Book Review: Wait For You by J Lynn

"Some things are worth waiting for…

Away from home for the first time and finally free from her past, nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten wants to keep her first year of college low key. Get good grades, avoid the parties and maybe – please God – make a few friends. The one thing she didn’t plan on was capturing the attention of the hottest guy on campus…

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of hotness. Avery knows she should stay away from him, but Cam is everywhere, with his charm, his kindness, his sexy dimple…Getting involved with him is dangerous, but ignoring their scorching tension is impossible.

And some things are worth fighting for…

When Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls, she realises that someone from her past is refusing to let her go. When the devastating truth comes out, will Cam be there to help her or will she have to face it alone?"

Rating: 4/5

You can buy Wait For You as a paperback or an eBook now.

I've been quite pleased with the few New Adult books I have read this year, a brand new genre that has come about and seems to be rising in popularity quite quickly. I've enjoyed books by authors such as Cora Carmack and Jessica Sorensen, so when a copy of J Lynn's (aka Jennifer Armentrout) book came through my doorstep, I'll confess the first thing I did was pop over to Amazon and see what sort of response it had had. Well. It was rather popular. Hundreds of five star reviews, and I also found out that this book was a #1 New York Times Bestseller as well. I decided I just had to give it a go and find out what all the fuss was about, even if I have to confess I was a bit confused by the cover at first (it soon makes sense once you start reading though!).

Avery Morgansten has finally managed to get out of her home, away from her parents and to a new life in college. She's determined to forget the things in her past that she has left there, and wants to invent a new Avery. When she meets fellow student Cameron, she's surprised at her feelings for him. She tries to stay away, but finds herself being drawn to him however hard she tries to not have any feelings for him. As the pair becomes closer, Avery wonders whether she can trust him and if she can reveal her past secrets to him. When she starts getting nasty emails and texts, Avery decides to ignore them but knows that her past is starting to catch up with her, even though she's hundreds of miles away. Will Avery be able to let Cameron in to help her, or will her past end up pushing away her future too?

If I'm honest, I have to say that there are a lot of similarities between this book and Jessica Sorensen's book 'The Coincidence of Callie and Cayden' which was also released this year. Much of the story was very, very alike, from things happening with the main female character, the romance between the shy female and the handsome main male, and the setting too. However, I didn't mind this and although I found myself drawing comparisons, the writing styles were different and they were both very enjoyable books.As I mentioned before, the cover seemed a bit strange to me at first, many of these New Adult books feature rather attractive men and women, so this one does break the mould but I like how it references the book.

I found the characters in the book to be really likeable. Avery, our main character, is a damaged young woman, haunted by something that has happened to her in her past. I guessed quite early on what it was, but I liked how Lynn tackled this in the story, and how it affected Avery. It was realistic to read about, and made Avery a sympathetic character. Cameron was the typical handsome college jock, very popular, clever and all the girls like him, so of course he has to go for the shy girl who lives near him, making everyone else jealous! Lynn writes him to be really likeable though, so I didn't mind that it was a tad predictable with that story, and I just wanted the two of them to get it together if I'm honest! I did get annoyed with Avery constantly turning down Cam, especially when she couldn't seem to justify why she was, but it did help build the pair's relationship a bit more.

I have to give a mention to a few of the supporting characters too, in particular Avery's friends Jacob and Brit. They were hilarious, and provided a lot of the comedy moments in the book, and pushed for the relationship between Avery and Cam too, which is pretty much what the readers of this book are doing too! I enjoyed the setting of a college, it worked well for the book and I learnt a thing or two as I was reading too, so even better. One thing I want to mention about this book was the realism in Lynn's writing. Some of the scenes were very vivid, they come alive in your mind and they were fun to read... even the love scenes in the book were very well handled and written, very sensual and tasteful I have to say which was nice to read.

I'm sure people will slate this book because yes, it's a bit predictable, and yes, it is a lot like many of the New Adult books out there, but for me, this was easy reading, a sweet love story and I enjoyed reading it. I loved the characters, J Lynn's writing style totally suited me and Avery and Cam were a lovely couple. As I mentioned, I did find myself getting frustrated with Avery in parts, but it's part of her character to be how she is and you just have to persist with her. If you've enjoyed other New Adults titles, then I would definitely recommend you pick up a copy of Wait For You. It felt very real as I was reading, like it could really be ahappening and wasn't too contrived, and was full of emotion. I really enjoyed Wait For You and am looking forward to the next book in the series, Be With You which is due in 2014. A great read.

Book News: The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman

One of my favourite authors Rowan Coleman is finally back with a new book early next year, and I am so excited to read it! The cover for The Memory Book is just stunning, and I love it. The idea of the book sounds brilliant too, and I'm sure it'll be another book that will make me cry like Rowan's previous novels! It isn't out until 27th February 2014, but already I can't wait!

You can pre-order The Memory Book as a hardcover now!

"The name of your first-born. The face of your lover. Your age. Your address...

What would happen if your memory of these began to fade?

Is it possible to rebuild your life? Raise a family? Fall in love again?

When Claire starts to write her Memory Book, she already knows that this scrapbook of mementoes will soon be all her daughters and husband have of her. But how can she hold onto the past when her future is slipping through her fingers...?"

eBook News: A Vintage Christmas by Ali Harris

I absolutely adored Ali Harris' festive novel Miracle on Regent Street which was released a few years ago, so I was thrilled to see that she is bringing those characters back for a brand new short story! It's out on 24th October and I am already loving the cover! Look out for it soon, I can't wait to read it.

You can pre-order A Vintage Christmas as an eBook now.

"Evie has the perfect job and the perfect man, but keeping both in her life has become a serious balancing act...

With the sales coming to a close at Hardy's, Evie must source new stock for the season ahead. Her mind is constantly buzzing with ideas and layouts, so much so that she is forgetting all about Sam.

Can she learn to keep her work separate from her home life? Or will she lose everything...

Ali Harris weaves a story of Christmas miracles in this magical short story eBook exclusive!"

eBook News: Tuesdays at the Teacup Club by Vanessa Greene

Following on from her 2012 novel that I really enjoyed, The Vintage Teacup Club, Vanessa Greene is back with a brand new eBook short story starring all the characters from that very book. It's out on 1st October, and I'm looking forward to reading it and catching up with the characters once more!

You can pre-order Tuesdays at the Teacup Club as an eBook now.

"A lot can change in a year . . . 

The children's books Jenny writes and illustrates from her countryside studio are doing well, and after a lifetime of looking after everyone else, she's finally putting herself first. Meanwhile, Maggie's ordered world is thrown into chaos when her baby son Leo arrives. Candlelit baths have made way for endless night feeds, and she and partner Owen are struggling to find any time for themselves. It's been a long year of financial sacrifice, but working-mum Alison has fulfilled her dream at last - she is now the proud co-owner of a café and art gallery. 

But when Alison's happiness is threatened and news from home shocks Jenny back to reality, the women must band together. Suddenly their friendship is more important than ever. 

In this digital-exclusive short story, Vanessa Greene revisits the characters we first fell in love with in The Vintage Teacup Club. Appealing to both new and old fans, this is a real treat for anyone who enjoys warm-hearted and sincere storytelling - and it's best enjoyed with a nice cup of tea."

Book Review: The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Café by Mary Simses

"Manhattan lawyer Ellen Branford is going to fulfill her grandmother's dying wish - to find the hometown boy she once loved and give him her last letter. Beacon, Maine, home to blueberry fields and eccentric locals, is the last place she wants to go so close to her upcoming wedding. Hoping to be in and out in 24 hours, Ellen ends up the talk of the town when a tumble into the ocean introduces her to Roy Cummings, the carpenter who saves her life. Roy happens to be the nephew of Ellen's grandmother's lost love, and the one person who can bring closure to her quest. But as Ellen learns what Beacon has to offer and what her grandmother left behind, she may find that a 24 hour visit will never be enough..."

Rating: 4/5

You can buy The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Café as a paperback or an eBook now.

I was invited to be a part of the blog tour for Mary Simses' debut novel The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Café, and this peaked my interest for reading the book. I had read good things about this on fellow bloggers sites, so I decided to give the book a try and find out more about this lovely blueberry bakeshop! I did really enjoy the book but I have one complaint about it... one that actually stopped the book being 5/5 and made it 4/5 ... the title is completely irrelevant really! The bakeshop barely appears in the book, it certainly isn't an integral part of the story so if you're expecting to read about that, you will be left disappointed! It is a sweet love story and a family discovery too, but this has nothing to do with the title and I have to say I do think it's a tad misleading which is a bit of a shame.

Ellen is devastated when her beloved grandmother dies. Before her grandmother passed, she gave Ellen a dying wish... to return a letter to someone from her past, but she doesn't leave Ellen with a lot of information to go on. Ellen has to return to the place where her grandmother grew up, a small town called Beacon in the state of Maine. Ellen is used to a fast paced lifestyle as a lawyer with a glamourous home, fiancé and job to match, and she finds the slower pace of Beacon somewhat hard to get used to. She hopes to make it a fleeting visit - drop the letter off and quickly get back home. But when she meets local carpenter Roy Cummings, things start to change in Ellen's life, especially when she finds her own life being saved by him. How will her brief visit to Beacon send Ellen's life down another path, and make some discoveries about her family too?

I found the writing of this book to be really enjoyable to read. I loved how Simses made Ellen quite unsympathetic at first, she was quite rude to the locals, dismissive about the place and the hotel she was staying in and generally not someone you could warm to. It seems that the magic of the town works its own magic on Ellen because she does become softer, and as she finds out more about her grandmother, she softens more and I enjoyed discovering more about her family history along with her. When we meet Ellen's mother and fiancé, we can begin to understand why she is how she is in the book, and I liked how they were all so closely interlinked with each other, even though Ellen is apart from them for pretty much the whole book.

The town of Beacon sounds like an idyllic place to live, and I love how Simses writes it. It certainly comes to life in my mind, from the harbour area to the quaint hotel that Ellen stays in to the local bars and restaurants she eats it... it all creates an atmosphere in the book that you are quickly swept into and I was very quickly absorbed into the book. I loved reading about the blueberry fields too, discovering all about Ellen's grandmother and her talents, and of course meeting the lovely Roy, who seems such like such a perfect man all the way through the book, and I was willing Ellen to see it too. The interactions between he and Ellen were so fun to read, and I loved the chemistry that they had, especially when Roy saves Ellen's life and she is determined that she didn't need his help at all!

Mary Simses book is a very enjoyable read and I enjoyed it from start to finish. It's a shame that it was such a misleading and irrelevant title because it is a wonderful love story and you really do find yourself swept up into the romance and mystery of the small town of Beacon. I really liked Roy and Ellen, they were great characters to follow and you are rooting for their romance throughout the story. This is a great debut novel that I would definitely recommend enjoying on these cold autumnal night, and it makes me look forward to reading more from Mary Simses. A lovely and charming read.

Book News: Coming Home for Christmas by Jenny Hale

Ooh yes, it's another Christmas book! I'm going mad this week with a lot of Christmas release posts, but the festive stuff in the shops has got me all excited. Jenny Hale, a new debut author, has a festive read out this year, on 4th October, and it's called Coming Home for Christmas. I really love the cover, it's so pretty and I already have a copy sitting on my shelf waiting to be read!

You can pre-order Coming Home for Christmas as a paperback now.

"What does Allie Richfield do when faced with the decision to move back home with her mother or live and work in a multimillion dollar mansion? She flips a coin.

Unsuccessful both professionally and personally, Allie is hurled back into the real world with an aging degree and little work experience in her field. With the flip of a coin, she takes a job as house manager for the Ashford estate, an early twentieth century Virginian manor.

Robert Marley, Allie’s new boss, is short tempered and brash. Robert’s younger brother, Kip, relentlessly flirts with her. His sister, Sloane, returns with two kinds of baggage: the Luis Vuitton kind and the divorcée-with-two-small-children kind. Pippa, the ninety-two year old Marley matriarch, decides to befriend Allie—and Pippa doesn’t befriend anybody. They’re all coming home for Christmas—that is, except Robert who refuses to take part in the family tradition.

As the family converges for one final holiday before the house sells in January, Allie’s life as she knows it will be changed forever. And Robert Marley might just have something to do with it."

Book News: Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop by Jenny Colgan

Oh yes, it's another Christmas release! I am really looking forward to Jenny Colgan's latest Christmas offering, which takes us back to the characters from her fantastic book Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams, a book I read and loved a few years ago. The cover for this one is gorgeous, and I can't wait for its release on 7th November!

You can pre-order Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop as a hardcover or an eBook now.

"Rosie Hopkins is looking forward to Christmas in the little Derbyshire village of Lipton, buried under a thick blanket of snow. Her sweetshop is festooned with striped candy canes, large tempting piles of Turkish Delight, crinkling selection boxes and happy, sticky children. She's going to be spending it with her boyfriend, Stephen, and her family, flying in from Australia. She can't wait.

But when a tragedy strikes at the heart of their little community, all of Rosie's plans for the future seem to be blown apart. Can she build a life in Lipton? And is what's best for the sweetshop also what's best for Rosie?"