A Leap of Faith for the Cornish Midwife - Jo Bartlett

 

Midwife Izzy is devastated to learn that her beloved grandmother is dying. Abandoned as a baby by her own mother, her grandparents have been the only family Izzy has ever known and she wants to spend every last precious moment with them.

New locum vicar, Noah, is a wonderful support – kind, considerate and always there for Izzy whenever she needs a shoulder to cry on. But secretly Noah is battling his own doubts about his faith – how can he offer Izzy comfort if he doesn’t truly believe his own words?

When Izzy and Noah are brought together to support grieving parents, Noah reaches breaking point. He can't stay in Port Agnes and live a lie. But Izzy is adamant it’s the only place she can be….

Will love find a way or will Izzy's hopes of a future be dashed?

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

My Review:

An emotional return to Port Agnes and our favourite group of midwives. I thoroughly enjoy returning to this series with each new book giving us more about one of the lovely midwives we have already come to know. Whilst it’s great to catch up with the previous characters storylines, each can be read as a standalone – if you haven’t read any of this series don’t worry, this book in particular is quite a step away from what we have come to know and love (but in a brilliant way of course!)

Its an emotional, poignant read that will strike a chord with even the coldest heart. Whilst we still look at the lives of soon to be parents, and new born babies, Izzy’s story also lets us take a look at the sad, but realistic aspect of those getting to the end of their life too. Izzy has known her Nonna’s terminal illness has but a limit to the time she has left but everyone is determined they make the most of the time they have left. This leads to wonderful, life affirming, memorable moments but of course, it comes with sadness and heartbreak too.

In finding some final days of happiness, Izzy’s Gran turns to Noah, Port Agnes’ temporary Vicar, and the church gardens. Noah himself is having a crisis of faith, wanting to do good but not confident he has found the best way to do this. His chemistry with Izzy is instant but both struggle with their own personal battles and this could be the barrier neither can get over.

I really enjoyed A leap of Faith for the Cornish Midwife; emotive and engaging but containing both heart break and heart-warming moments. As always the supporting cast of characters brought their own moments of entertainment and I am already looking forward to the next book.

A great summer read, I recommend everyone take a read of this book but also the others in this series.

Author Bio:

Jo Bartlett is the bestselling author of over 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. Her first title for Boldwood is The Cornish Midwife – part of a twelve-book deal.

Social Media Links –  

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/J_B_Writer

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

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JoBartlettNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jo-bartlett

BLOGTOUR: Last Orders at the Star and Sixpence - Holly Hepburn

About the book:
Nestled in the quiet countryside sits the cosy village of Little Monkham, home of The Star and Sixpence, a renovated pub owned by sisters Sam and Nessie. As the locals welcome the new season, it appears that change is afoot in their tiny community, and not all of it for the better... Nessie is moving in with her boyfriend, leaving Sam alone in the pub. But with the arrival of new chef Gabriel causing a flutter among the women of the village, it seems that Sam might not be so lonely after all. Having just recently come out of a relationship, Sam’s attraction to Gabe is inconvenient, but that’s the least of her worries when an unexpected visitor arrives at the pub, determined to stir up trouble. As Gabe and Sam grow closer, Little Monkham’s latest arrival threatens to reveal a secret that will turn more than one world upside down.

Can Sam and Nessie work through the fall out, or is it really last orders at The Star and Sixpence? 

*** Last Orders at the Star and Sixpence is the bind-up of the new Star and Sixpence e-novellas. If you have already enjoyed the novellas, then you have already enjoyed Last Orders at the Star and Sixpence***

My Review:

Now, I do enjoy a good novella but oh the joys of when those novellas are popped together in one book, which is the case here.

I’m so glad I got to read all this deliciousness in one fell swoop, I don’t know if I could’ve hung on between novellas.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about this wonderful village, such a fantastic sense of community and of friendship – I would love to live in Little Monkham.  The descriptions are so well written, everything sounds wonderful as Holly as brought this place to life.

What a cast of characters too – fun, quirky, individuals who together make such a lovely bunch of people. Nessie and Sam are so well loved by every customer, friend and villager. It’s nice to see how they all rally round each other in times of need as well as in celebration. Discovering a new brother, the sisters are very quick to welcome him into the pub - a little bit too quick if you ask me; I immediately had him pegged as a bad sort!

Both Nessie and Sam find challenges throughout the storyline, each feeling they couldn’t turn to the other; I was gutted for them as I understand how strong a sisterly bond truly is. They have a rollercoaster of a journey together but also individually. With fun, emotional highs you also get the gut wrenching and heart-breaking lows. I was kept intrigued and wondered what they would do to improve their situations (I don’t want to give too much away if I’m honest!) but with matters of the heart, family troubles, loss and deceit all playing their part – you just know it’s not all plain sailing.

Holly Hepburn has given us such a lovely, romantic yet humorous story with character you will adore and want to know more about. I would love to see what happens next with many of them. I was totally immersed in the book and finished within a couple of sittings… I didn’t really want it to end.

I would recommend if you are looking for an enjoyable, easy read that will take you away and leave you feeling all warm, cosy and full of friendship.

Thank you to Holly Hepburn and Simon and Schuester UK. 

Something Extra Special:

Top Five Things You Didn’t Know About Holly Hepburn

1. She loves cooking and is an especially keen baker – people have been known to call her the queen of meringues!2. One of her first jobs was working in a bar, where she met the boyfriend who would become the inspiration for Joss Felstead and who taught her everything she knows about managing a pub cellar, including how to change a barrel and how to clean the lines.3. Owen Rhys is also based on an ex-boyfriend, although he wasn’t a blacksmith. To learn how to write about Owen’s job, Holly spent a day working in a forge and is very proud to have made a toasting fork all by herself from scratch, which she describes as one of the hardest things she’s ever done.

4. The physical appearance of delectable chef, Gabe Santiago, was inspired by Santiago Cabrera, who played Aramis in the BBC’s TV show The Musketeers. Holly took her research very seriously and watched the show repeatedly to get Gabe’s character just right…5. She makes a mean cocktail – ask her to whip up a Silver Sixpence (the signature Star and Sixpence cocktail from her first novel) and she’ll be happy to oblige. Once again, she selflessly takes the research required for writing about cocktails seriously and is always on the look-out for inspiration.

BLOGTOUR: The Secret - Violet's Story: Eliza J Scott

The Secret – Violet’s Story

It’s been two years since glamorous and ambitious Violet Smith fell head-over-heels in love with blacksmith Jimby Fairfax, and moved back home to the North Yorkshire village of Lytell Stangdale to be with him.

Life couldn’t get much sweeter. Their romance is blooming and Romantique - the business she set up with Jimby’s sister Kitty, designing luxurious underwear and burlesque costumes with the odd wedding dress throw in - is thriving.

But on a romantic weekend break, a face from her past triggers a series of events which send Violet into turmoil. She finds herself with no alternative but to reveal a secret she’s buried deep for the past sixteen years. A secret she hasn’t shared with anyone, not even her best friends, Kitty and Molly, and they share everything.

With the revelation forcing a wedge between herself and Jimby, heartbroken Violet fears that he won’t ever be able to think of her in the same way again and won’t want anything more to do with her.

As ever, Kitty and Molly rally round, offering their advice and support but Vi is worried that keeping her secret was just a step too far for Jimby.

Will she succeed in showing him their love is strong enough to overcome it?

The Secret – Violet’s Story is book 3 in the Life on the Moors Series.

My Review:

You are in for a real gem with this book. What a cute, funny and emotional story with the focus on Violet. Her purple world, her gorgeous other half Jimby, wonderful friends and the idyllic community she loves being part of. We realise Violet has a secret that she has kept to herself for a very long time, does she risk everything and come clean? What will happen if those she loves know what she did?

I love Violet, she sounds gorgeous, glamourous and confident. She’s loved and loves in return and I don’t think there is a bad thing about her. When we find out about her secret, although it is awfully sad, we easily see that it wasn’t her fault and she was taken advantage of in a way. My heart broke for her when she did tell Jimby and he didn’t take the news well. I understood him being upset, hurt and wondering why she couldn’t be honest, but I think he handled it very poorly. (Don’t worry he soon sorts himself out!!)

There is a lot of heart and emotion throughout, moments of sadness are eclipsed by such tender, sweet scenes of special bonds between the characters.  There are some comedic moments with Jimby who is one of the most accident-prone characters I’ve ever read; his antics really added some lighter moments.

Eliza has a gorgeous writing style, very descriptive and the story progresses at a nice pace, I didn’t think it was rushed at all nor too slow. I read it quickly because I enjoyed it so much, I love how the stories played out, I loved learning more about these characters and I loved the community of Lytell Stangdale. 

If you haven’t read the first two books, I really think you’ll be absolutely fine, but I’d recommend them anyway. A gorgeous read for fans of a heart-warming romance. 

Thank you Eliza and Rach's Random Resources for the chance to read and review. 

Purchase  Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RNLR4M5

US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RNLR4M5

Author Bio: 

Eliza lives in a 17th-century cottage on the edge of 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. 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.

Eliza is inspired by her beautiful surroundings and loves to write heartwarming stories with happy endings.

Social Media Links –

Blog: Eliza J Scott - elizajscott.com

Twitter: Eliza J Scott – @ElizaJScott1

Instagram: Eliza J Scott - @elizajscott

BLOGTOUR: Mulberry Lane Babies - Rosie Clarke

About the book

1941, Mulberry Lane, London. War rages but new arrivals bring new hope. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Cathy Sharp.

Life is hard for all on Mulberry Lane as the war rages into yet another year. Desperate times push people into dangerous situations.

Menacing shadows lurk on dark street corners, threatening the safety of those who are alone and vulnerable.

When Peggy's twins are born early, Maureen and Nellie are there to lend a helping hand. The mothers of Mulberry Lane stick together despite the grim conditions of war-torn London and a shadowy fear that stalks their lives. Neighbours and friends look out for each other and new life brings hope and joy to the Lane.

My Review: 

Mulberry Lane Babies is the third in the Mulberry Lane series from Rosie Clarke, but it is personally my first visit. I don’t think it’s essential to have read the others – it read well as a standalone book, in my opinion. You probably would benefit from reading the others, as it is always nice to read any book series from the start – you may find out things about the characters that I have missed out on.

We are given the stories of several women who go about their lives with loved ones away at war or having already been lost, they are either having, expecting or hoping for babies. The lives of these very endearing ladies are taking very different paths and each girl is having to cope with cruel or surprising twists and turns. It’s a good thing they have each other for support and they try to keep on.

There's a fair dose of drama within the book, a mixture of happy and sad times. I really enjoyed Rosie Clarkes style of writing, everything flowed nicely and was lovely to delve into their world. A fantastic book that fans of historical romance will love. I recommend. 

About the author 

Rosie is happily married and lives in a quiet village in East Anglia. Writing books is a passion for Rosie, she also likes to read, watch good films and enjoys holidays in the sunshine. She loves shoes and adores animals, especially squirrels and dogs.

Follow Rosie:

Twitter: @AnneHerries

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2El4Djg

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2ElTyhR

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2LSRROX

iBooks: https://apple.co/2WPWKcK

Follow Aria:

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

REVIEW: I Heart Hawaii - Lindsey Kelk

Available Here

Join Angela and Jenny in the series finale of the bestselling I Heart books…

When Angela Clark’s best friend Jenny invites her to join a press trip to Hawaii, three days of sun, sea and sleep sounds like the perfect antidote to her crazed life.
 
At work in New York, she’s supposed to be the face of Having It All. But the only thing Angela feels she excels at is hiding in the printer cupboard, eating Mini Cheddars and watching Netflix on her phone and if this is living the dream, she's more than ready to wake up.
 
A few days away with Jenny sounds like exactly what she needs but Angela’s talent for getting into a scrape guarantees nothing goes to plan – and not even the most beautiful beaches, blue skies and daiquiris will get her off the hook…

My Review:

Ten years – I can barely believe it! I’ve loved this series of books from the moment I got my hands on I heart New York (I got my first, very original copy with a magazine, can anyone remember which it was?) But I was hooked and an instant Lindsey Kelk fan.

I know many of us feel so invested in Angela and friends, and to think this would all be over with this book was truly a saddening moment, but I knew that Lindsey would do it in style and we’d have fun and adventure in I heart Hawaii. As it comes to endings, I think this book gave us the perfect one, very emotional, like a rollercoaster of feelings. From the prologue, where I was pretty concerned and quite upset if I’m honest, to the final ‘The End,’ I heart Hawaii gave my hardened heart a battering.

I’ve always loved the mixed bag of characters ‘I heart...’ gives us and Angela is one of my favourite characters ever- funny, loving, spirited and well just blooming ace. Jenny, well there aren’t really words to describe her sass and epic coolness, we could all do with being a little bit Lopez. Alex is the epitome of leading men, he’s gorgeous, a cool superstar and just the right person to balance Angela. Tip of the iceberg with great characters though. After all they have been through, all the characters have matured over the series and yet they are still the same characters we fell in love with. How I wish I could be in their friendship group!

I loved that other characters from some of Lindsey’s books popped up in I heart Hawaii; with this being the destination I hoped there would be a little crossover from another series, and I was not disappointed. I did also like the references to other authors’ characters too. See if you can find them 😉

I Heart Hawaii finds Angela trying to juggle motherhood with a new job, then the guilt at leaving baby Alice with Alex for 5 days while she heads off to basically unwind and have fun. I believe we see Angela at her very best in this book – motherhood is suiting her but it’s nice we get a glimpse of the Angela we all love so well when she goes to Hawaii.

As with any I heart book, this is full of fun and adventure. There are some hilarious scenes (the horses!!), real laugh out loud moments and everything we expect from this bunch of characters but, as with every one of the books, it includes some sensitive, serious, heart-warming moments, that show the depth and strength of true friendship.

I have always enjoyed Lindsey’s writing style, chatty and animated and naturally very funny; she can evoke emotion at just the perfect moment though so watch out for surprise tears. The books are easy to read but that never takes anything away from the wonderful stories being told. I read I Heart Hawaii in a few hours – mainly because I couldn’t put it down, I wanted to see how it would end yet I never wanted it too either.

If you haven’t read any of the I Heart series, then I would suggest going back and reading the others before this one simply because THEY ARE BRILLIANT! I’m sure it could work as a standalone book but it’s hard to tell when you’re already so involved with them isn’t it?!

I don’t want to spoil or lead anyone in any direction with the review, so I don’t really want to say too much about what happens. I think people need to go into this without knowing what will happen at all. I will say it’s a beautiful end to an incredible series.  

Thank you, Lindsey Kelk, for creating wonderful stories with great characters that we have grown to love like our own friends. Although it’s hard to know we won’t get any more ‘I heart’ books I’m sure we can all imagine what they’re all getting up in the future.  Great things must come to an end (*cries*) but I know Lindsey will have brilliant things for us in future.

Anyone for an ‘I heart’ film or TV series?

Comfy Rating:

👍👍👍👍👍

Meeting the lovely Lindsey with  the equally wonderful Paige Toon - 01/06/2019

The German Midwife/ A Woman of War - Mandy Robotham

Amazon UK 

Goodreads Blurb:

Germany, 1944. A prisoner in the camps, midwife Anke Hoff is doing what she can to keep her pregnant camp mates and their newborns alive.

But when Anke’s work is noticed, she is chosen for a task far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined. High in the Bavarian hills, Eva Braun is pregnant, and Anke is assigned as her caregiver. Before long, Anke is faced with an impossible choice. Does she serve the Reich she loathes and keep the baby alive? Or does she sacrifice an innocent child for the good of a broken world?

My review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is incredibly thought provoking and emotive. A book so well written it makes you question the 'what if's' - quick note: if you are looking for a book ENTIRELY factual then this perhaps isn't for you. Based on accounts - this fictionalised story takes one of the most significant events in history and plants seeds of what could have been.  Very well written by Mandy Robotham, so good in fact I forgot it wasn't a (fully) true story.

The book looks at the complex set of relationships Anke establishes, cherishes and aims to protect; whether through her job as a midwife, as a daughter, sister, friend or lover. I liked the romance element to the book, I think it was a lifeline for Anke but didn't distract from the other themes. 

As you can imagine with the theme of the book, it has moments of heartbreak, sadness and pain I doubt anyone could truly imagine. It describes various stories of childbirth in great detail - something I have no experience of, so I was intrigued and luckily not squeamish. I admire the work of midwives now and especially then, in those circumstances and with far less in terms of equipment, medicines etc.

In all honesty I was hooked, I didn't want to put it down. Not my usual genre, but I liked it immensely and feel like I have learned a great deal. I think the author dealt with a very emotive topic with great sensitivity.

Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Avon in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!