Even at Christmas, Belbird Bay works its magic

Synopsis

Libby Walker never imagined she’d be moving into the dream house she and her husband had purchased for their retirement as a widow. Intent on making a new life for herself in the quiet coastal town of Bellbird Bay, Libby’s life is upended by an unexpected call from her daughter.

Adam Holland’s unhappy childhood and broken home has left him scarred. Content with the life he has built for himself as a journalist and author of political thrillers, Adam arrives in Bellbird Bay to fulfil the deathbed request of an old friend.

When Libby and Adam meet, there is an initial attraction. But Libby is grieving for her late husband and trying to help her daughter sort out her life, and Adam has no intention of forming a relationship, wary of commitment because of how his family was torn apart.

Will the peace and tranquillity of Bellbird Bay help these two move on from old hurts and make this a Christmas to remember, or will events conspire to keep them apart?

A heartwarming tale of family, friends, and how a second chance at love can happen when you least expect it.

My review

Libbie Walker always thought that she would be enjoying her retirement with her husband in Bellbird Bay. Little did she know that she would only have half the dream, as she does have a wonderful place in Bellbird Bay, but unfortunately she is living there as a widow.
Despite not having it all, she is enjoying making a new life on her own. That is until she receives a total unexpected call from her daughter…
Adam Holland is staying in Bellbird Bay with a mission. He wants to fulfil the last wish of his best friend. And perhaps he can find inspiration for a new book, as he is a famous author of political author.
When Libby and Adam meet, there is an immediate attraction, but with Libby still grieving over he husband, and helping out her daughter and Adam, afraid of commitment after seeing how his own family got torn apart, falling in love is the last thing on their mind.
But somehow, Bellbird Bay is the perfect place to move on from the past, or not? 

With each new story taking place in Bellbird Bay, I fall more in love with the place. And perhaps I should also go there to find my own love story there? Who knows… 

From the very start, I knew that Libbie would be a lovely character. Although it saddened me to read that when it was finally to put her dream into action, she wouldn’t be doing it as planned as with her husband, but on her own, it also put a smile on my face to read how she pursued it anyway, and how she even makes it possible that Bernie is together with her anyway in the sweetest way. 

I also loved her motherly, protective behaviour. The moment she hears that her daughter and her granddaughter need her, she doesn’t hesitate one moment and gives them all the help and support they need.
It was sweet to see how Libbie is taking the both of them in, giving up her peace and privacy. Obviously that is something that most loving mothers would do, but we also know that that is not always the reality.
Although I have to admit, that soe moments I found that Libbie’s grandchild was acting more mature than Emma, Libbie’s daughter. I could understand on some level how Emma would be against Libbie seeing Adam, but I found her behaviour sometimes a bit over the top… 

Now that I mentioned Adam… it warmed my heart to see how determined Adam was to respect his friend reg’s last wish. I cannot imagine losing my best friend, I can only try to understand that kind of grief.
In first instance, I just liked Adam, but nothing special. But only further along in the story, learning about his past, and his pain, I truly liked – liked him.
And having him being a typical man, oblivious of what’s truly happening around him, was really funny!  

It was lovely to see how Libbie and Adam are easily getting along and how feelings are growing into something bigger. It warmed my heart to see how at ease both main characters feel around each other, and how easy it is for them to open up.  

This book shows us that age is truly just a number, and that no matter what happened in your past, everyone deserves a second chance in love. But the author also manages to make her readers understand that falling in love, no matter what your age is, it doesn’t mean that it will diminish the great love you had previously. Meeting someone new won’t let you forget the past. 

Obviously it was a joy to return to this wonderful place. But even if it wasn’t a return, this could have been perfectly be read as a first visit. There are returning characters, which was lovely and also funny to see again, but even if you do not know what happened previously, it’s easy to instant like them!

A wedding and its preparations, not only filled with love, but lots of drama…

Synopsis

I don’t like change. That’s fine, because I, Tori Hayes, am quite content with my single status and fulfilling sales career. I’ll make an exception and step out of my comfort zone to be a part of my college bestie’s wedding party. Anything for a friend, you know?

But this—this is not what I thought it would be. Suddenly, I’m thrown into drama that only a Southern belle bride and her friends can stir up. The secrets, the lies, the deception—it’s more than I can take. Not to mention that groomsman Tyler, who seems to know exactly how to push my buttons.

I don’t like my buttons pushed. Or maybe I do.

Dashing groomsmen aside, why do I keep finding myself in the middle of all this madness? I want to support Caroline and give her the perfect day, but things are getting messy and fast. Is there going to be a happy ending amid all this chaos?

It could happen …

USA Today bestselling author Melissa Baldwin presents a brand new romantic comedy about friendship and finding love when you least expect it.

My review

Tori is a bit surprised when her friend Caroline asks her to be one of the bridesmaids at her wedding. Tori knew she would get an invitation, but she is honoured to discover how important she still is for Caroline.
With being part of a squad now, Tori’s calm life is quickly switched into a chaotic one. She finds herself dragged into lies, secrets and deception, things that makes her long for her unchanging, unexcited life.
And then there is Tyler, who just keeps pushing her buttons and irks her. But Tori will do whatever she can so that Caroline has the perfect wedding, even enduring all the unexpected drama that occurs before the ‘I Do’… 

There are characters in books that you can easily relate to. And for me, it was so easy to relate to Tori, even if being both single isn’t the only thing.
I could completely understand why Tori isn’t a fan of changes. If something is going well, why change anything? She enjoys being single, and she knows that one day she will meet the right man. So why bother with looking around every corner if you can find him?
Also she enjoys her job, so why should she think about stepping up when the opportunity arises?

I also understood easily how especially Tyler is the person to push Tori outside her comfort zone. Their first meeting was hilarious to read, bickering about how to park a car! Of all the things they could start bickering about, it was about parking!
It was also funny to read how stubbornly neither one of them would give in and how this event would turn into a recurrent joke between time. 

I had the best of time reading the constant bickering and banter between Tori and Tyler, but I also found it utterly sweet to read how (very) slowly Tori starts to realize that she was very prejudiced towards Tyler and she didn’t see the man he truly is, a man that can even enjoy a game of bingo! 

But there is so much drama in this book, on a level I couldn’t imagine…  We know from the blurb that something big is going to happen, but I didn’t expect it to be so big and that it would affect so many parties…
Yet I admired Tori and how she kept her head cool. It is not easy to be the newcomer in a close group of friends, yet her being ‘the new girl’ makes her see obvious things that are invisible for the other girls. 

Tori not only steps outside her comfort zone, but she also discovers that doing the unexpected give you more insight of yourself. And seeing Tori doing the unexpected and grows more and more confident during this story, was great to read!
But through Tori we also understand again how important friendships in our lives can be. It’s not because you don’t see each other every day, that you aren’t important for your friend. However, this story shows also how hurtful it can be to be betrayed by your close friends… 

This book was such an easy, funny, great read, it took me on a journey filled with laughs and gasps. But also it took me on a journey to show the importance of honesty, friendship and love. And a reminder that even the most unexpected could happen when you least expect it!

Born rivals, destined together

Synopsis

Welcome to Pepper Bay. A small close-knit community where you’ll find chocolate box cottages, quaint shops, love drama, and a happily ever after.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Phillipa Ashley, and Holly Martin.

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

Pepper River Inn: There has been a longstanding family feud in Pepper Bay between the Renshaws and the Trents, and it’s about to get even more messy.

Rosie and Belle Trent have just inherited their uncle’s rundown hotel and have decided to see if they can rebuild the unloved business. They don’t rate their chances of having a successful inn, not with the perfect one right next door owned by Elliot and Ned Renshaw.

The two sisters and two brothers aren’t meant to be friends, so when Elliot saves Rosie from drowning and they fall in love, it’s down to Belle and Ned to keep the family feud alive. All they have to do is continue to hate each other. How hard can it be?

My review

The Renshaws and the Trents have a family feud going over a few generations. The current members of each family don’t even know what the original feud was about, but it’s the counterpart’s fault anyway…
Rosie and Belle Trent have inherited from their uncle half of the Pepper River Inn, which has more alike with a haunted hotel than a flourishing one.
They are determined to turn their hotel into a successful business, not afraid of the right part of the hotel run very well by Elliott and Ned Renshaw.
Rivalry is on from the minute Belle and Ned meet, but when Elliott saves Rosie from drowning and fall in love instead, it’s up to Belle and Ned to keep the feud alive… 

Pepper Bay is such a lovely place to return to, and I was very eager to know the complete story of how the Pepper River Inn was literally split in half in the past.
And of course I was very curious to get to know the owners and was looking forward to see sparks fly around! 

Well, with great joy I can say that the author does not give us one love story, but two! What a bargain! 

I always like to read how close siblings are, and decide to venture together in a business. As I am also very close with my brother, it warmed my heart to see how this such familiar and recognizable bond was present with both Rosie and Belle, and Elliot and Ned. 

Both pairs of siblings are very different, and it’s not only because we have two sisters against two brothers, but also because the two pairs have all gone through hardship in the past in their own ways. Yet whatever happened in the past, only made the bond stronger.
Each sibling would walk through fire for each other. 

I know that this author is the kind of author where feelings evolve very quickly. And while it could have bothered me, why shouldn’t I believe in a coup de foudre between Elliot and Rosie?
Especially when I got to read how they met… 

I found myself gasping for air reading how Rosie almost drowned, and I absolutely understood her trauma, especially after learning about a past incident. I am not a big fan of water myself, so I felt her anxiety thoroughly.
And I ABSOLUTELY understood how Rosie swooned over her own Merman Elliot, because let’s be honest, who wouldn’t feel safe with his arms around you???  

The story of Belle and Ned was a more complicated one, yet it’s often in such books that enemies tend to become more…
It was hilarious to read how the both of them try their utterly best to keep on despising each other, but start to learn they have more in common than thought.
And Ned’s little girl for sure was a big part of these two rivals spending more time together. 

It was so much fun to read this book, which can be absolutely be read as a standalone. I found it lovely to see how close all the siblings were, how protective of each other too. I laughed at the stubbornness of a few characters, but I mainly laughed about the absurd feud and the dictated, even more absurd rules.
But most of all, I fell in love with reading how easy or difficult it can be to fall in love. What comes easy for one person, isn’t easy for another one.
Even with all the scars (literally and figuratively ones), sometimes when you meet someone, you can feel it in your gut when you meet the right person.
But sometimes it takes a while to understand who is standing in front of you. And it takes even more time to find the courage of taking that step to trust someone or to move on. 

This was a marvellous next chapter in a heart – warming, funny, lovely series, keeping up with the high expectations!

Another season, another avalanche of curveballs

Synopsis

Just when Louisa thought everything was getting back on track, she not only is pregnant now, but pregnant with twins…
One new baby isn’t easy, but now that there are two on the way, Louisa worries how she can keep all the balls juggling up in the air without disappointing or letting someone down.
Will she be able to run her company, be a partner in a new venture, be a good friend, a loving wife and a doting mother of five children with their own needs?
With her kind and helping character, will she find the much needed support or will she find herself pulled in different directions?

My review

With each new season, I am amazed by Lou, not only for her strength and her kind character but especially by her ‘realness’…
Even in this book, you wouldn’t think it would be possible everything Lou is going through, yet she somehow manages to get a hold on everything. 

I would have thought that in this last book of the wonderful series, Lou would turn to be a little bit more ‘selfish’ as she has to think about her babies. Yet her kind nature and warm heart won’t allow her to just to less.
She helps out whenever she cans, no matter who is asking, even goes beyond for those in need and also keeps showering her family and friends with all the love she has. 

But I also liked somehow how Lou is struggling even more in this books. Not that I am an evil person, wanting people to suffer! But seeing all the doubts Lou has, all the problems she has to face, makes her feel just like one of us.
Life is not always a walk in the park, on the contrary. Life is filled with curveballs and lemons, only letting us see the strength we didn’t we have. But also showing us that no matter what is happening in our lives, we have a group of people who love us, and support us no matter what. 

I also admired how Lou understood that sometimes her reasoning was not righteous and she felt guilty about her feelings. Blaming it on the hormones, the thoughts she sometimes had, was not the Lou we all know and love. But also gave u a better understanding how being pregnant can mess with our minds. 

There are so many lovely, heart – warming moments in this book, like the moments where Ronnie shows Lou how supportive and protective he can be, the moments where Lou and her friends show the meaning of real friendship, and the moments where Lou is talking to her unborn babies, already loving them unconditionally even if they will turn her whole world around.
But there were also funny moments, just anytime Aria is present, or a certain thing happening in the car (yes I know, it shouldn’t be something to laugh about, but I found it funny 😊). 

Obviously there were also the uglier moments, like people not knowing their place, or behaving improper, or how our beloved friends have to fight against bureaucracy. 

On a total personal level, I wished there would be more room for one character that completely stole my heart… Not that I am biased that this lovely little girl has the same name and written like it should be, even the nickname was flawless! 😊! But no matter how short her time in this book was, and even if she would have a total different name, my heart broke when reading what her tale of woo was and I wished for her all the best with her new life…  

I loved to be part again of Lou and her sweet family, paws included. This was a wonderful finish of a marvellous series. And while I am sad to say goodbye (for now) to my friends, it was a joy to be on this journey with Lou…

A pact to make three wishes come true…

Synopsis

‘A heartwarming read, full of friendship and fun’ Heidi Swain

What would you wish for if you were granted three wishes?

For the first time she can remember, Poppy is dreading Christmas. Unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend after moving across the country for him, there’s nothing cheery about the festive season this year.

Dragged to a Christmas ball by best friend Layla, Poppy meets gorgeous actor Gabe, who stars as a genie in a play. When he asks her what three wishes she would make, she realises it’s quite simple: love, a job she’s happy in and, just once in her life, to do something extraordinary.

Gabe and Poppy make a pact to help each other make their dreams come true. As they tick off their wishes, their friendship blossoms… But, as they discover, sometimes, what you want for Christmas isn’t necessarily what you need…

A delicious romance to snuggle up with this festive season from the author of Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Café and The Cosy Little Cupcake Van.

My review

Poppy expected this Christmas to be the one where all her wishes would come true. But the total opposite happened… While she was waiting for a marriage proposal in New York after moving across the country for her boyfriend, she finds herself in a new place, all alone and single.
After being persuaded by her best friend Layla to join a Christmas Ball, she meets Gabe, a handsome actor who stars as a genie in a play.
Keeping up his act, he asks what Poppy would wish for if she had three wishes.
Feeling a connection, Poppy and Gabe decide to join forces to make their wishes come true. The more time they spend together, the deeper their connection gets and a wonderful friendship is made.
But they also realize that sometimes wishes are not always granted in a way we visioned them and what we want isn’t always what we need…

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. Because while Gabe is just acting to be a genie, what starts as a joke, suddenly becomes a goal, to have those three wishes granted.

Poppy’s story doesn’t start that great, as right from the beginning she has moved for love, only to be dumped for very lame reasons. That made me already put the ex on the ‘naughty list’.
Yet I liked how, with the gentle push of her best friend, Poppy manages to get settled in, even if she doesn’t truly enjoy her job and a few of her new colleagues.

When she meets Gabe, it’s the real start of a wonderful story about friendship, chasing dreams and just going for it.
Just like in real life, Poppy meets Gabe and the ‘click’ is just there. I truly enjoyed reading how these two strangers found each other and even if they don’t know each other from Adam, it seems like they are just meant to become best friends.

I also found it hilarious to read about the misinterpretation of ‘GBF’ and how that is reasons for not letting things go further.

It was both sweet and surprising to read how one random meeting can change the course of your life.
Meeting each other was exactly what both Poppy and Gabe needed. They push each other to chase their dreams, not to be afraid to dream big. And they support each other unconditionally. These are the kind of friendships that need to be cherished…

It is without a doubt that the main characters are lovely characters, and even their friends are. Obviously there are a few characters I liked less, the obvious ones, like Poppy’s ex or an obnoxious colleagues, but even a few characters closer to Gabe did behave sometimes in a way that made me liking them a tiny bit lesser…

While this was a wonderful story about friendship and live your life at the fullest, the pace of it sometimes bothered me a little bit.
There were moments that went slower to show us the importance but there were also a few twists I would have liked where the intrigue would have a bigger effect. But that can be because perhaps I am a full Drama Queen, while this author just wants to show us that not everything has to be full drama 😄

But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy reading this story, because it truly was a sweet, heart – warming, Christmassy story, with main characters who deserve all the happiness in the world. But while being just as lovely as they are, they are also very recognizable as during their journey make mistakes just like you and I would make.
Yet this shows that reaching your goals is a journey filled with trial and error. A journey that shows you that things may not always go as you want but in the end will give you what you need.

When tolerance changes into friendship which changes into…

Synopsis

Why on earth would she want to kiss him when he vexed her so?

Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that they are meant to be together, but Diana and Giles know that it is animosity, not attraction, that fuels their barbed exchanges. Anyway, Diana loves her freedom too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily wedded to his bachelor lifestyle.

After Giles’ curmudgeonly father, the Duke of Harpenden, unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before the circumstances of his only son’s birth are revealed. With the threat of blackmail hanging over him, Giles must uncover the truth, or he and all those who depend on him will be ruined. 

As Giles and Diana dive into his family’s past, the attraction that they insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. It seems that the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…

My review

Diana Merriwell is a headstrong woman, determined to never give up her independence, and for sue not for a man.
Since her sister has found the love of her life, all eyes are now on Diana, and everyone seems to think that the bets friend of her brother – in – law is her perfect match.
However, Diana merrily tolerates Giles Sinclair, more out of love for her sister than liking the man himself. And the feeling is totally mutual.
Whenever Diana and Giles are in the same room, it’s a matter of ‘kindly’ throwing one insult after the other.
However, when Giles’ father, the Duke of Harpenden, unexpectedly dies, Giles needs to find out the truth of his parentage, as someone starts with threats of blackmail.
Diana, loving working at the newspaper, is ready to help Giles on this search for the truth. And while on the search, both of them realize that their dislike for each other is in fact the total opposite… 

Just… how… much… did… I… enjoy… reading… this… book??? 

I have read several books from this author, but this Merriwell Sisters Series brings me so much laughter and joy while reading!
This is the second book of the series, and it’s not mandatory to have read Book 1, but I think it will for sure help and also, why wouldn’t you want to read it too? 

As I have clearly read the first book, Diana is not a stranger to me. Already in the first book, it’s clear that the past has turned Diana in an independent woman, who truly believes that whatever a man can do, any woman can do it too (and perhaps even better!). 

So even before having read one word in this book, I admired Diana and her strong beliefs, even ready to go against society and just follow her own dreams, and working for a newspaper. But in this story we get to know her so much better, and that for sure was a delight.
Because of the past she had, she made up her mind of remaining unwed, and she doesn’t care what society may think about that. She does what she wants, she follows her instincts and won’t let anyone hold her down. 

And being the total opposite of Giles Sinclair, and seeing his behaviour irks her. I found it hilarious to see how she tolerates this for the wellbeing of her sister, yet seeing them constantly bickering over everything and also nothing, made me truly laugh. 

But Diana also slowly realizes that Giles is absolutely not the person she thought he is. And getting to know more about Giles, saddened me as it shows again that a title isn’t a recipe for happiness. Yet I was happy for Giles as he shows he is not only a great friend, but also very protective, and most important righteous. 

But not let all the funny bits disguise also the fact that there is a mystery to be solved… And seeing how Diana and Giles join forces, was wonderful.
Not only because they both realize that despite all the banter and bickering, there is a mutual respect and they see each other more as friends than enemies, but also because they slowly start to understand that sometimes we need to be stung by hornets to discover the truth.
And that truth can be about parentage, but also about the depth of our feelings. 

The author showed us again that some things never change. No matter what era we are living in, there are good people, bad people, but also mixed feelings, trying to ignore some feelings. But also that sometimes it’s difficult to get through headstrong people.
Yet when these kind of people see ‘the light’, their loyalty is the strongest as possible and they will never take the easy way out.
And this is all made clear in a hilarious, funny, intriguing book. And I am already looking forward what is waiting for Vee!

Is it true that when something seems too good to be true…?

Synopsis

No one can be trusted….

Amongst the wealth and glitter of St Tropez, Sky Kennedy is living her best life, with the perfect man by her side. Rich and gorgeous, Karim has shown her a world she could have barely imagined, and she doesn’t want it to end.

So when Karim suddenly sends her packing back to the UK, Sky is shocked – what could she have done to upset Karim? And will she ever see him again?

Ryan Callahan has been tracking Karim for years and will do anything to bring the man down. He knows Karim is using Sky for his own ends and can’t believe another young woman has fallen for Karim’s lies. But maybe Sky could be the perfect bait to snare Karim once and for all…

But Sky’s no fool and she won’t be played by either man. Because maybe there is a twist in this tale that no one saw coming….

My review

Sky Kennedy never expected that she would catch Karim’s eye. Karim is rich and gorgeous and takes Sky on a trip to St. Tropez where she sees how the wealthy side of the world live their lives. But when Karim sends her suddenly packing, Sky wonders if she did something wrong and if she will ever see him again.
Ryan Callahan cannot believe that another young woman, Sky, has fallen for the charms of a lowlife life Karim. And Ryan knows that Karim’s interest in Sky is only for Karim’s own benefit. But perhaps this time, with making an alliance with Sky, Ryan will be finally able to bring the man down.
Sky however won’t allow to be played by either man… 

At the start of this book, I found Sky rather gullible and perhaps even a bit desperate. With the blurb, I thought that Sky would have known Karim a little bit longer, but she doesn’t.
It doesn’t take long after getting to know each other that Sky agrees to go to St. Tropez with a man she barely knows.
Perhaps I am too suspicious, and have read and watched too many stories about how things would go terribly wrong. 

And I even got a bit frustrated with how desperate Sky was, and how eager she was just to please Karim. On several moments I actually thought that she should have some more self – respect and common sense.
But of course, like the title and even the blurb says, not everything is what it seems.   

When Sky meets Ryan, we get to know that Karim is not only a player, but he is involved in a bigger, terroristic gang. Having her eyes opened, she decides to help out Ryan and his team to bring Karim down. 

And this is where the story really starts, as we read how Sky turns from a gullible young woman, to a woman who has had enough of being played by men.
And this change also changed my opinion of Sky. 

The more Ryan and Sky work together to bring Karim down, the more unexpected twists arise.
While at some moments I couldn’t understand the importance of certain conversations, later on it would appear that every detail said previously, would be important when the bigger picture is made clear.
It’s obvious that nobody in this books doesn’t have a secret agenda somehow. Whatever is being said or done, is part of an extensively elaborated plan. But in the end who is truly pulling the strings? 

This is the first I have read from this author. And while there were bits that didn’t exactly speak to me, there were also many parts that committed me to keep on reading as all the twists just kept wanting me to see the bigger picture myself.

Christmas, a time where anything can happen

Synopsis

Cosy up for Christmas with 12 very different tales of love with all the festive feels!

More than Mistletoe, the debut anthology from The Christmas Collective, is an eclectic and inclusive mix of stories, with swoon-worthy characters, second chances and happy endings.

Between the pages, you will discover classic romance, festive thrillers, LGBTQ+ love stories, hilarious romcoms and historical settings, these stories really do span the whole spectrum of festive fiction.

Featuring twelve up and coming new authors, this refreshing, diverse and romantic read, is a must-have read that will leave you reaching for your Christmas jumper, gingerbread cookies and a mug of hot chocolate!

My review

This anthology shows with twelve different stories the power of Christmas and love. Is there a better timing than Christmas for a shot at love, whether it’s a new love, a lost love or a second chance at love.
This book consists: 

Lumikinos by Lucy Alexander
The Ghost of Christmas Past by Michelle Harris
Christmas for Two by Marianne Calver
August in December by Joe Burkett
Under the Christmas Tree by Cici Maxwell
Killing Christmas Eve by Jake Godfrey
Christmas and Cocktails by Jenny Bromham
Christmas at The Little Blu Bookshop by Sarah Shard
Not Today, Santa by Martha May Little
Sealed with a Christmas Kiss by Bláithín O’Reilly Murphy
Love Forever by Donna Gowland
The Last Christmas by S.L.Robinson 

I am for sure a big lover of stories around Christmas. With Christmas, everything always seems possible, even the most impossible of loves.
So I started to read this story, thinking that I would for sure love all stories, having a few favourites and a few I still liked but not as much as others. 

But I can honestly say that, even if each story was unique in its own special way, I loved them all equally.
The diversity of it makes it really easy to lose yourself while reading. I devoured each story, feeling a bit sad how quickly the story was over, yet eager to discover the next one. 

Also the characters are very different from each other, yet it was a delight to discover each and every one of them. While some main characters are encountering something inexplicable, others are having a second chance, some others are going lengths for their love.
But no matter what their own personal story is, the common heart – warming thread is love and Christmas. No matter what their past is, or their current situation, just like in real life, each of them are longing for love.  

And Love is all we need, and a time like Christmas is perfect to find love or just hold on to and remember the love we already found.  

I didn’t know any of these authors before, but if this is just a glimpse of their talents, I am certain that I will be equally enthralled with what will follow!

To buy a house, to find a home

Synopsis

When Sky Terran returns to the village of Middledip after losing the job she loves, she anticipates a quiet Christmas getting used to her new life. However, the annual street decoration competition is coming up and this year, the residents of Winter Street are determined to win.

As she is pulled into the preparations, Sky quickly grows to love the quirky, tight-knit community she is now part of. Including the extremely handsome Daz, who soon becomes more than just a friendly neighbour.

But when Daz’s ex turns up determined to win him back and it seems he might not be the man Sky thought he was, she remembers how much allowing people into her life – and heart – can hurt. As the snow falls, will she and Daz find a way through – and help win a Christmas victory for Winter Street?

My review

Sky Terran would walk on water for her foster brother Freddy. He was her rock when she felt the loneliest while growing up. She never expected that one day, she would walk away not only from his business but also from away. All because of the woman Freddy has fallen in love with.
So Sky decides to return to the only place she truly felt at home, the village of Middledip, to think what her future will look like.
However, before she knows, she is pulled into the preparations of the annual street decoration competition and quickly because part of the close community of Middledip.
And she even comes closer to Daz, one of her new neighbours.
But when the past starts to make several appearances, Sky remembers how easy it is to get hurt by people she cares the most.
However, this Christmas may appear to be one where Sky’s wishes may come true… 

I have read several stories of this amazing author, yet this was my first visit to Middledip. That means that I haven’t read the other books taking place in this lovely village. And I was glad that I didn’t have the feeling I missed important clues.
Although now my TBR – list has only become even longer as I fell totally in love with this place! 

Reading Sky’s story broke my heart. I can only imagine how difficult it can be to be in foster care. Sky didn’t won the lottery ticket with her mother and seeing more and more glimpses from her past, made me feel even more sorry for her.
Yet I was also glad she had her happy moments while staying in Middledip, and that she has found Freddy. 

But it is impossible not to see how much she misses to be part of a loving family, or just belonging somewhere.
So when Sky gets treated terribly by Freddy, I felt her pain as she lost the only person who has been truly there for her, but I also understood why she had to get away, even why she bought a place in Middledip. 

And returning in Middledip is exactly the medicine Sky needs… It’s not easy to move to a new village, where you have spend some time when you were younger, but after all, you don’t know who is still around and if you’ll be welcomed. 

So reading how Sky quickly becomes part of that community, warmed my heart. I loved reading how she start participating in the pub quiz, how she is gently forced to also decorate her house. But I also admired how she held on to her beliefs. She has a heart for nature and shows it in her own ways. And her being there for her new friends, and especially how well she understands young Wilf, only shows what an amazing person she is, even if she doesn’t see it herself.

There is obviously romance involved, how could it not with a character like Daz as a neighbour, but that was not the main focus in my eyes.
Because we see how a closed character starts to bloom in the right environment. That is the magic of Middledip and its inhabitants.
Sky feels more at home here than anywhere else, and also feels the need to make a difference just to give back to the people who gave her so much.

Sky goes through so much in this book, there is grief, loss, but also forgiveness, joy, love and friendship.
Sky moving to Middledip was the start of an emotional rollercoaster, not only for Sky herself, but also for the reader, showing us that sometimes it can be the apparently insignificant place in the world that can let us have the biggest change in our lives and in ourselves.
And that feeling home is mostly about the people we surround ourselves with. 

This was a wonderful book, with great characters, a lovely village to spend my time in, and with the wonderful addition of Christmas and its wonderful feelings!

Port Agnes, a perfect place for a new start…

Synopsis

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

But for single mum and busy midwife Nadia, it’s quickly turning into her worst Christmas ever.

Her marriage is over, and whilst her husband has moved on, Nadia finds herself back home, squashed into her mum’s spare room with her two small children. They might not be a perfect family anymore, but Nadia is determined to make this Christmas special for them.

Dr Hamish Spencer totally understands Nadia’s pain. As a fellow single parent, he’s struggling to cope with a rebellious teen daughter and a precocious six-year-old! Perhaps if he and Nadia join forces, they could make this Christmas slightly more memorable for everyone?

The last thing Nadia wants is a new man in her life, but she’d definitely like lovely Hamish as a friend. But Christmas has a way of melting the hardest of hearts and maybe a kiss under the mistletoe could change everything?

My review

Nadia has returned to Port Agnes from New Zealand as a single mum as her marriage is over. But it’s difficult to start all over again, while living at her mum’s place with two small children.
While the children are still finding it difficult being without their absent father, Nadia is adamant to give them all the love they need. And with Christmas just around the corner, Nadia wants this one to be special.
But being a single parent is not an easy task. And who better than Dr. Hamish Spencer understands Nadia’s feelings, as he is also a single parent of a rebellious teenager and an energetic six – year – old.
The both of them have their children’s happiness at top priority, but is it so wrong to start thinking about their own happiness too?  

Oooh how much I love returning to Port Agnes! When I started this series, I had no clue about the job and passion of midwives. But with each book I have read, my admiration for this calling has only grown and I have fallen in love with each character! The way they all do their utterly best for the parents – to – be, even going beyond, makes me respect them even more!  

In the beginning of this book, I felt truly sorry for Nadia. She has given up her own home, to follow the man she loved, only to return back home with her two children. 

Can I just say that I cannot understand how a man can behave that way? How can someone betray his wife that way, and even ‘forget’ his children on the other side of the world? The lack of communication infuriated me and it broke my heart seeing how those lovely kids were wondering where their father was… 

But I admired Nadia and her courage. It cannot be easy to return home, start all over again with the limits she has. Yet she rightfully prioritizes the kids, even telling some white lies just to see a smile on their faces.
No matter what will happen in the future, Mo and Remi will always be the most important persons in her life. 

When Nadia meets Hamish, she doesn’t know that she has found a kindred spirit. Not only because he is a single parent too, but he prioritizes his children too. No matter who enters his life, his children will be also first on his list, and the ‘new entry’ will be on a lower place on that same list. 

It warmed my heart to see how these two characters who deserved so much more from life, find each other, but also respect each other’s boundaries.
Nadia understands why Hamish’s teenage daughter acts the way she does, and Nadia wouldn’t want to be the reason to put a rift between father and daughter. Yet sometimes feelings can grow very quickly and very strongly…. 

Beside the story of Nadia and Hamish, there is also place for Frankie and her romance with Guy, and her own issues with moving on with her life.
Frankie ended her marriage as she was very unhappy, yet it saddened me to read how her own mother and son acted like Frankie was a madwoman.
But I was also proud that she stood her ground and wouldn’t let someone jeopardize her newfound happiness. 

Of course it was also lovely to see how my other friends were doing, and it was so sweet to see how characters I loved previously are living their love story even after finishing their own tale. 

In this book we see how it is possible to start to love again after everything we have been through. But we also see that the heart of a parent always put the children before own happiness. However, when sometimes things feel so good, it’s okay to let those feelings grow. And take a new, fresh chance on love.