2020 : A little round up (and massive SO LONG to this year!)

 

As we come to the end of 2020, I wanted to take a moment of reflection and express gratitude. It's been quite the year hasn't it - you do not need me to remind you of why. We've lived through something unprecedented, the history books will talk of this time and despite the absolute awful dark days, the heart breaking losses, the pain, anxiety and desperation - there has been love. Love and kindness. I've seen people coming together like never before, going above and beyond expectations, pushing through their own circumstances and doing things for others without hesitation. I've seen that people are...good. 

My 'day job' is in a secondary school and to see this year through the eyes of those 11-18 year olds has been astounding, the way they see things very clearly and adjust to situations has warmed my heart. They talk about their worries, they speak out against what they believe is wrong, they come up with solutions that, quite frankly, leaders of the country should take some notice of and mostly without fuss. I've often thought along the rocky road of 2020 that some adults could do with the approach our young people have had. They have struggled, some more than others but this year has impacted them all in one way or another. For some damage done may be tough to overcome but I have no doubt that we as educators and pastoral teams can support them and their families, that our communities can ensure these young people continue to grow and learn while feeling secure and cared for. 

As for me, this year I've turned to what I love the most to get me through the tough times. BOOKS!!  I've sought escape from the reality we faced and the constant barrage of news, updates and scaremongering in the covers of some absolute wonderful reads. Two hundred and seventeen of them in fact - wow. 

I think many of us had a period of time where we couldn't pick up a book or couldn't concentrate long enough to get into anything properly but I'm SO pleased it didn't last long, books have really helped keep me sane. Books have eased anxieties and filled time where I over thinking and worrying; they've transported me to different times, places and allowed an escape from reality. 

I've been seeing many people pull together lists of Top Ten books etc but I'm not 100% sure I can narrow them down. I recently posted a pic on Instagram (@comfychairblog) of some of my "Top Reads" and already feel like I should include so many more. Take a look at my selection:

I want to say THANK YOU to authors. 

Thank you for giving us readers the chance of escape, for creating worlds for us to 'exist' for periods of time and just relax, enjoy and be free of the every day stresses and worry we have felt.  Books are always a brilliant way of educating ourselves - seeing new things, experiencing other cultures and lifestyles. They are entertainment and fun, action packed, heart warming. We can be on the edge of our seat or cosied up, crying with emotion. 

In November I had many authors take part in a Q&A and it was brilliant to be able to highlight so many lovely, talented people. Using the tiny little platform I have to shout about these hard working authors is something I will continue into 2021. If you follow me on Twitter (@TheComfyChair2) you will see me regularly banging on about wonderful authors, new releases as well as old favourites. I'm very lucky to have met some wonderful book loving people, made booktastic friends and been able to communicate with the very authors I've loved reading. What a gorgeous community to be involved in. 

I'm going to end this by saying I hope you all have a great New Year. I'm looking forward to the great new books, the brilliant old books, the authors, the friendships and hopefully a lot more events "in person." 

Leaving you with the full 217 books I read this year - Any bets on how many I will read in 2021?

 

The Cornish Cream Tea Christmas by Cressida McLaughlin

The perfect Christmas read from the number one bestselling author of The Canal Boat Cafe.

Hannah Swan is looking forward to Christmas for the first time in years. Her new job as an eco-consultant is taking her – and her geeky colleague, Noah – to the beautiful Cornish village of Porthgolow for the first time. They’re are helping the Crystal Waters Hotel to ramp up its green credentials, though after a bumpy journey, Hannah can’t shake off the feeling that Porthgolow is strangely familiar. Never able to resist a mystery, her interest is piqued when the hotel’s staff and customers report odd noises and sightings, believing the hotel to be haunted.
When bad weather cuts off Porthgolow, Hannah and Noah are looking at a Cornish Christmas. It gives them plenty of time to work out what is really going on, but will their yuletide escape send shivers up their spines? Or will it be as warm and toasty as a glass of mulled wine?

My Review:

Yet another mouth-watering, fun filled book by Cressida McLaughlin. I am a big fan of The Cornish Cream Tea series – this is book 3 but really they can each be read as a standalone. I would highly recommend each book.

As always, we are treated to some delicious sounding goodies and meals, honestly you shouldn’t read these books if you are hungry. Always be curled up with a mug of tea and some snacks. This time we have the addition of ghost stories, forbidden love, and family secrets to add to the excitement that seems to keep Porthgolow going!

Hannah takes a trip to Porthgolow for work, meeting local freelancer Noah who is supposed to be helping on her first assignment for the company. He doesn’t make a great first impression, if I’m honest I wasn’t holding much hope they would even get on at all, but as the story unfolds, we see how first impressions can change and how sometimes things aren’t always as they seem. Noah was a great character in terms of how he developed, loosen up and joined in the festivities; he seemed to really open himself up to Hannah and got involved with all the ghost hunting shenanigans.

We know that falling in love is usually key in these stories, but for fans of the other books of the series we also know that the real love story is with Porthgolow itself, and once you are there it is very hard to leave.

I’d be the same, it sounds amazing. The locals are quite an eclectic bunch who provide a lot of comedy and entertainment as always. Although the Cornish Cream Tea bus does feature as always, I enjoyed the ghost hunting and historic mystery element to the storyline, with some funny happenings that sent shivers through me!

Its definitely a great book to cosy up with this winter – I highly recommend this and others by this author. I can’t wait to see what the next book has in store!

Thank you to Random Things Tours & Harper Collins for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

About Cressida McLaughlin:

Cressy was born in South East London surrounded by books and with a cat named after Lawrence of Arabia. She studied English at the University of East Anglia and now lives in Norwich with her husband David. When she isn’t writing, Cressy spends her spare time reading, returning to London or exploring the beautiful Norfolk coastline.

One Snowy Week in Springhollow by Lucy Knott

Tomboy Scarlett thought Devon would be her best friend forever. He was the only person in Springhollow who supported her ambitious artist dreams. But then one winter, Devon and his parents disappear without warning to start a new life in NYC and a devastated Scarlett is left alone to face her high-school bullies and overbearing mother.

Fast-forward ten years: Scarlett is playing it safe in her childhood village with a dull PA job and a wardrobe that passes her mother's old-fashioned standards. Meanwhile, Devon is a Hollywood heartthrob, starring in the latest superhero blockbuster. And he's finally coming home for Christmas...

Scarlett can't help blaming her former best friend for the way her life has turned out, but Devon's cheeky charm and gorgeous smile prove difficult to resist. Devon always did make her feel on top of the world, but Scarlett knows her heart isn't racing just because she has her friend back – is it mistletoe madness, or is she seeing Devon in a completely new light?

Scarlett hasn't taken a risk in years... but this Christmas of second chances could finally be her time to shine.

Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Jo Thomas and Holly Martin.

My Review:

Looking for a cosy and heart warming read to snuggle up with this festive season? Then this could do the trick.

Scarlett and Devon are inseparable at 16, best friends bound by the united loves for all things seemingly geeky. Years of hi-jinks and antics are abruptly cut short when Devon moves to New York. After his departure Scarlett can no longer allow herself to find pleasure in the things that connected them – Marvel and superheroes. Years later Devon returns to the village having found fame as a Hollywood actor staring as, yes, you guessed it a new superhero.

Unwilling to forgive her former best friend for abandoning her, will Scar give Devon the chance to be back in her life or has too much time gone by?

Celebrating all things geek – I love it and a real refreshing change for the norm of main characters. I could really feel Scars sense of abandonment and coupled with Mother issues, I could understand her difficulty in moving past it and being able to have any connection to the friendship she felt she had lost.

Devon seems a great character both when he was younger, getting into mischief, and now as a superhero star. I loved the use of flashbacks to demonstrate some of the trouble the pair caused and a glimpse into the special relationship they had.

Of course, there is romance. It wouldn’t be complete without it really and as much as I wanted to see this former friendship restored, I was hoping they would realise what everyone else probably already expected – they were destined to be in love.

With a gorgeous village setting, it’s a great story that also highlights the importance of being true to yourself, owning who you are and never letting anyone or anything change that. Happiness comes in many ways but being yourself is the biggest part in that.

Lucy Knott writes brilliant books, with gorgeous characters and storylines. Check out her other books too, a real treat. 

Purchase links:

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/32sEaMQ 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3pf4Ry7 

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Ikp84y 

iBooks: https://apple.co/35dyPdZ

About Lucy:
Lucy Knott is a former professional wrestler with a passion for storytelling. Now, instead of telling her stories in the ring, she's putting pen to paper, fulfilling another lifelong dream in becoming an Author.

Inspired by her Italian Grandparents, when she is not writing you will most likely find her cooking, baking and devouring Italian food, in addition to learning Italian and daydreaming of trips to Italy.

Along with her twin sister, Kelly, Lucy runs TheBlossomTwins.com, where she enthusiastically shares her love for books, baking and Italy, with daily posts, reviews and recipes.

Follow Lucy:

Twitter: @TheBlossomTwins

Facebook: @TheBlossomTwins 

Instagram: @theblossomtwins

A kiss in the Snow - Rosie Green

 

After a cruel twist of fate sends her hurtling into a black hole of despair, Carrie is absolutely dreading the festive season - especially with sister, Krystle, being even more demanding of her time and energy than usual. But then friend Maddy offers Carrie a lifeline: the chance to get away from it all in a holiday cottage in the gorgeous little village of Silverbells. Deciding that a few weeks of tranquillity - reading, baking and going for long walks in the countryside - might just restore her mood, Carrie is quick to take up the offer. But on arriving, it very soon becomes clear that this break is going to be anything but peaceful!

An unwelcome houseguest proves unsettling enough - especially one who whistles loudly first thing in the morning and is far too cheerful for his own good - but finding herself drawn into the spooky mystery of her missing neighbour means there really isn't much time for personal reflection. And then love comes knocking, and Carrie is forced to decide exactly where her heart lies.

Will this festive season be the disaster Carrie predicted? Or will Santa be good to her and deliver her heart's desire? One thing's for sure - this will be a Christmas Carrie will never, ever forget...

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/32VMJjD

My Review: 

There will never be a time when I don’t love reading the latest release from Rosie Green. Find her series of novella’s was such a great moment, I jumped in and haven’t looked back. This is the 13^th release in her series, but like each of the other 1-12 it can be read as a standalone. Each time I write a review I implore readers to read the others anyway because they are just wonderful stories with a great collection of characters – and this time is no exception. Treat yourselves to the delights Rosie Green has brought to life.

This time we follow Carrie’s story, whilst she has appeared a couple of times in other books, we don’t really know her or much about her so it’s brilliant we get to discover more now. Also, we are in a whole new village – Silverbells, which sounds dreamy and an ideal place for festive shenanigans to me.

I’ve really enjoyed meeting new characters in the residents of Silverbells and I hope we get to revisit them at some point in the future, they definitely seem like they have stories to tell.

As always, the storylines are ones that make you feel emotionally up and down, your heart is taken in many directions but you always want the best outcome for all involved, even if that isn’t what you expect at the start.

Carrie decides it is time to move out of her twin sisters shadow, she needs to something for herself and ease the ache in her heart. A chance meeting with a mysterious stranger brings many a surprise for Carrie, if she just allows herself the opportunity to see what might just happen if she does what she wants for once.

Prepare to fall in love, with Carrie, Silverbells and Rosie Greens wonderful storytelling.  

Author Bio:

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. 

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by 'the baddies'.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all - unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Follow Rosie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988

The Spark - Jules Wake

 

Jess is falling for Sam.

Sam is falling for Jess.

But it seems life will do whatever it takes to make them fall apart.

When Jess and Sam lock eyes at a party, a spark ignites. The spark. But love at first sight isn’t like the movies, especially when Sam’s ex, Victoria, is determined to make their honeymoon period a living hell.

Is love at first sight enough?

My Review:
A fantastically emotive book. I was engrossed from the moment I started in reading. I loved the connection between the lead characters, the instant spark between them was almost jumping from the page, it was evident to see how much these characters were drawn to each other yet were still both trying to do the "right" thing whilst also following their own happiness.

I liked Jess; a gutsy girl who had experienced a lot but used that to her advantage in many ways. She did absolutely nothing wrong yet was seen as a baddie by some. She was careful, delicate and sensitive yet determined and passionate. I really liked her relationship with her Aunt and Uncle, although the struggle with her Mum was very clear and almost awkward to read.

Sam sounds like a dream guy who tried to do the best for everyone. I think he sounds brilliant and I loved the relationship between him and Jess, it was clear they should be the perfect couple.

On the face of it a simple, romantic tale of meeting your soul mate and doing what is needed to be together but again Jules Wake delivers something with layers of complexity and showing the fragility of perception in relationships. Families and memories can be something different from what we think we know.

I adore all books from Jules, her ability to take us into her characters world is outstanding. I was consumed by The Spark and I read it in a few glorious hours one Saturday afternoon. Brilliant.

Purchase Links

🇬🇧 amzn.to/36wkD0N
🌎 mybook.to/TheSparkJW

Author Bio: 

Jules Wake announced at the age of ten that she planned to be a writer. Along the way she was diverted by the glamorous world of PR and worked on many luxury and not so luxury brands. This proved fabulous training for writing novels as it provided her with the opportunity to hone her creative writing skills.

She writes best-selling warm-hearted romantic contemporary fiction for One More Chapter as Jules Wake and was shortlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year 2019 with Notting Hill in the Snow.

Under her pen name Julie Caplin, she also writes the warm and witty Romantic Escapes series. 

Between them, the two Js have written sixteen novels, The Spark being the latest.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: @Juleswake

https://www.facebook.com/juleswakewrites/

Instagram: juleswakeauthor

Christmas at the Little Waffle Shack - Helen J Rolfe

 

Heritage Cove is in full swing for the festive season and as the temperature dips, who will be lucky in love this Christmas?

It's December in Heritage Cove and along with the village Christmas tree, frosty mornings and the promise of the most wonderful time of the year, the new waffle shack is about to open. And its owner isn't a stranger to the Cove, because after all this time, Daniel is back to make amends with his brother Harvey – as well as a few other locals he might have offended along the way.

Fairly new to the village, local blacksmith Lucy has kept up the pretence of being with her ex for the sake of his gran but she’s fed up with all the lies. Determined to come clean and live the life she wants to live, she’s devastated to find that her attraction to Daniel is tainted by the fact he’s hiding a few things of his own. And his secrets are ones she isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to get past.

Heritage Cove is full of friendship and community; it’s a welcoming place people visit and never want to leave. But will it work its magic for Daniel and Lucy?

A festive read packed with Christmas romance, love and second chances, this is Book 2 in a series of standalone novels set in Heritage Cove, the little village by the sea…

My Review:

A return to Heritage Cove and a festive, winter delight. Although this is the second book in a series by Helen, it can be read as a standalone (but I do urge you to read ‘Coming Home to Heritage Cove’ too!)

Now lets just address this straight away... waffles are just everything. Reading this book my mouth was watering constantly. They sound divine, I swear I could almost smell them as I read about the delicious sounding flavours. Memories of being able to roam Christmas markets came flooding back and *drool* - so yeah, you may fancy grabbing something to snack on whilst reading.

Lovely to hear Lucy’s story, she popped up briefly in the first book, and she is great, hard working, sensitive and caring. She gives people chances and isn’t one to shy away from making her feelings known, in some ways. I was finding myself getting cross at her for listening to idle gossip and not following her own instincts, although given the situation with her cousin I can understand her feelings towards Daniel.

Now Daniel sounds dreamy to me, although I may be biased because he makes the delicious sounding waffles…

He is returning home, and this isn’t met with a very warm welcome from his brother, who goes out of his way to warn Lucy all about Daniels past. He has been through a lot and I was swept up in his tale and immediately on his side, I was getting annoyed that he was regularly unable to explain himself but with a little bit of meddling this was soon rectified.

 Perfect for the festive season with miracles, special moments and heart warming family reunions; cosy up to read this great book by Helen J Rolfe – just ensure you have a stack of waffles to hand!

Purchase Link - mybook.to/ChristmasWaffleShack

Author Bio: 

Helen J Rolfe writes romantic fiction and contemporary women's fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and community.

Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen's books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries where she thinks her readers might like to escape to.



Social Media Links:

Helen loves to hear from readers so please don't hesitate to get in touch. She can be found at:
www.helenjrolfe.com
https://www.facebook.com/helenjrolfewriter
https://twitter.com/hjrolfe
www.instagram.com/helen_j_rolfe/  

Helen recently took part in a Q&A on The Comfy Chair Blog - Take a look HERE!

A Perfect Paris Christmas - Mandy Baggot

 Keeley Andrews knows more than anyone that you only live once. So when she receives an invitation to spend two weeks in Paris, all expenses paid, she jumps at the chance.

Ethan Bouchard has had the worst eighteen months of his life. He's ready to give up on everything, including his hotel chain. So when he meets Keeley, it simply isn't the right time.

As Keeley and Ethan continue to bump into each other on the romantic Parisian streets, they can't help but wonder whether this is fate telling them to let go of the past and leap into the future...

Head to Paris this Christmas and fall in love under the lights of the Eiffel Tower with best-selling author, Mandy Baggot.

My Review:
If you are a looking for a festive hug in a book; something to whisk you away and give you both heart warming and heart squeezing moments, then this is it. Perfect for cosy afternoons, ignoring the miserable wet, dreary weather. An escape via book form, Mandy Baggot always manages to whisk us away and give us brilliant stories, characters to adore and a smile from ear to ear.

With a host of characters that each bring their own special quality to love, I couldn’t pick a favourite. Instant chemistry between Keeley and Ethan, even with the added chaos of an escaped penguin. I was laughing at the thought. A classic Mandy Baggot book gives you a hero to love, this book is no exception you will fall in love as quickly as Keeley. Watch out for Pepe, your heart may just be stolen.

The references to living in a post COVID world were subtle but there i.e. anti-bacterial gel, distancing etc, I wasn’t bothered about this inclusion at all if I’m honest but can appreciate for some this may not be welcome.

The book does contain some quite deep and meaningful issues which show the fine lined balance between living a good life and actually fully living for the fun and adventure it should be; as its clearly shown how fragile life is. The difference in Keeley living her adventures after being given another chance and her friend Erica who is unable to have all the exciting adventures she desires (although she lives vicariously through Keeley).

It is a romantic treat, with heart and emotion. You will be left with the warm fuzzy feeling and definitely ready for the festive season. If you haven’t enjoyed any of Mandy’s books yet, treat yourself they are all wonderful and this is a perfect starting point!

About the author 

 

Mandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer. The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK's Festival of Romance, her romantic comedy novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy's books have so far been translated into German, Italian, Czech and Hungarian. Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, white wine, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1's Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two daughters.

Follow Mandy:   

Facebook: @mandybaggotauthor

Twitter: @mandybaggot

 

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2MpVrh4

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3072QtL

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3gOPHvv

iBooks: https://apple.co/2D35zuK

bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/2Ih3gXS

 

Follow Aria 

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

A Christmas Wedding at the Castle - Eliza J Scott

 

Do you believe in fate? Livvie Weatherill does…

This time last year, if anyone had told Livvie Weatherill she’d have fallen in love and would be making plans for her Christmas wedding to Zander Gillespie, she would have laughed in their face. If they’d gone on to say they’d be planning to have their wedding at the imposing Danskelfe Castle, she’d have laughed even louder!

But it would seem fate had plans for her…

Since moving to the pretty moorland village of Lytell Stangdale Livvie is happier than she’s ever been. She’s living with Zander and she’s working at her dream job as a wedding dress designer at Romantique with her friends, Kitty and Violet. It’s fair to say, she’s enjoying immersing herself in village life, from romantic walks in the countryside, to meeting friends at the quaint Sunne Inne. And she can’t think of anything better than rounding off the day cosying up with Zander.

Life is sweet.

Her blossoming friendship with Freda Easton, the endearing but reclusive elderly lady who lives down the lane, has taken everyone by surprise. But Freda has a secret and, in a turn of events no one could predict, she finds herself grateful for Livvie’s fierce loyalty, cementing their friendship further.

Just when things seem to be running smoothly, a face from the past arrives on the doorstep casting a shadow over Livvie’s wedding plans. Adding to the drama, an icy blast of Arctic air brings heavy snowfall to the village, covering the moors in a thick blanket of snow.

Is their love strong enough to withstand the challenges thrown at them? Will they get their magical Christmas wedding?

Join Livvie and Zander – and all the usual characters – for a sparkling Christmas full of love and laughter in Lytell Stangdale.

My Review:

It’s an absolute pleasure to be back in Lytell Stangdale with some of our favourites. Lovely to see old friends but nice to focus on Livvie and Zander’s wedding.

Yet again, we are whisked to the Yorkshire Moors to a village full of community spirit, where everyone is keen to support, love and help each other. If you haven’t read any of the previous books, they can be read as standalones, but you’d be in for a real treat if you did read them too.

I thoroughly enjoyed catching up on this gorgeous romance. The book takes us through from proposal to hen night to planning all the finer details. Livvie has her heart set on the beautiful castle but does an on-going problem involving her friend cause an issue that can’t be rectified?

Will Livvie settle for second best for her wedding or will she persevere in planning the dream wedding?

It’s wonderful to read this cosy story, a treat to wrap up warm and enjoy. It’s set at Christmas but it is not Christmas heavy, a sprinkling of festive feeling of course – just enough! Livvie sets about supporting the village recluse, her friend and in helping her discovers more than ever bargained for.

A gorgeous, romantic tale of love, friendship and looking beyond what is in front of you. With characters you will take to your heart,  I highly recommend this and any other read by Eliza J Scott. 

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Wedding-Castle-heartwarming-feel-good-ebook/dp/B08M48P9BB

US - https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Wedding-Castle-heartwarming-feel-good-ebook/dp/B08M48P9BB

Author Bio:

Eliza is proud to be a member of the RNA. She lives in a village in the North Yorkshire Moors with her husband, their two daughters and two mischievous black Labradors. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book/glued to her Kindle or working in her garden, fighting a losing battle against the weeds.
When she's not reading or gardening, Eliza also enjoys bracing walks in the countryside, rounded off by a visit to a teashop where she can indulge in another two of her favourite things: tea and cake.
Her biggest weakness is ginger biscuits dunked in tea.
Eliza is inspired by her beautiful surroundings and loves to write heartwarming romance stories with relatable female characters. She enjoys exploring the dynamics of female friendship, with a key feature of her books being how women pull together and support one another when things get tough.
Eliza's novels will always have happy endings.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: Eliza J Scott – @ElizaJScott1

Instagram: Eliza J Scott - @elizajscott

Facebook: Eliza J Scott - @elizajscottauthor

Blog: www.elizajscott.com

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/eliza-j-scott

Amazon Author Page: UK:  www.amazon.co.uk/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH

                                        US: www.amazon.com/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH