Book Review: Escape to the Turquoise Seas By Carrie Walker
Is there a better way to kick off a new week than by welcoming Carrie Walker to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, Escape to the Turquoise Seas? No, I don’t think there is either.
Kat Brennan has always been the work-hard, play-harder type, navigating single life in London and the chaos of her job at Northstar PR. So when Excalibur Cruises invite her aboard to pitch for their account, she jumps at the chance to prove to her boss she’s indispensable… and to finally relax a little.
But the last person she wants to get stuck on a boat with is industry hotshot Leo Kendrick, the CEO of rival agency Amplify – and Kat’s nemesis. When Leo bagged a coveted marketing internship 15 years ago, Kat vowed never to let him win anything again. She is not about to break that promise, even if Leo has become a distractingly attractive opponent.
As the Esmerelda sails the seas, from the Azores to Lisbon via Madeira, the two agencies must battle it out to present the best pitch. But in such close quarters, the sea might not be the only thing rocking the boat…
PERFECT for fans of:
Forced proximity
Enemies-to-lovers
Workplace romance
A dash of spice
Beachy destinations
*****
Kat has always loved her life. She’s living in London, working at Northstar PR and doesn’t necessarily mind that she’s single. However, when she hears that her biggest account, Excalibur Cruises, are considering another agency, she and her colleague, Heidi, go into crisis mode. They agree to go on a cruise in order to know the product they are pitching for. What Kat doesn’t count on is seeing her PR nemesis, Leo, who also happens to be on the cruise. Can Kat and Leo bury the hatchet, or will there be trouble at sea?
I have been a fan of Carrie Walker since reading the previous novel in this series, Escape To The Northern Lights. Don’t worry. You can read Escape to the Turquoise Seas as a standalone. I couldn’t wait to get started on the latest instalment in the Holiday Romance series and was honoured to be part of its blog tour.
by 
Book Extract: Ten to the 405 By Kevin R. Andrade
It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Kevin R. Andrade to Novel Kicks as we shine a light on his book, Ten to the 405. When disgraced investigative journalist Jake Hansen accepts a missing person case in Los Angeles, he uncovers a conspiracy linking organized crime, political corruption, and a powerful family determined to keep its secrets buried.
Kevin has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.
*****beginning of extract*****
INT. TROTTER’S TAVERN- BACK BAR AREA- MORNING
JAKE HANSEN, 35, a half-Latino and half-white male is asleep on the bar top of the dark tavern. Jake is smart, funny and a lovable rogue but also a disaster of a person. He lies on his back with one leg off of the bar. Jake has two black eyes and scrapes on his face with puffy red eyes.
A 60-inch TV above the bar is on.
INSERT TELEVISION – NEWS CONFERENCE
MAYOR ALEX VILA, 45, a handsome Latino male, dressed in a sharp suit, speaks behind a podium. To the right of Alex Vila is LILY VILA, 35, his beautiful wife. She wears a stunning green dress.
ALEX VILA
(ON TV)
I wish I could answer that question, Rick, but it really is premature.
Jake, groaning, opens his eyes and looks at the television.
JAKE
(Grumbling)
Asshole.
REPORTER
(O.S. On TV)
by Book Extract: The Book Lover’s Bucket List By Hannah Claire
I’m very excited to be welcoming Hannah Claire to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, The Book Lover’s Bucket List.
A bucket list to change her life.
Gabriella Brookes has spent years quietly loving Zach Osborne, knowing he only sees her as his best friend’s bookish little sister. He’s charming, successful, and only back in their Derbyshire village for the summer before his next big move.
When Gabby stumbles across her long-forgotten teenage bucket list, Zach proposes a deal: together, they’ll tick off her book-inspired challenges, if she helps him complete a few fun tasks of his own.
What starts as a perfectly sensible plan quickly turns into something far more complicated, when real life refuses to stay neatly tucked between the pages.
But as Zach’s past resurfaces and his future pulls him away, Gabby is forced to face a harder truth: dreams don’t come true if you only ever read about them.
Ticking off the challenges was meant to be easy.
Admitting what your heart wants is the real risk.
A cosy, small-town romantic comedy about courage, love, and rewriting your own ending.
Hannah has kindly shared an extract from The Book Lover’s Bucket List with us today. Find that comfortable reading spot, the refreshment of your choice and enjoy, as we head to Millbrook.
*****beginning of extract*****
It was late afternoon at Millbrook Library, and the only sounds were the hushed murmuring of voices, the turning of pages and the occasional clank from the ancient heating pipes. Gabriella Brookes cast her eyes over the display she was working on and gave it a nod of approval. Every summer they had a table for recommended holiday reads and, this year, Gabby was determined to make it bigger and better than ever. She adjusted the bucket and spade, sprinkled a little more sand around and reached for the large stack of books she had selected.
As far as Gabby was concerned, one of the best bits of her job managing the library was helping people find the perfect book for their current need or mood. For the summer Read Yourself Happy display, she had chosen novels set in far-flung and exotic locations, as well as sweet English villages beset by murders; some laugh-out-loud comedies and twisty, turny thrillers and, of course, a handful of swoon-worthy love stories with gorgeous romantic heroes. All novels you could relax with, and enjoy a much-needed break from reality. Too much reality was definitely a bad thing, Gabby decided, appraising the display.
by Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: The Inheritance
Welcome to Fiction Friday, our weekly flash fiction challenge.
Here’s how it works:
Set a timer for five minutes and start writing
Keep going for as long as you can once the timer goes off
No editing allowed—raw writing only
When you’re finished, feel free to share in the comments (but there’s no pressure.)
Today’s prompt: The Inheritance.
You discover a hidden compartment in your grandmother or grandfather’s house containing a journal with entries dated from 50 years ago. The final page describes a choice they made that day—one that changed everything.
However, the crucial entries in the middle have been deliberately torn out, and the handwriting becomes increasingly frantic toward the end.
Write a story revealing what happened during those missing years and why your grandparent removed those pages. Was it shame, protection, or something else entirely?
by Novel Kicks Writing Room: A Free Write Session
Hello. Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.
I don’t know about you, but I am loving and hating this hot weather in the UK in equal measure. It’s making it hard to concentrate, right?
So, in light of this, the exercise today is not a complicated one. It’s simply a free write. Set a timer for at least 20 minutes and just let yourself write. See where your imagination takes you. If you want to change this up, you could always dictate your story instead?
If you need a little inspriation to get going, here are some prompts to use as first lines. Feel free to mix and match and to also change the tense and point of view.
I open my eyes to see the tube station empty of people.
‘I told you to turn it off.’
The school loomed above me. Its gothic feel gave me shivers.
You cast the spell. It is done. There’s no going back. At least, that’s what you think.
by Book Club
