Sometimes, what we need has always been in front of us…

Synopsis

She was never meant to fall for her best friend’s brother…

Seren has had a soft spot for her best friend’s brother for as long as she can remember. But when she starts to see Kit as more than just a friend, she knows she’s on dangerous ground.

Avoiding him is probably her best course of action, but that’s easier said than done when you live on a tiny island.

When Kit declares he’s in love with her, she’s forced to deny her feelings. There’s too much to lose for her to do anything else.

If only her heart would get the message that she and Kit aren’t meant to be.

As the tension between them builds it becomes more and more difficult for Seren to keep her feelings hidden.

Can she find the courage to risk everything for love? And will Kit still be waiting for her when she does?

My review

Seren always felt part of the Trenearys’ family, even if they aren’t sharing any actual DNA. Growing up and being best friends with Noah, made her feel she always had to place where she would be welcomed with open arms.
But when she starts seeing Noah’s younger brother in a total different light, she knows she is in trouble…
How can she come clean about her blooming feelings when there is so much at stake? And she cannot imagine losing the people who are like a second family to her.
So when Kit speaks out his own feelings for Seren, she has no other option than denying her own.
But the heart wants what it wants, and hiding her feelings because more difficult every day… 

Having read the first book, and loving it, I obviously had no other choice than reading this next book too. 

I didn’t dislike Seren in book 1, but I saw her more as a threat to the wonderful couple that Keira and Noah make.
But in that book, Seren made me like her more and more, so I was very curious how and when she would have her own happy end. 

It’s obvious that Seren is a kind person, very loving and caring. Even if she has known loss at a young age, with the love she receives and gives to the Trenearys’ family, she feels she found the next best thing.
She is also a very understanding person, as she knows that now that her best friend is in a relationship, she is no longer his first priority. However, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t sting when she needs her best friend by her side. 

Kit may be younger than Seren, but the author manages perfectly to proof that age truly is just a number. Because Kit is more mature than other people of his own age, and even more mature than people who are actually older.
Maybe he is not the smartest guy around concerning professing his love, but his feelings are genuine and real.
He would do anything for Seren, even if that mean he should learn to use an actual bookmark!
And let’s be honest, he’s also a smart guy, as his successful business shows. He’s got the looks AND the brains! What else does a woman need!   

From the very start of this book, I had the best fun! It starts when Seren is ogling Kit without realizing it’s Kit who caught her attention. But I also swooned at the sweet moments, like Kit looking after Seren after a peanut incident.
However, as a reader I also got a bit frustrated. Not because the author didn’t do a great job with this book, but it was so irritating that it… just… takes… such… a… long… time for Seren to finally listen to her heart!
What does it matter if Kit is younger? So what if Seren has known him all her life? If he is the man for you, that all doesn’t matter! And don’t let fear of ruining everything make you ruin everything! 

Although… even if I got angry at Seren at some moments, I could also somehow comprehend her feeling. Not that I agreed with them, but I saw where she was coming from. Because what if in some weird ways, things would end badly between them, Seren would not only Kit as a boyfriend, but also as a friend, and also whole his family.
And that is not a risk she wants to take… 

The beauty about this book is that all the fears are understandable, even if you don’t agree. And also how difficult it can be that once something it outspoken, to return to things were before. But also that friendship, when love doesn’t seem to be reciprocal, is very important. Better to have someone in your life as a friend, than not having that person in your life at all.
What stood by me the most after long reading sessions, is that the heart cannot be dictated. No matter how hard we fight against our feelings, and try to even move on, your heart and love will always direct you back to the person you care the most about.
And overthinking about things that could go wrong, is not the best of ideas. Focus instead on the wonderful future and life together and make things work.

Three best friends, reunited but with their own problems

Synopsis

Divorced and on a deadline, bestselling novelist Bea Pinkerton has a serious case of writer’s block. With her agent breathing down her neck, Bea will do ANYTHING to avoid writing another word.

So an invite to a reunion with her old school friends at a beautiful chateau in France, is Bea’s perfect chance to escape. Surely here, relaxing with old friends and drinking cold fizz, Bea will find inspiration?

But as soon as Bea arrives, she realises this is not going to be the peaceful getaway she anticipated. Her old school friends Gin and Audrie are in various states of marital distress and to top it off a camera crew has arrived to film the goings on at Chateau De St Cyr.Far from being calm, the trip is total chaos!

Thank goodness for Bea’s new French neighbour Laurent Sinclair – handsome, charming and perhaps exactly the romantic muse she needs to get her mojo back.

But is Bea brave enough to take a second chance at love at her age?

Perhaps with a little help from her friends…

My review

It’s not often that friendships stand the test of time, but Bea, Gin and Audrie are proof that those friendships truly exist, even if they are living on different places in the world.
Getting together at Audrie’s place, a chateau in France, is the perfect place for all the women to escape their daily issues.
Bea is a famous author, but being divorced and a deadline for her new book, made her have a writer’s block. And her agent is losing patience…
So relaxing in France will maybe help her get over her block.
But as soon as she arrives, it’s clear that her holiday isn’t going to be as relaxing as expected, as the dream couple, Audrie and Victor, seem to be on the verge of a divorce. Especially when Victor’s colleague, lawyer Laurent Sinclair is also staying at the Chateau De St. Cyr.
And Gin’s latest divorce caused her more pain than admitted…
Will Bea be able to find the peace she so much needed, with her friends? And with charming Laurent, can she resist him, even if he appears to be the enemy? And what about the courage of allowing love back in her life, even at her age? 

I truly enjoy reading stories about friendships that started in school and even after decades they are still standing. Is it because I don’t have that kind of long friendship that I find joy in reading stories about people who have what I don’t? 

Nevertheless, this wasn’t only about three women getting together to spend time together, sharing drinks. But is was also about the struggles these great women have.
Bea is a successful author, but I can only imagine how difficult it can be to fulfil the high expectations everyone has for her new book.
So if I would go crazy, I can surely imagine Bea’s state of mind, taking also in account the way her marriage ended… 

Absolutely I agreed that visiting Audrie was the perfect solution for her. Only I didn’t expect for Bea to arrive in total chaos!
Yes, we are well aware that something was going to happen there too, but I didn’t expect things to go so badly…
And to be honest, at moments I got a bit frustrated because in my opinion, Audrie was sometimes just overreacting.
But when she did, she had her loyal friends by her side, loyal to the core, but also pointing out when she was being unreasonable.
And that made me like the story even more, because it shows us that real friends can tell you when you’re being just a little bit over the top! 

I had several laughs in this story too, because these tree women together are a force to reckon with! For sure I never want to be on their bad side! But also when you are on their good side, you have a strong alliance! 

This story shows us also that no matter how frightening it can be to allow love back in your life, it can be all worth it! Bea meeting Laurent is surely proof of it! Age is just a number and love doesn’t look how old you are when it puts the right partner in front of you.
But also love makes people do sometimes things with the best intentions but not on the smartest ways. But just when you think love has reached its end, it makes a turn of 180 degrees and it ignites even stronger than before! 

I truly enjoyed reading this book, filled with the adventures and misadventures of three women of a certain age, but certainly still young at heart!

Each family has its struggles, even if we don’t always see them…

Synopsis

Sasha Greenhope has a very lovely life. Her marriage is solid, her only daughter is delightful, and the family business is going full steam ahead.

The only blip on the horizon is the upcoming family reunion for her parents 40th wedding anniversary at Chadwell House – the family pile. Sasha just does not fit with her rich family. Her French mother, Delphine thinks everything Sasha does is a faux pas.. And siblings, Adele and Beau, are clearly the favourites, leaving Sasha surplus to requirements

So when Sasha’s husband Ben takes this exact moment to reveal that they are about to go bankrupt, Sasha wants to be anywhere but stuck in a lavish marquee!

Swallowing her pride, and a whole bottle of fizz, Sasha determines to ask her family for help – and maybe even a loan – only to discover that her parents and siblings are all keeping secrets of their own!

Family secrets, warring siblings and a disastrous reunion… what could possibly go right?!

My review

Sasha Greenhope has always felt that her parents had their favourite child, and Sasha wasn’t it for sure…
Her mother obviously prefers Sasha’s brother Beau, while her sister Adele is obviously a daddy’s girl.
And Sasha marrying Ben surely wasn’t what her parents expected her to do. But Sasha proofed her parents wrong, as her marriage couldn’t be any more loving, with the addition of their daughter in the wonderful equation. Add a family business that being rather successful, and it’s clear that Sasha couldn’t be happier with her own tight unit.
So it makes sense that she is dreading to participate in the family reunion for her parents 40th wedding anniversary.
Because it’s obvious that Sasha will be in the shadows while her siblings will be taking the spotlight. To add more to a stressful upcoming event, Ben comes clean about the fact that their business may be going bankrupt.
With dread in her shoes, Sasha sees no other option than asking help from her wealthy family. But quickly discovers that each family has its own cross to bear…

Sometimes you like a book for several reasons, but when asked which point exactly made you fall in love with it, you can pin it to one specific thing.
And that is exactly the case with this wonderful book!

Sasha, Ben and LouLou are an amazing, sweet, loving family. While Sasha’s parents never really accepted Ben as their daughter’s husband, the love between them is just palpable in each shared moment.
That shows us again that richness doesn’t come from money, but from being surrounded by people that unconditionally love us.

However, no matter how great the love is, this family have their struggles… And it broke my heart a little bit, seeing how hard they worked together in their business, and because of one customer, their dreams and plans are just blown up at once…

Any normal family wouldn’t be so against asking family for help, but Sasha’s family isn’t a normal family. While her parents are the rich kind, whenever it concerns asking for money, Sasha always had to solve her own problems.
And in one way I could understand her parents’ reasoning, I thought it was also a bit mean, because it’s clear that Sasha is not one to just throw money away and won’t ask for help if not truly needed…
Also, having siblings being so perfect and successful, doesn’t make Sasha feel any better.

I was definitely in Sasha’s corner during the reunion at the Chadwell House, and got so frustrated and angry when there was obvious proof that Sasha was clearly the ‘less loved’ child. Of course, her parents love her, but just not as much as Adele or Beau…
And I ADORED Ben when he defended his little family!

But not all is as it seems in this book…
Obviously there are secrets that are going to be revealed, and some may not be a total surprise, some were unexpected and heart-breaking.
Each member is facing a struggle of their own, showing the reader that no amount of money, fancy clothes, fast cars and great houses is a recipe to save you from trouble…

While initially I truly hoped that Sasha would be finding her happiness with people who accepted her and her own family as who they are, during the story my feelings shifted.
It’s clear that communication in this family was the cause of many issues. No matter how difficult it is to express our feelings, and while it may hurt someone we love at that moment, it is always the best solution…

Now, beside my frustrations and anger, I also had many smiles and laughter while reading. Can I say that LouLou is just adorable???
The evil Tizi found it also funny how things went wrong. Like a tiramisu that was best left uneaten, or how a very important heirloom wasn’t what it seems to be.
But there were also many moments showing the strength of a family.  Because no matter what happened before, when truly needed, this family joined all forces, forgetting about their fights.

I could go on about this book for hours, but I will spare you that!
Just believe me when I say that this book is truly worth reading, as it shows us that even with family we never really knows what’s going on behind the scenes.
While speaking out may be hurtful, but in the end, it will bring us all together again. Also, with speaking out, we find a way to express our fears and realize that our fears are not always justified.
And sometimes, even if we wish for a new family ourselves, the one we got may just be perfect even with all its imperfections!

One moment in the past still haunting the present…

Synopsis

Two siblings, both missing for 20 years turn up within one day of each other. One dead. One alive.

It was an ordinary school day, the day I lost my little brother.

One moment he was on the roundabout and then was gone. Gone. Missing.

They all blamed me. I was in charge. Even though I was only ten years old.

They sent me away. The hurt, the shame, the questions. The not knowing.

I tried to move on.

It’s been nineteen years in exile and now somebody wants me back.

Someone with a dark secret. They hold the keys, they know the truth.

So, I need to return to the Welsh village of my childhood to find out who, because I have a secret, too…

I did something bad.

Diane Saxon’s standalone thriller is sure to plunge you into the dark world of secrets and lies.

My review

It has been twenty years ago since Caryn’s little brother has gone missing. While being a child herself at the time, she was the one everyone blamed. If only she had looked better after Lloyd, nothing would have happened to him.
So they sent her away, and Caryn has tried to made a life on her own, without her parents or friends from the Welsh village, trying to forget her dark past.
But when someone sends her a note, demanding her return, Caryn reluctantly return to the place she once used to call home, carrying her own secrets too. However, a village never forgets and  scepticism and unfriendliness surround her. And when a new murder takes  place, the some villagers find it easy to add one to one and end up with five…
Can Caryn finally discover what happened to her little brother so many years ago?  And what other secrets are being kept and what lies are being told?

This story surely gave me chills all over my body…
I can hardly imagine how it is when your sibling disappears, and I just cannot fathom how people dare suspect that you are the culprit, being a child yourself!
So obviously from the first minute, I was in Caryn’s corner, no matter what.

Also from that same first minute, I felt sorry for Caryn, as she seems also to be a victim of that horrible event… Of course, also her parents are victims, struggling with the loss of a lovely, yet also special, boy like Lloyd.
But Caryn, having been sent away to live with a grandmother she didn’t know, accused by her own parents, her own friends apparently abandoning her, she obviously didn’t have an easy time and my heart truly broke for her.

While reading this book, I realized how positive I truly am. When Caryn returned ‘home’, I was hoping for a warm welcome. And when not only her parents quickly dismissed her, but she was even being somehow bullied by some villagers… I also kept hoping for some kind of a happy end and that in the end Lloyd would be reunited with his family somehow.

But life isn’t always a fairy tale, just as this book shows us… People will go lengths to keep their secrets, and I was shocked when the truth was revealed.
Maybe I had a little hunch, but I couldn’t imagine the extend of the lies and secrets, and was left flabbergasted when the true characters were revealed and just the evil of some of them!

But do not despair, because it’s not all doom and gloom! While Caryn’s search for the truth was definitely the main aspect of this story, the author shows us also the nicer and better bits of humanity. And real friends, even if separated by time and space, are easy to find each other again, despite all the past hurt.

I knew before I started in this book, I would be easily hooked, as my own desire to figure out the truth is just too big to ignore.
But I didn’t expect it would just be impossible to put the book away! Even with my lame attempt to move on with real life, my brain just kept going back to this story, trying to put all the pieces together.
So my sincere apologies to anyone who tried to have a decent conversation with me, but failed… it wasn’t you, it wasn’t me, it was this gripping, suspenseful story!

Twelve nights to safe your own life…

Synopsis

The Theatre

London, 1592

When a player is murdered, suspicion falls on the wardrobe mistress, Magdalen Bisset, because everyone knows poison is a woman’s weapon. The scandal-pamphlets vilify her. The coroner is convinced of her guilt.

Magdalen is innocent, although few are willing to help her prove it. Her much-loved grandmother is too old and sick. Will Shakespeare is benignly detached, and her friend Christopher Marlowe is wholly unreliable. Only one man offers his assistance, but dare she trust him when nothing about him rings true?

With just two weeks until the inquest, Magdalen ignores anonymous threats to ‘leave it be’, and delves into the dangerous underworld of a city seething with religious and racial tension. As time runs out, she must risk everything in her search for the true killer – for all other roads lead to the gallows.

My review

Magdalen Bisset is working as a wardrobe in the Theatre in the times William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe are making their names on the scene. And Magdalen is lucky to know both men.
However, in times of need, you learn who your real friends are. Magdalen learns that sometimes the easiest answer isn’t always the truth, especially when murder is involved.
Because a player being murdered, poisoned, at the theatre, quick assumptions make that Magdalen is the prime suspect. After all, poison is used by women as a weapon.
Magdalen now only has a two weeks to find the real killer and proof her innocence. But with not many standing by her side, and a city struggling with many tensions, it’s easier said than done. However, anything is better than being sent to the gallows…

It’s never easy to proof that you didn’t do something, and imagine being forced doing that in the 16th century, where DNA, fingerprints, or even following someone through social media, or GPS on your phone are totally bollocks.
Add a city filled with religious and racial tension, prejudice towards women, and you know it would even be more an herculean task…

The time and place is something I can only imagine about, like every one of us. However, because of this book realization dawned that I had a romanticized view of it.
Obviously, feminism has grown a lot, but seeing how just a few centuries ago, women were prejudiced, accused without any inkling of real proof, made me think how happy and lucky we are to be in 2022…

In one way is was fascinating to see how Magdalen is fighting for het independence and freedom, and her friendships which such famous characters.
But also seeing how quickly she finds herself standing alone, with all her supposed friends to have their own reasons to never truly speak out, show again that sometimes being innocent isn’t always just enough.

But Magdalen has their fierceness in her that I admired. Even if against all odds, she never gives up or backs down. She is determined to proof her innocence and find the real murder.
And even threats won’t stop her own investigation, making her even more adamant!

I didn’t know how it was in 15th century London, peaking with their theatres, but also facing many struggles. And this book showed me that behind every beautiful poem or play, real life often was a struggle.

Even if I am not knowing British history as detailed as I thought, I found myself eager to discover together with Magdalen the truth. And learning how lives can be entwined in several (un)expected ways and how far people will go to keep a secret…

Even the best friends don’t share everything…

Synopsis

Follow your heart and then your dreams…

Best friends since childhood, Fern Chambers and Stella Shaw have been through everything together and are at a crossroads in their lives.

Carefree Stella has a monumental secret and put upon Fern’s happy life is not all it seems.

With their 40th birthdays approaching, a luxury holiday to the island of Capri is a chance for them to reconnect, let their hair down and celebrate in style. But untold truths and frustration bubble beneath the surface, turning what should be a holiday of a lifetime into an opportunity to make life-changing decisions.

Far from home, where anything feels possible, secrets are revealed, heartache is shared, love discovered and new friendships forged.

Will their Italian dream turn into a nightmare or lead to newfound happiness?

My review

Fern Chambers and Stella Shaw have been best friends since childhood. Even when their lives took different turns, they were the only constant in each other’s lives and the one constant.
With their 40th birthday approaching, Stella decides to celebrate in style and luxury and her win at the lottery makes it easy to go on o holiday in wonderful Capri.
But what was supposed to be a dream holiday, quicky turns out to be a holiday where secrets are being revealed and where it’s obvious that not everyone is having the happy life they wished for.
Will this holiday make or break a friendship which everyone thought would be unbreakable? And with new friendships, love and passion, how will these two women return to their homes? 

A moment of honesty before I start with my thoughts of this book… And I know many people won’t understand my feelings, but just let me be.
While I truly appreciate the beautiful places in Italy, I don’t adore Capri… I understand why people are attracted by the place, because there are wonderful places there, but if I were told that I would never visit the place again, I cannot say I would be heartbroken.
I could think of many other places in Italy that I prefer to visit… 

But back to this book!  

I truly like it when friendships stand the test of time, and no matter how the people changed during their lives, they still have that person in their lives that stood by their side all the time.
So I was happy to start reading this book, and wanted to know what this author had in store for Fern and Stella. 

It warmed my heart how these two women are still each other’s rock even if they are totally different and are at different points in their lives.
And when Stella treats her best friend after her lottery win, it showed again how deeply these women care about each other. 

I was intrigued how this holiday would go for the two ladies with their daughters. Even if Fern’s daughter was rebellious character, even pushing my buttons, it’s clear that despite some frustrations there is that love between just all of the (young) women. 

I also appreciated the respect Stella and Fern had. They wanted to do different things, but there were no hard feelings when they split up to do what they truly wanted. And that is again proof of an amazing friendship. Being friends doesn’t mean to do everything together, but also understand that someone’s interests aren’t necessary the same as your interests. 

I had fun with Stella on her trip on the yacht, but I also relaxed together with Fern during her visit in the retreat.
I could appreciate both women’s way to relax and enjoy their holidays. 

However… there are kept secrets too in this story. And while I was rather quickly in guessing what that was, I also felt that the person concerned should have had an inkling and I was even a bit angry at how in some level trust got broken by some rash actions. 

Even if there were serious regrets, it’s obvious money can’t buy happiness or forgiveness. But only time can heal some deep wounds. And true friendships can stand the most difficult tests.

What also stood out in this book, is that we are never too old to change direction in our lives. Or just understand what we want from life and what makes us happy.

I enjoyed reading this book, as it showed me so many aspects in life that can go wrong, but also so many aspects that can go right, even if it may seem scary to take that step.
But with courage, forgiveness, friendship and love, your life can take a turn you never imagined and fill the voidness we don’t always know we had.

Everyone believes the headlines, why shouldn’t they?

Synopsis

In Rachael Stewart’s latest Harlequin Romance, the second in her Claiming the Ferrington Empire duet, an invitation to Paris with a billionaire is on the cards, but only if Bree is brave enough to take it…

Can a playboy billionaire……capture her heart?

Bree has escaped the big city to heal her heart in a village bakery. But when notorious billionaire Theo walks through the door, emotionally guarded Bree discovers it’s not just her toffee pudding that’s hot and sweet! The man behind the headlines is charming but intriguingly cynical about love. Accepting his invitation to Paris could be a mistake—or the best decision she’s ever made…

My review

Theo Ferrington/ Dubois comes at the rescue when his brother Sebastian returns back to the Ferrington Manor to claim it.
He didn’t do it only to help out his brother, but also to escape Paris where his reputation is that of being a billionaire player.
The last thing he expected was to meet Bree, Flick’s best friend who escaped from London herself after getting her heart broken.
But spending time together at the B&B, Theo doesn’t only enjoy being just Theo, not the billionaire again, but he surely enjoys the company.
However, with no interest in any kind of relationship, and Bree not letting her guard down, will something come from spending all that time together? And will they also turn into a cliché, like they say themselves, or is just enjoying themselves for the time being enough? 

Soooooo… Theo…. Where shall I start?
Theo is not the complete stranger, as we have got some glimpses of him in the first book of this series already. And even if he wasn’t the main protagonist there, sparks already flew around him and Bree, so yes, I absolutely had to read their story!!!!  

Bree is the kind of woman everyone wants to have as a best friend. Not only would she do everything for Flick, but she is also very protective of her, and Flick’s daughter Angel.
Poor who dares to hurt any of her loved ones!
But Bree also got burned in the past, and her ex made her feel unworthy, which in my opinion is just utter nonsense!
Because Bree is just amazing! She is kind, caring, loving, funny, and also hilarious whenever she accidentally says out loud what she is thinking!
I also appreciated how she didn’t start reading online abut Theo or Sebastian, but wants to get to know the person in front of her all by herself. 

So obviously, for Theo, Bree is like a breath of fresh air. Because Theo has his reputation against him, and the headlines surely enjoy to point out what a player he is.
But Theo isn’t just a billionaire player… And Bree sees easily, just like us, behind the façade. Can it be any more clearer than the way he looks after Becca?
It surely made my ovaries explode! 

While being back home, his guilt only increases as he realizes what consequences his past actions had. But guilt is something ugly, because it comes even when it is not applicable… 

I absolutely loved seeing Bree and Theo together. They go from being wary, to give in the attraction, fighting of not becoming a cliché (you’ll know what I mean when you read this book!) yet obviously becoming one! 

Both characters are fighting against growing feelings, but don’t we all know that is an impossible task? Because the heart doesn’t take orders from the head. And even if the heart got broken, that doesn’t mean it cannot be healed anymore.
And no matter how hard we try to hide our true selves, the right person sees right behind that mask (and headlines) and sees who we really are.

Rachael Stewart managed again to write a captivating story, with maybe less heated described in it. But the heat sparks from the pages anyway. And that is a talent this author has, with a few words, you completely turn into a puddle, imagining smouldering looks, innuendos and just great characters!

Heritage Cove, where even the latest inhabitants lose their hearts

Synopsis

Welcome back to Heritage Cove, the little village by the sea brimming with character, community and friendship. The perfect place to fall in love…

Running Heritage View Stables is everything Hazel ever dreamed of. She loves working with the horses and managing the business with her brother. But after a terrible incident, she’s not sure whether she’ll ever be able to put things back the way they were.

Gus is ready to start over. He’s moved him and his ten-year-old daughter Abigail to Heritage Cove, where he’s opening his own vet practice. Everything is falling into place, especially as he watches Abigail start to come out of her shell for the first time since the accident.

Neither Hazel nor Gus is looking for love, but could they each be what the other needs? And is happiness even a possibility when their pasts won’t let them go?

Join new friends and old, as summer comes to Heritage Cove.

My review

Hazel loves running Heritage View Stables together with her brother. But things aren’t going as smoothly, as an incident made Hazel fearful to return to her teaching lessons.
With her brother Arnold’s schedule being full, Hazel taking over some lessons would be a much better solution than refusing new pupils.
When Gus and his daughter Abigail arrive at Heritage Cove, Heritage View Stables is the obvious choice for their horse Denby.
While Abigail adores Denby and just horses in general, Gus wants her to take lessons to grow her confidence.
But why is Hazel so stoically refuses to take Abigail under her wings even if it’s clear what a good influence Hazel has on Abigail?
Gus’ heart melts seeing how Abigail is getting out of her shell, and his daughter is his only priority while setting up his vet practice.
With two people not looking for love, could horses be the link to bring them together despite their own fears? 

Okay, I love Heritage Cove and its inhabitants, and I want to live there myself. This is not the first time I said it, so it’s not a big surprise I was happy to start with this new chapter in this series!
And did this author deliver? ABSOLUTELY!!! 

I am not a horse – lover myself. It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s just that they are so big and I am a scaredy – cat, so I would be terrified not knowing how such a majestic animal can behave unexpectedly. But that doesn’t mean I cannot see the beauty of such great animals from far far away. 

It’s obvious that Hazel loves looking after the horses and treats them with respect, care and much love. And it’s unfortunately also very obvious that she has been traumatized after an incident. Seeing how fear held Hazel back from doing something she loves to do, broke my heart a little bit. But I could also perfectly comprehend her (remember, scaredy – cat here!).
She is also a very sensitive character, as she disapproves aggressive behaviour and hates voices being raised. 

So I could understand her wariness around Gus, because the second time she saw him, he didn’t make a good impression.
Gus… talking about an entrance here! I surely didn’t expect our male main character doing *that* but it surely put a smile on my face!
Having this books showing us two points of view, made it possible to understand his behaviour so much better. He wants to protect Abigail from every kind of evil in the world, making him a bit too overprotective.
But with what Abigail had to endure, who wouldn’t be too protective over such a lovely girl? 

Abigail, that is absolutely a sweet girl that will steal everyone’s heart! And seeing the interaction between her and Hazel, warmed my heart!  

I found this a slow – burning romance, but without the romance being the headliner. Because both main characters have their own focus and also fears.
While it may be easy to say to get back on your horse, it’s always easier said than done. And taking that first, small step, can be the most terrifying thing you’d ever do. 

This was a marvellous next book in an amazing series. And while the expectations were very high, with even a small fear of getting a disappointment, this author delivered and even went beyond!

You can only start to dream when you have complete closure…

Synopsis

Samantha has a secret. Returning home from her dream honeymoon to the normality of running her beloved Hedgehog Hollow rescue centre, she’s ready for the next chapter of her life with Josh. Or is she? Samantha is hiding something which could forever change the dreams they shared and bring their happy ever after crashing to the ground.

Lauren has given up on love. Twenty-six years ago the love of her life, Shaun, left her a note and was never seen again. Two painful divorces later she still can’t face opening up to anyone. But little does Lauren know that the closure she’s dreamt of for all these years may be closer than she thinks, and perhaps the only way to let new love in is to forgive and forget.

Samantha and Lauren will need the love and support from the Hedgehog Hollow family more than ever. After all, some dreams are worth chasing…

My review

Having had the wedding they dreamed of, Samantha and Josh are looking forward to start their lives together after an amazing honeymoon. Yet already during the honeymoon, Sam is having doubts. Obviously not about the love between the two of them, but about the decision they took together. Will these doubts put everything that was built so slowly at risk?

And what about Josh’s Auntie Lauren? Her husband walking out on her so many hears ago without giving her any explanation, made it impossible for her to truly open up to anyone else, even if she has faced already a second divorce. But is love coming her way in a way she saw coming? Or is it in an unexpected way? And does she dare to open up her heart?

Both Sam and Lauren are standing at crossroads at their lives, but no matter where their lives will take them, Hedgehog Hollow will always be needing their help.

It’s not a secret that I absolutely adore this series from this amazing author. And it’s common knowledge that the lack of tissues in Belgium is totally my fault while reading these books.

But Belgium, do not worry anymore, because for this book, not one tear was spilled! And no, it doesn’t mean I didn’t like this book as much as the previous ones.

Sam is being constant in being Sam. Even if it may seem she has everything she could ever wish for, she still has her doubts and fears. While it was sometimes frustrating reading about her fears and not wanting/daring to express them, because we know Josh loves her unconditionally, it shows again how human, real and illogical our fears can be. Because don’t we all say one thing, and then start doubting what we said?

But no matter what, her love for hedgehogs and her desire to help them all never diminish. And the love as a reader for hedgehogs only grows!It was also a kind of refreshing that there wasn’t a major drama in this book, like a reappearance of a certain horrible family…

And it allowed us to focus on Lauren, Josh’s aunt…

Slowly we learn about her past and both her marriages. The focus is on her first marriage, as it was the catalyst of being who she is now.

And it broke my heart to read how Lauren’s heart got broken. When a marriage ends, most of the times the involved parties know the reason of the ending. But Lauren, having no idea, having no clues even afterwards and not even getting all the answers later on, it was just so sad…

So obviously, I truly hoped she would get some closure and even a new chance at love. However, the love interest was not what I expected, especially as we saw in the previous book that something was starting to bloom… But maybe on the other hand, it was even better like this, because this new character is even a better fit!

I loved, loved, loved reading this marvellous next chapter in the series. Jessica Redland manages perfectly to grasp the humanity in each character, and yet keeps surprising us.

I have to admit, when Shaun made a reappearance, I wasn’t totally surprised by it, as a few tips were given, but I admired the courage of the author, and the character, of broaching this topic. While many would not understand it, Jessica manages to show again the humanity of facing the reality of it.

I know that the series is slowly reaching its end. And while it breaks my heart a little bit, as I truly love each character and each little hedgehog, I am already looking forward to the next chapter. And I hope that everyone, somehow and someway, get their happy ever after, like they deserve! And if they don’t, I will come and haunt you down Jessica! Because you don’t write such amazing characters and wonderful stories without a happy end!!!

How to keep calm when your past resurfaces?

Synopsis

Layla is calm, in control and is definitely not about to lose her serenity for the man next door!
Surely it can’t be hard to stay peaceful at one of the oldest yoga and mindfulness retreats in the Algarve, surrounded by sea, sun and serenity? Mostly, owner Layla Garcia manages it – with the help of meditation and plenty of camomile tea, of course.
But keeping her grandparents’ legacy alive is stressful, and Layla has become so shackled to the work that, for her, The House on the Hill is fast becoming ‘The Fortress on the Hill’.
Then writer Luke Mackie moves to the villa next door, bringing with him a healthy dose of chaos to disrupt Layla’s plans, plus a painful reminder of a time when she was less-than-serene. But could his influence be just what Layla needs to ‘dance like no-one’s watching’ and have the fun she’s been missing?

My review

Layla is doing her utterly best to keep her grandparent’s legacy, the yoga and mindfulness retreat The House on the Hill, alive.
But that is easier said than done, and no amount tea can keep Layla calm and ahead of things. She stays on top of everything, and even if things get difficult a little bit, why change a working recipe?
And then writer Luke Mackie moves in the villa next door, and suddenly everything turns into chaos. Adding that Luke is part of a past that Layla tries to forget, doesn’t make things easier at all… 

Don’t we all have regrets from when we were young? But how many of those mistakes were really that big of an issue when we think about it now? Not many, right?
Unfortunately that is not Layla’s case… what happened in her past, had such a deep impact on her, that it did not only make her change her appearance again, but also changed Layla’s character.

Layla enjoys running the retreat, but is struggling also with the many issues it’s having. And while many suggestions are being made, she sticks to what she knows and won’t look for any changes.
That made me wonder what happened to her, to be so stoic about not accepting those ideas, because in my opinion, they were good suggestions.
It also bothered me that Layla had no outlet, nothing fun to do. We all need that one thing to release our stress, and chamomile tea surely isn’t the perfect answer! 

Slowly we get to know what burden she is still carrying around, and when it was all revealed, I was repulsed by the actions of some characters.
And seeing how those characters did not learn from the pat, infuriated me. So I was glad that those characters weren’t a prominent presence in this book, but just a dark shadow. 

A dark shadow that also hunts Luke Mackie…
While Luke’s and Layla’s lives are so different from each other, and there doesn’t seem to be a link between them, it was nice to see how the past and present got together.
Even if reluctant, Layla sees that Luke is not in a happy place at the moment in his life, and she tries to help him to see the beauty of it, and tries to help him find his inspiration back. 

I very much liked how these two characters, both carrying their own burdens, and even slightly forced, are spending time together.
Seeing how they start to see Life through the other one’s eyes, understanding the importance of finding an oasis of calmness, but also daring to change course, was not only eye – opening for the characters but also for the readers. 

This story shows us how the past can hold us back, but also how releasing everything and enjoy the things again that made us happy in the past, can make us all better again, even if we didn’t know we weren’t doing okay…  

I had several laughs, but I also felt so much compassion for our main characters, and this book made me realize that just doing okay is not okay…
Add a beautiful setting as the Algarve, and we have a complete package, which includes a lesson that Life doesn’t always go as we would want, but we can make it change direction, as long as we can put the past behind us. And that some things from the past aren’t all that bad, on the contrary, they can be the best thing we ever had!