The Christmas Castle in Scotland - Julie Caplin

 

The Christmas Castle in Scotland

Izzy McBride had never in a million years expected to inherit an actual castle from her great uncle Bill but here she was, in the run up to Christmas, Monarch of her own Glen – a very rundown glen in need of a lot of TLC if her dream of turning it into a boutique bed and breakfast was to come true.

But when Izzy’s eccentric mother rents a room to enigmatic thriller author Ross Adair and the Scottish snow starts to settle like the frosting on a Christmas cake, it’s a race to get the castle ready before they’re all snowed in for the holidays.

Purchase Link:

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Castle-Scotland-globally-bestselling-ebook/dp/B09NZ5BRP9

US - https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Castle-Scotland-globally-bestselling-ebook/dp/B09NZ5BRP9

Christmas cosied up in a great castle in Scotland? YES
PLEASE!
I absolutely adore every book from Julie Caplin, every
location and story incite the feelings of wanderlust within me and I wish I
could be right there and this is no exception, in fact I think it’s the one I
really do hope I can do one day. 
I did not want this story to end (I never do), I think
this is the best yet – the setting, the characters, plot and Julies’ wonderful
writing style is like a comfort blanket, hugging you, keeping you warm and
right in the thick of the action. 
I love the characters especially as they are such an
eclectic bunch; each have their own personality and it is easy to picture them
(or in Duncan’s case hear their accent!) 
Izzy is our leading lady and we have met her briefly in
the last book (it isn’t a series as such so you can read this without any of
the previous books – although I highly recommend you do!) and she has inherited
a castle in Scotland she is hoping to turn into a hotel. Doing this alongside
an eccentric (but loveable) Mum who has rented out a room to a writer, without
Izzys knowledge of course. This writer is paying for peace and quiet although
it soon becomes apparent; he is getting more than he bargained for. 
Getting the hotel ready in time for the festive season 
(and another booking taken by Izzy’s Mum) means a real team effort and a lot of
soul searching by all involved. As everyone pulls together and becomes a unique, 
slightly dysfunctional family unit we see them overcoming adversities in all
aspects of their lives. 
As always this is a story with romance at its core, but
don’t expect smooth sailing, there is drama and tension thrown in as well but
with ups and downs will every character find a positive ending? 
I wish we could go back and revisit, just to see how they are all getting on. 
It’s a wonderful, cosy read and I cannot praise Julie enough.
Author Bio:

After reading English at the University of East Anglia, Julie Caplin, who also writes as Jules Wake, worked in PR where she honed her fiction writing skills on press releases. Her regular press trips to Europe while working on food and drink accounts inspired the Romantic Escapes Series, which have been sold to 19 territories and are best sellers in Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

She’s now a full-time author and what better job is there than making stuff up! It certainly beats housework.

Social Media Links – @JulieCaplin Twitter

https://www.facebook.com/JulieCaplinAuthor/

Instagram @juliecaplinauthor

Winter Wishes At Swallowtail Bay - Katie Ginger

     

Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay

Grab your cosiest jumper and escape to the beautiful Swallowtail Bay!

Christmas and romance are in the air and Nell is obsessed! She can’t stop watching her favourite Christmas romcoms and dreaming of the day when she meets her own romantic hero, especially as she is hosting the first ever wedding at her small hotel, Holly Lodge.

Nell’s best friend, Tom, has been in love with her ever since they met. But Nell has never seen him that way, and he’s always kept his feelings a secret in case it ruins their friendship.

After the opening of the glamorous Langdon Mansion Hotel in the bay, Nell’s hotel is struggling for survival and she must fight, with Tom’s help, to keep Holly Lodge open. Can the magic of Christmas help two old friends save Holly Lodge and open Nell’s eyes to a love that was always there the whole time?

Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay is the hilarious new romantic comedy from Katie Ginger, perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Veronica Henry and Holly Martin!

My Review:

What a gorgeous festive, wintery treat. Perfect reading for cold winter days, where you snuggle down, get cosy and get lost in the adventures from Swallowtail Bay.

Nell is a sweetheart, a true romantic who I loved from the start. Her cosy, family run hotel is struggling following the arrival of a fancy, new, posh hotel. She needs go boost bookings fast to survive. She’s also a true romantic and is looking out for ‘The One,’ The answers are right in front of her but how long will it take her to realise.

Events in the community help Nell’s business start to turn around, but the niggling negative reviews are a cause for concern. How will she solve this mysterious problem and save her hotel?

I adored the relationship between Nell and Tom. What a gorgeous friendship, and in my opinion a solid foundation for romance – not that Nell would even consider it. Tom is probably my favourite character overall, what a wonderful guy. His work ethic, the fact he would go to the ends of the earth to support his friends and the sweet connection he has with his Grandad.

This is book three in the Swallowtail Bay series, I have loved each and every one and I must admit I feel a little bit sad that we won’t be back. Each can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend them all. Although I will miss this gorgeous, fictional community and its lovely inhabitants I cannot wait for more from Katie Ginger.

A heartwarming, romance with wonderful characters, seasonal cheer and festive fun. A must this winter. 

Purchase Links

UK Amazon ebook: https://amzn.to/2Ni5ipv

US Amazon ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Winter-Wishes-Swallowtail-Bay-Book-ebook/dp/B08B4D1N1M

Author Bio:

KATIE GINGER lives by the sea in the south-east of England, and apart from holidays to very hot places where you can sit by a pool and drink cocktails as big as your head, she wouldn’t really want to be anywhere else. Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay is her sixth novel. She is also the author of Spring Tides at Swallowtail Bay, Summer Strawberries at Swallowtail Bay, Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage and the Seafront series – The Little Theatre on the Seafront, shortlisted for the Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year award, and Summer Season on the Seafront.

When she’s not writing, Katie spends her time with her husband and two kids, and their dogs: Wotsit, the King Charles spaniel, and Skips, the three-legged Romanian rescue dog. (And yes, they are both named after crisps!)

For more about Katie, you can visit her website: www.keginger.com, find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KatieGAuthor, or follow her on Twitter: @KatieGAuthor.

Autumn Skies over Ruby Falls - Holly Martin

 

Get swept away to the sparkling Cornish coast with the stunning new novel from bestselling author Holly Martin. Autumn Skies Over Ruby Falls is the perfect romantic treat to snuggle up with this autumn.

Clover Philips is exactly where she’s meant to be – back home on Jewel Island teaching dance to the guests at the beautiful Sapphire Bay Hotel that she co-owns with her sisters Skye and Aria. Her life is complete, except for one thing…

When Clover left London she also left behind a devastating betrayal. She hasn’t been able to date anyone since, let alone allow herself to fall in love. What she needs is a casual fling to ease herself back into romance. And as luck would have it, the very handsome Angel Mazzeo is back in town.

The chemistry between Clover and Angel has been undeniable ever since Angel first arrived on Jewel Island six months ago. And though content to be her friend till now, Angel is more than willing to help Clover find her dating feet again.

It should be easy to keep things carefree when love is off the table, but when every moment is magical what started as casual soon becomes something much deeper. Will Clover and Angel find the courage to tell each other how they really feel? And is Clover ready to do the one thing she swore she’d never do again, fall in love?

My Review:
A complete joy to be on Jewel Island again, especially at the Sapphire Bay hotel. I enjoyed meeting the characters previously and was happy that this time we focus more on Clover. The setting sounds absolutely stunning, I wish we could take a holiday right here!
Clover co-owns the hotel with her sisters and is now back on the island teaching some dance classes. She is a loveable character and we know she has been badly treated by an ex, which has left her damaged and reluctant to trust again especially romantically.
We do, however, know she really likes a certain someone and that its entirely possible the feeling is mutual. Angel is full of wanderlust, loving to travel and see as much as the world as he possible can, he doesn’t tend to commit which sounds ideal to Clover when the sparks start flying between the pair. Angel knows her history and is perfect – he is patient, caring, understanding and just dreamy if you ask me.
Holly Martin gives us the romance, to warm and fuzzies but also a bit of drama to add some excitement. I love all Holly Martin books, they are wonderful and charming, with characters you get to understand and take to your heart.
We see Clover really come into her own in this book, she understands herself and her feelings and allows herself to be open to change. I didn’t necessarily bank on the happy ending or fairy-tale romance ending for this one (although hoped for it because Angel sounds perfect) but I think the most important part of this story was how she learned to trust again.
You can read this as a standalone but please treat yourself to all of Holly’s books too, never disappoints and perfect for snuggling up to read.

Available to purchase HERE

The Northern Lights Lodge - Julie Caplin

Order HERE

Goodreads Blurb:
With a shattered heart and her career completely in tatters, Lucy needs to get away from her life in the UK. But, when she takes a job as hotel manager of the Northern Lights Lodge, she doesn’t quite expect to find herself in the middle of a snowy nowhere, in a land of hot springs and snowflake-dusted glaciers, and in the company of a gorgeous Scot, Alex.
Determined to turn her life around, Lucy sets about restoring the lodge to its former glory as the number one romantic destination in Iceland – even if romance is the last thing she wants or needs. However, as Alex and Lucy grow closer under a blanket of stars and the dancing lights of the aurora, Lucy might just learn how to fall in love again…
My Review:

I could try and play it cool (haha Iceland, cool.. get it?!) but I can't I LOVED this. I've only just stumbled upon this series and have read the previous books in very quick succession so I was thrilled at the chance to head to Iceland on this next adventure. That being said, it works as a standalone (they all do) so you really don't need to have read any of the others. If you have - then you will recognise a few characters!

Alex is one - he's really a secondary character in The Little Paris Patisserie but I liked him then and now he comes into his own - I am so pleased we got to see more of him. The spy/love interest for our main lady Lucy, you are already on his side (even knowing his 'undercover' position) and it is soon clear he is actually falling for Lucy in every way possible.

Lucy has been through a lot, mistakes in her past and awful behaviour by others abusing their power and position have left her needing the job nobody else would take on. She's pretty desperate. You don't really discover what has happened for a while, you see that she is vulnerable, lacking confidence and needs support. If I'm honest, I'd imagined far worse than what we find out but maybe that's just my mind - it isn't a pleasant situation for anyone to go through though.

Various situations arise as she'd getting to grips with running the hotel and Lucy, with a good team of staff/friends, handles everything in a typically unique way and we see her rediscover passion for the job, remembering why she chose the career in the first place. She is hardworking and determined and it shows true spirit that she can bounce back. I like her, I hoped she wouldn't be a weak, sorry for herself kind of character but you see she is quite daring and willing to put herself out there. 

Just like the previous books, the setting sounds incredible. It is well written and moves along at a nice pace, yet again reading one of Julie's books makes me want to book a trip.So thats Copenhagen, Brooklyn, Paris and Iceland on the travel list!!  In fact, Iceland and the Northern Lights has never really appealed to me before but now I could really be tempted.

Julie Caplin gives us a wonderfully romantic escape with characters and places you'll love. I cannot recommend The Northern Lights Lodge enough, perfect for a cosy, snuggled up read. I will eagerly await the next book!

Many thanks to Harper Impulse and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍