it was Kate and not me!  

And as Kate’s best friend Julie is just everything Kate is not, it was easy to understand Kate’s lower self – esteem, and copying (and absolutely failing) Julie’s behaviour.
And while it was funny to read about it, I found it also a bit sad at the same time. Because a grown woman should always be able to be who she really is, and not trying to be someone else…
Also knowing how little she can take her alcohol, yet keeps on drinking, trying to be fun, made me think Kate should know better…
But that is all part of the process of growing and finding Love… 

While the focus is definitely on Kate, getting to know Julie and her brother Ben was a nice diversion. Because it only shows that everyone, no matter how confident and strong they may seem, has demons to face. And some demons may be bigger than we think… 

I enjoyed reading this book, even if I felt that towards the end, things were a bit rushed. I knew how I wanted the story to end, and when the author took an apparent different road, I wasn’t ecstatic, but I could understand her motivations. So when another twist and turn was made, it felt like my knowledge of some characters were just deleted and were actually not who we thought they were. 

But that kind of rushed ending didn’t take away the joy and fun I had while reading Kate’s story. I laughed a lot, but I also felt a connection with Kate, and hoped that she could find her real prince between all the frogs in the world of dating.

Searching for one thing, but finding so much more

Synopsis

Marion Miller needs a fresh start.

Her childhood in Northern Ireland wasn’t easy, with a father who passed away when she was young and a mother who got lost in grief. Now grown-up and with family relations as tense as ever, Marion heads to England, to find out the truth about her father’s mysterious past – and hopefully an extended family who will love her as much as he did.

Scarlett Obermann runs a holiday park in Sherwood Forest with her daughter Grace, but what’s she’s best at is making people feel like they belong. With her merry band of waifs and strays, Scarlett welcomes Marion with open arms, and it isn’t long before Marion finally understands what it means to find a home. 

As she tries to uncover her father’s story, Marion slowly blossoms, even daring to indulge in her crush on Reuben, the son of the Lord of the Manor, but she hasn’t quite out-run her past. And as Scarlett faces her own tragedy, it’s Marion’s turn to take care of everyone. 

Because you can’t choose your family, but you can make your friends the family you choose. 

This novel was first published as Making Marion.

My review

Marion want to know more about her father’s past and that’s why she is going to Sherwood Forest in England, hoping to find all the answers to her questions.
With a difficult childhood in Northern Ireland, losing her father too young and the difficult relationship with her own mother, she hopes that in Sherwood Forest she will find new family members that will love her as much as her own father did.
Little does Marion know that her meeting Scarlett Obermann, who runs a holiday park and welcomes Marion with open arms, will bring Marion everything and more than she wanted, just not in the way she expected… 

I have read several books by this author, and have loved reading them. So I was looking forward to devour this one.
However, this story was not what I expected it to be… it turned out this book and its characters touched me on a deeper and more emotional way than I thought it would be. 

With my mind initially set on a different kind of book, it took me a while to get into it completely. But once my mind made the switch, I could see and appreciate the beauty of it. 

Reading about Marion’s past was heart-breaking. Losing her father at a young age is already a traumatic experience, yet things only are getting worse. It made me want to jump into the book and help out Marion… And it made me understand why Marion was such a grey mouse and acted the way she did. 

But while it broke my heart to read about it, it was also wonderful to see how Marion found a place where she could be herself. Seeing her blossoming and seeing how she herself confirmed to me how lovely she was, was just amazing.
This shows us that with loving and supporting people around us, related or not, will allow us to open up and be the best version of ourselves. 

Having this story taking place in Sherwood Forest, with so many references to the tale of Robin Hood, was a nice and funny addition.
And with an amazing community, all also ready to jump in and play along with the myth, put a smile on my face. 

But also reading how welcoming and accepting the whole community was towards Marion, was just so sweet. Not only Scarlett, but everyone at Pigs and Peace, are allowing Marion to get out of her shell. Marion is turning into a strong woman, finding herself again and finding her own self – chosen family. 

This is a wonderful, heart – breaking and heart – warming story about feeling lost, but finding a place to call home, feeling alone but finding a whole new family, feeling weak but becoming strong, feeling misunderstood and silent but finding your courage and your own voice. And yes, why not, also about finding love…

A Life – changing trip

Synopsis

Newly single at sixty, Elin Anderson decides it’s finally time for an adventure of her own. With her marriage to tedious Tom now officially over, Elin plans to visit the family she hasn’t seen in years. First stop: Australia!

But going home is harder than Elin thought. Everywhere she turns Elin sees brightness and colour, which only makes her own life seem even more drab and beige. How has she let herself fade away?

Determined to have some fun, Elin reluctantly agrees to join The Silver Surfers – a group of seniors who travel the coast, only caring about their next big adventure. Because life’s too short to watch the ocean when you could be making waves…

There’s only one catch – her road trip companion, Kit Pascoe. Kit is a man who doesn’t know the meaning of the word fun and makes it clear to Elin that this adventure will be subject to his own strict rules.

But with every new day, Elin slowly begins to rediscover who she really is. And she’s certain that rules are meant to be broken…aren’t they?

My review

Now that she is divorced from her husband Tom, Elin Anderson can finally do what she wants, even if she is in her sixties.
So that means that she can finally visit her family in Australia that she hasn’t seen in years. However, how lovely the reunion may be, it makes is also more clear to Elin that she allowed Tom and life in general to let her fade away. Because Elin sees how bright and full of colour life can be, no matter what your age is.
Befriending and also joining The Silver Surfers, a group of seniors looking for the next great adventure, Elin decides to have more fun in life.
But where does Kit Pascoe fit in, a man she met on her flight to Australia, linked to her sister’s partner and also having apparently forgotten the meaning of having fun? 

I always find it inspiring how people, not matter what their age is, dare to turn their lives around. Or are ready to start a new adventure, not knowing where that adventure will bring them. 

So while initially I pitied Elin, I quickly admired her! I felt sorry for her, because let’s be honest, Tom is not the most likeable person in the world, on the contrary! I couldn’t understand why Elin stayed so long with him, allowing him to drain all the joy and colour out of her life.
And I disliked him even more when reading how he juts walked away yet assumes that Elin would be jumping at every command. 

I found it great to see how Elin in Australia turned from a literal grey mouse into a bright woman again. I felt that she finally allowed herself to be Elin again, an not the Elin Tom turned her into.
And the old/new Elin is the kind of woman I somehow hope to be myself, ready for a new adventure, fearless and going with the flow! 

The Silver Surfers are a great bunch of friends, not acting like their age, but acting how they feel. Who has ever said that their a age restriction for surfing or having fun? But not only that, the Silver Surfers are also a group of friends, looking after each other and helping out however they can. 

And then there is Kit… we get to see two sides of Kit, which I found a bit difficult to put together. During the flight with Elin, he seemed like a genuine nice guy, however, when their paths cross again, he is the total opposite…
But the more I was reading the book, the more I understood Kit’s character and I could put all the dots together.  

This was a lovely story to read, about yes, people older than myself. But that didn’t make it impossible to connect with not only Elin, but with every character. I enjoyed being on an adventure with Elin, I loved seeing her life getting full of colour again, and even put people in place! This was a uplifting story, showing us that age truly is just a number and that surrounded with the right people you can feel as young as you want and no adventure is off limits!

To experience college in all its aspects…

Synopsis

Opposites attract like a magnet to steel, or in this case, Emerson to Steel

Emerson Powers has been so focused on obtaining her science degree that she’s neglected the more social aspects of college life. With the new start of her junior year, she’s determined to fix that with a real hands-on lesson in biology. The assignment is simple enough—teach the rock star’s son how to be good, while he shows her how to be very bad. Two objectives, one outcome … will the lesson be love or heartbreak?

Steel is no longer the bad boy Emerson knew from prep school, and he’s set to prove it by helping Emerson complete her secret list of desired college experiences. And if he can convince her that they are meant to be together along the way, even better!

While teaming up on experiments, both in and out of the classroom, Emerson discovers a new side to Steel. Leaving her to question everything she thought she knew. Still, is it enough to forgive the past or just mere chemistry?

My review

Emerson Powers has had one focus on college, to get her science degree. However, that focus has also made it impossible for Emerson to enjoy the other aspects of college life, the fun part.
With the start of her junior year, she makes a list of things she wats to experience. But what she didn’t see coming, is that Steel, the famous rock star’s son, volunteers to help her to complete the list. And that is not to Emerson’s liking, as she knows Steel from High School and he made her miserable. But Steel now wants to show Emerson that he has changed and has become serious. So while working on their biology class project together, he wants her to show her how to have (safely) fun and show her that they are meant to be together. 

Could there be more two different people than Emerson and Steel? But could there be also more two people alike than Emerson and Steel? A contradiction yes, but that is the feeling I had after finishing this wonderful novella. 

I could understand Emerson’s focus on getting her degree, especially after having had a few glimpses of her parents. It’s always difficult to live up to the high standards our parents have. But getting to know Emerson, I quickly realized that Emerson getting her degree wouldn’t be a problem at all. However, I also understood her desire to experience the social and thus fun part of the college experience. 

I also understood her reluctance of working together with Steel, both on the biology project as on her own project. Because the way Steel behaved in High School, with his mischief and the way he acted towards Emerson, well I don’t know if I wanted to hang out with him! 

But just like in real life, sometimes we have to ‘forget’ about the past and see the people how they are now. Because Steel absolutely has learned from his mistakes, and is looking at life totally different now. Also reading about his heart – crushing discovery ad how difficult he finds it to process it, made me change my opinion of Steel.
And then I am not talking about his protectiveness towards Emerson! I just loved it how he wants her to experience everything, but stands also as a knight in shining armour to protect her! 

The downsize of reading a novella, is that the end is there way too quickly! I truly loved it how Emerson and Steel turned from enemies to friends to more. From initially frosty moments to moments where sparks fly around, this book is easily devoured in one session.
And while it takes place in college, it shows a matureness in both characters, people who know (or learn) how to have fun, but also being there in the more difficult moments. 

This was for sure a sweet story about love, redemption, and second chances for characters with great chemistry, trying to show that people can change for the better.

Synopsis

A dead body. A hoard of forged banknotes. A gangster out for blood.

Newcastle, December 1955. Returning home after a weekend away, singer and amateur sleuth Rosie Robson discovers a man lying on a baggage trolley with his throat cut. After the police get involved, an attack on Rosie and her boss prompts Inspector Vic Walton to find a safe house for the pair. But the bad guys seem to be one step ahead of them and Rosie is forced to track down a possible witness to the murder in a bid to learn the truth. Can the canny crooner solve the mystery before a Newcastle gang boss catches up with her?  

Set on Tyneside, Blood on the Tyne: Red Snow is book #3 in the Rosie Robson Murder Mysteries series.

Guest Post – The Upstanding Writer

I’ve written elsewhere about my habit of standing up to write, but it’s always useful to reconsider ways of working to see if they’re still effective. For the last ten years my day job has been in occupational therapy, a role which involves a bit of driving and a bit of desk work. Long-standing back problems forced me to try a standing desk at work and noticing the difference, I bought one to use at home, too. 

Emulating authors such as Hemingway, Winston Churchill and Virginia Woolf, who all wrote standing up, there are plenty of health benefits to the practice. A decreasing amount of back pain and a sense of generally feeling better, is enough motivation for continuing to use the desk. 

Recently, I moved to a four-day week at work after a spell of illness. Diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a condition which has several detrimental effects, one of which is the inability to stay awake and active after eight o’clock at night, for several months I spent less time writing and more time doing those things which didn’t require me to stand up. As the symptomsbegan to diminish and I started to feel better, I found the extra day at home gave me more time to write. Unfortunately, one thing I haven’t quite got to grips with, is my ability to mimic my day job and work at it for the standard seven-and-a-half hours. Standing up to write can be tiring and it’s certainly a habit that takes a bit of getting used to, so I often find my writing day will include several breaks when I sit and read, sit and watch TV or sit and munch too many vegan biscuits.

My writing desk is the type that can be raised or lowered according to the height of the user, which means it can be used as a normal table if needed. However, having a standing desk doesn’t necessarily indicate a tidy desk. Getting on in years means that rememberingthose things that are important isn’t so easy, so I’ve got into the habit of decorating my workspace with post-it notes so I don’t forget dates and deadlines. Also, as someone who doesn’t like to throw anything away, I have plenty of clutter to rake through when I need to find that special pen or USB stick that surely was on the desk right in front of me only a few days ago.

I’ve heard some stand-up writers use one of those walking machines so they can go for a five-mile hike while banging out their latest missive. I’m not one of those people. Although walking is a great way to stay healthy, I find it impossible to do anything else at the same time (even talking can be an issue!)

So if you’re looking for a way to improve your health, keep your spine in its natural position and still create a masterpiece, get yourself a standing desk. You know it makes sense. 

(You could also try changing to a vegan diet, but I’m not sure that helps the creative process.)

Can someone open up again after being closed and alone for so long?

Synopsis

Sometimes facing up to the past is the only way to create a better future…

Since the tragic death of his father, Lowen Treneary has kept to himself in his pottery studio on the remote island of Bryher.

His quiet life is just the way he likes it.

Until Pippa comes along.

The local café owner plunges his peaceful existence into chaos and brightens his days while she’s at it.

Soon, he has an employee livening up his workplace with her determination to make his studio more profitable… and a growing attraction to Pippa which he’s trying hard to ignore.

Just as he starts to warm to the idea of letting people into his life again, a crisis hits the island, causing old memories to crash to the surface.

Can the events of the present help to heal wounds from the past? And will Pippa still accept Lowenwhen she learns the secrets he’s been keeping from everyone around him?

My review

Since the death of his father, Lowen Trenear has preferred to isolate him on the island of Bryher. He only visits his family when strictly necessary and even with his brothers the contact is very limited.
He just wants to be left alone while working on his pottery. But when Pippa, the local café owner and seller of his creations, become a greater presence in his life, it’s the start of a complete change in his life.
Because not only does he now have an employee in Mia, Pippa’s niece, with great ideas to make the studio more profitable, but with Mia and thus also Pippa more around, his attraction towards Pippa only increases.
However, while Pippa brightens Lowen’s day more and more, her own future isn’t as bright, as her café is not in great papers and she has to decide where her future lays.
And on top of that, when a crisis arises, Lowen has to face the dark demons that are still haunting him for years…

Reading a story of the Scilly Series feels for me like taking a holiday in a wonderful, warm place.
However, when I started this next chapter in a marvellous series, I wasn’t 100% certain that this story could live up to its predecessors. Because from what I have read previously, Lowen wasn’t very high on my list of people I like. But I knew that I just have faith in the author and that she would be perfectly able to make me change my mind about Lowen!

I thought I knew why Lowen was keeping his distance, but I didn’t know how deep his hurt went and for how long he has been hurting. Getting to know all about Lowen, and especially the reason of his behaviour, broke my heart. And I could finally comprehend, although not agree completely, why he acted the way he did.

While I understood him a lot better now, I also have to admit I had several laughs reading his inability to try to have any kind of control the force of nature that Mia was! He only has Mia working in his studio as a favour to Pippa, but it’s easy to see that Mia’s presence and thus also Pippa’s is exactly what he needs in his life.

And now that I have mentioned Pippa… that is for sure one woman to admire! Her courage to start a business on her own, even in a place that wasn’t her home, but quickly became home. Yes, things aren’t going easy for her, and I would absolutely think twice before tasting one of her cakes, but her determination is admirable. She wants to prove that she make it on be own.

If things would go smoothly between Pippa and Lowen, this book would lose a lot of its charm. Both lovely characters are facing their own problems and demons. And they allow their own fears to hold them back, they allow their fears to not see their full potential. All while we as a reader can see it all so clearly.

The bit that really got me, was the confrontation between the brothers. Their emotions were just so palpable and strong, I could truly feel everything myself. But that difficult confrontation was also something that needed to happen, to heal a familybond that has fallen into pieces.

I found this a wonderful story, about not only two great characters falling in love and trying to figure out which path to follow. But this is, even more than the other books, a story about family. The wonderful kind of family, where even the most broken bits can be fixed into an amazing whole piece again, by the force and importance of forgiveness. And also the kind of family that would do anything for a member in need…

Reading this instalment made me fall in love even more with the place and its inhabitants, and now it’s the excruciating bit waiting for the next part to be released!

Better a good neighbour than a distant friend, but what if the neighbour isn’t a good one?

Synopsis

Love thy neighbour or fear thy neighbour?

For myself and Lauren, my 10-year-old daughter No3 Beech Close was to be our refuge after two years of hell nursing my sick mother.

In need of a fresh start and wanting to distance ourselves from the bad memories of my mother’s house we moved to Beech Close, a small cul-de-sac of six houses situated around a picture-perfect green.

It seemed perfect but I had underestimated the secrets that this tightknit community shared.

Within hours of moving in my next-door neighbour Valerie made it abundantly clear we were not welcome.

I soon discovered that Valerie hadn’t welcomed the previous occupant either and she’d since disappeared without a trace.

Had I put myself and my daughter in danger moving to Beech Close?

Which neighbours, if any could I trust?

And how far would they go to keep their secret?

My review

Shelly and her 10 – year – old daughter Lauren need a fresh start after Shelly has been taking care for two years for her sick mother.
That need and the desire to get as far as possible from the bad memories, brings Shelly and Lauren to Beech Close, a small cul-de-sac of six houses wonderfully surrounded by the green.
But what Shelly didn’t expect is to find herself in a very close and tightknit community, filled with secrets and deception.
Her neighbour Valerie has made it more than obvious that they are not welcome in Beech Close. And when Shelly learns that the previous resident of her home didn’t get along with Valerie and now has actually disappears, Shelly wonders how far the community goes to keep each other’s secrets…

I have not moved myself a lot of times, but the times I did, I did wonder what kind of neighbours I would have. And I can say that I count myself lucky as I got along very well with each of them. Obviously, there are sometimes a few issues, but nothing terrible.
So reading a book where the main character moves in a neighbourhood with all suspicious characters in their own way, made my skin crawl…

I cannot say that I liked any of the new neighbours, they all acted in a way that made me very wary of each and every one of them.
And it made me feel sad seeing that the fresh start Shelly needed so much slowly turned into a real nightmare.

Because it’s not only Valerie and her very obvious dislike of Shelly and Lauren, but also the whispers of all the others making feel the two more out of place and made them feel even more of not belonging to the neighbour.

Taking in account what Shelly and Lauren already had to endure in the past, and with even more dark secrets revealed from Shelly, made me wish that they could finally start a new, beautiful chapter in a neighbourhood that would seem to tick all the boxes.
And thanks to those secrets being revealed, I could understand Shelly’s behaviour much better. At moments I couldn’t match Shelly’s character with her actions. But with patience I started to understand Shelly better and I could see the complete picture.

Shelly is a wonderful mother, she does whatever she can on her own in raising Lauren, even if it isn’t always as easy. And just in the grand finale we see how far that love and protectiveness goes.
And Shelly is also a lucky woman with having such a great best friend in Josh. He is always there for Shelly, and Lauren too, on a deeper level of just friendship. I felt that they were more a family than just best friends.

The author manages perfectly to create so many cobweb all interlinked but also creating such a chaos that just like Shelly, I didn’t know who was trustworthy and who wasn’t. Every moment that I thought I had figured it all out, something else was being revealed, making me throw my theory away.
There are several creepy moments, making me watch my back myself, or even looking suspiciously at my own neighbours. This is for sure not a book to read if you are a little bit paranoid. But it’s also a good book to show you that trusting your instincts is never the wrong thing to do.

Can one night in the present make up for a broken past?

Synopsis

Her forbidden love is back to claim her!

Once Lady Rebekah shared a life changing night with stable hand Raeden but he disappeared the morning after. Now she’s consort to a cruel Saxon Lord, and when Northmen lay siege to Ryestone Keep, Rebekah’s shocked to see Raeden leading the charge! This Viking warrior is not the man she remembers, yet she finds herself drawn to him again. Taken as his hostage, Rebekah must decide: can she trust him with her life…and her dangerous secret?

My review

When Lady Rebekah was only ten, she found herself being an orphan and literally burned after an attack of the Danes. Luckily she found a new home with her uncle at Ryestone Keep.
However, her life has changed dramatically and instead of being married out of love with stable boy Raedan, she is now at the mercy of Atol, her uncle’s son. He abuses and uses her however he want, having totally no intention of ever marrying her.
When one night the Danes raid  Ryestone Keep, Rebekah in order to save her people agrees to be taken hostage by the brutes.
But she cannot be more shocked when she realizes that her captivator Halfdan is the boy she loved with all her heart years ago and believed to be dead.
But Raedan is not looking for his lost love, all he wants is take revenge, even revenge on Rebekah. However, with feelings once so strong between them, is revenge the final score? Or can their love reignite, even with secrets? 

It’s no secrets that I always enjoy reading stories involving Vikings. I think there are many women all around the world dreaming of finding their own goodhearted warrior Viking, fighting for her heart (which we would easily give to the Right Viking of course!).
Combine it with a story of second chances, and I know that I will be in for a treat! 

Rebekah’s story is one that broke my heart a little bit. She already lost her family as a child, and when she finds love, it’s brutally taken away from her, believing Raedan has died and she is left with no prospect of a happy future.
I cannot imagine how terrible it must be to live like that, being literally at service of a horrible, brutal, uncaring and abusing man.
And seeing how quickly she has been disregarded, almost thrown away at the threat of the Danes, made my blood turn cold… 

However, she is a strong woman too. She wants to protect her people and more, even at her own expense. So she does not hesitate to ‘volunteer as a tribute’ (sorry I had a strong Hunger Games vibe while reading that bit 😊).
And when we get to learn the extra reason for her protectiveness, my admiration for her strength only grew. 

And her strength becomes more and more apparent went she tries to stand tall against the Danes, even against Raedan, the man she once loved. I liked it how she didn’t just change her mind because the ‘bad guy’ was someone she knew and once loved, she didn’t let the past feelings write off her current thoughts.
But she is also a woman capable of realizing that there’s two sides to every story. And when she learns what happened to Raedan, and that not all Danes are all the same, she starts to see the real truth, and not her truth. 

When we get to know what happened to Raedan, it wasn’t only Rebekah’s heart that boke, but I felt so sorry for him too. Not only did Raedan got beaten, he also got sold and found out that the love of his life apparently was quick on forgetting him. No wonder he was out for revenge, and eager to take Rebekah as a captive.
It’s obvious that Raedan is a great warrior, and a loved one too. that all thank to one man who believed in him, even if Raedan wasn’t one of them.
I could see very easily how agile and fierce Raedan was, and it for sure was swoon worthy material! But it was his kindness and gentleness, especially towards Gytha that made me love him. Also his protectiveness towards Rebekah when he learns about her past and how he wants to save her, was just making me feel lightheaded! 

Yes, I knew before I even started how this story would end. But between the start and the end of a book, there is so much that can happen. And with these kind of characters, I didn’t mind one bit that I knew how it was going to end, because in life, but also in books, the journey is more important than the final result. Because in that journey we get to know not only ourselves, but we also find courage to even overcome our greatest fears, strength and most important of all, love…

Can a courtship like in Jane Austen’s book work in modern times?

Synopsis

Can old-fashioned courtship survive in today’s dating world?

When Emma Love’s mother retires, it is time for her to take the reins of the family dating agency and build on its success. And she has a fresh new idea: to host a Jane Austen-style Regency Season of glamourous events where potential lovers can actually take the time to get to know each other in person, with no apps in between.

Emma has no intention of becoming romantically involved herself, of course; she is a matchmaker on the hunt for the perfect partner for ladies like Annie (who thought she had missed her chance at love a long time ago), Jane (recently divorced and nervously stepping into her new life) and wild child Lydia (more interested in hooking up than finding Mr Darcy).

As the Season unfolds, there is only one fly in Emma’s ointment – the irritating Mr Knight, with his casual attitude and gentle cynicism. Why is she allowing him to ruffle her calm, ordered life and why can’t she stop thinking about him? She is far too sensible to take a chance on love – isn’t she?

Jane Austen meets Sophie Kinsella in this laugh-out-loud, captivating romantic comedy.

My review

Now that her mother has retired, it’s up to Emma Love to run the dating agency and keep it a successful business.
But how can her agency stand out between all the online dating apps? So Emma has a brand new idea, by hosting a Jane Austen-style Regency Season events, where the wannabe lovers have the opportunity to actual get to know each other.
just like the three best friends Annie, Jane and Lydia. Annie, who couldn’t be more romantic, but believes that she lost her chance at love a while ago, Jane who just got recently divorced but doesn’t know how her love life will look like, and Lydia who is more interested in casual hook-ups than finding actual love.
And even for Emma, this season may turn out to something unexpected, in the shape of Mr. Knight, who despite his name turns out to irritate Emma, yet she somehow cannot stop thinking about him?

If someone would ask me which author is my favourite of all the Classics, my answer would be obviously Jane Austen.
So having a story, in the present time, with a main character trying to re-enact the courting in that era, well, I just had to read it!

Being single myself, and not a fan of all those dating apps, I was for sure interested in how Emma would run her dating agency, especially as she has big shoes to fill.
I found her ideas refreshing, as she just went back to the true purpose, using a faraway past as inspiration. Because she wants her customers to find true love, and not just someone for one night.

While I was reading, I felt that each character, Emma, Annie, Jane and Lydia could have had their own book, as it seemed that sometimes things were a bit too hasted. I would have loved to read more about their past, and more in detail how they became the women they are now.
But that doesn’t take away my enjoyment from reading this story!

The combination of all different kind of love was wonderful, and the author shows us that love truly does come in actual different shapes and forms.
But it’s not only about finding someone to love, but also to love yourself. Because several characters have been through an emotional rollercoaster and have to find the courage to move on, and accept their internal changes to have a happy future.

Each character has an own struggle, from trying to live to high expectations, a great loss, a negative self-image or even mourning about a lost chance at love.
But what stood out the most, was the inner circle these people could always rely on. No matter what their issues were, it was sweet to see how those issues were just accepted. You can always count on your real friends to stand by your side no matter what…

I have to admit, this book as promoted as a ‘laugh – out – loud romcom’, but while I agree with the romcom, heart – warming bits, I didn’t actually laugh out loud… I did have fun yes, but I didn’t see this as a light story.
I found it entertaining, but on a more serious level than I expected. There were light and unsurprising bits, yet after finishing the book, it were the more serious parts that kept wandering in my mind.

I found this a lovely, heart – warming yet also refreshing story, about people trying to find love in a new way, but also fitting for their own specific needs. And no matter what your needs or ‘requirements’ are, those who love you, will stand by your side every step of the course!