Book Review: The Vineyard, by Karen Aldous

The Blurb:

It’s been five years, and Lizzie Lambert has decided it’s time to try to make things right with her estranged mother.

She’s made a success of things in Cannes, she’s bringing up a lovely little boy on her own, and she’s ready to put the past behind her.

But it seems Lizzie’s mother has moved on as well. She’s moved her toyboy – a muscle-bound vintner named Cal – into the family home, and given him the run of the land that was meant to be Lizzie’s inheritance!

Cal’s wine business frequently takes him to France, and suddenly wherever Lizzie goes, he’s already there – meddling, giving unsolicited advice, saving her little boy’s life and stealing her heart. But none of this changes the fact that he’s her mother’s lover…

Book Review: Summer at Castle Stone, by Lynn Marie Hulsman

This summer, lose your heart in Ireland…

Shayla Sheridan’s a New York native born into big city luxury, but she’s never really fitted in with the “it” crowd. Desperate to make it as a writer and to finally step out from her famous father’s shadow, Shayla decides to take on a tricky assignment across the pond…

Swapping skyscrapers and heels for wellies and the heart of the Irish countryside, Shayla must go about ghost-writing a book of recipes by the notoriously reclusive and attractive head chef of Castle Stone, Tom O’Grady.

The only problem? He has no idea that she’s writing it.

Book Review: Little Beach Street Bakery, by Jenny Colgan

Sometimes, bread really is life . . . And Polly is about to reclaim hers.

Polly Waterford is recovering from a toxic relationship. Unable to afford their townhouse, she has to move miles away from everyone, to the sleepy little seaside resort of Polbearne, where she lives alone above an abandoned shop.

And so Polly takes out her frustrations on her favourite hobby: making bread. But what was previously a weekend diversion suddenly becomes far more important as she pours her emotions into kneading and pounding the dough, and each loaf becomes better and better. With nuts and seeds, olives and chorizo, with local honey (courtesy of local bee keeper, Huckle), and with reserves of determination and creativity Polly never knew she had, she bakes and bakes and bakes . . . And people start to hear about it.

Sometimes, bread really is life . . . And Polly is about to reclaim hers.

Book Review: It’s Not Me, It’s You, by Mhairi McFarlane

Delia Moss isn’t quite sure where she went wrong…

When she proposed and discovered her boyfriend was sleeping with someone else – she thought it was her fault.

When she realised life would never be the same again – she thought it was her fault.

And when he wanted her back life nothing had changed – Delia started to wonder if perhaps she was not to blame…

From Newcastle to London and back again, with dodgy jobs, eccentric bosses and annoyingly handsome journalists thrown in, Delia must find out where her old self went – and if she can ever get her back.

Book Review: Difficult Husbands, by Mary de Laszlo

Three friends. One surprise inheritance. And the perfect plan to deal with troublesome husbands at Christmas time…

Newly divorced Lorna is struggling to adjust to life on her own. When she discovers that her beloved godfather has left her the grand (and crumbling) Ravenscourt House in the heart of Sussex, she soon has a project on her hands.

Nathan sells delicious goodies at Mulberry Farm. When he meets Lorna at a Christmas market, neither of them can ignore the chemistry. But as they get to know one another, Lorna wants to know one thing – is he after her or the house?

Together with Gloria – whose marriage to alcoholic Adrian has hit rock bottom, and Rosalind – struggling to deal with her womanising husband Ivan, the three friends hatch a plan. They’ll ditch their difficult husbands at Ravenscourt House and enjoy stress-free Christmases with their families. But nothing is ever that simple…

Mary de Laszlo has had four novels published by Headline and has since had many others published by Hale. She lives in London and is an active member of the RNA. She was a fashion journalist with Vogue and now works as an occasional film extra when not writing.

My Yearly Round-Up: 2014

In July 2014, I decided two things. 1) I was actually going to start writing a book like I’ve been saying for years, and 2) I was going to start a book blog, to keep me inspired. So I set up this blog, created a twitter account, and joined Goodreads. I think I can safely say that these are 2 of the best choices I have ever made.

Excited as I was, I could never have imagined just how amazing an experience this would be, and how many wonderful people I would ‘meet’. I’m so thankful to all of you for your wonderful support and friendship.

And, most excitingly of all, on November 30th 2014, I completed the first draft of my first book. Words cannot describe the feelings of accomplishment and pride (and relief!) that came with writing those two little words: The End.

So, here is my yearly round up for 2014, or at least the latter half of it.

Books read: 72
Pages read: 19,531
Blog Posts: 131

Most Emotional Read: Pieces of You, Ella Harper
My Review

This book had me in tears within the first few pages – it is both beautiful and tragic.

Funniest Read: Love, Lies & Lemon Cake, Sue Watson
My Review

This was my first Sue Watson read, and I quickly fell in love with her laugh-out-loud writing.

Favourite Series: The Gingerbread Cafe books, Rebecca Raisin
My Reviews

The Gingerbread Cafe books are simply delightful, with some of the loveliest and warmest characters I’ve read about.

My Favourite Book of 2014: Love Me For Me, Jenny Hale
My Review

Probably the most perfect book I’ve ever read. Genuine, sincere and simply wonderful.

So, all in all, a pretty amazing year! Thanks again for all your kindness and support so far, and here’s to a wonderful and prosperous 2015.

Book Review: The Postcard, by Lily Graham

 She always said she’d find a way to let me know that death wasn’t the end …

When Ivy Everton, a children’s book illustrator, moves to Cornwall to start a new life with her husband Stuart, she gets given her mother’s old writing desk, a bittersweet token from a mother who made childhood magical. 

When she clears it, she finds that the desk holds an unexpected surprise; one she wishes, in a way, that she hadn’t found, as wedged in the corner is a blank, faded postcard addressed to her, in her mother’s hand. At first, the postcard serves only to haunt her; a constant reminder of her mother’s last message, now forever silenced, and she can’t help but wonder what unwritten secret lies unsaid. 

Yet, as the days pass mysterious inexplicable things begin to happen, odd items go missing from her studio, only to reappear, ethereally transformed in the seemingly empty desk. 

Soon Ivy realises that the postcard was never really blank, it was simply waiting … waiting for her to find it. 

Part ghost story, part magical Christmas tale, The Postcard is about a love that transcends time and space to transform and heal.

Book Review: The Mysterious Miss Mayhew, by Hazel Osmond

Tom doesn’t need any more women in his life. He already has his hands full with his five year old daughter, an estranged wife who keeps blocking his efforts to get divorced and a mother who might be having an affair with the vicar. When Fran Mayhew turns up – years younger than him and with all the tact of a dinosaur with its backside on fire – she’s just another tricky person to deal with.

And what’s she doing in his remote part of Northumberland crawling around in graveyards anyway?

But soon Tom discovers that there’s more to Miss Mayhew than meets the eye – and it’s not just his heart he’s in danger of losing.

Book Review: Love Me or Leave Me, by Claudia Carroll

‘Welcome to the Hope Street Hotel – where you check in married, and check out single.’

Two years ago Chloe Townsend was dumped at the altar and had to leave behind everything that mattered to her. Even now she’s finding it hard to move forward. That is until she lands an incredible job, running a brand new boutique hotel. Suddenly she’s starting to put her life back together, and, apart from the fact that her hard-to-please new boss is breathing down her neck, things are looking good.

But what goes on in the Hope Street Hotel is a far cry from anything she’s ever dealt with before. This is a pioneering ‘divorce hotel’ designed to make every aspect of breaking up efficient and pain-free. In one single weekend, Chloe’s team promises to take care of everything – legal, technical, emotional – and guests check out carefree and single.

No one is better qualified than Chloe to understand what couples need when their relationship is at breaking point, but she soon finds herself having to tackle the heartbreak she’s tried to bury. In particular three couples need her help – Jo and Dave, Lucy and Andrew, and Kirk and Dawn – and the opening weekend is full of revelation, trouble, memories happy and sad, facts that need facing, and some very big surprises.

It’s time to move on. And it soon becomes clear that some endings are, in fact, very exciting new beginnings…

Book Review: Secret Santa, by Scarlett Bailey

A self-confessed Christmas queen, Sue Montaigne prides herself on organising the annual nativity pageant in her small Cornish village of Poldore.

But this year, what with having to deal with the repairs on Castle House after it was wrecked by a terrible storm, training a new – and frankly flighty – Virgin Mary and managing a Joseph who is allergic to sheep, she is distinctly lacking a little bit of ‘me time’.

And then there are the auditions for the new Santa. But nothing prepares her for the beautiful man who turns up, a twinkle in his eye and a promise to make her Christmas dreams come true…