A Taste of Home - Heidi Swain

 

Fliss Brown has grown up living with her mother on the Rossi family’s Italian fruit farm. But when her mother dies, Fliss finds out she has a family of her own, and heads back to England with Nonna Rossi’s recipe for cherry and almond tart and a piece of advice: connect with your family before it is too late…

Fliss discovers that her estranged grandfather owns a fruit farm himself, on the outskirts of Wynbridge, and she arrives to find a farm that has fallen into disrepair. Using her knowledge gleaned from working on the Rossi farm and her desire to find out more about her past, Fliss rolls her sleeves up and gets stuck in. But what will she discover, and can she resurrect the farm’s glory days and find a taste of home…?

My Review:
Whenever I want a gorgeous, comfortable read from an author I adore I know I can always rely on Heidi to provide a hug in book form. Always warm and cosy, Heidi's books are special and leave you feel all emotional and fuzzy. I have been a huge fan for the longest time now and I always look forward for my next ‘fix’ #Swainette for life here.

‘A Taste of Home’ is a gorgeous, summer filled read that will have you craving strawberries like never before.
We meet Fliss after the death of her Mum, surrounded by her Italian ‘surrogate’ family. A letter from her Mum details last wishes that Fliss reconnect with family she never realised she had. So, a trip to the UK and our wonderful Wynbridge is quickly organised.

What Fliss discovers is so much more than she ever imagined, and I won’t spoil it and say too much but this book just highlights the importance of family and understanding where you come from. Although we haven’t met the majority of these characters, they are now firm favourites, and I can’t wait to see them again; you also come across some old favourites too which is always nice. Don’t worry – if this is your first Heidi Swain book, it is a standalone book, but I do recommend all her previous books as they are fantastic.

‘A Taste of Home’ is full of heart and emotion. It will make you laugh; make you cry and will leave you feeling content. I highly recommend, it will make the perfect summer beach read, cosy on up and take a trip to Wynbridge via Italy.

Purchase 'A Taste of Home' - HERE

About Heidi Swain:

Sunday Times Best-selling author with a passion for vintage, hearth & home.

Creating wonderful communities and characters. Find out more -

Website: https://heidiswain.co.uk/

Check out the blog: http://heidiswain.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterHeidiJoSwain

Another Life - Jodie Chapman

 

She could be the girl dancing on tables one night, and the next she'd be hiding in the shadows.

Just when I thought I understood her, she would melt away and become a completely new person, and I'd have to start all over again.

That's how it was with Anna.

_______

Nick and Anna work the same summer job at their local cinema. Anna is mysterious, beautiful, and from a very different world to Nick.

She's grown up preparing for the end of days, in a tightly-controlled existence where Christmas, getting drunk and sex before marriage are all off-limits.

So when Nick comes into her life, Anna falls passionately in love. Their shared world burns with poetry and music, cigarettes and conversation - hints of the people they hope to become.

But Anna, on the cusp of adulthood, is afraid to give up everything she's ever believed in, and everyone she's ever loved. She walks away, and Nick doesn't stop her.

Years later, a tragedy draws Anna back into Nick's life.

My Review:

This debut from Jodie Chapman combines love, family, belief, restrictions, and self-awareness. It is the ultimate love story of Nick and Anna, spanning decades. It isn’t the boy meets girl straight forward romance, it’s lust and desire mixed with commitment, sacrifice and doing what is believed to be right.

For Anna, the problem is her strictly religious family of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a family she both loves and respects as well as one that provides restrictions, for example for her to be in an unmarried relationship, more so with a non-believer, would not be tolerated. Although Anna is torn, Nick knows he cannot stand in her way, the path she has accepted, and done so without any protest.

Nick is an interesting and somewhat charming character. With traumatic events darkening his early years, Nick seeks love, he craves the familiarity of having someone who cares for him with no expectations or questions, who will understand the struggles he has, the difficulties which hold him back.

 I thought the insight into Annas life as a Jehovah’s Witness point of view, was brilliant and not something I had too much knowledge on. I think the complexity of what Anna felt was carefully shown throughout, a clear struggle between what she wanted and what she thought she should do.

A book full of emotion, it resonated with me and stayed with me long after finishing. It’s very well written, and hard to believe this is Jodie’s first novel. Refreshing to see the story from a male point of view. Expect a book that will tear your heart into pieces, put it together to break it open again.

Highly recommended.

Available to purchase HERE

Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage by Samantha Tonge

 

A new start can come from the most unexpected places...

It's been years since Lizzie Lockhart spoke to her parents. But she was safe in the knowledge she knew everything about them. Once upon a time, they were as close as could be. Until they weren't.

After receiving the earth-shattering news of their passing, Lizzie decides it's time to unearth some family secrets and find out just who her parents really were... starting with Streamside Cottage. A cottage Lizzie never knew existed, in a place she's never heard of: the beautiful English village of Leafton.

Leaving behind London, and the tattoo parlour she called home, Lizzie finds herself moving to the countryside. Faced with a tight-lipped community, who have secrets of their own, Lizzie is at a loss for what to do, until her rather handsome neighbour, Ben, steps in to help.

As Lizzie finally begins to piece together the puzzle of her family history she realises she has to confront the truth of the past in order to face her future.

My Review:

Brilliant! Easily my favourite from this author. I love that we have a really unique main character, and not your standard run-of-the-mill rom com heroine, Lizzie is fabulous and amazingly creative. The book is full of intrigue, sentiment and memories, this story is one to tug on the old heart strings! Lizzie searches for answers, not knowing what or who she may find; this book brings everything you need in – mystery, romance, friendship, and a sense of community. We see the brilliant Lizzie evolve and connect with her past, in more ways than one! I took great pleasure in losing myself in this book for a few hours. I was caught up in what was happening and just wanted the see how things would work out. Let me tell you, everything I expected, or thought didn’t quite work out as I imagined, which I love, I do enjoy being pleasantly surprised. I often say how much I enjoy books set in rural, countryside, smaller communities with fun, locals and this book is exactly the type. Reading them makes me want to up sticks to a village somewhere everyone knows each other and welcomes you with open arms! Pure escapism, what a happy couple of hours reading this book. I highly recommend. Buy links: Amazon: https://amzn.to/31Uuyd2 Kobo: https://bit.ly/3msO5KM Google Play: https://bit.ly/3dCuQdU Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/3fPAzjm About the author Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK with her husband and children. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely. When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women's magazines. She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2018 Forgive Me Not heralded a new direction into darker women's fiction with publisher Canelo. In 2019 she was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association romantic comedy award. Follow Samantha: Facebook: @SamanthaTongeAuthor Twitter: @SamTongeWriter Instagram: @samanthatongeauthor

The Cornish Midwife - Jo Bartlett

 

WELCOME TO THE BEAUTIFUL SEASIDE TOWN OF PORT AGNES.

A fresh start…

Midwife Ella Mehenick left the small Cornish town of Port Agnes for London and never looked back. But when her seemingly perfect life crashes down around her, there’s only one place she can heal her battered heart – the place she once called home. 

A new arrival…

Ella is quickly welcomed into the small community midwife team and loves her new job caring for mums and their precious babies – it’s what she does best! But being back also means facing ex-flame Dan Ferguson…the first man to break her heart. 

A second chance at love?

Dan is still as gorgeous as ever, but he’s never forgiven Ella for leaving. And now she’s back it’s clear that there is unfinished business between them. As Ella settles into her new/old life, she can’t stop the memories of how she once loved Dan so completely – and maybe never stopped.

Maybe coming home to Cornwall is Ella’s chance to love again…

Meet The Cornish Midwives of Port Agnes- where community, friendship and love are always delivered.

An uplifting and escapist read, perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Jessica Redland and Holly Martin!

This book was previously published as Return to Port Agnes.

My Review:

I found this to be a lovely, light hearted and easy, enjoyable read. Having never read anything by this author I was pleasantly surprised and will look to read more. When her London life falls apart and she becomes infamous for all the wrong reasons, Ella returns to her childhood home town. She joins the community midwifery team just for a few months in order to figure out what she will do next. Going home also means confronting some of the old ghosts she’d laid to rest – or so she thought. She soon finds herself face to face with her childhood sweetheart, the one that got away. I enjoyed this from start to finish, its predictably full of will they/wont they romance and of course, we can all guess the outcome but its still fun all the same. There is fun and plenty of drama as you can imagine with a midwifery unit; I loved the bunch of characters she works with and feel we will get plenty more stories from them. The characters are really relatable and well written. Hearing this is the start of a series of books means there will hopefully be plenty more fun and frolics from the community of Port Agnes.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3tpFg7V

Author Bio:

Jo Bartlett is the bestselling author of nineteen women’s fiction titles. She fits her writing in between her two day jobs as an educational consultant and university lecturer and lives with her family and three dogs on the Kent coast. Boldwood is publishing the first title in The Cornish Midwife Series – part of a twelve-book deal – in April 2021.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoBartlettAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/J_B_Writer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jo_bartlett123/

Sweet Pastries & Sourdough (Little Duck Pond Café) by Rosie Green

 

Ellie's brand new enterprise, the True Loaf Bakery, is finally open and classes are due to start. But when Katja's ski-ing holiday ends in disaster, a new teacher must be found very quickly. Anita is up for the challenge, but - fresh from a break-up and an operation that's left her feeling physically and emotionally vulnerable - the last thing she's looking for when she moves to Sunnybrook is a new relationship. So it's Sod's law that she should find herself with not one but two guys vying for her attention. Sven, from Denmark, is a bit of an enigma - but maybe passion lurks beneath his cool reserve? And as for twenty-five-year-old football coach Ross - surely she'd be asking for trouble getting involved with a gorgeous man a decade her junior? (Although her football-mad son Rufus seems to love him.)
Moving in with Bertha proves a real comfort - but can Anita get to the bottom of what's troubling the older woman?
Anita's job at the True Loaf Bakery is only temporary, but she finds herself drawn ever deeper into life in the village - especially when she finds a child's bracelet from long ago, in the rubble of the newly-renovated building. Solving the mystery of who it belongs to takes Anita on a journey of discovery - a journey that might just help her discover what her own heart really needs...

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/2YFZufv

My Review:

Rosie Green never disappoints with this series, its one I look forward to the most. Each visit to this lovely community and it’s residents is heart-warming, full of ups and downs, a show of friendship and spirit and ALWAYS leaves your mouth watering!

I loved the introduction of a few new characters this time, it can always just add to the brilliant characters we have grown to know and love. If you haven’t read any of the series previously it can be read as a standalone, it does have references to things in previous books but nothing that is not explained enough within this story.

My affection for Anita wasn’t instant this time, more a slow burn over the whole book - she is a lovely girl and by the end I was cheering her on but I struggled with her attitude to her potential health issues and just didn’t connect at first. I adored her young son, Rufus, who brought some light and funny moments.

I enjoyed her relationship with some of the other characters, both in a friendly capacity and a romantic way. I thought Sven was an ‘interesting’ character but wasn’t too sure how a romance would work between the two.

Ross is a genuinely lovely character, obviously committed and kind, a considerate young man and supportive of Anita. He may be young but what a wise and mature head on his shoulders. I’m a big fan of his!

Again the bakery and the teaching element of this story is brilliant – I feel like I could actually have a go at making sourdough myself now!

A wonderful catch up with friends old and new; always nice to be back and I will look forward to the next visit. 

About Rosie Green

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.

Her series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe.

Follow Rosie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

The Wild Girls - Phoebe Morgan

FOUR FRIENDS.

A LUXURY RETREAT.
IT’S GOING TO BE MURDER.

In a luxury lodge on Botswana’s sun-soaked plains, four friends reunite for a birthday celebration…

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL
Has it all, but chose love over her friends…

THE TEACHER
Feels the walls of her flat and classroom closing in…

THE MOTHER
Loves her baby, but desperately needs a break…

THE INTROVERT
Yearns for adventure after suffering for too long…

Arriving at the safari lodge, a feeling of unease settles over them. There’s no sign of the party that was promised. There’s no phone signal. They’re alone, in the wild.

THE HUNT IS ON.

My Review:

The Wild Girls is a mystery thriller, set in Botswana, that carries a clear a sinister tone throughout. A group of four friends, that have drifted apart over the years, come together for a birthday party. Invited to an all-expenses paid weekend for Felicity’s birthday, Grace, Hannah and Alice head to the interestingly names Deception Valley Lodge in Botswana. Arriving to luxury, their every need looks to be catered for but where is the birthday girl? From start to finish you cannot shake the sinister feeling that all is not going to go well in and that the characters are in a lot of danger. It is very well written, especially the characters; they were totally relatable and each had their own insecurities or anxieties. The story went from the present day to their past and I found that this told the story well, we saw why each character was “flawed” and how they had all come to drift apart. As the drama unfolds, I was on the edge of my seat. Dark, intense and thrilling, Phoebe Morgan writes so well. I would’ve liked a bit more of Botswana included, such an exotic and out of the ordinary place to go – I felt it could have been celebrated some more. For fans of creepy, thrillers this is a must read. Available to purchase HERE

Uncork my Love - Rich Amooi

 

A sweet romantic comedy set in beautiful Napa Valley!

Ivy needs a miracle and a drink—not necessarily in that order. With a struggling winery, the only hope of keeping her dream alive is snagging a gold medal at the annual wine competition. She’s determined to win, but she can do it without the help of Ted Jacobs, aka Mr. Know-it-All.

Ted wants to catch lightning in a bottle and create the world’s greatest wine, but he’s smart enough to know he can’t do it alone. When he heads to Napa to keep his grandma from ending up in jail (don’t ask), he meets Ivy. She’s as complex and intoxicating as his award-winning cabernet, but as stubborn as the mule next door when she stomps on his offer to collaborate.

Ted knows it’s risky to mix business with pleasure, but if Ivy would only listen, they might just be the toast of the town.

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncork-My-Love-Rich-Amooi-ebook/dp/B08WRGDY48

US  - https://www.amazon.com/Uncork-My-Love-Rich-Amooi-ebook/dp/B08WRGDY48

My Review:

A first from this author for me and a lovely, enjoyable read. Lots of fun and laugh out loud moments littered throughout, really a book to lift your spirits!

I expected a run of the mill, standard, rom com – nothing wrong with that at all - and I got it but much more too. I wasn’t expecting everything that happened, so delightfully surprised.

A gorgeous setting and some really interesting characters within this story –  especially Loretta who stole the show for me. Ivy is a great main character too; the banter between her and Ted is amusing and their spark is instant. A book where you can cheer on all characters, which is always nice. 

Uncork my Love is an easy going romance, feel-good fiction that will indulge those looking for a stress free few hours. 

Author Bio:

Rich Amooi is a Taleflick Discovery Winner, Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Recipient, Holt Medallion Finalist, and the Amazon Bestselling author of 16 romantic comedies, including It's Not PMS, It's You, Dying to Meet You, There's Something About a Cowboy, and Madam Love, Actually.

A former radio personality and wedding DJ, Rich now writes romantic comedies full-time in San Diego, California, and is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

Social Media Links:

Author website: www.richamooi.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.richamooi 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richamooi.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichAmooi

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/richamooi

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Staying Out For Summer - Mandy Baggot

 

After a summer of staying in, it’s time to let your hair down and escape to Greece!

For Lucie Burrows, it's time to embrace Greek life and put the past behind her! Having spent the summer of 2020 battling a global health crisis, Lucie Burrows is looking forward to a summer out of lockdown.

When best friend, Gavin, finds them the perfect Greek escape Lucie finally starts to think this summer might just go without a hitch. But after a landslide puts the village into a local lockdown, Lucie is thrown together with Michalis Andino, the super sexy village doctor. It's not quite the holiday she had planned, but things could certainly be worse.

As Lucie relaxes into the Greek way of life, she begins to wonder whether this lockdown might just end in a new life, a new love...

My Review:

Without fail, Mandy Baggot manages to whisk you away from reality to a sun filled, gorgeous sounding, Greek getaway. I love knowing I can pick up her books and find myself in a beautifully scenic location, with characters to adore, food descriptions that will make my mouth water and romance that sizzles off the chart. Staying out for the Summer takes us to beautiful Corfu for a story full of sun, sea and sheer escapism. After a difficult year for all of us, this book is the perfect tonic whilst it also acknowledges the events of the pandemic. Our characters, Lucie and Gavin are the best of friends who have fought on the frontline throughout the pandemic as NHS nurses. They have had the worst year and Gavin manages to convince Lucie they need, and quite rightly deserve, a few weeks of relaxation. Cue an interesting trip to Corfu, where they are greeted with an *interesting* welcome drink, a community that has a great older population, a community of interesting characters who all help make this a trip Lucie will never forget! When an earth tremor causes a landslide, cutting off the village, the pair find themselves in a lockdown of a different kind. Michalis is back in the village after fighting the same battle as a Doctor on the mainland. Reconnecting with his sister and father, he meets Lucie and the attraction is instant for them both. They keep getting thrown together but are very conscious of their limited time. Will Lucie open up? What is Michalis hiding about what happened in his past? What a fantastic array of characters – quirky, funny and interesting. Bad-ass butcher Nyx, flamboyant Gavin and safe Meg. I’ve only been to Corfu via Mandy’s books but I am absolutely desperate to go, it always sounds so wonderful. I can always picture the scenery and the local cuisines, I am desperate to try, and if there is any Greek men like the ones Mandy Baggot creates then that wouldn’t be the worst thing! I wasn’t sure if reading a book with references to COVID-19 would be pleasurable or just an awful reminder, but I think Mandy has balanced the serious with lighter fun scenes, and I feel that it is a worthy nod to those members of staff who, like these characters, have had a hell of a year and will continue to live with the traumas they have witnessed. I am always a fan of Mandy Baggot books, this is brilliant and will take readers to sunnier times – even if we can’t jet away ourselves just yet! 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.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IlGbDt

Kobo: https://bit.ly/36R5TJy

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3gxtjXP

bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/36SETt8

Follow Aria 

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Summer Kisses at Mermaids Point - Sarah Bennett

 

‘Delightfully romantic and touching.’ Phillipa Ashley

Laurie Morgan runs a café in the small seaside community of Mermaids Point, named after the beauties rumoured to live in the waters a few miles off the top of the point. When a hazy image is posted online of what appears to be a mermaid, the café and the village are soon full to bursting with curious sightseers. 

The most eye-catching of the new arrivals is handsome author, Jake Smith, who has rented a cottage for the summer while he works on his new book. Or so he says. In fact, he is a journalist, burned out and disillusioned with life, whose editor has sent him on a crack-pot hunt for mermaids...

Jake quickly finds himself drawn to village life, and to the gorgeous woman who runs the local café. But he soon suspects there’s trouble lurking beneath the idyllic façade, and when it looks like Laurie’s family might be involved, Jake faces a difficult choice. Pursue the truth, or protect the woman he’s beginning to fall in love with…

Warm, escapist, feel-good and altogether brilliant story-telling from bestselling author Sarah Bennett. Perfect for all fans of Trisha Ashley and Milly Johnson.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/2Lokynf

My Review:

I love books that involve cute cafes, seaside communities and a little bit of romance. This first in a new series by Sarah Bennett has really got me hooked and already looking forward to more.

A perfect read for a couple of hours light relief and escape. Mermaids Point sounds like a brilliant community and a picturesque seaside town, would be lovely if we could visit and spot some mermaids for ourselves.

Here we have Jake, a burned-out journalist that finds himself in Mermaids Point following the story of recent mermaid sightings. It’s a definite change of pace for him and he isn’t exactly upfront about his reasons for being there.

Laurie runs the local café and is keen for trade to pick up. She’s had her heartbroken so is focusing her attention on the business and supporting her family. When Jake and Laurie meet there is an instant attraction, but will their pasts come back to ruin any chance of romance? How will Laurie feel when she discovers the truth about Jake’s stay.

In this will they/won’t they romance, there is fun and laughter alongside mystery and intrigue -thanks to a couple of possible mermaid sightings.  

Nicely paced and a brilliant writing style meant I flew through this book in one indulgently lazy sitting. I was swept up in the lives of the characters. I am really pleased there will be chance to go back to Mermaids Point, and I hope we get to see a few of these characters again and catch up with how things are.

Fans of Sarah will love this latest release, if this is the first time you have read anything by this author I highly recommend her other book series. 

Author Bio:

Sarah Bennett is the bestselling author of several romantic fiction trilogies including those set in Butterfly Cove and Lavender Bay. Born and raised in a military family she is happily married to her own Officer and when not reading or writing enjoys sailing the high seas. The first book in her new Mermaids Point trilogy for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2021. 

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahBennettAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sarahlou_writes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahlbennettauthor/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sarah-bennett-b4a48ebb-a5c3-4c39-b59a-09aa91dc7cfa