Life's A Beach - Portia MacIntosh

 

Sun, sea and inescapable exes...

Peach is excited to hear that her sister, Di, is getting married. Of course, she would have preferred her little sister to be engaged to someone she's known longer than a week - and the fact that his name is Charles doesn't bode well - but who is she to judge?! Afterall, her own love life is non-existent, and who doesn't love a destination wedding...?

Whisked away to the gorgeous Italian coast, Peach assumes her role as chief bridesmaid and, despite her reservations about the groom, she tries to ensure everything goes to plan.

But weddings are never straightforward affairs... throw in some unexpected guests in the form of ex-boyfriends and one night stands, and soon enough there is more drama than a reality tv show.

Can Peach keep the show on the road, or might she end up in a whirlwind romance of her own...?

Escape to the stunning Italian coast with bestseller Portia MacIntosh. Perfect for fans of Sophie Ranald and Mhairi MacFarlane.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3aRO92I

My Review:

I’m a long-time fan of books by Portia MacIntosh and I always look forward to the next release. I thoroughly enjoy her writing style, there is comedy, emotion, drama, and romance everything unfolds at a good pace. MacIntosh always provides a fun, easy read that will entertain. The characters in Portia’s books are always realistic, loveable characters and this time is no exception. I think Peach is brilliant, and Matt sounds like a dream! They were both strong characters but completely likeable – even when you think Matt is no good. I really liked Van, although I grew quite uncertain of her motives at points. I didn’t think I would grow to like Charles at all, I disliked him but by the end I found myself quite charmed by him. It might be interesting to see how he (and everyone) would react if all the secrets of the past had come to light There was an awful lot crammed into this story, entertaining but at times it was quite full on. A lot of characters in one place with secrets and twists, a couple of things never seemed to be resolved and a couple of characters just seemed to fade away by the end. I would have been interested to see what happened if a couple of other scenarios played out. This book has brilliant characters and fun storylines, it was highly entertaining, and I would recommend for an easy, relaxing read. Thank you to Boldwood Books & NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

Author Bio:

Portia MacIntosh is a bestselling romantic comedy author of 16 novels, including The Plus One Pact and My Great Ex-Scape. Previously a music journalist, Portia writes hilarious stories, drawing on her real-life experiences.

 

Social Media Links

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PortiaMacIntosh

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

Newsletter Sign Up Link: http://bit.ly/PortiaMacIntoshNewsletter

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/portia-macintosh

The Secret Seaside Escape - Heidi Swain

Escape to the seaside with the brand new novel from Heidi Swain, the Sunday Times bestselling author of feel-good women’s fiction!
 
Tess Tyler needs a break. Weighed down by her high-pressure job and her demanding father, she’s left little time to take care of herself. But after a shocking discovery sends her spiralling, she flees to Wynmouth, the seaside town she fell in love with as a child, to escape it all.

With its sandy beaches, stunning rock pools and welcoming community, Tess feels like she can finally breathe again. And as she grows ever closer to local barman Sam, she dares to dream that she might never return to her real life. But when a familiar face returns to town, Tess realises that there are secrets in Wynmouth too, and that her own past may be about to catch up with her . . .   The Secret Seaside Escape  is the perfect read this summer, promising sandy beaches, stunning rockpools and breath-taking romance. Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews and Sarah Morgan.

My Review:


I’m a #swainette through and through...
This fantastic new book from Heidi Swain is perfect for a mental break away, given current circumstances this is the perfect read if you want to escape for a little while.
After reading (devouring) the book I just wanted to go and escape to the seaside myself (I wish), I’d love to fall into a community with characters like Heidi creates. All of Heidi’s books have such wonderful communities – as you may know if you’ve read any of Heidi’s other books – but this is a brand new one with wonderful new people who feel like friends by the end.
Tess is fed up working hard for her father and not getting the appreciation she needs. She takes herself away to the seaside, Wynmouth, the place she spent so much time growing up. Awakening old memories and secrets, Tess has decisions to make about her future but will the heart rule the head, especially when she realises her feelings for a certain local.
I love Tess. She’s sweet, kind and gets involved in the community straight away which I like. She soon settles into place and its clear she feels at home there with some brilliant friendships made early on. A great character! There is a whole host of supporting characters who add to the fun, George and his meddling, Sophie, Hope, Joe and of course, Sam.
Easy to be charmed by the amazing writing and descriptions, you will feel like you are part of the idyllic seaside neighbourhood. I loved the development, the twists that were unexpected but interesting. It’s a wonderful tale of friendships, community spirit, forgiving the past and learning to accept what is meant to be. Romance is as always a theme running throughout the book, but it isn’t the main focus, personal development and fixing relationships is in my opinion – although in my opinion a little bit of romance is always welcome.

I cannot recommend this enough, as I would any Heidi Swain book. A feel good, cosy read that will entice you in and leave you wanting more. Treat yourself to a trip to Wynmouth, you won’t be disappointed. Fingers crossed for a return trip!!
Available to purchase NOW: Amazon

About the Author:

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

 

COVER REVEAL - The Secret Seaside Escape by Heidi Swain

It is an absolute pleasure to be able to reveal the cover for the upcoming release from the ever-so wonderful, Heidi Swain. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, here it is - The Secret Seaside Escape.

How gorgeous is this cover! I cannot wait to read this one. 

Following a shocking revelation within her family, Tess Tyler is looking to escape her hectic city life – and where better to hide than Wynmouth, the seaside town she visited as a child, with its sandy beaches, stunning rock pools and welcoming community. But little does she realise, Wynmouth isn't quite the haven she remembers it to be, and her real life is still threatening to catch up with her . . .
Also returning to Wynmouth is Joe. Having fled over a decade ago after an accident that changed his life forever, he’s back and is determined to face his demons. But, like Tess, Joe realises that the town is nothing like he remembers and quickly his arrival brings old tensions to the surface.
As the pair begin to familiarise themselves with the town they once knew, they each realise that the secrets they carry are becoming harder to conceal – but will revealing them bring the answers they’re looking for? Will Tess and her new friends finally get the second chance they’ve been hoping Wynmouth will give them?

PRE-ORDER NOW:
Links to Amazon

Paperback

E-book

Audio

Heidi Swain is the Sunday Times bestselling author of nine novels. She lives in Norfolk with her husband, two allegedly grown-up children and a mischievous black cat called Storm. She is passionate about gardening, the countryside and collects vintage paraphernalia.

To find out more, follow Heidi on twitter @Heidi_Swain or visit her website: www.heidiswain.co.uk.

GUEST POST - The Summer House in Santorini: What’s in Anna’s Beach Bag - SAMANTHA PARKS

With great thanks to Samantha Parks for providing this wonderful guest post. Enjoy!

The Summer House in Santorini: What’s in Anna’s Beach Bag

For any romantic novel heroine on a Greek island, a good beach bag is an important accessory. Not only does it look cute, but it makes sure you have everything you could possibly need to find yourself, find love and find a little bit of adventure. For Anna Linton from The Summer House in Santorini, the ultimate beach bag contents look a bit like this:

Two phones: her Greek phone and her US phone

Let’s be honest, Instagram isn’t going to scroll through itself, so the US phone has to be there for any WiFi-enabled downtime. The Greek phone is for calling Nikos to give her rides up and down the hill between the resort and the summer house.

Her camera (plus an extra battery, an extra memory card and sometimes even an extra lens)

For any budding photographer, having equipment on hand for whenever the moment may strike is CRUCIAL. Anna always has her camera ready to go so that she can capture the sunset, or maybe just a photo of Elena posing weirdly on someone’s garden wall.

Her white crocheted bikini

Because Nikos keeps dragging her off on spontaneous adventures, and she’s learned to always be prepared. She could probably find something less ~sexy~ since she’s trying to keep things platonic, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy the appreciation.

Sunscreen

Because Anna’s pale New England skin is NOT built for the heat of the Aegean sun

A letter from Giorgos to Grace

As much as she wanted to collect her inheritance and leave, Anna’s grandparents gave her a box of her father’s old letters to her mother, and she can’t help but read them over and over, trying to make sense of who her father was and what secrets her mother has kept from her.

Euros

Mostly for buying more bougatsa. If you know, you know.

To read more about what Anna gets up to this summer in Greece, grab The Summer House in Santorini by me, Samantha Parks, just 99p/$2.99, out 7 August!

Purchase Links:

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-House-Santorini-Samantha-Parks-ebook/dp/B07JHLMQFV

US - https://www.amazon.com/Summer-House-Santorini-Samantha-Parks-ebook/dp/B07JHLMQFV 

Author Bio

Samantha Parks is the pen name of Sam Gale. Her pen name comes from her late

grandmother Velma Hobbs nee Parks, who was one of Sam's greatest role models. Sam was born in North Carolina but now resides in Bournemouth, UK with her husband Alex. She owns a successful marketing company and is enjoying her slow descent into "crazy plant lady" status.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: https://twitter.com/samanthajgale

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

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

Website/blog: https://www.samanthaparks.com/