Love Blooms at Mermaids Point - Sarah Bennett

 

Bestselling author Alex Nelson is slowly coming apart at the seams after a failed marriage and an abrupt change in career leave him at a crossroads in life. When an unexpected opportunity arises to escape to the idyllic village of Mermaids Point, he’s hot on the heels of his brother, Tom, who has recently moved there. Buying a rundown bookshop might be just his latest harebrained scheme, but Alex has never been one to do things by halves.

After spending her early years caring for her mother, Ivy Fisher is finally ready to start living her own life. But when the impossibly charming, impossibly good-looking Alex Nelson swoops in and snatches her dream out from under her nose, it really is the last straw. Forced by circumstances to spend more time with him, Ivy finally gets a peak of the real man beneath the confident exterior, and she likes what she sees.

But just when things are starting to come together for them, Ivy is reminded why men can never be trusted. Is Alex who he says he is, or is he using Mermaids Point as nothing more than research fodder for his next bestseller?

My Review:
A fan of this series, I couldn’t wait to get stuck into Love Blooms at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett. I needed a cosy, fun contemporary romance and knew that this would be just that. It’s that is the third book in the amazing Mermaids Point series, but you could read it as a standalone, although I really do recommend the other books too.

This is a series that is uplifting and this visit did leave me feeling happy and content. I love a book that has a strong sense of community like this, where characters support each other and are there for one another when things go wrong.

Crafty and creative Ivy is carefully dealing with the grief of losing her Mum. Although they knew it was coming, it has left Ivy feeling sensitive. When her world changes even more, she needs to find security so she can move forwards.

Alex, brother of local doctor Tom, is in need of a fresh start; he wants to go in a new direction, and he wants to settle in Mermaids Point. When he finds an exciting new venture, he jumps straight in, but is he thinking with his head or his heart?
When Alex provides Ivy with everything she needs, even if temporarily, will she accept? It will mean letting down the walls she has built and putting her trust in someone other than herself.
Such great chemistry between these two characters, it jumps off the page. I really like both characters, so this pairing is perfect in my eyes. I like how independent Ivy is, but I do see how a great guy like Alex will be a reliable and caring source of support for her.

Wonderful dialogue, fun characters and brilliant writing by Sarah Bennett, as always.
A romance filled with tension, drama and a naughty cat called Lucifer!
Highly recommended.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/31ZLqTm

Author Bio:

Sarah Bennett is the bestselling author of several romantic fiction trilogies i;ncluding 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 was 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/

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

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 Blossom Tree of Dreams - Holly Martin

Welcome to the wonderful Wishing Wood, where incredible treehouses twinkle under a blanket of stars, the sea sparkles through the leaves, and true love is in the air. From the bestselling author of Sunlight over Crystal Sands comes this gorgeously romantic tale.

Indigo Bloom is on her way to beautiful Wishing Wood with some very big news. Two months ago she shared an incredible night with the most amazing man. She didn’t think she’d ever see River Brookfield again, but she never imagined she’d be showing up out of the blue to tell him she’s pregnant with his child.

Indigo’s heart longs for a fairytale ending. There’s just one problem: River doesn’t remember who Indigo is…

Crushed that a night that meant so much to her was so forgettable for him, Indigo resolves to keep her identity and her pregnancy secret until she gets to know the real River. But as they spend more time together, it’s clear that the incredible connection they shared that first night is stronger than ever, and that River might remember more than Indigo first thought.

The closer they get, Indigo’s secret becomes harder to share. Can Indigo find the courage to tell River the truth? And if she does, will she get the fairytale ending she’s been dreaming of?

Make all your dreams come true this summer with this feel-good love story that will sweep you off your feet. It’s the perfect read for fans of Jill Mansell, Sarah Morgan and Sue Moorcroft,

My Review:

Holly Martin is one of the absolute best at creating fantastic settings and locations as well as characters we take to heart. I am always hooked from the start and find myself engrossed in the story, unable to put it down and this is no exception.

I am so happy this is the start of a new series because I am desperate to get to know more of the characters in more depth.

Indigo is quite the leading lady; I LOVED her! One of my favourites so far I think. She finds herself in an unexpected situation and follows her gut, hoping someone remembers her just as much as she remembers him.

River (SWOON) along with his brothers has created a special, very unique treehouse resort and has ensured they are surrounded by people who love and want to support him. It’s an eclectic cast of characters but they compliment each other providing humour along the way.

The thought of a treehouse getaway really made me wish I could visit, it sounded enchanting; I’m sure everyone who reads this will feel the same.

Look out for the character you will love to hate, a truly despicable person who claimed to be a “friend.” Indigo doesn’t need people life her in her life, I just kept hoping she would see sense

This is a wonderful start to the series, well written with humour, charm and romance. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.

Thank you to Holly for the chance to read and review.  

Chocolate Cake for Breakfast (Little Duck Pond Cafe Series) - Rosie Green

 

After a shocking accident, Martha Munro has given up on her childhood dreams. With her confidence shattered, even leaving the house is scary, and a promising romance with gorgeous Logan is over before it even has a chance to begin. But cheered on by her dad and her great friend, Madison, she makes a decision that could change everything. Can Martha find the courage to step out into the world and love again?

Purchase Link- https://amzn.to/3Do07vT

My Review:

Always an absolute joy to read the next book by Rosie Clarke, and this time is no exception at all. I love the characters we are introduced to each time, Martha is a character I took straight to heart. Her life is turned upside down by a really nasty accident; she’s left with debilitating migraines which sounded horrific. I really did feel for her!

The accident always puts pay to her dreams, putting them to one side as she doesn’t believe in her own abilities anymore.

I think some really serious and important issues are touched within Martha’s story; of course physical health, mental well-being and self esteem are key issues for her character.

A new job brings a new colleague who helps her see things in new ways. She is a fab character, I loved their friendship.

I enjoyed seeing how Martha’s relationship with Logan develops throughout this story. They met and instant chemistry, so exciting to read. There was a change to the relationship after her accident, but slowly and surely it was clear to see that the chemistry was still there. Even with the love to hate character, Lila, around always involved, trying to cause problems and being a nuisance!

It’s always nice to catch up with this series, this is the 20^th book from Rosie Green now and it’s down to her brilliant writing and well developed, likeable characters that mean this community goes strength to strength.

I always look forward to the next visit and welcoming more characters to the series. 

Author Bio:

Rosie’s series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe. Her latest, ‘Snow Falls over Sunnybrook’, is out now.

Look out for more Little Duck Pond Café tales in 2022, including ‘Jingle Bells in June’.

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

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)

 

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