BOOK REVIEW THE VINTAGE GUIDE TO LOVE AND ROMANCE BY KIRSTY GREENWOOD

Jessica Beam is a girl who knows how to party. Only lately she’s been forgetting to turn up for work on time. Or in clean clothes. Down on her luck, out of a job and homeless, Jess seeks the help of her long-lost grandmother.

Things aren’t going well for Matilda Beam, either. Her 1950s Good Woman guide books are out of print, her mortgage repayments are staggering and her granddaughter wears neon Wonderbras.

When a lifeline from a London publisher arrives, the pair have an opportunity to secure the roof over their heads – by invigorating the Good Woman guides and transforming modern, rebellious Jess into a demure vintage lady.The true test of their make-over will be to capture the heart of notorious London playboy Leo Frost and prove that Matilda’s guides still work. It’s going to take commitment, nerves of steel and one seriously pointy bra to pull this off . . .

I have read a lot of books in my life and even in 2015 and I can safely say this is one of the BEST books ever I’ve had the pleasure of reading .

I finished it with a huge aww and smile on my face and actually held the book to my chest.

This will make you laugh cry and swoon hard .

I adored Kristy’s debut book Yours Truly which was a excellent debut and was a bestseller .However this is just as good and then even more .

I laughed out really loud on the train and even within a few chapters I was giggling .

Kirstys writing is beautiful ,her characters are so genuine and you will want Jess as your best friend.

Such a brilliant concept and there are secret delights along the way in the form f diary entries which add to the story even more .

I can relate to Jess and I loved her and if you didn’t already know shes going to be back in 2016!! She  is a party girl but underneath shes hiding her true soft side but how will this  be brought out .

You have to read this book it will make your day week month or even year.

I wish Kirsty all the luck with this book and future books and I know for sure I will be one of her fans pre ordering .

Thanks for writing such a treat  and hope I have done it the justice it deserves as I cant give it enough praise!!

BOOK REVIEW KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE BY PAULA DALY

Your best friend isn’t who you think she is.

You’ve been friends since university, when you became the people you are today.

You don’t see each other enough but when you do it’s as if you’ve never been apart.

She’s one of the family. You would trust her with your life, your children, your husband.

And when your daughter is rushed to hospital, you’re grateful that she’s stepping in at home, looking after things.

But your best friend isn’t who you think she is. You’re about to find out just how wrong you were.

I couldn’t put this down ,its been a while since ive read a book in this genre and this was just what I needed ,

I loved it  because it got under my skin and made me think .The writing is addictive and you will get inside someone’s head whether you want to or not .

A normal family living a ordinary life have theirs worlds turned upside down in a blink of a eye and you will be shocked and disturbed by the actions of people in this book.

This could happen to anyone and this is what I love about authors who can create menace in a way that’s possible and not far fetched .

I loved her debut novel and this does not disappoint .

A dark read but with fresh writing that will keep you reading till sleep wins .

BOOK REVIEW THE LAST HONEYTRAP BY LOUISE LEE

If you love to curl up with Miranda Dickinson or The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes was your favourite, The Last Honeytrap will delight you with its rapidfire, irreverent humour.

Scot ‘Scat’ Delaney is a world famous jazz singer. He has ample opportunity to stray and his girlfriend, Alice, needs to know she can trust him.

Introducing Florence Love, Private Investigator.

Florence has just ten days to entrap an A-Lister. Whilst sticking to her cardinal rule:

One kiss, with tongues, five seconds – case closed.

A master of body language, evolutionary science and nifty disguises, her approach is unconventional, her success rate excellent. But targets are rarely as beautiful as Scat. Never fall for the target.

That is very bad form indeed.The Last Honeytrap marks the energetic launch of a brilliant new series. Once you’ve met Florence Love, you’ll see the world in glorious technicolour at last.

Thanks to Frances for sending me a copy to review .

I didn’t really know what to expect from this book and after finishing it today im undecided how I feel. I didn’t hate it but didn’t love ,it was ok and a good debut novel .

There were times I felt I could relate and warm to Florence then as quick as I did I felt annoyed by her.

Overall a original concept of a storyline just not quite enough to hook me to say I would continue with her books .

There are some funny parts and at times you see the softer side of her character .

Published on June 4th

BOOK REVIEW THE CAKE SHOP IN THE GARDEN By CAROLE MATTHEWS

Fay Merryweather runs her cake shop from her beautiful garden. She whips up airy sponges and scrumptious scones, while her customers enjoy the lovely blossoms and gorgeous blooms. Looking after the cake shop, the garden and her cantankerous mother means Fay is always busy but she accepts her responsibilities because if she doesn’t do all this, who will?

Then Danny Wilde walks into her life and makes Fay question every decision she’s ever made.

When a sudden tragedy strikes, Fay’s entire world is thrown off balance even further and she doesn’t know which way to turn. Can Fay find the strength to make a life-changing decision – even if it means giving up the thing she loves the most? Life, love and family are about to collide in The Cake Shop in the Garden.

I finished this on the train and was very emotional .This book has it all and I felt so many emotions reading this book. This seized my heart  and I fell in love .

Fay goes through quite a journey and has to reevaluate all areas of her life and what it is that makes her happy.She thought she was content with her lot then along comes Danny and my goodness he is gorgeous and just what Fay needs not that she knows it yet.

Fay Is so trodden down with looking after everone esp her bed ridden mum that shes lost sight of who she is and what she wants .

But with the help of her trusted friends she learns to see the future albeit its a bumpy ride to get there .

I got very angry at certain charactars and did gasp a few times.

Another brilliant book from the excellent Carole Matthews

BOOK REVIEW WE ARE ALL MADE OF STARS BY ROWAN COLEMAN

Do not miss me, because I will always be with you…I am the air, the moon, the stars. For we are all made of stars, my beloved… Wherever you look, I will be there.

Stella Carey exists in a world of night. Married to a soldier who has returned from Afghanistan injured in body and mind, she leaves the house every evening as Vincent locks himself away, along with the secrets he brought home from the war.

During her nursing shifts, Stella writes letters for her patients to their loved ones – some full of humour, love and practical advice, others steeped in regret or pain – and promises to post these messages after their deaths.

Until one night Stella writes the letter that could give her patient one last chance at redemption, if she delivers it in time…

I adore Rowans writing so much ,it reminds me how love feels and captures your heart along with all your senses that you find yourself breathless.

Thank you to Amelia for sending me a proof copy …here is me looking like a kid in candy shop with it …

I read it in one day ,was impossible to put down .

This made me think about love life and death and all the emotions that come with it . I would quite like rowan to write me a love story where im the main charctar that comes true !

All the charactars are brilliant and all bring such emotion to the storyline and all are fighting their own battles and struggling .I loved stella and what a thing to do for the people she sees at the end of their days all while silently struggling herself .She misses her husband who is back from the army but his soul and heart are missing .

My favourite characctar who had me swooning instanty is Ben long time friend of Hope and he is just a ray of sunshine and I could picture him so clearly .

Rowans books are so powerfully emotive and beautiful and I realy belive many of her books could be made into tv/film and this one in particular .

I adored the letters being included that stella wrote on behalf of her patients  and it makes you think who would you write to and what would you say?

I cant praise Rowan or this book enough its just beautiful and I promise you will be touched deeply by it .

Published may 21st and I will be singing from the rooftops for everyone to buy ,download or borrow it .

BOOK REVIEW THE SUDDEN DEPARTURE OF THE FRASERS BY LOUISE CANDLISH

My name is Amber Fraser. I’ve just moved in at Number 40, Lime Park Road. You’ll come to think of me as a loving wife, a thoughtful neighbour and a trusted friend.

This is a lie.

When Christy and Joe Davenport are handed the keys to Number 40 on picture-perfect Lime Park Road, Christy knows it should be a dream come true. How strange though that the house was on the market for such a low price. That the previous owners, the Frasers, had renovated the entire property yet moved out within a year. That none of the neighbours will talk to Christy.

As her curiosity begins to give way to obsession, Christy finds herself drawn deeper into the mystery of the house’s previous occupants – and the dark and shocking secret

that tore the street apart . . .

I was very lucky and won this on goodreads.Firstly the cover is stunning I couldn’t stop looking at it and made me more intrigued as to what the book was about .I havent read any of her other books so it’s also brilliant to discover other authors.

This book is addictive reading as you u want to know what happened to the frasers ?

Its mysterious and sexy and  makes you feel like your snooping on your neighbours . The characters are intriguing and you don’t see it coming when the truth unravels .

I will definitely be reading more of her books .

Published 21st may

BOOK REVIEW THE SUN IN HER EYES BY PAIGE TOON

Blinding sunshine… A bend in the road… What became of the little girl with the sun in her eyes?

Amber was three when a car crash stole her mother’s life. She doesn’t remember the accident, but a stranger at the scene has been unable to forget. Now, almost thirty years later, she’s trying to track Amber down.

Amber, meanwhile, is married to Ned and living on the other side of the world in London. When her father has a stroke, she flies straight home to Australia to be with him. Away from her husband, Amber finds comfort in her oldest friends, but her feelings for Ethan, the gorgeous, green-eyed man she once fell for, have never been platonic.

As Ethan and Amber grow closer, married life in London feels far away. Then Amber receives a letter that changes everything.

‘Before your mother died, she asked me to tell you something…’

Firstly a big thank  you to Dawn at simon &Schuster for sending me a review copy,felt like a very lucky book blogger !

I love Paige’s books ,I think if you want romance and chick lit she is your lady.I always find myself smiling when living in her words and this was no exception.

The cover is summery and very pretty and will make a perfect beach read just like the setting where this book is .Gorgeous Australia .

I was in hospital last week after my second suspected mini stroke, not confirmed but stressful and worrying nonetheless. So when I read the blurb I was shocked and emotional to see that Ambers dad has a stroke .

We read about how difficult this is for not only her dad but her marriage herself and her dads partner . It has such a knock on effect on so many people and being the role of carer is hard in many ways physically and emotionally and what happens when your supporting someone with your husband miles away ?

Amber has some deep issues surrounding her childhood and self esteem which I can relate to and when she meets Ethan a blast from the past is he what she needs to heal those wounds or will he cause more.

You cant help falling for Ethan he sounded like a hunk and with Ned her husband not around it was easy to forget him .However when we read how the met and fell in love I swooned hard…again please can I have a love story written for me .

Amber has some big decisions to make at such a  difficult time and things don’t seem to be getting an easier .

This is chick lit but it also isn’t all roses and love hearts there are serious issues and the characters are not perfect which is refreshing.

I loved it and  I read this at a time I was meant to as I took so much from reading Ambers story as I could relate a lot.

Published 21st May….. THERES LOTS OF FANTATSIC BOOKS OUT THIS DAY!!

BOOK REVIEW I LET YOU GO BY CLARE MACKINTOSH

 A tragic accident. It all happened so quickly. She couldn’t have prevented it. Could she?

In a split second, Jenna Gray’s world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever.

Slowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating . . .

Firstly thank you to Kirsteen at little brown books for sending me a copy to review .I was so excited to read this as had seen a lot of hype surrounding this psychological thriller .

I finished it in early hours and must have said wow or oo a million times as this book will take you  on a very twisted dark journey and on many detours .

You can’t really say too much without giving spoilers away .There are so many twists and turns and shocks that you don’t see coming .

I have read a lot of psychological thrillers especially ones being or been released this year and this is definitely going to do very very well .

I could not put it down !! Cannot believe this is a debut book as the writing is superb packed with suspense and is so gripping to the last page .

I experienced something that one of the main characters go through so I could relate to her and her fear and that added storyline really added to the darkness of the book.

BOOK REVIEW WILL YOU REMEMEBER ME BY AMANDA PROWSE

How do you say goodbye to your family for the last time?

Poppy Day is thirty-two and married to her childhood sweetheart. She’s a full-time mum of two gorgeous children and loves her homely little cottage in the countryside. It’s the life she aways wanted.

But Poppy is so busy caring for others she hasn’t noticed how tired she is, or the menacing lump growing on her breast. It’s unthinkable that cancer could defeat such a strong and amazing woman. But life doesn’t always give you what you deserve..

I got this a while ago as part of the works deal which is such a great shop,so admittly it wasn’t at top of my tbr.But I can honestly say this is one of the most heartbreaking yet beautiful books I have ever read.

At one point on the bus reading it today I  had to put it away as my heart couldn’t take any more and I knew I would cry .

Such a beautiful piece of writing that I want to read all of her books now !

This has left me feeling profoundly lucky with what I have and cherishing my children .

I loved  all the characters but my favourite is poppys daughter peg who was such a delight to meet ,she was funny and said those things that only kids will say .

It broke my heart in so many ways but also filled it with love and compassion especially for those suffering or whos lives have been suffered as a result of cancer .

I couldn’t put this down despite it being a tearjerker and I adore Amandas emotive powerful way with words .

BOOK REVIEW ALL I KNOW NOW BY CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER

We all know that growing up is hard to do, and sometimes the only thing that makes it better are the reassuring words of someone who has walked that bumpy road just a few steps ahead of you and somehow ended up as a fully-functioning adult. Carrie Hope Fletcher is that person. Thanks to her phenomenally popular YouTube videos, Carrie has become an ‘honorary big sister’ to hundreds of thousands of young people who turn to her for advice, friendship and, most of all, the knowledge that things will get better.

Carrie has created a safe and positive space for young people to connect and share their hopes and concerns online, and now she will share her most personal thoughts and experiences in her first book, ALL I KNOW NOW. It includes Carrie’s thoughts on some of the topics she’s asked about most regularly: bullying, body image, relationships and perhaps the scariest question of all: what does the future hold for me? With warmth, wit and a sprinkling of hard-won wisdom, Carrie will provide the essential tools for growing up gracefully . . . most of the time.

I have been watching Carries vlogs for a while now and have such admiration and respect for her .She has always come across with such genuine warmth and kindness and she is real !  Moreover she loves cakes books Disney and dr who …can we be friends ??

So when she announced she was writing a book i couldn’t wait to read it .Estelle stole it first!!

I loved her honesty in this book and comfort i imagine many teenagers will get from reading this .

The cover is gorgeous as are her illustrations throughout the book.

Carrie has the ability to be gracious and humble and stay true to who she is which is rare these days .

You will find many great words of wisdom written down ,funny and sad moments ..all which made and are still making her to be who she is today .

Growing up is tough ,even once you are meant to have grown up at my age its tough and this deals with the truth of that .

A great book and just made my admiration grow for Carrie even more 🙂