Love You From A-Z - Linda Corbett

 

Experience has told Jenna Oakhurst that Happy Ever After may happen in all the best stories, but Happy For Now is the best one ought to expect in real life. Yet lately even that isn’t quite enough, so when a strange set of circumstances leads her to discover a mysterious letter in an abandoned storage unit, she takes the chance to embark on a journey into the unknown…just like the heroines from the storybooks.

Reaching out to the letter’s author, Henry Somners, changes Jenna’s world irrevocably and she starts to realise that the magic she believed in as a child might not be such a fanciful notion after all…

Purchase Link -mybook.to/LoveYouFromAToZ

My Review:

Love You from A-Z is a cosy read that is a hug in book form. I didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised, it had loveable (and not so loveable) characters of human and furry variety – Jenna is our leading lady and is very organised and safe; she doesn’t want a life of risk but her partner seems to be the complete opposite and gets himself (and her) into risky, silly situations that she has absolutely nothing to do with but will always have to deal with the consequences. With each disaster or risk Jenna starts to realise they aren’t on the same page after all.

Soon Jenna finds herself in a whole different situation as well as living arrangement, but the positive in this is that she gets to meet Henry. He is confident, adventurous (in a good way) and could provide a more stable future but she really doesn’t know if he is just for fun right now or if it could work out in the long term.

Henry provides romance, safety and allows her to support her sister who’s guinea pig rescue is at risk. He learns the adjustments Jenna needs and brings her such happy times; it all seems too good to be true.

Jenna and her sister soon learn that appearances can be deceptive, but is there more to it than they think?

It is really refreshing to read a story with a main character with a disability, who needs an element of organisation and pre-planning in their lives yet still would like to experience things able bodied people do. Jenna is a good character and she wants it all, safety, security, romance and even adventure – she doesn’t want her disability to define her. The stories focus isn’t on her disability but is cleverly woven into it.

A lovely read with interesting characters and funny moments that will make you see guinea pigs in a new light.

Author Bio:

Linda Corbett lives in Surrey with her husband Andrew and three permanently hungry guinea pigs. As well as being an author, Linda is treasurer for Shine Surrey – a volunteer-led charity that supports individuals and families living with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. For many years she also wrote a regular column for Link, a disability magazine, illustrating the humorous aspects of life with a complex disability and she is a passionate advocate of disability representation in fiction. When not writing, Linda can be found papercrafting, cross stitching, or cuddling guinea pigs. Love You From A-Z is her first published novel.

Social Media Links –

Twitter:                https://twitter.com/lcorbettauthor

Instagram:          @lindacorbettauthor

www.facebook.com/lindacorbettauthor

Knowing You - Samantha Tonge

Available to order here 

Goodreads Blurb:
An abrupt change; a new friendship; a dark secret...
Kind-hearted Violet has never fitted in, but despite being bullied at school is now content. She is dating ambitious Lenny, has her dream job in publishing and runs a book club at the local retirement home. However, when her relationship with Lenny begins to falter, Violet, hurt and alone, seeks the advice of her new flatmate, Bella. She changes her image and with her head held high aims to show that she doesn’t need Lenny in her life to be happy and successful.

My Review:
A thought provoking and emotional book. I was not prepared at all for what it a lot of more than your standard 'chick- lit' /women's fiction - I was engrossed throughout, what a brilliantly written tale of the fragility of relationships, friendships and control. 

Violet , our main character, is really likable and relatable. She thinks of herself as an odd ball who doesn't quite fit in or deserve any of the good things in her seemingly happy, comfortable life. She is a normal - kind hearted girl, loved by those around her and is admired for who she is. Only problem being that she doesn't see it. 

The breakdown of her relationship with Lenny is the catalyst for her examining every part of her life and deciding that she needs to stop being the oddity, she needs to be better ao to compete with the type of women Lenny now wants to be with.

I enjoyed the use of flashbacks - helping to understand the reasoning and details of why Violet feels and acts how she does. To see how the issues she struggles with have deep seated roots.

The additional characters in the book are interesting. Some characters are the people she needs - the ones that stick by her no matter what; some are the people she desires - although they aren't necessarily the ones who want the best for her and are people she could do without. I liked how the friendships Violet had remained strong, how she had people on her side throughout.

Admittedly, I had my suspicions about certain elements of the book  but I was still surprised and shocked. I'm not giving anything away - but I was pleased the twists were there. I think it's important to have a book like this around in today's climate. 

Some may find it a tough read, it's emotional and quite hard in some parts. Don't get me wrong, it's not all dark and gloomy, but it is a read that will have you hooked until the end. It tackles some difficult, but realistic themes but Samantha Tonge has done so in a careful way, sensitively where you feel connected to the character and emotionally involved.

My first Samantha Tonge read and definitely not my last.
Comfy rating: 👍👍👍👍
Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for the copy in exchange for an honest review.