Barefoot on the Beach - Katlyn Duncan

Renee Clarke is perfectly happy just the way she is…

Renee may be thrilled to be planning her sister’s wedding, but after witnessing her mother’s two failed marriages, she has always vowed that she is better off on her own.

But when Renee discovers that Luc Hardy has moved next door, her world is knocked off kilter. Luc was her whirlwind summer romance as a teen and, more importantly, her first love. Now he’s back in West Cove, looking more handsome than ever.

There is no escaping the romance in the air this summer. With the wedding planning in full swing, Renee begins to believe that she might be able to put her childhood reservations about marriage aside.

Yet when her mother arrives, she stirs a torrent of emotions in Renee’s heart. She’s up to her old tricks again – boasting about her latest conquests – reaffirming Renee’s lack of faith in love.

As Renee’s happily-ever-after hangs in the balance, will Luc be able to convince her that true love can last forever?

A totally heart-warming summer romance you won’t want to put down! Perfect for fans of Jenny Hale, Susan Mallery and Lucy Coleman.Renee Clarke is perfectly happy just the way she is…

Renee may be thrilled to be planning her sister’s wedding, but after witnessing her mother’s two failed marriages, she has always vowed that she is better off on her own.

But when Renee discovers that Luc Hardy has moved next door, her world is knocked off kilter. Luc was her whirlwind summer romance as a teen and, more importantly, her first love. Now he’s back in West Cove, looking more handsome than ever.

There is no escaping the romance in the air this summer. With the wedding planning in full swing, Renee begins to believe that she might be able to put her childhood reservations about marriage aside.

Yet when her mother arrives, she stirs a torrent of emotions in Renee’s heart. She’s up to her old tricks again – boasting about her latest conquests – reaffirming Renee’s lack of faith in love.

As Renee’s happily-ever-after hangs in the balance, will Luc be able to convince her that true love can last forever?

A totally heart-warming summer romance you won’t want to put down! Perfect for fans of Jenny Hale, Susan Mallery and Lucy Coleman.Renee Clarke is perfectly happy just the way she is…

Renee may be thrilled to be planning her sister’s wedding, but after witnessing her mother’s two failed marriages, she has always vowed that she is better off on her own.

But when Renee discovers that Luc Hardy has moved next door, her world is knocked off kilter. Luc was her whirlwind summer romance as a teen and, more importantly, her first love. Now he’s back in West Cove, looking more handsome than ever.

There is no escaping the romance in the air this summer. With the wedding planning in full swing, Renee begins to believe that she might be able to put her childhood reservations about marriage aside.

Yet when her mother arrives, she stirs a torrent of emotions in Renee’s heart. She’s up to her old tricks again – boasting about her latest conquests – reaffirming Renee’s lack of faith in love.

As Renee’s happily-ever-after hangs in the balance, will Luc be able to convince her that true love can last forever?

A totally heart-warming summer romance you won’t want to put down! Perfect for fans of Jenny Hale, Susan Mallery and Lucy Coleman.
Renee Clarke is perfectly happy just the way she is…



Renee may be thrilled to be planning her sister’s wedding, but after witnessing her mother’s two failed marriages, she has always vowed that she is better off on her own.



But when Renee discovers that Luc Hardy has moved next door, her world is knocked off kilter. Luc was her whirlwind summer romance as a teen and, more importantly, her first love. Now he’s back in West Cove, looking more handsome than ever.



There is no escaping the romance in the air this summer. With the wedding planning in full swing, Renee begins to believe that she might be able to put her childhood reservations about marriage aside.



Yet when her mother arrives, she stirs a torrent of emotions in Renee’s heart. She’s up to her old tricks again – boasting about her latest conquests – reaffirming Renee’s lack of faith in love.



As Renee’s happily-ever-after hangs in the balance, will Luc be able to convince her that true love can last forever?


A totally heart-warming summer romance you won’t want to put down! Perfect for fans of Jenny Hale, Susan Mallery and Lucy Coleman. 

My Review



A lovely, charming read that is about second chances, relationships and romance. It’s a cosy read, especially if you are struggling to focus at the moment. 



It is very well written and the story moves along nicely, I was fully engrossed from the start and really invested in the characters.  Renee is quite a character; think she is very determined, brave and cares a lot for others. Her sister takes advantage to some extent although Renee could stand up for herself more.



The relationship between Renee and Luc is special – what a lovely surprise to find your teenage sweetheart back next door, I would have loved to have more romance (I’m a sucker for love!). Luc is a lovely character though, I liked him a lot.



This book incorporates a lot of family problems, issues with parents and how what they do can affect people going through their own lives. It is a lovely read and remains light even when addressing some more complex themes.



With gorgeous settings and wonderful descriptions, enjoy your walk along the beach!

BLOGTOUR: Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage - Katie Ginger

On a grey, London day, Esme’s world crumbles around her when she loses her glitzy job on a top TV programme, her gorgeous, city-slicker boyfriend and her stunning apartment, all in one fell swoop just before Christmas.

Esme is forced suddenly to move back to her sleepy hometown of Sandchester, and despite the snow blanketing the roof and the fairy lights that twinkle in her rustic little cottage, everything is looking bleak. That is until she reconnects with an old crush and finds herself unexpectedly getting swept away.

But Joe, handsome and charming as he is, is not all he seems. Esme soon realises that he has a tragic past which he just might not be able to overcome…

Surrounded by her loving, if harebrained, family and with the support of her hilarious friends, Esme is determined to have a go at forging her own path, even if it all comes to nothing. But one question still lingers in her mind: will she find someone to kiss under the mistletoe this Christmas?

Purchase Links

Amazon UK ebook: https://amzn.to/2NL7fhq

Amazon UK paperbook: https://amzn.to/2Y51uPP

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2LP8Ujm

Amazon US ebook: https://amzn.to/2XHxFR1

My Review:

What an enchanting, captivating story! I loved every moment of this gorgeous, romantic and funny read from Katie Ginger. This is definitely one book that will fill you with festive cheer.

Katie has written a story to warm the coldest heart with well-developed characters that you will love. Esme and Joe have gone through so much that even though they get on instantly, they’ve both endured enough misery to put them off any further romantic endeavours; but sometimes feelings can not and should not be ignored.

Esme is such a nice character; I really was on her side from the off. She deserved a better go at things in London but I am so glad we saw her go back to Sandchester and her wonderful, quirky family. I LOVE her Mum and Dad – they add some very funny moments, as do her wonderful friends. I want friends like hers – always having her back no matter what.

This is beautifully written and gives us humour, love, romance, festive fun and a heart-warming tale of moving forwards and working hard to get the happy ending you deserve.  I do love the inclusion of her blog, vlog adventures etc as it felt up to date
.

Love a happy ending? Then I cannot recommend this delightful read enough. 

About the Author:  

KATIE GINGER lives in the South East of England, by the sea, and apart from holidays to very hot places where you can sit by a pool and drink cocktails as big your head, she wouldn't really want to be anywhere else. Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage is her third novel. She is also author of 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 drinking gin, or with her husband, trying to keep alive her two children: Ellie, who believes everything in life should be performed like a musical number from a West End show; and Sam, who is basically a monkey with a boy's face. And there's also their adorable King Charles Spaniel, Wotsit (yes, he is named after the 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.

BLOGTOUR: The Girl I Used to Know - Faith Hogan

About The Book

Amanda King and Tess Cuffe are strangers who share the same Georgian house, but their lives couldn’t be more different. Amanda seems to have it all, absolute perfection.

She projects all the accouterments of a lady who lunches. Sadly, the reality is a soulless home, an unfaithful husband and a very lonely heart.

By comparison, in the basement flat, unwanted tenant Tess has spent a lifetime hiding and shutting her heart to love.

It takes a bossy doctor, a handsome gardener, a pushy teenager and an abandoned cat to show these two women that sometimes letting go is the first step to moving forward and new friendships can come from the most unlikely situations.

My Review:

The Girl I Used to Know is a beautiful, inspiring story of self-discovery, knowing your own worth and having a second go at life.

A story of friendships, this book shows us how people are always worth taking a chance on, looking past the exterior and trying to understand the person someone truly is or wants to be. I love how the emphasis was put on friendships and in supporting others – taking two main characters who were both alone, but in very different ways and making them so powerfully connected.

I enjoyed the plot of the book, the ways their lives are so very different, yet they are so closely entwined. Such meaningful and powerful writing by Faith Hogan, it is a well-paced book with short, fast chapters that will allow you to get fully immersed into the two ladies’ lives. I loved that we had chapters that took us back in time and we get to see what happened in Tess’s early life, I think this adds so much to the story and gave us such compassion for the character.

At the beginning of the book neither of our main characters are that appealing, I doubt many people found them charming or even likable but as I read through their story, I grew to be very fond of them both. This book is a real emotional journey and full of surprises. Both Amanda and Tess have some real low blows within their lives, things that turn everything they think they know on its head, but this is countered by some fantastic highs and moments of pure happiness for both.

It’s a gorgeous book to curl up and enjoy, I cannot recommend it enough as it is very uplifting and motivating. I am very grateful to Aria Fiction and Faith Hogan for the opportunity to read and review - Thank you!

Purchase links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JF2sLJ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2W78zzb

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Wo4qWD

About the Author:

Faith lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and two very fussy cats. She has an Hons Degree in English Literature and Psychology, has worked as a fashion model and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

Twitter: @GerHogan

Follow Aria: 

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

BLOGTOUR - One Last Greek Summer - Mandy Baggot

About the book

Beth Martin is 31, newly divorced and wondering just what life holds for her…

Best-friend, Heidi, is adamant that all the answers lie in Corfu – the island where the girls’ partied away their youth.

So cue a trip to a sun-drenched Greek island, ouzo cocktails, a trip down memory lane…and Alex Hallas, the man Beth has never quite forgotten.

As they dance under the stars, the sand beneath their toes, old feelings begin to resurface and Beth might just have a chance to take back her life. If they can learn to love the people they’ve become…

My Review:

As a fully-fledged Mandy Baggot fan, I was so excited to read this latest sun filled book. What a scorcher it is! Mandy always makes me want to book a holiday immediately and One Last Greek Summer has me longing for the sunny Corfu.  

You know what you are going to get with Mandy – wonderful locations that make you feel like you are right there; amazing foods that practically have you drooling and characters that keep you entertained.

Beth is very easy to like; she has been a bit ‘stuck’ but I enjoyed seeing how she evolved throughout the book and how she was resolute in sticking to her guns and doing the best thing for her. I think many people have wished they could do go back and have another go with a former flame so imagine rediscovering that lost love a decade later, and realising the feelings you had never went away, how romantic!

Heidi is a wonderful best friend, funny, caring and in need of a great love story too. She’s the type of girl you want by your side, helping you, supporting you and encouraging you every step of the way. She’s the one who organises this trip for Beth.

Leading me on very nicely to the handsome Alex, who sounds gorgeous, well... what more do we expect from a Mandy Baggott leading man! The more I read the more I realised why Beth would have held on to her feelings towards him for so long. The difficult relationship with his Mum only emphasised how wonderfully kind and loyal he is.

I adored every sun-soaked moment. The idea of second chances and on how we can rewrite parts of history; the notion that we should follow our heart and take that chance.

I cannot recommend it enough. I enjoyed it in one sitting, where, for a good couple of hours, I was whisked away to Corfu. Mandy Baggot always gives us a perfect summer scorcher! 

Thank you to Netgalley and Aria for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

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 Romantic Novelists' Association and the Society of Authors and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband and two daughters.

Follow Mandy:   

Facebook: @mandybaggotauthor

Twitter: @mandybaggot

Pre-order links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TXD0Tg

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2NeeGtH

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2GRfq6O

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

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter:@aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

BLOG TOUR: Island in the Sun - Janice Horton

Thank you to Janice Horton and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to take part in this wonderful book tour. 

Island in the Sun Blurb:

When successful jewellery designer Isla Ashton unexpectedly inherits her eccentric Aunt Kate’s Caribbean island, she is obligated to return to the place she associates with heartache and regret. To where she grew up and fell in love with her childhood friend, Leo Fernandez. Fully intent on selling the island and finally putting the past behind her, Isla is soon compelled to put together the pieces of what really happened on a fateful night ten-years before. She begins to believe that in going to prison, Leo hadn’t only been shielding her from the same fate. She also starts to suspect that her late Aunt hadn’t been entirely honest in sending her away under the guise of recriminations. Who had they both been protecting and why?

Purchase HERE

My Review:

I have to start off by mentioning the cover - isn't it wonderful. As soon as I saw it I wanted to dive into the book - and book a holiday! I think the cover really does set the scene really well. As a fan of the Caribbean, Pearl Island sounds exactly like my kind of place and I loved the descriptions of the island as well the community it homes.

Janice Horton's well written, descriptions really had me dreaming of sun kissed, white sands, luscious seas, exotic gardens - it was easy to imagine being right there with all of the lovely characters she creates; Kate, Isla, Leo, Jack and Grace (who is my favourite because I have a soft spot for the kindly, care giving types!)

Island in the Sun moves between the current day and from periods in Kate's history to the events of ten years previous, it's is clearly structured and written so that it doesn't get confusing. Given that secrets and memories all thrown into the mix, I loved discovering what had happened so long ago that had kept Isla feeling so angry towards Leo.

At first, I felt that Isla had really held on to her anger for far too long and I wasn't sure I would like her but as she learned the truth of the past I grew to like her more. I saw things from her perspective and realised she'd been kept in the dark for so many reasons. 
I liked Leo's character - he made mistakes but he was young and took the punishment that he didn't necessarily deserve. He has worked hard over the past 10 years, determined to prove himself - especially to Isla. I liked how he was persistent in getting her to actually listen, to see him as the man he had become but that he wouldn't stand for her being cruel and hard toward him.

As we learn more, the characters evolve, grow together through their own reasons of grief - loss of those they loved as well as the time they have lost. It's often said the path of true love never does run smooth and that is very true for Leo and Isla, I was riveted at the end and hoping for the best outcome.


A gorgeous, sun filled romance, full of surprise and emotion - this book will take you to paradise. A wonderful read. 

Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

About the Author: Janice Horton

Janice Horton, also affectionately known as the backpacking housewife, writes contemporary romantic fiction with a dash of humour and a sense of adventure. Once her three children had grown up, Janice and her backpacking husband sold their empty nest in Scotland UK along with almost everything they owned and set off to travel the world. Since then they have been traveling full-time and have explored over 50 countries, living out of an apartment, a hut, or wherever they happen to find themselves.

Janice works as a writer wherever she is in the world. When not writing bestselling romantic adventure novels, she writes lifestyle and travel features for her website and her work has featured in national and international magazines like ‘Prima’ in the UK and ‘Friday’ in Dubai. She has also been involved in BBC Scotland’s Write Here Write Now project and has been interviewed on many podcasts and radio shows including Loose Women’s Kaye Adams’ prime time BBC Radio Scotland Show.

Social Media Links –

Website: https://thebackpackinghousewife.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaniceHorton

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

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/janice-horton

Love Heart Lane - Christie Barlow

AVAILABLE HERE

Goodreads Blurb:

Welcome to Love Heart Lane…
When Flick Simons returns to the small village of Heartcross she only expected to stay for a few days. The white-washed cottages of Love Heart Lane might be her home, but the place holds too many painful memories, and of one man in particular – Fergus Campbell.
When a winter storm sweeps in, the only bridge connecting the village to the main land is swept away! As the villagers pull together, Flick finds herself welcomed back by the friends she once left behind. And as the snow begins to melt, maybe there is a chance that Fergus’s heart will thaw too…

My Review:

I love a book set in a picturesque village, with a strong community spirit with a great mix of characters that all bring something very different. 'Love Heart Lane' is a wonderful example of this. Set in the small, Scottish village of Heartcross we have the first of what will be a lovely series of books. I definitely think this is a village and group of characters I could really become very fond of!

Felicity (Flick) fled Heartcross 8 years ago and is now back and must face the hurt and upset from those she left behind. When bad weather takes hold and causes a major disaster, Flick seems to be voice of reason and spokesperson for the village - can she fix what is broken - literally and in terms of her relationships/friendships?

I liked Flick, she is strong and very capable. She keeps her head in a crisis and confident in terms of speaking up for herself and others - a couple of times I felt she was a little too full on though; with regards to Fergus, she hardly gives him any space to compose himself now she's back before she's on at him about how she feels and wanting him back. I just felt a bit sorry for him. 

Don't get me wrong, I think Flick is a great character and I really felt for all she had been through, I understood her reasons for leaving Heartcross but didn't think she appreciated that time moves on and everybody would have carried on with their lives too. She is a great heroine, and she does work hard to cement her position back within the community. She does get involved in literally everything that happens from delivering babies to delivering food parcels! 

A lovely tale of renewing friendships, accepting situations beyond our control and fighting hard for those you love. With plenty of drama, some laughs and a long lost romance, I think Heartcross is going to be a fabulous setting for some great stories. I look forward to finding out more about the other characters of Heartcross.

Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍.5