For Better, For Worse By Carole Matthews

26 July , 2014 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Josie Flynn is in New York for the wedding of her American cousin Martha. Having just been through a messy divorce, she isn’t really in the wedding spirit, especially when she thinks Martha is about to marry the wrong man – and Josie isn’t afraid to tell her so.

Which is all very noble – until Josie meets Matt Jarvis and appears to be about to fall for the wrong man herself. Add to that the return of her ex-husband, an old flame and a dubious boyband and it looks like it’s going to be quite a wedding…

My Thoughts:

I absolutely love Carole Matthews books. She is one of my favourite authors and I cannot get enough of her books. This book had me laughing on nearly every page it literally is that good. Once I started this book I found it very hard to put down. I must of read it in a day and a half. I loved the storyline and the characters were brilliant as they always are in Carole’s books. I would strongly recommend anyone who has never read any of her books to give at least one a try, I just know you will fall in love. Im looking forward to reading Carole Matthews next book.

One Night In Italy By Lucy Diamond

19 July , 2014 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Is Italian really the language of love? A new class of students hopes to find out.

Anna’s recently been told the father she’s never met is Italian. Now she’s baking focaccia, whipping up tiramisu and swotting up on her vocabulary, determined to make it to Italy so she can find him in person.

Catherine’s husband has walked out on her, and she’s trying to pick up the pieces of her life. But she’ll need courage as well as friends when she discovers his deception runs even deeper than infidelity.

Sophie is the teacher of the class, who’d much rather be back in sunny Sorrento. She can’t wait to escape the tensions at home and go travelling again. But sometimes life – and love – can surprise you when you least expect it.

As the evening class gets under way, friendships form and secrets from Italy begin to emerge. With love affairs blossoming in the most unlikely places, and hard decisions to face, it’s going to be a year that Anna, Catherine and Sophie will never forget.

My Thoughts:

I love Lucy Diamonds books so much. They are like a breath of fresh air. This book in particular was fantastic. It tells a story about three very different women who are discovering themselves and how they all connect. There are some serious issues in this book that Lucy addresses well but there is also some very funny one liners that had me chuckling. Even though I’ve never been to Italy before this book made me want to go, I absolutely loved each paragraph having been titled an Italian word and the Italian phrases at the back of the book was great. I also love any book that has a couple of recipes at the back. ciao. 🙂

Step Back In Time By Ali McNamara

11 July , 201417 July , 2014 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

How far would you travel to find the love of a lifetime?

When single career girl Jo-Jo steps onto a zebra crossing and gets hit by a car, she awakes to find herself in 1963. The fashion, the music, her job, even her romantic life: everything is different. And then it happens three more times, and Jo-Jo finds herself living a completely new life in the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s.

The only people she can rely on are Harry and Ellie, two companions from 2013, and George, the owner of a second – hand record store. If she’s ever to return from her travels, Jo-Jo must work out why she’s jumping through time like this. And if she does make it back, will her old life ever be the same again?

My Thoughts:

If your interested in time travel and the Beatles, then this is the book for you. I enjoyed it when Jo-Jo the main character jumped through time from the 1970’s to the 1990’s. I have read quite a few books like this now, this book has quite a few twists so you don’t know what’s going to happen next which adds a certain mystery to the story. Nice easy read.

A hundred pieces of me by Lucy Dillon

31 May , 2014 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Letters from the only man she’s ever truly loved.

A keepsake of the father she never really knew.

A blue glass vase that catches the light on a grey day.

Gina Bellamy is starting again, after a few years she’d rather forget. But the belongings she’s treasured for so long don’t seem to fit who she is now. So Gina makes a resolution. She’ll keep just a hundred special items – the rest can go. Bu lucy dillon t that means coming to terms with her past and learning to embrace the future, whatever it might bring……

My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book. Lucy Dillon makes you feel drawn to her characters in a way no author has ever made me feel. I’ve read all of Lucy Dillon’s books and I pretty much go through every emotion whilst reading her books, this book was no exception.

I loved the relationship between Gina and the greyhound Buzz, it was clear they both needed someone to love and they found it in each other. This story is an emotional roller-coaster especially for women that have been through what Gina had gone through and families that have been through or going through personal experiences such as this one in the book.

There are authors that write about personal experiences but Lucy Dillon has really sympathised with her wordings and it personally made me feel like she gave Gina justice. It made me think how grateful I am for life and living and I appreciate you have to make the best out of each day.

Now waiting for Lucy Dillon’s next book, hopefully it won’t be too long await.

Little Beach street bakery by Jenny Colgan

6 April , 201426 April , 2014 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

little-beach-street-bakery

What’s it all about:

Polly Waterford is recovering from a toxic relationship. Unable to afford their flat, she has to move miles away from everyone, to a sleepy little seaside resort in Cornwall 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 has, she bakes and bakes….. And people start to hear about it.

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

My Thoughts:

As soon as i picked up one of Jenny Colgans books a few years ago i was hooked. Her books are all food based such as Rosie Hopkins sweetshops, Meet me at the cupcake cafe and the loveliest chocolate shop in Paris, as with all her other books its best not to read it on an empty stomach as you will find yourself craving some sweet treats.

This book is about Polly who has just come out of a bad relationship, she moves to this sleepy seaside resort called Polbearne into a little flat above an abandoned shop. Polly has a hobby of making different kinds of bread. whilst reading this part i was imagining being in a bakery smelling all the comforting smells of baking bread.

Polly meets quite a few people who live in Polbearne. All the characters in Jenny Colgans books are great no exception to these ones. I loved the way Polly and Huckle ( the local bee keeper) relationship evolves and the way that when a drama happens that everybody pulls together and tries to help one another. I actually could imagine myself looking out to sea and being there admist it all.

You have to look out for Neil the puffin who features in this book, there are no words to describe the smile on my face when he and Polly strike up this unlikely friendship, he seems to want to become a pet rather than be a wild animal. I can see from his point hoovering up the crumbs and eating cake does seem like a lovely life.

This book made me smile, laugh, and even shed a few tears. It’s a book that you can’t put down as you need to find out what happens next. I cannot wait for the next Jenny Colgan book. I hope Jenny publishes a sequel to Little Beach Street Bakery.