Faking It - Portia MacIntosh

 

The perfect house, the perfect husband and the perfect life... or is she just faking it?

Life has been a bit of a rollercoaster for Ella. Growing up as the 'less successful' identical twin to her 'perfectly successful' sister, Emma, has left her feeling isolated, inadequate and let's face it.. a little bitter.

When Emma unexpectedly reaches out to Ella in a time of need, Ella suddenly finds herself with the opportunity to fill in for her sister and experience how the other half live.

But as Ella navigates the world of gossiping mothers, rebellious teens and trying to play the model housewife (not to mention avoiding the temptation of attractive men at the school gates...) will she discover that all is not always as it seems on the other side?

Discover the brilliantly funny new romantic comedy from top 10 bestseller Portia MacIntosh. Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Sophie Ranald and Lindsey Kelk

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3eF5ah3

My Review:

A classic Portia MacIntosh book – full of laugh out loud scenes and unbelievable moments! I LOVE Portia’s books; they never fail to make me smile and I thoroughly enjoy them every time. I am a bug fan and always look forward to the next.

Twins, Ella and Emma, have barely seen each other in years – they may be identical, but they are definitely not a like in any way. Their lives couldn’t be more different and when a situation arises Ella’s help is needed like never before.

I absolutely adored how well Ella adapted and changed during her time with her sister’s family. We were painted a picture of her being a bit (understatement!) of a disaster, but she really does come into her own and find her strengths during this time. I really liked her and hoped she could do well. 

Such an entertaining and fun storyline, with lots of funny characters. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming – fun little curveball there for everyone.

"Faking it" is a lovely story about family and keeping close to the ones around you. I definitely recommend to others.

Author Bio:

Portia MacIntosh is a bestselling romantic comedy author of over 15 novels, including My Great Ex-Scape and Honeymoon For One. Previously a music journalist, Portia writes hilarious stories, drawing on her real life experiences.

 

Social Media Links:

Newsletter sign up: http://bit.ly/PortiaMacIntoshNewsletter

https://portiamacintosh.com/

https://www.facebook.com/macintoshportia

https://twitter.com/PortiaMacIntosh

http://instagram.com/portiamacintoshauthor

http://bookbub.com/authors/portia-macintosh

Coming Home to Brightwater Bay - Holly Hepburn

 **The BRAND NEW series from Holly Hepburn, perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley and Katie Fforde** 

On paper, Merina Wilde has it all: a successful career writing the kind of romantic novels that make even the hardest hearts swoon, a perfect carousel of book launches and parties to keep her social life buzzing, and a childhood sweetheart who thinks she’s a goddess. But Merry has a secret: the magic has stopped flowing from her fingers. Try as she might, she can’t summon up the sparkle that makes her stories shine. And as her deadline whooshes by, her personal life falls apart too. Alex tells her he wants something other than the future she’d always imagined for them and Merry finds herself single for the first time since – well, ever. Desperate to get her life back on track, Merry leaves London and escapes to the windswept Orkney Islands, locking herself away in a secluded clifftop cottage to try to heal her heart and rediscover her passion for writing. But can the beauty of the islands and the kindness of strangers help Merry to fool herself into believing in love again, if only long enough to finish her book? Or is it time for her to give up the career she’s always adored and find something new to set her soul alight?

The brand new series from Holly Hepburn, first published as four ebook parts: BROKEN HEARTS AT BRIGHTWATER BAY, SEA BREEZES AT BRIGHTWATER BAY, DANGEROUS TIDES AT BRIGHTWATER BAY and SUNSET OVER BRIGHTWATER BAY

My Review:

An absolute pleasure to read, originally four novellas by Holly Hepburn I thoroughly enjoyed them as one in ‘Coming Home to Brightwater Bay.’ An utterly charming, heart warming read that captures your imagination, your emotions and will have you dreaming of living a much simpler and lovelier life in lands far away.

Having never had the pleasure of visiting the Orkney Islands, or anywhere close, I had to rely on the imagery created by the author and I genuinely was bowled away and wished I could visit…if not relocate! I think I’m an Orkney Island convert just like Merry. How wonderfully descriptive and informative this books is, no wonder our leading character, Merina, didn’t want to leave.

Merina heads to the island to be a writer in residence, having lost her way and finding herself unable to write. On the island she soon rediscovers her passion, although not necessarily for what she should be concentrating on. Her writing aside, she soon builds up relationships in the community that, over time, she realises she cannot be without.

What a lucky lady she is with the attentive, intelligent librarian Niall on one hand and the hunky, Icelandic Viking Magnus on the other. What’s a woman to do! Oh, the problems she faces.

With moments of heartfelt emotion, coupled with scenes of hilarity and comedy thanks to a rogue goat – this book will entertain, comfort and provide a fantastic escape for a few hours. I highly recommend for a cosy afternoon – be warned you will be packing a bag for the Orkney Islands as soon as you can. 

PURCHASE HERE

About the author: 

Holly Hepburn is the much-loved author of commercial women’s fiction. She lives near London with her grey tabby cat, Portia. They both have an unhealthy obsession with Marmite. Follow Holly on Twitter @HollyH_Author. 

The Lake House - Christie Barlow

 

There’s a newcomer to the village of Heartcross and she’s never been more in need of a friend.  Ella is ready to start afresh ––and that could mean there’s love on the horizon in the form of the gorgeous Roman, the local water taxi driver. Every day Roman is there to ferry Ella to the restaurant on the other side of the lake and every night he makes sure she gets home safe. But Roman has secrets of his own…

Can the Love Heart Lane community offer Ella a chance of a new life? Or will the ghosts of her past catch up with her?

My Review:

I’m a really big fan of Christie’s and the Love Heart Lane series is one of my favourites. I like how Christie creates such wonderful settings and relatable and likeable characters – The Heartcross community is like a familiar group of friends now and I’m fully invested in so many of their lives. It’s always a pleasure reading the next book and catching up with old favourites as well as new characters.

The Lake House is our fifth book in this series, although each can be read as a standalone I highly recommend reading all in this series.

Ella is our leading character this book and she finds herself in Heartcross after some serious trouble. She is at rock bottom because of other people’s secrets and deception, now she needs to start again, if she can. What a lovely character, I felt so sorry (and angry) for her, hoping that whatever happened it could all come good with a fresh start.

Roman instantly gained my interest and affection but what is he being so secretive about. Can Ella take any more lies and secrets? Can she trust him or not, it’s hard for her to tell after all she has been through. For Roman, he wants to do the best for everyone even if that means running into trouble himself.  

The star of the show is most definitely Dolores. What a great character – she jumps off the page and into your heart. She deserves the adulation she receives.

I adored this story and the Lake House just sounds like the most phenomenal place – I’d go in a heartbeat if I could.

It’s the brilliant sense of community that you get with this book, yet again, that makes it so good. Christie doesn’t shy away from including issues and problems whilst creating a cosy and heart-warming read. You feel uplifted and happy for the characters, like they are friends. I couldn’t put it down, perfect cosy up and enjoy an afternoon type read. 

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B086115DK9/

US - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086115DK9/

Author Bio:

Christie Barlow is the author of ten bestselling romantic comedies including A Home at Honeysuckle Farm, Love Heart Lane and Clover Cottage. She lives in a ramshackle cottage in a quaint village in the heart of Staffordshire with her four children and two dogs.

Her writing career has come as a lovely surprise when Christie decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. Christie’s dream was to become a writer and the book she wrote to prove a point went on to become a #1 bestseller in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

When Christie isn’t writing she enjoys playing the piano, is a keen gardener and loves to paint and upcycle furniture.

Christie is an ambassador for the @ZuriProject alongside Patron of the charity, Emmerdale’s Bhasker Patel. They raise money and awareness for communities in Uganda.

Christie loves to hear from her readers and you can get in touch via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 Social Media Links: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christie_barlow/?hl=en

Twitter @ChristieJBarlow 

Facebook page Christie Barlow author