The One - Claire Frost

 

THREE PERFECT MONTHS

TWO IMPERFECT PEOPLE

ONE BIG LOVE STORY

What happens when you lose the love of your life just three months after you meet him?

Lottie Brown has finally found The One. Leo is everything she’s ever wanted – he’s handsome, kind, funny and totally gets her. Three months into their relationship, Lottie is in love and happier than ever before.

But then Leo tragically dies, and Lottie is left floundering.

As she struggles to stop her life falling apart, Lottie learns more about the man she thought she knew, and starts to question whether Leo really was as perfect as he seemed…

The brand-new heart-breaking novel of love, loss and learning to live again, from the acclaimed author of MARRIED AT FIRST SWIPE. Perfect for fans of Paige Toon, Holly Miller and Rosie Walsh.

‘A tender tearjerker’ HEAT – THE EMOTIONAL ONE

‘This moreish book will break your heart then fill it with love and hope’ FABULOUS

My Review:

A heart-breaking tale of loss, grief and putting the pieces of a life not quite lived together again. 

This book bits hard in your emotions, you can feel the raw pain felt by Lottie and how she gets lost in the loss of Leo but the ultimate loss of what could have been. 

She finally finds the man of her dreams, after years of seeing her sisters lives come together and already being let down by a man she loved, but that happiness is short lived. 

I won't say more about the plot but this is a story of rediscovering life, living it for you and not others. You see how to appreciate what you have and not to compare yourself to others. 

I liked Lottie, I empathised with her. I know loss and grief, I've experienced losing the one you love. My heart broke for her as I understood. I empathised but I was equally willing her to move forward, see what she did have and what she was capable of. She makes mistakes and sometimes her attitude stinks. I loved the bond between her and her sisters, a really lovely touch. Closer than friends and that means being able to be absolutely honest and know, deep down, they will always be there. 

I read through this is no time; I didn't anticipate massive twists and turns, but I got a powerful and emotive story full of heart and soul. 

Thank you Team BATC and Claire Frost for the opportunity to read and take part on the blog tour. 

Available to buy -  HERE

 

Tea for Two at the Little Cornish Kitchen - Jane Linfoot

 

St Aidan: a cosy Cornish village where friendships are made for life and it’s always cocktail hour somewhere…

The Little Cornish Kitchen is going on tour!
When internet sensation ‘Cressida Cupcake’ has a soggy bottomed TV fiasco and faces bake-off backlash she jumps at the chance to spend some time hiding out in St Aidan, dog sitting for her brother.

Picturesque Seaspray Cottage is meant to be Cressy Hobson’s port in the storm but with her blog sponsors having fled and her book deal gone sideways her funds are running low and she’s forced to turn to the locals for help. Soon her quiet weeks in Cornwall are filled with chasing sheep, saving the local retirement village, taking The Little Cornish Kitchen into people’s homes for baking nights…and keeping vigilant guard against romance.

The one and only time Cressy lost her head to love was over a decade ago while in St Aidan, and she won’t be making the same mistake again – a feat easier said than done when Ross Bradbury looks even better a decade on…and every step she takes seems to put him in her path!

 

My Review:

A Jane Linfoot book is something to be cherished and savoured; it’s like familiar warm hug in book form. It’s great to be back in St Aiden, but the Cornish village is a wonderful location for Jane’s books. Don’t worry if you have never read anything by Jane before, this works as a standalone. I would highly recommend reading everything else by Jane Linfoot, you will adore them all.

Tea For Two at the Little Cornish Kitchen drew me in from page one and I didn’t want to put it down, well unless it was to grab something sweet and tasty! It is a fun, cosy, romance that is jam packed full of delicious, mouthwatering descriptions of treats, cakes and bakes.

As always, we have a wonderful array of characters, some that you will take to heart immediately, some you hope will change for the better in more ways than one and some that make you laugh. Here we have Cressida Cupcake, and she encompasses all those things.

Whilst pet sitting, Cressy has change to assess the damage from her recent ‘mistakes’ and find herself a way to rise again. She isn’t herself and she is desperate to get back to the Cressida Cupcake everyone knew.

Discovering an unexpected yet familiar face is around, and is going to be a lot closer than she would ever like them to be, stirs up memories she would rather keep hidden and reopens scars she tried to believe were healed. Can old loves get over years of pain and learn to get along? Can past sorrows ever be eased?

I loved the idea of The Little Cornish Kitchen on tour, and seeing how Cressida Cupcake would deal with various situations. I wish it was real, each event sounded like an absolute riot (even when it wasn’t meant too!) Such a great community feel in these books, Cressida really does get stuck in and she’s not shy about working hard.

I loved getting to know the characters, loved being back in a familiar setting and loved all the different elements to the story. It’s warm, full of heart and sentiment and Jane’s writing makes you feel like you are right there in the heart of the community she has created. They feel like friends and that’s why I always look forward to the next Jane Linfoot book, no matter how long that may be.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley and for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tea-Little-Cornish-Kitchen-Book-ebook/dp/B09MH5L4SP/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Little-Cornish-Kitchen-Book-ebook/dp/B09MH5L4SP/

Author Bio:

Jane Linfoot is a best selling author, who lives in a cottage, up the steepest hill in Derbyshire, with her family, their pets, and an astonishing number of spiders. Although she loves seeing cow noses over the garden wall, she’s happy she can walk to a supermarket. Jane grew up in North Yorkshire where she spent a lot of her childhood avoiding horizontal gales blowing off the sea, and wrote her first book by accident, while working as an architect, and renovating country houses. While she loves to write feel good books that let readers escape, she’s always surprised to hear her stories make people laugh, admits to (occasionally) crying as she writes, and credits her characters for creating their own story lines. Jane’s garden would be less brambly if she wasn’t on Facebook and Twitter so often. On days when she wants to be really scared, she rides a tandem. She has lots of Pinterest boards relating to her novels.

Social Media Links:

https://twitter.com/janelinfoot

facebook.com/janelinfoot20

https://www.instagram.com/janelinfoot/

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/janelinfoot

Love Lessons in Starcross Valley - Lucy Knott

 

Love Lessons in Starcross Valley

With the recent breakdown of both her ten-year relationship and her parents' marriage, thirty-five-year-old Marnie Barnes no longer believes in love. To give her life the shake-up it so clearly needs, she books a ticket to Canada.

Thousands of miles away from her home and her twin sister, she struggles to have the life-changing experience she dreamt of – until she meets Nova, a dinosaur-loving space nerd with a penchant for living in the moment. After a wonderful day together in Vancouver, they part ways. Though gutted, Marnie thinks it's proof that she's not meant to find love and tries to move on with her life.

But a few months later, back in England, she bumps into someone achingly familiar. As Marnie navigates her new feelings, takes chances and makes the first move for the first time in her life, can she regain her faith in love – and find it for herself?

My Review:

Love Lessons in Starcross Valley is a romantic tale of following your heart, embracing your passions, gaining insight and a little perspective, and overcoming negatives. It’s a great story full of warmth, love, acceptance, and it really shows how family and friendship can survive both disaster and distance.

Marnie needs to take stock following the break down of her relationship and her parents marriage. Escaping to Canada, on a trip of a lifetime, she meets Nova. Spending a wonderful day together, Nova leaves a lasting impression on Marnie, one she carries with her as she returns home.

I was hooked from the start, the instant connection between Marnie and Nova was exciting and I loved hearing about Canada, a place I have always wanted to visit myself. Nova is such a great character; she seems so cool and unapologetic for being herself. Her support is instrumental for Marnie and those around her.

Lucy always writes great characters and Marnie, her twin sister Jovi and best friend Antoni are such likable, friendly ones. As a reader, you get the importance of their relationships and how close they are. You genuinely understand their love for one another, even when they are unhappy with Marnie; Jovi and Antoni’s love for her is clear.

It was very endearing to read how the relationship between Marnie and student Paislee develops, especially as Marnie becomes such a strong advocate for her in the classroom. Inspiring and shows Marnie at her best.

This is not your typical romance story, its much more.

A great read by a very lovely author, I am always a fan of her books and will look forward to the next. 

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Lessons-Starcross-Valley-Knott-ebook/dp/B09FVDSJQ7

US - https://www.amazon.com/Love-Lessons-Starcross-Valley-Knott-ebook/dp/B09FVDSJQ7

Author Bio:
Lucy Knott lives in Manchester England, just around the corner from her childhood home and less than five minutes from her twin sister Kelly and brother in law Chris. She loves spending time with her family in addition to writing, reading and cooking Italian food. When not buried in a book, scribbling in a notebook or having dance parties for one to Harry Styles, she works as a teaching assistant where the majority of her days are spent talking about dinosaurs and making Godzilla out of just about everything, from Blu Tac to cardboard boxes, and she loves every minute.

If she could up and move to the stunning Amalfi Coast, San Francisco or live in a cabin surrounded by fairy lights, she would, but for now she's quite content writing about those magical places. Lucy loves to write uplifting stories that she hopes will put a smile on your face, fill your heart with joy, encourage you to embrace the awesomeness that you are and believe that any dream is possible.

Social Media Links – Instagram: www.instagram.com/theblossomtwins

Twitter: www.twitter.com/theblossomtwins

Giveaway to win an e-copy of Love Lessons in Starcross Valley, a bookmark, sticker of Marnie and Nova, a dinosaur bracelet and a pair of dinosaur earrings! (Open INT)

 

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No Ex Before Marriage - Portia MacIntosh

 

It's not over until someone says 'I do'...

While her friends join the "Wife Club" one by one, Poppy feels like that part of her life is done and dusted. Already married and divorced she's not desperate to go through all that again.

But what if her divorce never actually went through...?

After a shock revelation Poppy not only discovers she is still married, but that Zac is about to have his second wedding!

Coming face to face with her (almost) ex-husband after six years apart is never going to be easy. And when Zac panics and tells his new wife-to-be that Poppy is family, things can't get much worse as she is welcomed with open arms as part of the wedding party!

As the memories flood back, can Poppy really leave the past where it is? And can she watch the first love of her life walk down the aisle to say 'I do' once again?

My Review:

Full of fun, laughs and crazy moments – a brilliant rom-com read from an author that always delivers exciting stories and great characters.

Poppy is really feel like the odd one out in her friendship group, the only single friends, well, technically the only one to have been married and divorced by the age of 30. Finding her inner wild child at the latest wedding, she finds a kindred spirit and new friend in Kat, and she reminds her how to have fun and live a little.

Discovering she might not be quite as divorced as she thought and that her (ex) husband is about to remarry, she hightails it up to Scotland with Kat in the hope she can quickly get him to sign the papers. In classic rom-com style, this doesn’t quite go as smoothly as it could as Poppy and Kat end up staying with the wedding party in a secluded castle, where she is pretending to be a spy and trying to figure out who is causing trouble.

The more time she spends in this castle, the more time she is spending with Zac and she starts to think that maybe her past decisions/actions were done in haste and that her feelings have never quite disappeared.

It’s a fun tale of reconnection, rediscovery and following your heart; learning that time can change people but can also mean you see things from a different perspective. A story of second chances that will lift your spirits.

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

Author Bio:

Portia MacIntosh is a bestselling romantic comedy author of over 15 novels, including Stuck On You and The Plus One Pact. 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

A Wedding at Hedgehog Hollow - Jessica Redland

 

It's time for the wedding we've all been waiting for...

Life at Hedgehog Hollow is never dull, although Samantha hopes that the new year ahead will be a little less chaotic as she prepares to marry the love of her life, Josh. But disaster strikes when she checks the rescue centre's bank account after the festive season and discovers it has been emptied. Who would do such a thing, and why? With the future of Hedgehog Hollow now in jeopardy, planning a wedding has lost its shine.

Phoebe is desperate to escape the shadow of her family, infamously known for their attacks on Samantha's beloved rescue centre. Could the kindness of the Hedgehog Hollow team be the chance she needs for a fresh start, or will her family's secrets continue to drag her back?

My Review:

A lovely return to Hedgehog Hollow, I’ve been eagerly awaiting this next book in the hedgehog loving series and let me say – the wait was worth it!

I flew through this book; I just didn’t want to put it down as I was so keen to know what was happening. Jessica Redland has been so clever in encompassing many issues within this storyline, tackling some very serious and sensitive problems that will have readers riding an emotional rollercoaster. I was ranging from outraged to concerned, from upset but then full of hope, with lots of happiness and a heart full of love.

Whilst we primarily are catching up with Sam and her wonderful family/friends and hogs, we are also given a chance to discover Phoebe’s story. She is the accountant Sam has sources vis the local college and she has more then one secret she is trying to hide.

The more I read of Phoebes life, the angrier I became. Working in the profession I do; this is something I hear of regularly and it never changes how it makes you feel; Jessica Redland has done such a clever job incorporating this storyline into the book.

Sam’s character is slowly moving forwards after events in the past but that doesn’t mean she’s completely over them; when reminders threaten to set back the progress, she’s made she must be careful with choices she makes regarding the people she keeps close by.

An excellent and very enjoyable read, even if a little hard going to at time. I will (impatiently) wait for the next book in the series and see what happens next at Hedgehog Hollow.

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

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

Author Bio:

Jessica Redland is the top 10 bestselling author of over thirteen novels, including The Secret to Happiness. Inspired by her hometown of Scarborough she writes uplifting women’s fiction which has garnered many devoted fans.

Social Media Links: 

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/JessicaRedland

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

Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/JessicaRedlandNewsletter

Heartcross Castle - Christie Barlow

                 

Love Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter what

A second chance…

When her grandfather Marley passes away Grace Power discovers she’s been left the beautiful but crumbling estate of Heartcross Castle. As a single mum of three, Grace has no idea what she’s going to do with it – but who can say no to a roof over their kids’ heads and a chance to get away from past hurts?

And a forever home

Heartcross Castle is full of secrets – especially a lost security deposit box that holds the truth to everything… But when celebrity chef Andrew Glossop sets his eyes on the castle and, to make matters worse, mistakes Grace as the new housekeeper, Grace tells him there is absolutely NO CHANCE he is getting his hands on her home.
 
Devastated to have got it so wrong, Andrew will do anything to make it up to her – but is she willing to listen? 

My Review:

Christie Barlow has created a series of books that I am always eager to return to – I don’t think she can write them as quickly as I would like to read them though. The Love Heart Lane series is going from strength to strength, Heartcross Castle is our next visit to Scotland and the community I know I have fully taken to heart.

I think Heartcross Castle is my favourite yet, although I probably say that every time. Grace Power is really one of those characters you get behind from the start and root for every step of the way and above everything you just want things to work out well for her and those three adorable (and fun loving) sons.  

Emotive, dramatic and heartfelt; Grace and her boys go on a journey of discovery, from escaping their current situation to living in a castle; finding things are not always as they are imagined to uncovering old secrets, re-establishing old friendships and learning to live alongside someone who seems to have it all when you have nothing.

I was swept away by Grace’s determination, her passion for providing the best for her family and just how hard she worked to make things happen. I loved that we saw all our favourite characters and yet again saw they pull together to support one of their own.

There are moments of sadness, moments of fun, times where you will laugh and times where you may just become a little teary.

As an ardent fan I always recommend this whole series to everyone, but Heartcross Castle is a little bit special. As always well written, nicely paced and guaranteed you’ll want to cosy up and read in one sitting. 

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B091BL4DX3

US - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B091BL4DX3

Author Bio:

Christie Barlow is the number one international bestselling author of fifteen romantic comedies including the iconic Love Heart Lane Series, A Home at Honeysuckle Farm and Kitty's Countryside Dream. She lives in a ramshackle cottage in a quaint village in the heart of Staffordshire with her four children and two dogs.

Her writing career has come as a lovely surprise when Christie decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. Christie’s dream was to become a writer and the book she wrote to prove a point went on to become a #1 international bestseller in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

When Christie isn’t writing she co-presents The Book Show on Radio Northwich, enjoys playing the piano, is a keen gardener and loves to paint and upcycle furniture.

Christie is an ambassador for the @ZuriProject alongside Patron of the charity, Emmerdale’s Bhasker Patel. They raise money and awareness for communities in Uganda.

Christie loves to hear from her readers and you can get in touch via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christie_barlow/?hl=en

Twitter @ChristieJBarlow 

Facebook page Christie Barlow author

The Library - Bella Osborne

 MY FAVOURITE READ OF 2021

Two different generations. Two unusual people. Thrown together to save their local library.
Tom is a teenager and blends into the background of life. After a row with his dad, and facing an unhappy future at the dog food factory, he escapes to the library. Tom unwittingly ends up with a bagful of romance novels and comes under the suspicion of Maggie.
Maggie is a pensioner and has been happily alone for ten years, at least that's what she tells herself. When Tom comes to her rescue a friendship develops that could change her life. As Maggie helps Tom to stand up for himself, Tom helps Maggie realise the mistakes of her past don't have to define her future.

They each set out to prove that the library isn't just about books – it's the heart of their community.

Together they discover some things are worth fighting for.

Purchase your copy: HERE

My Review:
What more can I say other than I LOVED it?! My absolutely favourite read of 2021.

The Library by (the always lovely) Bella Osborne is truly something very special. With a move away from her normal type of work, Bella hasn’t given us the light hearted romance than fans know and love. Whilst still written with her undoubtable skill and sensitivity, she uses this story to tackle more serious, hard hitting topics. 

A wonderful cast of characters, of different backgrounds, ages etc but they are all flawed and with their own issues. They have been carefully written, relationships have been delicately nurtured so to engage the reader, such as the relationship between Tom and Maggie. Their bond and connection started so small, with a simple act but grew into something life changing. 
When a common cause unites members of the community you quickly see how bonds grow and how those bonds can affect a person in many ways. They are trying to save the community library but through doing so they are also saving themselves. 

I didn’t want to put it down, and once I got to the end it stayed with me long after turning that last page. 

A charming, heartfelt story that I will recommend to all. 

For more from Bella please follow her on Twitter : Bella Osborne (@osborne_bella) / Twitter