A Cosy Cottage Escape, Little Duck Pond Café - Rosie Green

 

Autumn is here and the Little Duck Pond Café crew are looking forward to spending a relaxing week in the country. That’s the theory, anyway. Because when they arrive, they quickly become immersed in village life after a power cut, only to find themselves spooked at every turn by mysterious goings-on, all of which seem to be connected to the creepy old house next-door. Is someone playing scary Hallowe’en tricks on them? Or is there something rather more sinister afoot…? 

My Review:

A series that goes from strength to strength, book 30! Wow. What I enjoy about Rosie’s Little Duck Pond books is that we have variation, location, main character, theme but they are always an entertaining and familiar read.

It is also nice to know a bunch of characters and their back stories, even though you don’t need to have read any previous books to enjoy each one. This time the I Little Duck Pond ladies are off on a little trip to a cottage in a small village. They soon discover this cottage is next door to a so called haunted house, with some fears starting to surface, tensions mount and things start happening – well it is Halloween after all!

The girls, in typical style befriend locals, including the resident of the house next door, and when spooky figures are seen – in the garden, flying overhead; they try to figure out what exactly is happening and whether there is hauntings or other explanations.

As always the story includes details on how their lives have progressed, there are changes afoot for many of our favourite characters, some don’t seem to be their usual selves and we discover that they are holding on to secrets.

Such an entertaining read, I was trying to stay logical in piecing out the mystery events but you never know! It all came together nicely though, and was fun to have the girls in a different setting. I’m not a fan of Halloween but I did enjoy the spookier elements to this one.

I love this series so it’s a pleasure to read. Fun and engaging writing with great, likeable characters. I look forward to the next one! 

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C6B1Y1KW

Author Bio:

Rosie’s series of Little Duck Pond Café novellas is centred around life in a country village cafe. ‘A Kiss under the Stars’ and ‘A Cosy Cottage Escape’ are out now. Look out for ‘A Winter Wonderland’, a heart-warming will-they-won’t-they romance for Christmas, out in November 2023.

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

Daggers at the Country Fair - Catherine Coles

 

Winteringham Village 1947

As a thank you for her previous brilliant crime solving, amateur sleuth, Martha Miller is guest of honour at the Winteringham Country Fair. However, this time she is looking forward to simply judging dog shows and eating cream teas rather than apprehending a killer!

And Martha is just beginning to enjoy spending quality time with Vicar Luke Walker away from the prying eyes and gossips of her own village, when disaster strikes, and the local teenage femme fatale is found stabbed to death behind the tea tent by Martha’s trusted red setter Lizzie!

But who would want to kill such a young girl and why? Someone in the village has secrets to hide and it seems Martha and Luke have another case to solve!

Let the investigation commence!

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/39FO4RF

My Review:

A second cosy mystery, set in a rural village in 1947, Daggers at the Country Fair is another opportunity for Martha Miller to use her amateur detective skills yet again.

Martha has been asked to open a local village fair, what everyone doesn’t bank on is someone being murdered and the whole villages secrets start becoming public knowledge. Everyone is in the frame for this murder with most men having some connection to the victim.

I felt this book was a little more to the point than the previous one but contained more red herrings and some interesting twists along the way. I enjoyed seeing how the mystery was solved and it took me a while to piece the clues together.

I really enjoy seeing Martha’s character development from book one, she’s becoming more confident and her relationships/friendships are developing. She is making headway in getting locals in her own village she understand her and see her as Martha and not the woman with her husband buried in her garden (he ISNT, he walked out).

I’d love a little more romance with Luke, but as the story is very in keeping with the era I think we need to solve the missing husband mystery.

A charming read, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I will look forward to the next visit. 

Catherine Coles writes bestselling cosy mysteries set in the English countryside. Her extremely popular Tommy & Evelyn Christie series is based in North Yorkshire in the 1920’s and Catherine herself lives in Hull with her family and two spoiled dogs.

Social Media Links:

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/catherinecoles

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

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/catherine-coles

 

Murder in Myrtle Bay - Isobel Blackthorn

When feature writer Ruth Finlay and her elderly neighbour Doris Cleaver visit an antique and collectibles market in the small town of Myrtle Bay, they get a lot more than they bargained for.

After Ruth's old tennis coach is found dead, they discover that there's no lack of people who harbour a grudge against the victim, and a tangled web of family ties and lies begins to unravel. But can Ruth and Doris find the killer in time to avert a second murder?

A quirky feel-good mystery laced with intrigue, Murder in Myrtle Bay is the first book in Isobel Blackthorn's 'Ruth Finlay Mysteries' series. Set in small town Australia, it is a sure pick for any fan of classic whodunits and cozy mysteries!

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Myrtle-Ruth-Finlay-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0B5VRZX2Q/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Myrtle-Ruth-Finlay-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0B5VRZX2Q/

My Review:

I thoroughly enjoy a cosy mystery (even ones full of recipes) and this definitely entertained me, although it took me a few chapters to settle into it, especially with so many characters to get my head around. Set in Australia, we meet Ruth and Doris who suddenly find themselves in the middle of a 'situation' and get stuck in solving this murder mystery. Amateur sleuths at their best!

A pair of fab leading characters, mouthwatering recipes and descriptions of food, you better have a snack or two handy! A good plot with fun characters led to this keeping me invested all the way, I was desperate to know everything and almost wanted to race through to find out. I love to see if I can figure it all out, but I didn’t quite manage it this time.

I have never read anything from this author but I am now a fan and will look to be reading more. The first in a series, I shall look forward to more sleuthing, A must read for mystery fans!

Author Bio:

Isobel Blackthorn is a prolific novelist of unique and engaging fiction. She writes across a range of genres, including gripping mysteries and dark psychological thrillers.

The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey received an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Reader's Favorite book awards. A Prison in the Sun was shortlisted in the LGBTQ category of the 2021 International Book Awards and the 2020 Readers' Favorite Book Awards. Her short story 'Nothing to Declare' was shortlisted for the Ada Cambridge Prose Prize 2019. Her dark thriller A Legacy of Old Gran Parks won a Raven Award in 2019. The Cabin Sessions was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award 2018 and the Ditmar Awards 2018.

Isobel holds a PhD in Western Esotericism from the University of Western Sydney for her ground-breaking study of the texts of Theosophist Alice A. Bailey. Her engagement with Alice Bailey’s life and works has culminated in the biographical novel The Unlikely Occultist and the full biography Alice A. Bailey: Life and Legacy.

Isobel carries a lifelong passion for the Canary Islands, Spain, her former home. Five of her novels are set on the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. These standalone mystery novels are setting rich and fall into the broad genre of travel fiction.

Isobel has led a rich and interesting life and her stories are as diverse as her experiences, the highs and lows, and the dramas. A life-long campaigner for social justice, Isobel has written, protested and leant her weight to a range of issues including asylum seekers and family violence. A Londoner originally, Isobel currently lives in rural Victoria, Australia.

Social Media Links –

https://twitter.com/IBlackthorn

https://www.facebook.com/Lovesick.Isobel.Blackthorn/

www.isobelblackthorn.com

https://twitter.com/IBlackthorn

The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove -Jaimie Admans

 

Her new start is about to bee-gin!

Having moved into her mum’s spare room after a disastrous break-up, Kayleigh Harwood is desperate for a fresh start. When she sees an opening for a new beekeeper at the old manor house at Elderflower Grove she jumps at the chance – despite not knowing a thing about bees…

 The abandoned house holds a mystery of its own – the previous owner vanished years ago – and locals have been inventing stories about the manor ever since. Unable to resist the urge to look around, Kayleigh is shocked to find drop-dead-gorgeous gardener Carey living inside!

 Carey explains that the house and surrounding land is at risk of being demolished, endangering the bees, and he has been staying there to protect it.

 Convinced the secret of the house holds the key to saving Elderflower Grove’s bees, Kayleigh is prepared to do everything she can to help. But is she ready to find her own happy-ever-after too…?

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09Z757JFW

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z757JFW

My review:

Wonderful summer read, instant sunshine and happiness in a book. This is down to Jaimie’s unique style and interesting storylines. As a fully fledged fan of all Jaimie’s books, I knew to expect some crazy antics, mysterious shenanigans and things that just can’t be explained. 

Great characters, a setting that is so descriptive you feel you are right there, and a lot of information about bees and beekeeping I never knew before. I loved Kayleigh, she has a great attitude and a character I wanted to see do well. Carey grew on me, I had doubts and couldn’t believe he was for real. Elderflower Grove just sounds magnificent, also a little mysterious as Kayleigh and Carey discover.

If you suspend your sensible head and go with your imagination, this book will leave you make you smile from start to finish.

As always, great writing, interesting themes and a smashing summer read. 

Author Bio:

Jaimie is a 36-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots. She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.

She is the author of several romantic comedies for HarperCollins - The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters, The Little Wedding Island, It's a Wonderful Night, The Little Vintage Carousel by the Sea, Snowflakes at the Little Christmas Tree Farm, The Little Bookshop of Love Stories, The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, The Post Box at the North Pole, and The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove.

Social Media Links – 

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/be_the_spark

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jaimieadmansbooks 

Sun, Sea & Strawberry Shortcake - Rosie Green

It was meant to be a gloriously romantic getaway in Wales for Ruby and Hudson. That was the plan, anyway. But then friends start inviting themselves along, lured by the idea of unwinding in a chocolate-box pretty cottage, wandering the lanes and the coastline, soaking up the sun and the stunningly beautiful Italian-inspired architecture. With Ellie, Jaz, Fen and Madison popping up around every corner, plus another sinister mystery to solve, will the lovebirds ever find time to indulge their desire for sun, sea and . . . strawberry shortcake?

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

My Review:

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I LOVE this series of books, Rosie Green is brilliant! Twenty two books in this series, every one is new and full of character, charm, laughter and drama, There are not many series’ that would remain so fresh and interesting, but Rosie manages with ease. I look forward to each book, eager to discover a new character as well catch up with old favourites. 

 

I love that this time we are back with mystery (and crime) solving extraordinaries Ruby and Hudson, I have previously found stories involving them to be the funniest and most dramatic. This time we meet and they seem a bit off, something isn’t gelling as it was. Going on holiday might give them chance to refocus on them – well that’s the hope.

 

Meeting Bee, the holiday cottage cleaner; and her young  daughter Jodie kick starts a whole series of events, and strange occurrences that Ruby can’t help but start to investigate. I was completely taken in by the threats Jodie received and was trying to figure it out along with Ruby, I was completely engrossed.

 

We also hear from an old favourite, Jaz, and her story plays out alongside the mystery being solved, her marriage might be in trouble as husband Harry is spending a lot of time with another woman. Time away with the Little Duck Pond Ladies will always help and they just happen to go to the same place as their pal Ruby, who also really needs her friends support. 

 

I love this mixture of mystery and room com, the characters are well written and seem more like friends. I enjoy the storylines which are engaging and fun. I could read another 22 in this series so please keep them going Rosie!

Author Bio:

Rosie’s series of novellas is centred around life in a country village cafe. Look out for ‘Clara’s Secret Garden’ out in August 2022.

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

Good Neighbours - Mary Grand

 

It was meant to be a safe place to start again... 

In need of an escape from her failing marriage, Nia agrees to house-sit her aunt’s cottage on the Isle of Wight. She feels sure the cosy close in a quaint harbour town will be a safe place to hide and figure out what to do next. 

But things are not all as they seem in the close, and the neighbours who welcome her with open arms, are keeping secrets. When Nia finds the body of one of her new friends lying on the beach, she feels sickeningly sure that the killer is dangerously near to home.

Who killed her friend and why did she have to die? And if Nia discovers the answers she’s looking for, is she next on their hit list? Good neighbours may become good friends, but they can also make deadly enemies… 

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

My Review:

An atmospheric and tense read, I enjoyed this ‘whodunit’ style thriller. It caught my attention and I found I wanted to keep reading to find out who was behind it all.

This story is set on the Isle of Wight where, upon first impressions they are a close group of friends/neighbours but beneath it all secrets, resentments and arguments mean someone has become a killer and will do all it takes to keep their identity from every being revealed.

Nia, has left Cardiff and her husband, Chris, of 20 years and is seeking refuge in her Auntie Gwen’s vacant property on the island. It isn’t long before she’s part of the group, but a tragic discovery leaves her feeling unsure of who to trust and their motives for wanting to keep her close.

It’s full of red herrings, but the clues are there. You will read along as Nia tries to eliminate each neighbour whilst being under the spotlight herself. As secrets start coming to light, you will not know who she can trust or whether she will be the next victim.

This book will grab you attention and fill you with suspense. It was very well written and moved along at a good pace, which I like with this genre. Very enjoyable for fans of this genre.

Author Bio:

Mary Grand is the author of five novels and writes gripping, page-turning suspense,
with a dark and often murderous underside. She grew up in Wales, was for many years
a teacher of deaf children and now lives on the Isle of Wight where her novel, The House Party, which was published by Boldwood in July 2020, is set.

 

Social Media Links:

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/authormaryg

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

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

Murder At The Summer Fete - Victoria Walters

 

A fete worse than death…

After finding the killer of Lucy Roth six months ago, life has settled back to normal for bookshop owner, Nancy Hunter, and her grandmother, Jane. The annual Dedley End village fete is just around the corner, and Nancy is delighted when bestselling author, Thomas Green, agrees to launch his first new novel in ten years there.

But then a series of sinister events lead Nancy to realise someone is trying to sabotage their fete, so she, along with Jane and their journalist friend Jonathan, must turn detective to discover who isn’t at all thrilled about the return of Thomas Green.

When a body is discovered at the summer fete, the death scene mirroring that in Thomas’ latest bestseller, they realise that there’s another killer in Dedley End, but can they outsmart someone who appears to have pulled off the perfect crime?

The clues are right under Nancy and Jane’s noses, if only they can find them. Because the answers to life’s questions can always be found in a book…!

A twisty, unputdownable cozy mystery that fans of Richard Osman, S.J. Bennett and The Marlow Murder Club will love.

Purchase Links

AMZ: https://amzn.to/3HE7928  

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3JLSUtX

Apple: https://apple.co/3zDUyte

 My Review:

I loved Murder at the House on the Hill, so I’ve been excitedly awaiting this next instalment and it has not disappointed at all. Victoria Walters has created the perfect cosy murder mystery series here, I hope we have many more mysteries to solve (via Nancy and co!)
Bookshop owner, and amateur sleuth, is hosting her first author event during the annual village fete. She’s excited as the author is a famous best seller and former local, although this excitement dims slightly when she starts receiving threats against him. When a body is discovered during the fete in the very same circumstances described in the authors latest book, all eyes look to those close to him to discover who did it and why.
After their previous success in murder mystery solving and feeling responsible for the death taking place at their event, our favourite trio – Nancy, Jane and Jonathan leap into action once again, despite several warnings from the local police officials. Nancy is keen to figure out who had it in for popular writer and knows that time is of the essence.
Not everyone is happy that the sleuths are getting involved, making it clear they should keep their noses out. This time a lot more is at stake, lives are on the line.

I love trying to figure it all out along with Nancy and her Gran, this time did seem to have less suspects than the first book although I did have an inkling who might be the culprit, I was unsure as to why. It kept me entertained throughout, mystery, drama and a lot of fun.
It well written, good plot and interesting characters. Love this series and I cannot wait for the next book for more detective work!

Author Bio:

Victoria Walters writes up-lifting and inspiring stories. She's the author of the bestselling GLENDALE HALL series, which continues with its third book HOPEFUL HEARTS at GLENDALE HALL in September, as well as two other standalone novels - SUMMER at the KINDNESS CAFE, and THE SECOND LOVE of my LIFE. She has been chosen for WHSmith Fresh Talent and shortlisted for two RNA awards. Victoria was also picked as an Amazon Rising Star, and her books have won wide reader acclaim.

Victoria is a full-time author. She lives in Surrey with her cat Harry, and loves books, clothes, music, going out for tea and cake, and posting photos on Instagram.

Find out more about Victoria by following on Instagram at @vickyjwalters, on Twitter at @Vicky_Walters or by visiting her blog at:https://victoria-writes.com/

The Wedding Cake Wish, Little Duck Pond Cafe - Rosie Green

 

Wedding excitement is in the air! With their big day approaching, Fen has her heart set on a gorgeous, intimate celebration with not much fuss at all. But strong-minded mother-of-the-bride Marjery seems to have considerably grander plans. There's also the small problem of a missing best man, and when Fen tasks Hudson Holmes and Ruby Watkiss with the job of tracking him down, their investigations unearth far more secrets than they bargained for. Will the Big Day go ahead in the light of such dramatic revelations? Can a wedding cake wish save the day? One thing's for sure – this will definitely be a wedding to remember!

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

My Review:

I’ve been a fan of Rosie’s and particularly ‘The Little Duck Pond Café’ series for a long time now and for me, it’s just going from strength to strength with each book. ‘The Wedding Cake Wish’ is the seventeenth book yet, the second instalment of the sub-trilogy of Ruby and Hudson’s cosy crime mysteries that neatly fits within ‘The Little Duck Pond Café series. It’s genius by Rosie Green – a great way to diversify whilst in-keeping with the usual feel of the books we love so much.

It’s the lead up to Fen’s wedding so it’s starting to become a little stressful especially as her Mum is taking over. More concerning is that the best man goes missing so our favourite investigators Ruby and Hudson get involved. I love the chemistry and dynamics between these two characters; they work so well together so I was very keen to see them solve this one!

With many threads being interwoven into this story, it was enthralling – I couldn’t put it down. I felt for Fen and desperately wanted her to speak up and get the wedding she wanted; I was keen to see why the best man had felt he had to disappear and more than anything I wanted to see if Ruby and Hudson realised how perfect for each other they are.

You could read this as a standalone book but I would highly urge you to catch up with the rest in the series too. I look forward to these books, always keen to see what’s happening in the lives of characters that feel like friends.

Brilliant – I can’t wait for the next! 

Author Bio:

Rosie’s series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe. The latest, ‘A Summer of Surprises', is out now.

Look out for ‘Snow Falls over Sunnybrook’, a heart-warming Christmas delight, out in November 2021. As snow drifts down over the village, will romance finally blossom for one very special pair?

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

We Belong Together - Beth Moran

Eleanor Sharpley has been living a lie...

Needing to escape her London life quickly, Eleanor throws her things into the back of her car, and heads to her erstwhile best friend Charlie’s family farm.

But Charlie isn’t there. Instead she finds Charlie’s grieving brother Daniel, her eight-month old daughter Hope (a daughter Eleanor had known nothing about), and a crumbling and unloved Damson Farm.

Damson Farm lies at the edge of the village of Ferrington, with the river Maddon flowing at its heart. But Ferrington is a village divided by more than just a river - it is split in two by an age-old feud – between the Old Side and the New Side. Eleanor has run from her problems, straight into a family and a world that has problems of its own.

But Damson Farm has magic too, and as winter gives way to spring, the old farm starts to come to life under Eleanor’s love and care. The orchard starts to blossom with daffodils and bluebells, and the sound of bees busy in their hives fills the warming air.  Can Eleanor bring Daniel and the feuding village of Ferrington back to life too, or will her secrets catch up with her first?

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3g55WF3

My Review:

A jam-packed romance with characters you will love and root for every step of the way! It is a story of personal growth, discovering yourself and dealing with tragedy and adversity. Heartwarming and endearing.

Eleanor is a great character, she is far from perfect, but she is likeable. She faces a lot of challenges and decides to ‘run away.’ Doing so means discovering fresh heartache but also new opportunities and we see how Eleanor makes the most of things, supports herself and takes care of those around her. She builds relationships within the (divided) community in Becky and Alice and makes it her mission to reunite the town and stop all the madness she witnesses during her stay.

Daniel is a brilliant character – he’s grieving and still puts others first. His dedication and love for baby Hope is so sweet. I love the way he helps Eleanor and gently nudges her in the right direction. It isn’t a story about love at first sight by a long way. It’s fair to say things are a little awkward at first but before long Daniel and Eleanor have a lovely bond and easy friendship and have created a great care system for baby Hope. As Eleanor works on making dreams come true, Daniel allows her free reign to do what is needed. How supportive!

When her past starts to catch up with her, Eleanor’s new life may be in jeopardy and the relationships she has nurtured during her stay may be torn apart.

I loved it... and I never read a book set fairly locally (although the town of Ferrington is fictional it is based locally) and there was even a mention for the mighty Mansfield Town FC (Come on you STAGS!)

Cleverly written and nicely paced, there Is so much happening but I felt the story played out in a nice way and I didn’t discover everything all in one go. As a story with multiple threads, they are cleverly woven so that I was always interested and wanted to read more.

I’ve never read anything by this author but I shall be rectifying that pretty quickly. I definitely recommend this fantastic story; romance, drama, humour with a little bit of mystery involved. What’s not to enjoy! 

Author Bio:

Beth Moran is the author of three previous romance novels, including Making Marion. She regularly features on BBC Radio Nottingham and is a trustee of the national women’s network Free Range Chicks. She lives on the outskirts of Sherwood Forest. Beth’s first novel for Boldwood, Christmas Every Day, was published in September 2019.

Social Media Links –

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/bethcmoran

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

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

Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/beth-moran

A Summer of Surprises, Little Duck Pond Café - Rosie Green

 

When Ruby Watkiss lands a job at the True Loaf Bakery, she feels as if the sun has finally come out. Having been through a traumatic time that wrecked her confidence levels, it’s a joy to be working for Ellie, and now all Ruby wants is to lead a quiet life and support her mum in getting the help she needs.

But life, it seems, has other plans for Ruby.

Working alongside the bafflingly rude Hudson Holmes would be bad enough – but then odd things start happening. It seems that someone is out to sabotage the café and bakery, and to her horror, Ruby finds the finger pointing at her.

Desperate to prove her innocence, she teams up with the most unlikely person in order to get to the bottom of what’s going on. Tailing suspects and hiding in bushes isn’t something she ever imagined she’d be doing, although her partner in mystery-solving seems the perfect man for the job. Can they clear Ruby’s name by discovering the real culprit?

With all the drama afoot, at least there’s no time for romance. Because that’s the very last thing on Ruby’s mind these days. Or is it…?

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

My Review:

One of my favourite series! After 16, Rosie has built quite the community whilst still managing to keep the stories fresh and different. If you haven’t read any of the series, don’t be put off. You can totally pick each up and read as a standalone, they include enough information to give you a bit of background but not too much to put off those that have read them.

I am always jealous of those stumbling on this series for the first time and them being able to work their way through them all!

Introduced to some new characters, you soon learn a lot about them as well as how they will fit with the rest of the community. I loved Ruby, and her relationship with Hudson. Their mystery solving is second to none, I loved it, fun and interesting! I was trying to figure it all out alongside them but Rosie did very well at keeping the mystery going for us readers. I changed my mind so many times, I really couldn’t figure out who was behind the sabotage.

Whilst these books are cheerful, fun, reads they do incorporate serious, sensitive topics and issues. Rosie does very well at tugging on our heartstrings, playing with our emotions and hitting us straight in the feels.

Another fabulous visit, I am already looking forward to the next!

Author Bio:

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. The latest, ‘Sweet Pastries & Sourdough', is out now.

Look out for more Little Duck Pond Café tales in 2021!

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

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