Book Review: A Time for Living by Ruth Saberton

"Feisty horsewoman, Morwenna Tremaine, has always known what she wants from life and success as a three day event rider is all she’s ever dreamed of. Mo has neither the time nor the inclination for love. Even if she did it wouldn’t be with a man who stands for everything she despises… 

Beneath a tough and determined exterior, businessman Ashley Carstairs harbours a dark secret that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear. Although aware that he is heading for trouble, he finds himself increasingly drawn to the one woman he knows he should stay away from – for both their sakes. 

As the autumn nights draw in and the trickling sands of time gather speed, emotions run higher than the tides and Mo finds herself unable to step away. What is Ashley hiding? Is there more to him that meets the eye? And will his secret destroy everything she now holds dear?"

Rating: 5/5

Available to buy now.

There's nothing quite like getting into a new book series, and feeling the excitement when the next instalment of that series is out! I was really excited to read the second in author Ruth Saberton's Polwenna Bay series, A Time for Living. The first book, Runaway Summer, had left us on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I couldn't wait to find out how things were going to pan out in this book. This time around, we're focussing on Morwenna Tremaine, Jake's sister from the first book, and I was curious to find out more about the horse-loving, Ashley Carstair's hating Tremaine woman!

Mo loves her job of running a stables, and loves nothing more than going for a ride with her beloved horses. When this was threatened by local millionaire and developer Ashley Carstairs, Morwenna fought to protect her precious Polwenna Bay and her horses. Now that Ashley is back on the scene, she is determined to suppress the feelings she has inside, determined that she won't fall in love, and especially not with Ashley. But Ashley is hiding a dark secret of his own, one that puts everything he loves at risk, especially his new home and lifestyle. Mo is determined to find out what Ashley's secret is, and what really makes him tick, as well as protecting her beloved Polwenna Bay...

The Tremaine family were easy to love in the first book, and that is certainly still the case in this book. Of course, all the Tremaine's appear in each of the books, but the focus shifts for each book - the third book in the series Winter Wishes (out this December) will focus on Jake and Mo's brother Danny, a character I have loved lots through both of these stories so I can't wait for his installment of the series! Mo, though, was a bit of a strange one for me. She is very passionate about what she loves, in particular her horses and her family, and has no patience for anyone who goes against those things. She seems quite abrasive but you get the sense she is hiding a softer side of herself, protecting herself the only way she knows how - to stop people getting too close to her.

Her relationship of sorts with Ashley was definitely my favourite of the book. There is most certainly an element of 'will they, won't they' between the two of them, and I was in the corner of wanting them to be a couple, I had a sense they would be a great couple if they could put their differences aside! As Ashley's secret is revealed, it changes your perspective of him entirely, and I just wished he would confide in Mo about what he was going through. It is quite a sensitive topic, but Saberton handles it really well, giving us enough detail to fully understand his perspective, and the tough decisions he has to make.

Once again, Saberton's writing is on point, and she describes Polwenna Bay perfectly, bringing the small Cornish fishing village to life in my mind once more. I liked spending more time at Mo's stables with her, it feels like a very calm place to be, and you could see why Mo feels most at home there. As well as writing about Mo and Ashley, Saberton puts across the closeness of the Tremaine family in this book perfectly again, and I loved this about this family. The Tremaine siblings are always there for each other, looking out for each other in their time of need, and their grandmother holds them altogether like glue. I love family-centric novels, and this is probably why I enjoyed Ruth's writing so much.

This was a fantastic second installment in this series, and it was fun to read much more about Mo and Ashley, and their love/hate relationship! With a perfect setting and a story that will definitely have you glued to it from beginning to end, Saberton's recipe for success continues to weave its magic throughout this novel. I now can't wait to read the third installment, coming 15th December called Winter Wishes, to catch up with Jake, Summer, Mo, Ashley and the rest of the Tremaine's for the festive season. You want a good read? Well, don't look much further than Ruth Saberton's books!

Book Review: The Last Kiss Goodbye by Tasmina Perry

"Everyone remembers their first kiss. But what about the last?

1961. Journalist Rosamund Bailey is ready to change the world. When she meets explorer and man about town Dominic Blake, she realises she has found the love of her life. Just as happiness is in their grasp, the worst happens, and their future is snatched away.

2014. Deep in the vaults of a museum, archivist Abby Gordon stumbles upon a breathtaking find. A faded photograph of a man saying goodbye to the woman he loves. Looking for a way to escape her own heartache, Abby becomes obsessed with the story, little realising that behind the image frozen in time lies a secret altogether more extraordinary."

Rating: 5/5

Available to buy now.

I was thrilled when I requested a copy of Tasmina Perry's latest novel The Last Kiss Goodbye on Netgalley and was accepted - it feels like it's been a long while since her 2013 christmas novel The Proposal. I really love books where there is a split narrative, especially when it's set over two time periods, so I couldn't wait to read this one and unearth more about Rosamund and Dominic's story, as well as Abby discovering it in the modern day. As usual, the cover is gorgeous - evocative of the mood of the book, but something that completely grabbed me and made me want to dive in.

I'm quite used to a bit of a bonkbuster when I read Tasmina's novels, so this one was a bit of an escape from her past novels for me. Her last book, The Proposal, also moved away from this so it was quite nice to see this carried through to this book as well. The books certainly haven't lost their blockbuster appeal though, and Perry's writing is just as stunning as it always is, drawing me deep into the world of the story, and making me not want to leave it, even in the wee hours of the morning! I loved the historical aspects of this book, and Dominic and Rosamund were just the perfect characters to follow for this.

Rosamund is a journalist, determined to change the world and have her voice be heard in a very male dominated industry. When she meets Dominic Blake, a man who seemingly stands for everything Rosamund is against, there's a spark that neither of them can deny. They strike up a close friendship, going to social parties together and eventually cementing their relationship. But after Dominic goes to Peru on expedition and doesn't return, Rosamund has to carry on her life without her life. In 2014, Abby works in a gallery, looking through old photographs, and stumbles across a romantic photograph. She's determined to find out who the couple are in the picture, but doesn't realise the shocking story behind the romantic image...

As I have said, I really loved the split narrative of this book, and Perry handles it so well in the book, making the transitions seamless and so easy to follow. I thoroughly enjoyed the slow development of the friendship between Dominic and Rosamund, both keen to stand up for their views, both strong-willed people, yet unable to stop their romantic feelings once they have taken hold. Perry's descriptive writing of London in the 1960's was wonderful, so evocative of the time, everything from the fashion, to the buildings to the feel of the time was perfect. Their love story was highly romantic, even until the end when Dominic disappears, and you just know Rosamund will never get over it. This is where Abby and her investigative skills come in, researching about the picture of The Last Kiss Goodbye she unearths in the archives.

I loved the contrast of Dominic and Rosamund's blossoming relationship, and Abby's failing one, this worked so well for the story, although I did of course feel very sorry for Abby and how she has been treated. All of the characters are so well written, you feel like you're living their story alongside them, they are all believable as people and as such I really cared for them, and what happened to them. As the book neared its end, the secrets start to come out, and I was totally shocked by the revelations -I truly hadn't seen them coming and I loved that Perry was able to hide that from me until the point when it must be revealed. This was a superbly written and crafted novel, seamlessly weaving two tales into one, blending the past with the modern day, but showing us the thread of love is the one thing that can stand the test of time. Beautiful, a must-read.

Non Fiction review: Secret Garden Artist's Edition by Johanna Basford

"From the artist and the publisher that brought you the hugely successful Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest - this special artist's edition features 20 beautiful, pull out art prints for colouring in. Colouring fans of all ages will enjoy immersing themselves in a selection of the most popular artworks from the original book, now presented in a new, large-scale format for maximum colouring enjoyment. Each detailed illustration is printed on high-quality card and can be removed easily for framing or craft projects."

Available to buy now.

I know I don't usually review non fiction books on here, but this is something that has recently peaked my attention, and I couldn't resist the chance when the publishers sent me a review copy. I love colouring in - it's something I always loved as a child, so when the new craze for adult colouring books came out, I quickly jumped on board. I grabbed myself a copy of both of Johanna Basford's successful colouring books Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest and set to work, thoroughly enjoying both the colouring in, and creating a glorious image all of my own doing.

Due to the popularity of the books, Johanna's publishers have come up with the idea of an artist's edition of her first book, Secret Garden. This features a selection of the best loved pictures from the colouring book, printed on only one side of the paper, with a perforation down the side so that they can easily be removed and displayed around your home. I found the images were of a very high quality, certainly some of my favourite images from the original book although there were a couple missing that I would have loved to see in this book.

The quality of the paper here feels slightly better than in the original colouring book. I have used both colouring pencils (just from WH Smith, nothing fancy or expensive), and my Staedtler fine liners (my pen of choice for colouring in), and I have found both great on the paper. There is no bleeding, it doesn't show through to the back side of the paper, so it's certainly worth investing in something a bit bolder, especially if these images are going to be featured on your wall.

For those more serious about colouring in, and especially for those who want to display their colouring in, or simply removing it from the book for ease of colouring, this artist's edition of Johanna Basford's successful first book is definitely worth investing in. With great quality paper, a wonderful selection of images that are of a great size, this is definitely a colouring book that I am proud to own, and I'll be looking out for Johanna's other books as artist's editions too.

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy to review.

Blog Tour Book Review: Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan

"Skylar Tempest has never understood Alec Hunter’s appeal. So what if he’s a world-renowned historian? He’s also cynical, aloof and determined to think the worst of her. So when a twist of fate finds her spending the lead-up to Christmas with Alec and his family, she’s not expecting the season to be either merry or bright.

Alec has learned the hard way not to trust beautiful women—and Skylar is the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. But as he watches her throw herself into his family’s festive chaos, Alec realises there is far more to this blonde bombshell than meets the eye.

With Christmas around the corner, Alec and Skylar return to Puffin Island, a tentative bond forged between them. Neither intends to fall in love but as the nights become darker, and the fire between them grows hotter, could this be the chance for Alec and Skylar to find their own happy ending?"

Rating: 5/5

Available to buy now.

Once again, I have come to the end of another superb series by Sarah Morgan, and once again I have been left wanting more! After her brilliant Snow Crystal trilogy that was released mainly throughout 2014, we were treated to this new Puffin Island trilogy, comprising of First Time in Forever, Some Kind of Wonderful, and this, the final book Christmas Ever After. I was hopeful of this book being brilliant, but my god it surpassed even my high expectations - I loved everything about it and feel bereft that the series has ended and I have had to leave these fantastic characters behind!

Skylar is so excited to finally be hosting her own jewellery exhibition in London, showcasing some of her best work, especially with her boyfriend by her side. When a mutual friend, Alec, makes an appearance, Skylar isn't exactly happy to see him. However, when things in her personal life go dramatically wrong, Alec is the only one to step up and be there for Skylar. As the pair return to Puffin Island for the holiday season, will they be able to put their past differences aside and see their friendship for what it is, or what is could possibly be?

Each of the 3 books in this trilogy have focussed in on one of the women from the core friendship group, and this time it is finally the turn of Skylar. We have met her a few times over the past two books, and I always got a sense that her relationship with boyfriend Richard really troubled her best friends Brittany and Emily. It all comes to a head in this book, and I was pleased to see things finally get moving for Skylar. I disliked Richard from the moment I met him in this book, and I just couldn't understand what it was Skylar saw in him - he seemed a typical politician unfortunately!

I really loved the slowly developing relationship between Skylar and Alec. It's clear from the off that there is a bit of a spark between them, no matter how quick they are to deny it, but I loved how Morgan plays the two off for a while, making it clear that there is no romantic feeling whatsoever. I loved that Alec was a real gentleman, looking after Skylar when she needed someone the most, and not bailing out on his responsibilities when it got a bit too uncomfortable for him. The scenes at Alec's parents and their early festivities were my favourite in the book - it felt like a traditional British christmas, and I loved it!

Alec is definitely written as a hero of the book, and I liked how slowly Skylar came around to him, realising perhaps he wasn't as bad as she had originally thought of him. We also catch up with Brittany and Zach, who are now happily living together on Puffin Island, and Emily and Ryan too - I love how Morgan weaves all their stories together, it really did feel like I was reading about one big family, and I loved catching up with them again, happy to see that they were all still together and loving life on Puffin Island.

Although I had loved the previous two books, this was by far and away my favourite of the trilogy so far (I have probably said that about each of the books so far, sorry!). I just really liked Skylar - there was nothing dislikeable about her, and she was very real - glamourous when the occasion called for it but otherwise happy to don her wellies and waterproof coat for fun in the snow, you can see why Alec warmed to her so quickly! The sweet love story was all I needed in this book, and the setting of London, the Cotswolds and of course Puffin Island added to the perfection of the story. The festive feeling is there in abundance, just as I expect from Sarah Morgan, and it is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year so far! I cannot WAIT for whatever treat Sarah is going to bring us next, but for now I'm off to reread the Puffin Island trilogy once more - I'm not ready to leave Emily, Brittany and Skylar behind just yet! Perfection!

Blog Tour: Extract from A Christmas Cracker by Trisha Ashley

I am delighted to be hosting an exclusive extract from Trisha Ashley's new book A Christmas Cracker thanks to her publishers over at Avon Books for Trisha's blog tour! I cannot wait to read the book - Trisha's festive offerings are always such a treat!

Available to buy now.

This extract is from near the beginning of the book, so enjoy!

"I was on tenterhooks, wondering how Pye was and hoping for good news, but Emma sounded troubled when we spoke again.

‘Jeremy wasn’t pleased to see me at all, and didn’t even invite me and Marco into the house. And I’m afraid Pye wasn’t there, Tabby – Jeremy said that he couldn’t cope with the constant yowling after you’d gone, so he’d found him a good home, but he wouldn’t tell me where, or who with.’

Cold dread seized my heart, for not only did I adore Pye, but he was the last living link to my mother, who had also loved him.

‘You don’t think he’s just saying that and he’s had him put to sleep?’

‘No, I’m sure he hasn’t,’ she reassured me. ‘When I told him he shouldn’t have rehomed Pye without your permis­sion, he said you’d abandoned him by committing a crime, so it was your own fault, but I was to assure you the cat was perfectly all right.’

‘I hope so . . . and thank you for trying to find where he was,’ I said, but inwardly I was thinking of Pye – my awkward, demanding, adorable Pye – out there somewhere living with strangers . . . Was he happy and safe? A slow tear slid coldly down my face.

‘The other thing is, Tabby, that your belongings weren’t in the flat any more, but in boxes piled at the back of the garage. Jeremy said since obviously you and he didn’t have any kind of future together and your rent had run out, he was going to let the flat again. I can’t believe how mean and horrible he’s turned out to be!’

I didn’t feel that surprised after our final argument . . . and anyway, it paled into insignificance compared with his arbitrary rehoming of Pye.

‘He let me go and rummage through the boxes and I found most of the things you wanted. He says he’d be grateful if you’d have them removed at the first opportunity,’ she added.

‘He’ll have to wait then, because I can’t do anything till I get out – and even then I’ll have nowhere to live, no job and a criminal record.’

‘Jeremy’s such a pompous, self-satisfied prig, though I couldn’t say so when you were in love with him. And I should know, because I married one myself,’ she said wearily.

‘Is Des being just as difficult?’ I asked sympathetically.

‘He gets worse every time he gets back from a contract and wants every second of my time accounted for. And the least thing that isn’t quite the way he likes it, or the way his mother used to do it, and he flies right off the handle. Even when Marco was a toddler, he didn’t have tantrums like that!’

‘He isn’t violent, is he?’

‘No, it’s all verbal bullying. I’d be straight out of there if he tried anything else. And I know I should stand up to him more, but I don’t want Marco to hear us arguing all the time. I could do with your sharp tongue to cut him down to size occasionally.’

‘My sarcastic tongue frequently gets me into trouble,’ I said ruefully. ‘I don’t think one or two of my smart answers to stupid questions went down well in court.’

Emma was still following her own thoughts. ‘Sometimes he’s really sweet, just like he was when we were first going out. It’s since he started working away on longer contracts that he’s really changed.’ She sighed. ‘It seems to me we’re both in prison, in a way.’"

Thanks so much to Trisha and Avon for letting me host this extract!

eBook Review: What Happens in Cornwall by T. A. Williams

"For a very British summer holiday…

When archaeologist Sam realises her relationship is as dead as the skeletons she’s exhuming, she knows it’s time to make a change. But with bills to pay her options are limited…until a discovery on Rock Island in Cornwall gives her a reason to escape…

Head to the Cornish coast!

In Cornwall, questions are thrown up at every turn: who is the glamorous owner of Rock Island that the paparazzi are so interested in? How has the irresistible, but impossibly arrogant, history professor James Courtney managed to get so far under Sam’s skin? And will it ever stop raining so Sam can lose the cagoule and sip a cool drink in the sun? One thing’s for sure: there’s never been a holiday quite like this one!"

Rating: 4/5

Available to buy now.

I've read and enjoyed a few novels by T.A. Williams before so when I was offered the opportunity to review his latest book What Happens in Cornwall, I was really pleased and looked forward to a very good read. In fact, his last book What Happens in Tuscany was a fabulous read, so I had high expectations for this one as well. This one was just as good a read as before, and certainly marks T.A. Williams as one of my new favourite eBook authors to read, and I have to say how much I love his book covers as well - this one is so summery!

This time the story is based around an archaeologist Sam, who flees to Cornwall for work when her relationship is clearly over, needing a fresh start. She finds a mysterious house on Rock Island, off the coast of Cornwall and meets someone she didn't expect to, someone who wants their identity kept a secret, something Sam thinks she can do. Together with her friend from University, Sam is determined to investigate the ruins on Rock Island, and protect the identity of her new friend, as well as juggling a very awkward friendship with another professor from University, James Courtney. Will Sam be able to keep all the secrets and further her career along the way?

There was quite a bit going on in this book as you can tell, but the main part of the book involves Sam and her discovery on Rock Island. She befriends the secretive stranger there, and I really enjoyed these parts of the book. The friendship between them was very sweet - genuine and kind, and Williams writes the mysterious character so well - even though we don't see her much, I very much liked her from the beginning. Sam was definitely my favourite character in the book, she's very passionate about her job which comes across really well, and is a good friend to those around her too. I liked her strange relationship with James, another professor at the university, and I was curious as to why the pair seemed to constantly rub each other up the wrong way!

The setting of Cornwall was well written, even if the weather was less than idyllic in parts of the story! You can see why Sam was taken with the place, especially Rock Island, and the dig that takes place in the book was really interesting to read. Williams really builds up the anticipation of what they are about to find, and injects a lot of enthusiasm into Sam's colleagues, so much so that I ended up excited with them, wondering what they would dig up! Alongside this story, we have a couple of funny Italian paparazzi who are on the tail of the mysterious Rock Island owner who end up in more than one scrap, it was certainly a little light relief in the book, one of them certainly thought himself a bit of a Romeo!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a different sort of story than the one I had read previously by T.A. Williams, but I certainly didn't enjoy it any less. I liked all the characters in this one, especially Sam and her best friend Becky, and I enjoyed the mysterious element of the stranger on Rock Island, and the chase of the paparazzi. T.A.'s writing is getting better with each book, his dialogue flows wonderfully in this book, and I really felt the story come alive as I was reading it. I've now his next book What Happens at Christmas lined up on my kindle, so I can't wait to start that! I would certainly recommend this one, a very fun read.

Book Review: The Piano Man Project by Kat French

"Finding love isn’t always black and white…

You: kind, piano-playing sex god
Me: hopelessly romantic charity shop manager

Honeysuckle Jones has a problem, and her best friends Nell and Tash are on a mission to help her solve it. She needs a man – a caring, intelligent, funny man. But most importantly, a man who’s good with his hands…

Luckily Honey’s new neighbour – moody, antisocial ex-chef Hal – fails on almost every count. Even though the chemistry between them is electric, he’s obviously wrong for her in every way.

But when Honey discovers the devastating reason for his moods she decides to give him another chance. And discovers that the best songs aren’t always in tune…"

Rating: 5/5

Available to buy now.

I have to admit when I began this book, I was really unsure about it and was close to closing down the book on my kindle and trying something else. However, I decided to give it a little bit more of a chance, and I am so pleased that I did because I truly loved this book, and it makes me very excited to read more from Kat French now! The gorgeous book cover certainly stands out as well, and while I found the title to be a bit mis-leading and not what I had expected for where the story went, it was really good and a brilliant read from start to finish, and here's why I think it's one of my must-reads this year!

The main character of Honeysuckle was a great one, and I loved her from the beginning. She's quite different to the two friends she hangs out with, and is quite happily single at the moment, sure she is never going to find Mr Right. When a strange new neighbour moves in across the corridor from her, Honey's attention is piqued and she has to investigate and find out more about the strange man. She begins a peculiar friendship of sorts with Hal, and the more she's with him, the more she thinks he may be the one for her, even though there's a big obstacle in their way. As well as her personal life, Honey's professional life is being thrown into disarray as well and she's got far too many balls to juggle and something's got to give...

I really don't want to spoil this book and tell you what is special about Hal, because part of the joy of this book for me was finding out as it went what happened to him, and why he is how he is, especially with Honeysuckle. When it was revealed, I was really surprised and pleasantly so, to see an issue like this being covered in commercial women's fiction, it's certainly not something I have come across before. Despite the difference between them, the chemistry between the pair was fabulously written, you could tell despite the constant bickering and annoying each other, that there was something there between them and I couldn't wait for it all to get going, and hopefully bring the two of them together.

As well as this storyline, Honey has to go on a few dates thanks to her friends Tash and Nell who are determined to find her a boyfriend. That certainly lends itself to some funny moments, but my other favourite part of the book involved the charity shop where Honey worked alongside pensioners Lucille and Mimi, who volunteer there near their housing. When this is threatened, Honey has to step up to protect her friends, and the storyline that ensued was so funny (albeit around a very serious issue of course), it left me with a big smile on my face, loving the cross-generation relationships and the genuine affection that Honey, Lucille and Mimi all had for each other.

Kat French's writing was a joy to read, crafting wonderful characters that I truly cared about, and I loved reading about the escapades of Honey as the book went on, and seeing her becoming a stronger and more independent woman. Hal, too, was the perfect male character for the book, and I loved reading about Honey helping through his issues, despite his reluctance to let her into his world. It's a light-hearted, fun read that will leave you smiling, I certainly enjoyed all of it and didn't want to put it down every evening, I wanted to read just one more chapter each time I wanted to get to bed! A super story that you will certainly love. Highly recommended.