Take one woman longing for the perfect Christmas . . .

All Clara has ever wanted is Christmas surrounded by loved ones, full of warmth and delicious food. So when her new boyfriend asks her to move to Switzerland, she can’t help but say yes! After all, what could be more perfect than Christmas in the Alps?

Add a dash of surprise

She quickly signs up for a tempting chocolate-making class, but it turns out to be chocolate-making bootcamp! And her boyfriend isn’t all he seemed either . . .

And enjoy a magical festive treat!

Despite it all, Clara begins to make friends – including the aloof yet intriguing Gabriel. With all of the ingredients at her fingertips, will she finally be able to whisk up her Christmas dream?

My Thoughts:

This is my first Christmas read of the year and what a spectacular book to start with. I love a book by Jo Thomas, she is such a great writer and always makes you feel warm and cosy inside. The story is about Clara, she decides to take a big leap of faith in her new boyfriend and move across the world with him to Switzerland, nothing is going right for her at home so why not. Clara enrols in a chocolate making class but does not realise how hard is really is and it does not help when other people in the group are making her life hard but with a bit of determination and grit she manages to prove to herself she can do it. The least said about her boyfriend the better. It was a perfect read to get snuggled up with. I love how warm Jo’s writing is and her characters are always good rounders. The chocolate side of things were a bonus and I would suggest having a chocolate or two on the side whilst reading this book as I felt hungry reading about the delicious recipes. A great read.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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DISCOVER THE GHOST STORY THAT WON’T LET YOU GO . . .

Kyle can barely remember his grandfather. So when they inherit his old house – a damp, secluded tower on the edge of a Welsh mountain village – Kyle and his wife, Lydia, feel they are moving into the home of a stranger.

From the start, Lydia hates the house: the disturbing paintings in the attic, the hostility of the locals, the peculiar light that pours through the kitchen window. Kyle thinks Lydia needs a break from London, from the nightmares and the panic attacks. But over the coming weeks, Lydia’s sense of dread only becomes more insistent, whilst Kyle is drawn to the house in ways he cannot explain.

Yet as winter approaches, cutting them off, the house must become their refuge. For outside, on the mountain, something is calling to them.

Something that has waited decades, and wants to be let in.

My Thoughts:

When Kyle and his wife Lydia inherit Kyle’s grandfathers house, they realise maybe this is not what they signed up for. Lydia is not happy living there, the locals seem to have turned against them but why? lots of bad things start happening to get them to leave. But Kyle wants to stay, he knows his grandfather loved this house and feels a connection to him by living here. But someone wants them gone and how will it end for Kyle and Lydia? It was a good well rounded story, even with not many characters it still kept me captivated, whilst reading it I did feel as though I had the chills as it was eerie in places. I would never of expected the outcome of this story. Very well done thriller.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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The best journey leads you home…

Lexie is always on the move, but there is one constant in her life – her ‘wish jar’; the childhood tradition from home that she couldn’t leave behind.

When Lexie’s estranged dad dies, she is shocked to learn that she has inherited half of his travel company in Bath. Her dad’s will stipulates that she must work with Theo, her handsome but bad tempered business partner, for a year.

Once the year is over, Lexie intends to leave. But a work trip to sizzling Spain reveals a chemistry between Lexie and Theo that is impossible to deny.

Will Lexie find a reason to stay in one place? Will she discover the secret her father kept from her, and finally learn the meaning of home?

My Thoughts:

The story is about Lexie, when finding out their is a tragedy in the family, she is shocked to discover she now owns half of a travel company but she has to work with this guy who is grumpy and self absorbed. This is the last thing Lexie wants but there are rules so can this guy Theo and Lexie work together to make it work until the year is over. It was a good story that had some great characters involved. This is my first book by Emily but I really enjoyed it, it was a nice, easy pick me up read. You can kind of guess what is going to happen but it really is sweet.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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From the lush green Berkshire’s polo fields, through the ardours of military helicopter training, to the white heat of flying combat missions in the Middle East, Charles’s journey is a riveting tale of privilege, peril and profound personal transformation.

Raised amidst the traditions of English upper-class society, Charles’s life takes an unexpected turn when he embarks on a forbidden, intoxicating affair. This passionate relationship not only challenges societal norms but also ignites a deeply personal awakening that defines his transition into manhood.

Then as a combat helicopter pilot in the Royal Air Force, Charles faces the brutal realities of war and harrowing experiences that still live with him to this day.

Trigger warning: This book contains game bird shooting and fox hunting content, references to suicide, PTSD, and explicit sexual content.

My Thoughts:

When reading this book I didn’t know what to expect. I had seen that this is a true story of a Englishman who has written about his wealthy life but I could never imagined what he had gone through. Going from playing polo to flying in a military helicopter, this man sure is a busy. I particularly enjoyed the parts where we learn about military helicopter training as I knew very little about what was involved and found it riveting. When he starts flying for the Royal Air Force I could not believe what this man and other men in the same boat went through no wonder he has PTSD now. It was a rollercoaster journey I went on reading this book and there are some trigger warnings to this book but do not be put off as it is a very compelling and honest read. One I will never forget. Thank you for writing this book and sharing your experiences.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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In Argus, North Dakota, a fraught wedding is taking place.

Gary Geist, a terrified young man set to inherit two farms, is desperate to marry Kismet Poe. Gary thinks Kismet is the answer to all of his problems; Kismet can’t even imagine her future, let alone the kind of future Gary might offer. During a clumsy proposal, Kismet misses her chance to say ‘no’ and so the die is cast.

Hugo has been in love with Kismet for years. He has been her friend, confidante and occasionally her lover – and now she is marrying Gary, Hugo is determined to steal her back.

Meanwhile Kismet’s mother, Crystal, hauls sugar beets for Gary’s family, and on her nightly truck drives along the highway from the farm to the factories, she tunes in to the darkness of late-night radio, sees visions of guardian angels, and worries for the future – both her daughter’s and her own.

My Thoughts:

This story is set in North Dakota where Gary is in love with Kismet, he wants his future with her as he has become the owner of two farms and knows he and her could make a decent life together. But there is someone else who is in love with Kismet and he wants her all to himself but who’s heart will Kismet break? It was a slow paced read that is long, there are real people with real life situations. I did not feel as though I took to any of the characters, it was an ok read.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Cornwall, 1934.

Violet Ellis is living in the shadows of her father’s ruined reputation. So, when wealthy widower James Atherton offers her employment, she immediately begins the treacherous journey to his home on the remote Cornish island of Aoife’s Bay – despite the bone-chilling allegations surrounding his late wife Elizabeth’s death.

In James’s company, Violet begins to feel the love that has been missing all her life. But when anonymous letters start to plague the bay’s residents, threatening to expose what really happened to Elizabeth, Violet feels the hostility towards her grow. She has an unsettling sense of being watched in her new home, and as the mysteries of the island draw her in, she starts to fear she might never find a way out …

My Thoughts:

I have to say how much I love the cover of this book, it is so atmospheric and the colours are beautiful. The book is set in the 1900’s and Violet is wanting to break free from her father. When she meets James she can see a brighter future, but is there more to James than meets the eye, is this really a life Violet wants to live? Violet starts to feel uneasy in her new home and does not know what to do for the best. It was a good read, a steady pace that builds up throughout, the setting for this book is Cornwall and you can almost imagine being able to smell the saltiness of the air. It was a good mystery that I enjoyed reading. Well rounded characters throughout too.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Elena Zoric is murdered, her body concealed beside a stream in North London. Her phone lies nearby, the last number dialled was to the woman who had rescued her from sex trafficking: Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Grace Archer.

Archer desperately wants to lead the murder investigation but her new boss, Chief Inspector Les Fletcher, makes it very clear its out of her jurisdiction.

Then the thirty-year-old remains of a woman are found in the attic of an abandoned house, the victim dying in similar circumstances to Elena Zoric.

But Archer’s North London colleagues have bigger priorities than the murder of ‘a drugged-up prostitute.’

Archer needs answers. Who killed Elena? Why did she call Archer moments from her death? And what rules must she break to stop a killer in his tracks?

My Thoughts:

When a woman’s body is discovered in North London, Detective Inspector Grace Archer wants to lead the investigation but her new boss is not so keen for her to lead but why? When another body is found not long after in similar circumstances, the team know they need to be quick to find out who the killer is and why they are doing it. But will it be safe for Archer and her team or will this killer get the better of them? It was a captivating story from the first chapter. It pulled me in with the tense and heart pounding story. You want Grace and her team to find the killer before they kill another person. But the Killer made me feel very on edge and chilled. It was a tense and gritty thriller that I would highly recommend.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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