Month: June 2016

Letters from Lighthouse Cottage By Ali Mc Namara

Letters from Lighthouse Cottage By Ali Mc Namara

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letters from lighthouse cottage

This title will be released on July 14, 2016.

The sun is shining in the quiet little seaside town of Sandybridge

Sandybridge is the perfect English seaside town: home to gift shops, tea rooms and a fabulous fish and chip shop. And it’s home to Grace – although right now, she’s not too happy about it.

Grace grew up in Sandybridge, helping her parents sort junk from vintage treasures, but she always longed to escape to a bigger world. And she made it, travelling the world for her job, falling in love and starting a family. So why is she back in the tiny seaside town she’d long left behind, hanging out with Charlie, the boy who became her best friend when they were teenagers?

It turns out that travelling the world may not have been exactly what Grace needed to do. Perhaps everything she wanted has always been at home – after all, they do say that’s where the heart is..

My Thoughts:

I was very lucky to receive an advanced copy of this book. I like Ali’s books I always find them enjoyable. The story itself I liked as it was a bit different. I loved the letters written by Remy such a fantastic idea which I didn’t think would work but it does. We find out about Grace and the story flicks back to when she was younger and her two friends Charlie and Danny. I really enjoyed this story. I didn’t want it to end.

If you would like to pre-order this book, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Lighthouse-Cottage-Ali-McNamara/

Four weddings & A Fiasco By Catherine Ferguson

Four weddings & A Fiasco By Catherine Ferguson

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four weddings

Katy Peacock lives a life as colourful as her name.

As a wedding photographer, she spends her days making other people smile as she captures all sorts of fun and capers at celebrations that range from the wacky to the wild.

But her own life isn’t looking quite so rosy. Her mum is acting out of character, her menacing ex is back on the scene, and she is torn between two gorgeous men. And that’s before we even get started on the trouble her sister is causing . . .

As Katy weathers the ups and downs of the season, she revisits problems from the past, discovers new friendships and finds that four weddings and a fiasco have the power to change her world beyond measure.

My Thoughts:

I happily accepted this book for an honest review, I have to say what a stunning cover, it really is very pretty. I hadn’t heard of Catherine Ferguson before but this story seemed my cup of tea and I felt it was a bit different as the main character Katy is a photographer. I found the story very enjoyable and warmed to Katy straight away, there were some quite funny moments which I felt made it a light hearted read. I will be looking out for more of Catherine Ferguson’s books as this one was really good.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Weddings-Fiasco-Catherine-Ferguson

The Revenant By Michael Punke

The Revenant By Michael Punke

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the revenant

BLOOD LOST. LIFE FOUND.

Hugh Glass isn’t afraid to die. He’s done it once already.

Rocky Mountains, 1823

When expert tracker Glass is viciously mauled by a bear, death seems inevitable. The two men ordered to remain with him until he dies flee, stripping him of his rifle and hatchet and leaving him to die alone.

But soon a grim, horribly scarred figure is seen wandering, asking after two men, one with a gun that seems too good for him…

The Revenant is a remarkable tale of obsession and the lengths that one man will go to for retribution.

My Thoughts:

After hearing about the film, I really wanted to read the book first. The story is told really well and it was interesting to learn about what life was like to venture into the American West. Seeing Hugh Glass go through all his emotions from struggling with pain, the cold and hunger, it really makes you think. This was a gripping read one I wasn’t sure if I would like or not but I did like it. I look forward to seeing the film now.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Revenant-Michael-Punke

My Animals and Other Family By Clare Balding

My Animals and Other Family By Clare Balding

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clare balding

Clare Balding grew up in a rather unusual household. Her father a champion trainer, she shared her life with more than 100 thoroughbred racehorses, mares, foals and ponies, as well as an ever-present pack of boxers and lurchers. As a toddler she would happily ride the legendary Mill Reef and take breakfast with the Queen.

She and her younger brother came very low down the pecking order. Left to their own devices, they had to learn life’s toughest lessons through the animals, and through their adventures in the stables and the idyllic Hampshire Downs. From the protective Candy to the pot-bellied Valkyrie and the frisky Hattie, each horse and each dog had their own character and their own special part to play.

The running family joke was that “women ain’t people”. Clare had to prove them wrong, to make her voice heard – but first she had to make sure she had something to say.

My Thoughts:

I have always like Clare Balding and was excited to read this book. It was so lovely with each animal for the different chapters. The portraits of the different animals were amazing, so much skill had been put in to them. I am a big animal lover and use to go horseriding but there were some things that I have learnt about Clare but also about horses. It was a very detailed read which I found rather enjoyable.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Animals-Other-Family-Clare-Balding/

Summer Secrets By Jane Green

Summer Secrets By Jane Green

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jane green

June, 1998. At twenty-seven, Cat Coombs is struggling. She lives in London, works as a journalist, and parties hard. When she discovers the identity of the father she never knew she had, it sends her into a spiral. She makes mistakes that cost her the budding friendship of the only women who have ever welcomed her. And nothing is ever the same after that.

June, 2014. Cat’s life has come full circle. She wants to make amends to those she has hurt. Her quest takes her to Nantucket, the gorgeous New England island where the women she once called family still live. What Cat doesn’t realise is that these women, her real father’s daughters, have secrets of their own. As the past collides with the present, Cat must confront the darkest things in her own life and uncover the depths of someone’s need for revenge.

My Thoughts:

I have never read any of Jane Green’s books before. I thought I would like it as it is a chick lit that I would normally go for. But I felt it was very predictable, the ending wasn’t great and I just felt like I didn’t connect with any of the characters. The story deals with alcoholism in a very sensitive way but I wasn’t gripped at all.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Secrets-Jane-Green

The Postcard By Fern Britton

The Postcard By Fern Britton

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fern britton

Secrets. Sisters. The summer that changed everything . . .

Life in the Cornish village of Pendruggan isn’t always picture perfect. Penny Leighton has never told anyone why she’s estranged from her mother and sister. For years she’s kept her family secrets locked away in her heart, but they’ve been quietly eating away at her. When an unwelcome visitor blows in, Penny is brought face to face with the past. And a postcard, tucked away in a long-hidden case, holds the truth that could change everything.

Young Ella has come back to the place where she spent a happy childhood with her grandmother. Now she’s here to search for everything missing in her life. Taken under Penny’s broken wing for the summer, the safe haven of Pendruggan feels like the place for a fresh start. Soon, however, Ella starts to wonder if perhaps her real legacy doesn’t lie in the past at all.

My Thoughts:

I was so excited to receive an advanced copy of this book, I have read all of Fern Britton’s novels and really enjoyed them. The cover is absolutely stunning and I couldn’t wait to melt away into this story. Some of the characters I have met already as I have read the previous novels so felt as though I was back there with friends. The story does tackle some rather personal issues but they are all dealt with such sensitivity.  I do wonder whether there will be a sequel, I would definitely like one.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Postcard-Fern-Britton

Carrying Albert Home By Homer Hickman

Carrying Albert Home By Homer Hickman

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homer hickman

A journey of a thousand miles. With an alligator on the back seat. And John Steinbeck as a passenger.

This is a tale where everything is true,except the bits that are made up.

In 1930s America, the Great Depression made everyone’s horizons smaller, and Elsie Lavender found herself back where she began, in the coalfields of West Virginia.
She had just one memento of her halcyon days – a baby alligator named Albert.

Then one day, her husband’s stoical patience snapped and Elsie had to choose between Homer and Albert.
She decided that there was only one thing to do: they would carry Albert home to Florida.

And so began their odyssey – a journey like no other, where Elsie, Homer and Albert encountered everything from movie stars and revolutionaries to Ernest Hemingway and hurricanes in their struggle to find love, redemption,
and a place to call home.

My Thoughts:

This is a story about one man, his wife and her alligator. It is a road trip with a twist that is really quite something. I found myself quite attached to the characters and found myself admiring them in each of their own ways. Elsie knows what she wants and is not afraid to get stuck in. Homer is a gentle man, he loves Elsie but is not sure whether she loves him back or not. Also there is Albert the alligator and also the rooster so keep an eye out for him. An intriguing tale based on a real life story.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carrying-Albert-Home-Somewhat-Alligator/

Strictly Between Us By Jane Fallon

Strictly Between Us By Jane Fallon

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jane fallon

Rumours, secrets and lies. It’s all in a day’s work.

Tamsin and her best friend Michelle have been inseparable since they were teenagers. Even now they spend all their time together, along with Patrick, Michelle’s handsome husband.

So when Tamsin hears a rumour that Patrick is having an affair, she is furious. Unwilling to ignore it, Tamsin plots a scheme to catch Patrick in the act, using her assistant Bea as live-bait. It should be fool proof.
After all, Tamsin can trust Bea with anything. From her daily coffee order to fetching her dry-cleaning, writing reports and doing all the filing – Bea does everything with a smile on her face.

Except Tamsin never considered Bea might have her own agenda.

And if she does, then Tamsin really needs to watch her back . . .

My Thoughts:

I had never read any of Jane Fallon’s books before this one and to be honest never heard of her before. I choose this book as I had heard good things about it. It was alright but not really my cup of tea. I liked how the chapters were each person as you get a real perspective on how each person is dealing with the situation. But I didn’t really enjoy it as I think sometimes when you read a book and it seems a bit close to home it puts you off. I wasn’t keen On Tamsin either, I mean who lies to their best friend, I just didn’t get it. I did persist until the end but it wasn’t for me.

If you would like to purchase the book, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strictly-Between-Us-Jane-Fallon/

One Hot Summer By Kat French

One Hot Summer By Kat French

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kat french

This title will be released on June 2, 2016.

Being married to a celebrity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when that celebrity has a very public affair with his co-star…

Alice McBride is determined that the one thing she won’t lose in her marriage breakup is Borne Manor, her beloved home, but she gets more than she bargained for when she rents it out for the summer and a sexy cowboy comes to stay.

Country music star Robinson Duff has had his own share of heartbreak and needs somewhere quiet to hide out for the summer. Neither Alice nor Robinson are in any position for romance; the timing is terrible and they’re both rebounding like out of control frisbees.

Can a holiday romance help mend their broken hearts. Or will it just make things even worse when the long hot summer comes to its inevitable end?

My Thoughts:

I want to say a big thank you to the team at Avon for sending me an advanced copy of this book, as well as that they sent me a lovely note to wish me a speedy recovery from a recent operation I have had. It was a lovely thought so thank you. I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice easy read with a very hot cowboy. I loved how the scene was set in a big country house called Borne Manor, I would love to live somewhere like that. There is lots of naughtiness in this book but it is done well. The ending did not disappoint either. A few chuckle moments in a very enjoyable read.

If you would like to pre-order your copy of this book, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Hot-Summer-laugh-out-loud-story