Book Love ~ June

This months book reads have been a joy, I have travelled to New York, Turkey, as well as some gorgeous fictional villages in England. They have featured Cake, Fairytale castles, Shoes and lots of gorgeous men!
Heidi Swain – The Cherry Tree Café - Lizzie Dixon thinks that her boyfriend is about to propose but instead she finds herself dumped and heading back home to a village that she grew up in and thought that she had left a couple of years previously. Jemma her best friend is delighted to have her back and gets her helping her to restore the run down little cafe in the village that she has bought.  Jemma's high school crush Ben is also back in the village and the spare bedroom of Jemma and her husband and also is thrown into help restore the cafe. Utilising her sewing skills she starts to transform The Cherry Tree Cafe and also slowly starts to build her broken heart.This along with a budding friendship with Ben, Lizzie needs to decide if the village is a short term stop or a long term plan. - this is a delightful read and I only wished that there was a Cherry Tree Cafe near me!..

Caroline Roberts - The Cosy Teashop in the Castle  – Ellie takes a big gamble and bluffs her way into securing her dream job of running her own tea rooms in the grounds of a Claverham castle. Escaping from the humdrum of office life, her secure little family unit and nursing a broken heart she moves into a room within the towers of the castle and sets about living her dream and that of her beloved Nanna. Armed with her Nanna's trusty recipe & baking book Ellie sets about convincing both her family and the rather old fashioned traditional Lord Henry, owner of said castle that not only is she capable but can run a profitable business. Slowly with slices of cake, kindness and lots of hard work Ellie starts to win over the locals, Lord and Tourists visiting the tea rooms. As with all recipes, a cake isn't perfect without a little love and a sprinkle of magic and Ellie finds this start to bloom with the brooding estate manager Joe. Can Ellie find the show stopping success that she deserves both in and out of the kitchen… This is a lovely easy read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Caroline narrates in a way that you feel like you are living the life at the castle alongside Ellie. The characters are funny and you see the work family develop as the story unfolds, along with a couple of twists and surprises. Ellie is a delight and I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Jill Mansell – You and Me Always – Lily lost her mum at a young age, she has been bought up by her mums best friend Coral and her old baby sitter Patsy, surrounded by love in a village that has really taken her to all their hearts. Her best friend is Dan, Patsy's naughtier younger brother who is incorrigible with the ladies, but always finds himself falling back to Lily's friendship.

 We meet Lily on her 25^th birthday where she is given the last letter that her mum wrote to her before she died. Here Lily's mum reveals the surname of the man (Declan) that was her one true love , (alas not Lily's dad) and a bracelet that he gave her – Lily embarks on tracking him down to find out more about her mum. On the same day Lily also meets a famous film star actor Eddie who Patsy is harbouring secretly in her house and suddenly Lily's world in the quiet village of Stanton Langley is suddenly turned upside down. Jill Mansell has been one of my favourites and never disappoints, I really liked Lily and loved the story and adventures that she had.

A.L. Michael – Goodbye Ruby Tuesday - Four friends; Ruby, Evie, Mollie & Chelsea were the bad girls at school, thrown together as the misfits, of all the girls Ruby was the baddest. Often in detention they dreamed of bigger & better things; Ruby a singer, Evie as an artist, Mollie as a baker and Chelsea as a dancer. 10 years later the girls meet up at the funeral of Ruby a pop star who died at the height of her fame. It seems that only Ruby fulfilled her dream, and in her will she leaves the girls a house in Camden with conditions. This is book 1 in the Camden Square series and I am avidly looking forward to book 2. The characters are complex and interesting and have good back stories as well as the story of making Camden square a success and fulfilling their dreams. This book resonated lots with me as I am still friends with my 2 besties from school and related to lots of the school girl humour within this. 

Debbie Johnson – The Birthday that Changed Everything - Sally Summers knew that her husband wasn't likely to surprise her with an amazing birthday present, what she didnt expect was that he would leave her for a Latvian lap dancer half her age. With her life a complete mess she books a holiday to the blue bay resort in Turkey with her reluctant kids for some sun, sea and relaxation. Here she meets a group of people that meet up the same 2 weeks every year at the Blue Bay, one being a gorgeous Irish man James. It seems that all of the friends have secrets but take Sally to heart and encourage her to become part of the group. This book is funny, heartwarming and a great holiday read relaxing on a sun-lounger - if you have ever wondered about the friendships created lounging around the pool this is perfect for you.
Marcie Steele - The Second Chance Shoe Shop -  Riley Flynn manages Chandlers show shop in the town centre, Sadie works for Riley and is slowly trying to build her and her daughters life after the death of her husband. Riley is desperate to bring Chandlers into the 21st century but is being met with resistance from the owner who is threatening the shop with closure. Riley starts a social media campaign to attract some interest for the shop and through this she crosses paths with a freelance photographer Ethan. Riley is recovering from a broken heart and resists Ethans advances, however as her social media profile builds, she finds herself struggling with the realities of what that brings and suddenly the shoe shop that she loves is in jeopardy. This is a fun read and fans of social media and shoes will adore this.

Sarah Morgan – Sleepless in Manhattan - ok I've thoroughly enjoyed all the books that I have read this month, but Sleepless in Manhattan just tips the rest as my favourite. Great friends. Amazing Apartment. An incredible job. Paige has ticked off every box on perfect New York life checklist. Until disaster strikes and instead of shimming further up the career ladder, Paige is packing up her desk.

Her brother’s best friend Jake might be the only person who can help her put her life back together. He also happens to be the boy she spent her teen years pining after, and Paige is determined not repeat her past mistakes. But the more time she spends with Jake, the more Paige realises the one thing that was missing from her world all along: The perfect New York love story… Oh I loved this book and Jack really is the most gorgeous hero. This book is a must for anyone who loves New York and dreams of living in a Brooklyn Brownstone. All the characters are great and cant wait for the next instalment.

Jo Jo Moyes – Me before You – a re-read after seeing the movie at the beginning of the month. A book that stayed with me on reading the first time and continues to leave a mark on my heart on the 3rd read and the seeing the movie. Heart-breaking love story that makes you want to live every day as if its your last and urges you to #Liveboldly. 

Thankyou authors for 8 fab reads for June, I've loved them, definitely a pile that have featured some of my favourites; New York, Shoes, Cake & castles!...I am now 41 books into my 75 book reading challenge….Here's the previous 33 from 2016.

Book Love - May

My reading challenge continued in May with 5 books completed, a little bit of a slowdown from April. This was partially due to the fact that I am walking more after work which cuts into my reading time on the tube as I am now walking from Bond Street to Liverpool Street a couple of times a week when the weather is fine.

This months reads are a mixed bag of mystery, murder, love and friendship and have taken me to Italy, Jersey, 'Up North' the South of France and the English countryside.

Last month I waxed lyrically about a new author that I had discovered Helen H Durrant, May saw me continue with the Calladine / Bayliss police partnership in the 4^th book of this detective series with Dead Lost. The pair find themselves investigation a series of events which lead to a group of homeless people that have set up camp in a disused cotton mill, which as the story develops becomes more horrific. Alongside this the pair have to juggle their personal lives alongside their professional, as the investigation develops they find that the crimes are are further reaching than they imagined. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and with each story they become a little more darker and complex. D.I Calladine is definitely becoming a little bit of a guilty pleasure and look forward to reading the next in the series.

My next read saw be hoping the channel to Jersey for Georgina Troy's – A Jersey Kiss – here we meet Bea who along with dealing with a messy divorce is learning to live without her beloved god mother. Bea's god mother has left her, her beautiful home along with "A Jersey Kiss" which is proving to be a bit of a mystery. At work an old flame Tom reappears in her life, along with a gorgeous builder Luke who she hires to action some repairs to her home. With her ex-husband threatening court action for half of her home, Bea's life is a little chaotic, with the thought of losing her home, and some serious trust issues she has little time for romance, however things aren’t always as they seem and the mysterious legacy could be the thing that saves it all. This is a lovely story and I really liked Bea, being familiar with Jersey having spent some time there in my teens it was easy to visualise some of the places within this book. Having enjoyed this book I immediately downloaded the 2^nd book within the series which is loosely connected to book 1.

A JerseyAffair is Georgina's 2^nd book and features Paige. Paige is jilted days before her wedding and decides to spend her honeymoon for one in Sorrento. Paige is a shoe designer and has a small shop within one of Jersey's old department stores. Whilst on her 'onemoon' she meets Sebastian Fielding, a wealthy entrepreneur, he spends a platonic 2 weeks with Paige showing her the sights and sounds of Sorrento and its surrounding coastline and Paige's broken heart slowly begins to mend. On returning to Jersey Paige finds out that her department store is being taken over and the mystery buyer is none other than Sebastian, can their budding romance survive the threat of Paige losing her shop and  dealing with the press intrusion. Another delightful read from Georgina and had me scouring travel sites for a short stay in Sorrento. Sebastian is quite delicious and I enjoyed catching up with some of the characters from the previous book…. Book 3 is now downloaded and sitting in my "to read" list.

My 4^th read of the month is a Jill Mansell novel – Three Amazing things about You. Jill is one of my all-time favourite authors and yet again she didn’t disappoint with this book. In this book we meet 3 women, Hallie, Flo and Tasha unbeknown to each of them they will all become connected in ways that they never would have thought of; Hallie is a young women who is on a donor lost awaiting a lung transfer having suffered with cystic fibrosis all her life. We meet Hallie as she is heading for the hospital having received the call that a donor has been found. Hallie for the past few years has been hiding a number of secrets; 1. She is the author of a blog which answers peoples problems via 3 things about you, what she has never shared is who she is and the condition she has, she shares her secret on route to the hospital. Her other secret is that she is in love with the most perfect man, something she has never shared with her best friend or even him an now time is running out should she share that secret too? Flo has met Zander through the most bizarre circumstances, Zander's scary sister loathes Flo and the thought of them becoming friends would send her apoplectic, anything more would send her crazy. Tasha meets her perfect man and the only issue is that he is a bit of an adrenaline junkie, the complete opposite to safe, planned Tasha. She spends her tome apart from him worrying that something terrible is going to happen. One day all these womens lives collide and their lives will be intricately woven for ever more. This was a thought provoking emotional read, and Jill manages to make you laugh, cry and think in every chapter. I loved Hallie and desperately wanted her life to be better… I will leave it up to you to read to find out if she got her happy ending and got the courage to share her secrets.

My final read for the month is The Little French Guesthouse by Helen Pollard – Emmy Jamieson books a fortnights escape to a guesthouse in the French Countryside with her boyfriend Nathan. After 5 years their relationship has become a little dull and Emmy is hoping a couple of weeks in the south of France will inject a little life into their lives. Having barely unpacked Emmy's holiday takes a turn when she finds her boyfriend with his pants down with the owners cougar wife Gloria and the owner Rupert collapsing with a suspected heart attack unaware of his wifes antics. Nathan & Gloria scarper and leave Emmy holding the fort at the guesthouse and gites. With Rupert convalescing, Emmy agrees to stay and help out for the remaining holiday. She finds herself thrust into the heart of the local community which involves a sexy young gardener, and a infuriating delicious accountant. Emmy finds herself extending her stay and with Ruperts support she has some decisions to make about her future. This is a lovely read and one that I devoured whilst travelling through the French countryside on Eurostar with a large coffee and croissant. I loved Emmy and the characters were delightful. I do hope that Helen does a follow-up as I am sure that there are future stories with some of the supporting cast.

Thankyou authors for 5 fab reads for May, I've enjoyed travelling in Italy, France, Jersey alongside some heartache, murder, mystery, fun and friendship…. I am now 33 books into my 75 book reading challenge…. Here's the previous 28 from 2016.

Book Love - April

The book challenge continued in April, this month saw another 8 books read whilst on my commute in and out of London.
This months reads took on a darker edge with me discovering a new detective murder series which I have loved and a political thriller. Light relief was provided via the mishaps and fun across the worlds of journalism, house selling, coffee shops and chapters of fun in a toy store.
* Dead Wrong ~ Helen H Durrant - Dead wrong is the 1st book in the series of D.I Calladine & D.S Ruth Bayliss, set in the fictional town of Leesdon in the north of England. Calladine is a divorced 51 years old married to his job, Bayliss is mid 30's She uses her demanding workload as an excuse not to try too hard with the men she meets. 
Early one morning in a child's playground on the outskirts of the Hobfield housing estate a bag of severed fingers is found. This starts an investigation which feels like the killer is always one step ahead of the police in both the investigation and forensics. Juggling the investigation and his personal life Calladine continues to hunt the serial killer as more body parts appear across the estate. I was gripped with this book from the start which culminated in me reading 3 of the series within the month. Fans of Mark Billingham's Tom Thorne will love Tom Calladine as much.
Finding Home ~ Lauren Westwood - Amy Wood finds herself temping in an estate agents and living back at her parents, a far cry from her perfect job, boyfriend and life in London. Broken hearted and jobless she is now entrusted to help sell a crumbling mansion Rosemont Hall, riddled with dry rot and secrets. Can Amy save it from the developers, bull dozers and her greedy boss and can a crumbling mansion heal a broken heart? - this was a lovely debut novel, good characters, feel good fun and entertaining read. 
Prime Deception ~ Carys Jones - John Quinn, an investigative journalist on England’s biggest-selling and most notorious tabloid newspaper, is about to write the story of his life – a kiss-and-tell with one of the country’s most powerful men at its heart. But the story dies when Lorna Thomas, the kiss in his kiss-and-tell, kills herself on a quiet country road. Unable to accept her twin’s suicide, Laurie Thomas follows in her sister’s footsteps to London and to the heart of government. And as she becomes more involved in Lorna’s world, she grows more convinced than ever that Lorna did not take her own life. - This is a great political thriller that has front page headlines written all over it, great twists and surprises, perfect for anyone that loves the intrigue of downing street.
Mishaps in Millrise ~ Tilly Tennant - Phoebe's life was a mess; her boyfriend was killed in an accident and she lost her job. When she wishes for a new start she meets Jack and his adorable little girl, 5 months on and life is looking up. She's still with Jack, has landed a dream job in a toy store and Jack's little girl adores her. Phoebe is convinced that her happiness cant last; with Jacks mum on a vendetta against Phoebe, His brother Archie causing trouble, the toy-store going into financial decline and the boss's son hitting on Phoebe, life suddenly becomes complicated for her. This was a fun read, Phoebe is a sweet character and the supporting cast are a great ensemble, a fun read.
Dead Silent ~ Helen H Durrant - A body is found in a car crash, but the victim was already dead . . . Women are going missing and no-one has noticed; Police partners, D.I. Calladine and D.S. Ruth Bayliss race against time to catch a vicious serial killer.  Calladine's personal life has got a little more complicated and this along with female university students going missing adds to his stress levels. This was a thrilling read and as enjoyable as the 1st book, great characters and plot if not a little disturbing.
The Last Word ~ A.L.Michael - Tabby Riley’s online life was a roaring success. Her blog had hundreds of followers, and legions of young fans ardently awaited her every Tweet. Her real life was a bit more of a disappointment. Living in a shared flat in North London, scratching a living writing magazine articles on ‘How To Please Your Man in Bed’ wasn't where she thought she’d be at twenty-six – especially when there was a serious lack of action in her own bedroom.Although that might all be about to change when she’s offered a position at online newspaper The Type as a real journalist – and gains a sexy new editor, Harry Shulman, to work with. Harry’s confident, smooth talking, and completely aware that he drives Tabby mad. Which is fine, because Tabby’s dated an editor before, and it’s never happening again. Ever. But as her reputation at the paper grows, Tabby has to wonder: is it time to get out from behind the screen and live her life in the real world? - Tabby is a dream character, funny, a little bit of a clutz and lacking confidence in her real life the complete opposite of Harry; who is just is delicious, confident and a little naughty!. I really enjoyed this book and have already downloaded another of her books.

Catch a Falling Star ~ Emily Harvale   - Catch a falling star is the 2nd book in the Hideaway series and features Laurel. She’s young, free and single; she owns The Coffee Hideaway, lives in the prettiest village in East Sussex and is surrounded by friends… she may also be a suffering from some unrequited love with her friend Ned; Jamie McDay is miserable. Hollywood has become a gilded cage. The paparazzi are snapping at his heels, and since he dumped his co-star girlfriend in a spectacularly stupid public display, he’s been dropped from the Vampire series that made him a heart-throb, movie star. Visiting his friend, Gabriel Hardwick will cheer him up. Hideaway Down may be a bit ‘twee’ but local stunner, Ivy Gilroy could definitely put a permanent smile on Jamie’s face. That’s if he can persuade her to dump her boyfriend, Ned. This was a welcome return to Hideaway and its villagers, Laurel finds herself the attention of a movie star and his attempts to befriend her. Its a fun light hearted read and a perfect pick you up for a miserable commute.
Dead List ~ Helen H Durrant - the 3rd book in the Calladine series and this one features a killer that seems to have a 'kill' list. With no apparent connections to the victims or methodology of death, the only thing linking the deaths are 'tarot' cards left with the bodies. Calladine is perplexed and with 2 small girls missing and a new and upcoming DI from a neighbouring station stepping on his toes he has a host of things to deal with at both home and at the station. A great read, book 4 is on my To read list for May!.
Thank you authors for 8 fantastic reads, I've loved the thrills, fun & mystery from this months reads... I am now 28 books in of my 75 book reading challenge; here's the previous 20 from 2016.

Book Love - March

So my book challenge continued in March, with 8 books read.... that tells you how well my commutes have been, when I can  read 8 books travelling into and out of London.
This months reads have been a welcome relief from the city taking me to the countrysides of the Cotswold's, Suffolk, Roxborough, Swell Valley and Dartmouth along with the coast of Cornwall.

* Rules for a Successful Book Club - Victoria Connelly  - this is Victoria's 2nd book in the book club series and here we pick up on the story of Polly Nightingale. Polly's husband walked out of the house 3 years ago; leaving behind his wife and 3 year old son. Polly finds herself spending time with neighbour Jago; a guitar playing biker, 13 years her junior who her son finds himself delightful. With life looking on the up, Polly's life takes a turn when she starts to believe she is being watched. can the past come back to haunt her?  I loved catching up with the Nightingale family in the lovely countryside of Suffolk having read book 1 in january.... now looking forward to book 3!
* The Woman who Upped and left - Fiona Gibson - this fun read features Audrey a divorced mum to an 18 year old teenage son Morgan... juggling jobs and picking up dirty pants is as thrilling as life gets for Audrey, unless you count romantic trysts in motorway service hotels with her salesman boyfriend. When she is offered an opportunity to escape for a week to a gorgeous hotel for a cordon bleau cooking course she grabs it with both hands and runs away. Life catches up with her and it becomes even more complicated, with laugh out loud moments and a great supporting cast this is a fun read, perefct to escape with on a rainy afternoon.
* Rumour has it - Jill Mansell - Tilly quits her job in London after being dumped by her boyfriend Gavin for a 'girl friday' job in the village of Roxborough working for Max and his daughter Lou. She is quickly ensconsed into the charm & gossip of village life. Tilly also meets Jack best friend of Max a widower and the man who has broken hearts all across the village. I loved this book, Jill is definitely one of my all time favourites. The village of Roxborough was so much fun and this book covers so many topics, a great read with a very delicious leading man!

* Riders - Jilly Cooper - sometimes you have to re-visit a classic!... picked this back up after reading Tilly's & Lucy's books which both feature horses and stables. It's over 25 years since I last read Riders and 25 years later Rupert Campbell- Black still has the swoon stakes in the equestrian world. I was always a Jake fan and it was great to re-visit the world of show-jumping. Even though this book was written 30 years ago it still holds its own in today's world. A fantastic retreat into the Cotswold countryside and the bitter rivalry in the show-jumping ring..
* Summer at Tiffany's - Karen Swan - SaT is the sequel to Karen Swans Christmas at Tiffany's and we join Cassie and Henry 18 months on, when life seems ideal. However although Cassie wears Henry's ring on her finger she is reluctant to set a date.Henry is still an explorer and finds himself skippering an expedition across the Pacific, Cassie decamps to Cornwall to spend time with friends and family. Here she finds herself in the company of a blast from her past which makes her question where her future lies. She is also finds herself presented with one of Henry's infamous lists. Life suddenly becomes a little more serious and she has some big decisions to make. I loved catching up with Cassie and Henry and the family & friends from the Tiffany books. I do hope that Karen writes another. (Fitz was as equally hooked on this book along with me - he took much delight in page turning on the ipad!)
* The Show - Tilly Bagshawe - this is the 2nd book in the Swell series and we join Gabe and Laura Baxter on their farm nestled in the chocolate box valleys of Swell valley. Prior to marrying Gabe Laura worked in the Tv world and with them struggling financially she pitches an idea to film a 'on the farm' reality series. With a protest group led by the vicar, an exiled PM turned TV financier  and a sexy driven american female Tv presenter to deal with Laura and Gabe's idyllic country life soon starts to show a few cracks. A great return to the village of Swell and I am looking forward to the 3rd book later this year.

* The Day we Disappeared - Lucy Robinson - a thrilling read by Lucy Robinson and in typical Lucy style, not everything is as it seems. We meet Annie who is holding a really big secret and we also meet Kate who has run away from her life in Ireland to a stable yard in the depths of Devon. Both girls are friends having met many years ago whilst travelling around Thailand. Kate starts a job as a trainee within the stable yard and trying desperately to hide that she has no stable experience from the owner and famous equestrian rider Mark. Annie finds her life changing when she meets Stephen who offers her the perfect job. Plagued with bouts of anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress Annie finally feels her life has turned a corner. We follow both girls lives and as their lives become more complicated so it reveals that not all is as it seems.... a great read full of twists and surprises all the way through.
* The Undomesticated Goddess - Sophie Kinsella - its been some time since I read a Sophie Kinsella book and this has been languishing in my "to read" pile. Its a fun read that finds us meeting Samantha a high powered lawyer who thrives on pressure. One day when it seems that Samantha is about to receive the job that she has dreamed and worked for she finds that she has made a colossal mistake, resulting in her walking out of a job and jumping on a train. She finds herself in the middle of nowhere and mistakenly caught up in the interviews for a housekeeper in the countryside. With an IQ of 158 Samantha can deal with all calamities in the courthouse but has no idea how to turn on the oven. Hiding out in the kitchen Samantha finds herself falling in love with both the countryside and its inhabitants and her life in London seems a long way away. However life has a funny way of catching up with you. A delightful read and a welcome change for Sophie Kinsella away from her shopaholic series.
Thank you ladies for 8 fantastic reads, I've loved visiting the countryside of England in this months reads... I am now 20 books in of my 75 book reading challenge; here's the previous 12 from 2016.

Book Love - February

So my book challenge continued in February with a further 5 books read. This months reads have taken me across the Irish sea to Mulberry Bay, online dating with the ex, dog show antics with a brooding Mr Darcy, allotment fun with a socialite and a book club for broken hearts.

• The Broken Hearts Book Club - Lynsey James ~ Lucy Harper finds herself heading back home to Luna Bay for her beloved Nana Lily's funeral. This was Lucy's 1st trip back to the bay after 8 years, she fled the town after an incident which unravels as the book progresses. It is evident that the small town hasn't forgotten and that Lucy still holds a lot of guilt from that incident and she only plans to stay a few days. Nana Lily's will throws a spanner in the works and Lucy finds herself bequeathed a cottage and book club with conditions. Throw in a gorgeous love interest in the shape of Jake the local landlord, who also has his secrets, a great supporting character cast of Lucy's mum & dad and friends George and Elle along with the reluctant broken hearted book club and this makes this a lovely read with several layers.
• Match Me if you Can - Michelle Gorman ~ Friends Catherine, Rachel, & Sarah house share, all successful in their careers; Catherine owner of a matchmaking business, Rachel and architect and Sarah an illustrator but all unlucky in love; Catherine's ex husband and business partner has just dropped the bombshell that he is marrying his 23 year old girlfriend, Rachel is competing with her ex James for the biggest architectural pitch of her career and Sarah has no time for love, spending all her spare time with her disabled young sister and caring for all the others. The 3 girls make a pact to join Catherine's Recyclove.com - a dating agency that asks their Ex's to complete their profiles. This was a fun read, and I enjoyed following the girls dating adventures and lives. 
• Unleashing Mr Darcy - Teri Wilson ~ Elizabeth Scott finds herself accepting a job with a pedigree dog breeder after a chance meeting at a dog show in her home town of New York. Said dog show also finds her meeting the dashing judge and british billionaire dog breeder Donovan Darcy. Think Crufts meets Pride & Prejudice and you have this book completely. Doovan is quite delicious, Elizabeth is sweet and fiesty and the supporting cast and digs are delightful. a fun read that leaves a warm glow.
• The Hotel in Mulberry Bay - Melissa Hill ~ Mulberry Hotel sits proudly on the cliff top of Mulberry Bay and has been in the Harte family for years. Eleanor and Penny grew up in and around the corridors of the hotel with penny loving everything about it and Ellie wanting to escape the minute she was old enough. Both girls find themselves returning after their beloved mother and matriarch of the hotel passes away. What is evident is that the hotel isn't as grand as it once was and that the bank are chasing the repossession of the hotel. Both girls along with their father go on a journey of discovery, grief and a desire to bring the hotel back to its glorious best. This is a beautifully written book by Melissa Hill of family, love and community.
• The Great Allotment Proposal - Jenny Oliver ~ Socialite Emily Hunter-Brown has bought her old home a manor house on Cherry Pie Island. Along with the manor house, she also gets her friends allotment to care take. Armed with brand new Hunter wellies and a fork she finds herself more of a hindrance than a help amongst the weeding. When her teenage first love re-appears on his boat and moors at the end of her garden her life and offers to help will her heart hold out. This was a lovely light read, 3rd in the cherry pie island series.

Along with some fun fiction reads, my fiction reads were a little darker filled with murder, espionage and forensics February saw me travel to the Crime Uncovered exhibition at the London museum. This book details the exhibits and the Scotland Yard back stories to all cases - fascinating, forensics and thrilling mystery's. I loved it.

My coffee table 'read' was the delicious Dieux du Stade the book presents photographs by Fred Goudon, whose work has focussed on the male form for over 20 years. A fab fun 'pick-me up' present from my GBF.

I have already started on my March reads and look forward to sharing those with you later in the month. 2 months in to my reading challenge and I am 12/75  complete. What books have you loved this month, would love to hear from you.

Reading Challenge 2016

So this year I've set myself (with a little help from Goodreads) to read 75 books in 2016.  As you all know I am an avid reader and to aid my progress I have set up a separate page to share my reads from 2016.
January's reads look a little like this;

* The Book Lovers - Victoria Connelly - Callie Logan is a children's author who after the breakdown of her marriage, relocates to a tiny village in the heart of Suffolk in the gloriously names Owl Cottage. Happy to seclude herself away and her books, fate throws not one suitor but 2 in the guise of Leo; a man at home in the elements and countryside and Sam the local owner of Nightingale books.
Victoria's description of the Suffolk countryside is gorgeous and bought back lots of lovely memories of my time in this part of the country and spending time with family that live there. Also having been to Victoria's home in this part of the world Owl Cottage is really bought to life for me. I really enjoyed this book and with the introduction of many characters I look forward to the next book in the series. Delightful.
* Meet and Delete - Pauline Lawless - 3 friends; Megan, Viv & Claire find themselves all single  and sharing a house together in their 30's. They turn to On-line dating to find their "Mr Right", what they do find are some Mr Nice, plenty of Mr Never-again and lots of adventure in between.  This book has sat in my "To read "folder for a while and when I started it I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it; along with the fun and friendship it also deals with some family angst along with lots of laughter. Fans of Cathy Kelly will love this.

*  Meet Me in Manhattan - Claudia Carroll - Holly Johnson is a budding journalist and thinks that she may have found her perfect guy On-line  - the only issue is that he lives in America and she lives in Dublin...after 3 failed attempts to meet up in her city; she decides to cross the Atlantic and surprise him in New York... however not everything is as it seems and Holly gets the shock of her life when she finally tracks down her mystery man. Suddenly Holly's life is tipped upside down and her future, job and life all become a little bit of a nightmare. - This was a fun read, with fabulous moments in New York. (gave me a warm Manhattan hug) and gives a great insight into the Catfish elements of online dating. Claudia Carroll really does write a very clever rom com adventure.
* What would Lizzy Bennet Do - Katie Oliver - Katie Oliver has done it again and put her own twist and style on a classic. Lizzie Bennet has been in love with Hugh Darcy for years, however when he returns to the family estate after many year, he is accompanied by a fiancé - Holly James. Holly is completely unprepared for Hugh's life as lord of the manor. With a film crew shooting Pride & Prejudice in the grounds of Hugh's stately pile and the dastardly Mr Wickham (Holly's ex) setting his sites on one of the Bennet sisters a summer on the English Riviera looks far from tranquil. - a fun read, perfect for all fans of Austen. Look forward to reading Emma Bennet's adventure next.
* Stirred with Love - Marcie Steele - A sweet story of finding a family & friendship in the most unlikeliest of places.. Lily owns the run down cafe and whilst grieving for her husband she advertises for some help to put some life back into her cafe. Kate & Chloe apply and a beautiful story of friendship across generations unravels as they embark on their new adventures opening the cafe as a coffee shop. This story spans 3 generations and as well as being very sweet and lovely, it can at times be heartbreaking. .. looking forward to Marcie's next book.
* Its Now or Never - Jill Steeples - When smooth-talking Alex Fellows tells Jen Faraday he can predict her future – and leaves a note with the bartender for her to collect in one year’s time – she thinks it’s just a line. After all, how can a man she’s known for only one night see what her future holds? - Fun read and characters that you warm to quickly. Loved the relationship with Jen and her Gramps. Resonated lots with me as I too had a Gramps. An easy read that absolutely brightened my January gloomy commute... especially as Alex Fellows is quite delicious.
My final read for the month is the autobiography of the gorgeous Dan Carter - All Blacks flyhalf and rugby legend. - Halfway through and I am gripped; fascinating read of a boy who became the David Beckham equivalent of the Rugby world. With the 6 nations kicking off on February and my fabulous autumn of World cup rugby this was the perfect non-fiction book to kick-off 2016 with
Along with the challenge to read 75 books; 12 of those are to be factual as opposed to fiction and I am hoping to tie them in with my current affairs of that month!... watch this space

15 Festive reads from 2015

Over recent years festive reads have become part of my Christmas musts and a glorious way to spend some 'down'time during the busy holiday season.

I love a Christmas book... and look forward every year to compiling my seasonal wish list... this years selection is as varied as a box of celebrations and as delicious to unwrap.
Here's my thoughts on the 15 read for 2015;

Wish upon a Christmas Cake –Darcie Boleyn - Kate would really like to spend Christmas at her cosy tearoom Crumbtious Cakes; instead she finds herself with her celebrity brother, judgemental mother and ex-boyfriend who is now a widower with 2 small children. mourning the recent loss of her beloved grandmother; Kate finds herself facing lots of reflection and the possibility of christmas wishes coming true. A delightful read from Darcie; perfect with a roaring fire and a plate of warm mince pies.
Let it Snow - Wendy Lewis – We are introduced to Karen as she is loading up her caravan and leaving her lazy husband Frank. She and her much loved pooch Eccles take up a 'live-in' post with an elderly lady in her childhood home town in Sussex. It soon become apparent that this is not the ideal solution and with her parents help buys a remote semi derelict farmhouse on the downs.  Karen finds herself by lucky accident working at the local vets, which is headed up by a very attractive vet! With her elderly father being diagnosed with dementia, a troublesome Ex, a local admirer and a crush on her boss; Karen's life is suddenly a little complicated. Through in a snowstorm and christmas around the corner this makes for a fun, though provoking festive read. This was my first read from Wendy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are laugh out loud moments along with some heartache; a lovely little read for a winters afternoon.
Christmas Ever After – Sarah Morgan - this is the 3rd book in the Puffin Island trilogy and features Skylar and Alec. Skylar and Alec's paths cross in London and Skylar finds herself spending the lead up to Christmas with Alec and his family. Alec finds his opinion of Skylar changing and they return to Puffin Island for Christmas. I have loved the Puffin Island trilogy and as well as following Alec & Skylar's story you catchup with the Emily and Brittany from the previous books. This is a gorgeous, sexy winter read, perfect to warm a cold winters night and will make you seek out holiday cottages in the islands off the maine coast!
Four Weddings and a White Christmas – Jenny Oliver - Book 5 in Jenny Olivers Cherry Pie Island and a welcome return to such a lovely place. Hannah is offered a dressmakers job of a lifetime and finds herself back on cherry pie island; a place she spent many happy moments as a teenager and reunited with friends from school. She also crosses paths with cynical chef Harry Fontaine and with 4 weddings to assist with she spends the year doing her up most to ensure all brides are happy. - a lovely welcome return to all previous stories, sprinkled with a dusting of snow, a twinkle of christmas magic a jaunt to New York and a lice of love and friendship and cherry pie. 
Christmas at the Castle –Victoria Connelly - a lovely little novella from Victoria set in the Highlands of Scotland. Catriona Fraser and her 2 children live at the family Caldoon castle; bequeathed after her husbands death. Hiring out key rooms for Christmas they find Iain MacNeice and his 2 daughters arrive for the holiday period. Things aren't as idyllic as they appear and both families find themselves needing each other before the holidays are over.

One Wish in Manhattan –Mandy Baggot - Hayley is a single mum to Angel and as well as fulfilling a Christmas wish to spend the festive season in New York with her brother; she also embarks on a journey to try and find Angel's dad and fulfil her wish for a Dad for christmas. As she embarks on the search she crosses paths with billionaire Oliver, here the adventures become even more thrilling. I started this book on my journey to New York in December and it really was the most perfect read. Another great story from Mandy.
A Miracle at Macy's – Lynn Marie Hulsman - Charlotte is a shy homebody who is much happier at home writing her cookbooks and blog. She finds herself loosing her beloved pet dog Hudson in a week before Christmas. Her celebrity aunt loans her her assistant Henry to help with the dog hunt. Hudson leads Charlotte and Henry on a merry dance as he is spotted in Central park with Santa's helpers, in Times Square with a supermodel and in multiple locations across New York.... I read this book whilst in New York in December and i loved it, it made me laugh lots.. its like Home Alone 2 for dogs!

Midnight at Tiffany's – Sarah Morgan – loved this little christmas novella by Sarah Morgan – Matilda is a waitress by day and budding author by night. When she is rescued by a handsome stranger at an event and finds herself out of a job; she embarks on one magical night with him. Chase Adams is a millionaire and when he finds himself talking to Matilda who has no idea who he is or what he is worth he finds himself wanting to spend more than one night with her…. Can they find magic at midnight at Tiffany's. Sarah Morgan writes fabulous stories with great characters and she

Doesn't disappoint in this festive read. Gorgeous men, New York and Christmas … ticks lots of my boxes!

Chocolate Lovers Christmas –Carole Matthews – CM is a favourite of mine and I looked forward to catching-up with the ladies from the Chocolate Lovers Club. It’s a couple of years since I read the 1^st book and this is the 3^rd in the series; it felt like I was catching up with old friends.  Lucy is now running chocolate heaven; Nadia is coming to terms with her husband's death and all the complications that that has created. Autumn is dealing with tragedy and not getting much help from her fiancé and Chantal is besotted with her new baby and trying to hold her marriage together. As Christmas approached the 4 ladies find each of their lives unravelling a little; throwing up all sorts of surprises from estranged families, ex fiancés, new beginnings and  loves lost it is soon apparent that their friendship is the commonality that will help them through it all.

It took a little while for me to familiarise myself with the characters, but once in I was completely absorbed and it was like curling up with a huge mug of hot chocolate and a warm blanket. As with all of CM's books; it's never plain sailing for the characters and all of them had their share of heartache, fun, love and laughter and I loved it all.  Anxiously now awaiting Book 4 in this series and their next adventure.

Last Christmas – Lily Greene - Last Christmas Ella had her heartbroken on New Years Eve by her banker boyfriend Robbie. This Christmas, Ella is embarking on her debut exhibition in a London gallery. Whilst shopping on the run up to Christmas she keeps bumping into mysterious handsome stranger. Their paths keep crossing and Ella finds herself falling for Fergus a war photographer.Just when she thinks she is finally moving on with her life; Robbie turns up at her opening night. Ella has some choices to make.  Last Christmas is a lovely heart-warming read and a lovely modern twist on the classic love triangle and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

My Big Fat Christmas Wedding– Samantha Tonge - we join Pippa back on the Greek island with her fiancée Nico. with her christmas wedding approaching she heads back to England for her ex's engagement party. Can she really give up the glamour and excitement of London for the slow life in the teashop on the sleepy greek island. This was a much welcome return to the village of Taxos and its inhabitants... perfect as a stand alone read or squeal to Game of Scones.

A Christmas Hideaway – Emily Harvale – Holly thinks herself still in love with her long term boyfriend, (now her ex who ran away with her best friend) and the thought of them both coming back to Hideaway Down for Christmas fills her with dread. She volunteers to look after her mums holiday cottages and hopes that this will keep her away from the village and the chance of bumping into them both. Someone else who is hoping to hideaway for christmas is author Gabriel Hardwick who has hired one of the cottages for the festive season; thus avowing his agent and ex-girlfriend Bryony. With one of the coldest winters upon them and a series of unfortunate incidents Holly finds herself falling for Gabriel in more ways than one. – This novella was a pleasant surprise and I now look forward to the 2^nd book in the series. The characters were fun and the village delightful. With a couple of sweet twists this made for a delightful read.

Christmas wishes and Mistletoe Kisses – Jenny Hale - Abbey has put her dreams on hold to raise her son Max and help her mum look after her grandfather. By a lucky accident she finds herself taking on the challenge of decorating Nick Sinclairs large mansion before his family descend for Christmas. Not only is the house absolutely gorgeous so is its owner!. Abbey starts to transform the house into a home and also finds herself spending a lot of spare time with the delicious Nick... can Christmas sprinkle is magic on them both. I loved this book; a delicious festive romance perfect for the holiday season... sheer escapism from the start.

Holly's Christmas Kiss – Alison May - Holly Michelle Jolly hates Christmas and has been the brunt of festive jokes since she was a child. With a flight to a dream holiday cancelled, she finds herself meeting Sean. Sean loves Christmas and hopes to change Holly's opinion of Christmas for the better... this is a fun little novella and the characters and story are worthy of a bigger read. Look forward to reading book 2.

Christmas at the Cove –Victoria Connelly - Victoria's first Christmas novella and this one sees us meet Millie at Christmas a her aunts cottage on the north Devon coast. Unbeknown to Millie her elderly auntie has been meddling and she finds a handsome man and his son in residence when she arrives. Deciding to share the cottage for Christmas a lovely story unravels and develops between them. This is a lovely story and evokes some lovely memories of spending winters on the Devon and Cornish coasts. perfect reading for a cold Saturday afternoon curled in front of a roaring fire.
Thank-you to all authors for their gorgeous stories which kept me occupied at airports, on aeroplanes and commuting across London during the festive season.I enjoyed them all, and look forward to compiling my festive list for 2016. Here are some previous book posts from recent months.

A thrilling night with the Queen of Crime Fiction...

Firework Night took on a whole new thrill this year, when I spent the evening in the company of the Queen of Crime Fiction ~ Patricia Cornwell. Patricia was in the UK to promote her 23rd Scarpetta novel and celebrate 25 years of the Kay Scarpetta phenomenon.
The evening was hosted by Good Housekeeping magazine in the most apt and suitable venue of 1 Wimpole Street - The Royal Society of Medicine.

Having attended a previous event many years ago to see Patricia Cornwell, I knew that she would draw a large crowd and I wasn't surprised to see so many people there. With wine flowing and the opportunity to purchase a signed book, many people were soon chatting about the venue and author.
The actual event took place in the Guy Whittle Auditorium where 2 chairs were positioned on a stage against the backdrop of a screen which showed a great introduction film narrated by Patricia herself before she arrived on stage. She was joined  with Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway who was the host interviewer for the evening.
I was suitably impressed with Kate's questioning  style, something I don't think is showcased particularly well on TV and she came across much more informed and knowledgeable.
Here's 5 things that I learned from the evening:
1. She's an action heroine: "Someone wise said: always do things that make you feel a little insecure because it causes you to grow. Whether it's flying a helicopter, riding a motorcycle, writing a script... I absolutely like to conquer fear. I recommend it to people.'

2.Even after 23 books, writing doesn’t get any easier: ‘There’s pressure with every book. It never gets easier. For any writers I would say, we’re all the same. I don’t care how many books you’ve written and how well you’ve done, writing is just as hard to do. I have days where I have writer’s block like everyone else. I have days where I don’t want to go to my desk, like everyone else. It’s a hard thing to do. I just try to focus and not get caught up in the pressure.’  

3. When will we see a Scarpetta movie?; A movie has been in commission since the early books and as yet a script has not been agreed as no-one even myself can create this character for film.... Who would you like to see play Kay - there are so many strong women out there, would like to see Jessica Chastain play Kay Scarpetta on the big screen!
4. Best Book read recently? : Girl on a Train by Paula Hawkins.
5. Advice to all: Don't forget you have this powerful tool; your imagination. She said that her imagination is what saved her childhood; Her hard childhood made her a writer
‘My imagination was what saved me when I was a little kid. I say to people, don’t forget you have this unbelievably powerful tool: your imagination. It can take you places without you leaving the room, you can create characters to keep you company. I learnt to do that as a kid because my world was lonely and desolate.’ 

I thoroughly enjoyed my evening and was thrilled that my tweets were both picked up by both the author herself and GH. Looking at PC's social media feed she had a great time travelling across the country before she headed back to New York where she is writing book 24 in the Scarpetta series and just finished editing her follow-up Jack the Ripper investigation.
I have been a huge fan with PC's from book 1 Post-mortem, which sits in my top 10 books and something I have read many times. For someone who had aspirations to be a forensic pathologist in my school years, this author ticks so many of my boxes and is without a doubt Queen of the crime novel of my generation.
Thankyou Patricia Cornwell and God Housekeeping for hosting such a cool event.

October - Book loves

Octobers book loves are many and I seem to have got my reading mojo back. With lots of travelling ans the late nights drawing in it gives me lots of opportunity to read!.
Taking Hollywood - Shari King - its 1993 and 3 childhood friends; Davie, Zander & Mirren from a Glasgow housing estate take the stage in Hollywood to receive the Oscar for best screen play. Fast forward 20 years and the 3 are at the top of their game; Davie top host & show producer, Mirren writer & movie director and Zander box office movie star gold... they also haven't spoken since that fateful night 20 years previous, their relationship devastated by one horrific secret. Suddenly the lives of the 3 stars start to unravel and with a young Scottish reporter landing in Hollywood determined to hunt the story that could change her career it seems that their perfect lives are falling apart. This book has it all, glamour, mystery, glitz all set to the backdrop of the Hollywood; thrilling from start to finish. Ross King is the King part of this writing duo and its his inside knowledge to the movie & glamorous world of Hollywood that absolutely adds to the mystery of this novel and makes you ask, how much of the characters is fact or fiction!!
Autumn In Verona - Melissa Hill -  Verona has always been the Italian city for lovers; tourists flock to the city famed from Romeo and Juliet. Over one glorious autumnal weekend four visitors paths cross as they visit this magical city and a little trattoria run by an elderly Italian couple.Newly-weds Sarah and Nate are hoping that their mini-moon will be the start to their marriage that they need, after a stressful wedding, family tensions and travel delays. Widower Declan is visiting Verona on the request of his late wife one year after she passed; can he start to move on with his life? and Romance novelist Lily; who is hoping for some inspiration after having her heart broken again. I enjoyed this novella and it firmly transported me back to my own weekend in Verona.

Unravelled in New York - Suzanne Nichol  - Charli Cooper arrives in New York from Sydney after leaving a disastrous controlling relationship. As a journalist she finds herself working at the New York Herald. On her first assignment she meets Jack Manning; arrogant, cocky and extremely powerful; he has no patience to deal with an inexperienced journalist who has no idea of the New York social scene.  As Charli starts to dig into the back story of Jack and his empire; she has to make some decisions. I was completely swept away by this book an easy read against the glamorous backdrop of New York.... a grown up gossip girl! xoxo with some very gorgeous men!
A Cottage in the Country - Linn. B. Halton - Maddie Brooks impulsively buys a run down idyllic cottage in the country after finding her best friend having an affair with her husband of 25 years. With the big 50 birthday rapidly approaching Maddie seeks solace in renovating her cottage, with the help of local handyman who can Lewis. With best friend & boss Ryan waiting in the wings, Maddie has some choices to make, especially after she finds that Lewis was the man who wanted to buy Ash cottage. I enjoyed this book, its a fun read, perfect for an afternoon curled on the sofa with a big mug of coffee and a packet of chocolate biscuits!.
Secrets at Maple Syrup Farm - Rebecca Raisin - Lucy is juggling 2 jobs and caring for her very
sick mum and would do anything for her. What she didn't expect was that she find herself promising to leave her and take a year out for herself. When she finds herself on the first bus out of town, she didn't expect to find her adventure in the next state and the town of Ashford, here she is befriended by the local residents in particular Lil and Cee Cee from The Gingerbread cafe. After seeking a job at the local Maple Tree farm with the reclusive Clay. Lucy has never lived long enough in one location to have friends and find herself falling for the town, its residents and a certain farm owner. This is a delightful read and a lovely continuation of Rebecca's Gingerbread cafe , once in a lifetime series.

Big Stone Gap - Adriana Trigiani - a lovely revisit to Adriana Trigiani's 1st book in the Big Stone Gap series. I am really interested in seeing how this translates into a movie which is due for release soon. Ave Marie Mulligan is the town spinster and as she rapidly approaches 40 her life in Big Stone Gap is challenged when a secret from her past is revealed. I read the BSG trilogy many years ago and it really is a lovely story; The characters are fun, especially Iva Lou (played by Whoopi Goldberg in the movie) and has the warm feeling and female camaraderie that Steel Magnolias did when released.

Breaking Hollywood - Shari King - Breaking Hollywood is the follow-up book to Taking Hollywood. Zander Leith, Davie Johnston and Mirren McLean are at the heights of their hollywood careers and are some of the most powerful people in Tinsel town. Suddenly bad things start to happen to all 3 and their shining stars in the city start to dull. Having not spoken in the 20 years since they won their oscar, the past that they thought they had buried starts to come back and haunt them. Suddenly they need to put old feelings aside and work together to uncover the person behind the incidents. This is a roller-coaster story of love, jealousy, revenge, laughter and ultimate friendship.

My October reads took me from the Tinsel town of Hollywood, across the pond to the back alleys of Glasgow, to the quaint town in New England, down to the glamorous skyline of Manhattan, and to the romantic Italian city of Verona. The perfect travelling companions during my commute and travels across London. They transported me to other cities & lives filled with love, laughter, glamour, sex & ooodles of gorgeous men!... perfect escapism on a stuffy tube!.