Book Review: Marry Me in Seahaven Bay By Nicola May
I am pleased to be welcoming Nicola May to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Marry Me in Seahaven Bay.
The emotional and uplifting new novel from the author of the million-copy bestselling Cockleberry Bay series.
Life at the Seahaven Bay Retreat is flourishing, but Rita Jory’s second chance at happiness is about to face its biggest test yet. When Jago’s glamorous French ex-wife appears on the doorstep with a five-year-old daughter in tow, their blossoming relationship hangs by a thread.
Between juggling retreat guests seeking healing, her daughter Sennen’s desperate need for a last-minute wedding venue, and dealing with Elodie’s impossible demands, Rita’s already stretched to breaking point.
Then some very unexpected news forces her to reconsider everything she thought she wanted. But can she trust Jago with her secret, and embrace the new life ahead?
Rita must decide whether to protect her heart or fight for her future.
A joyful, tender and laugh-out-loud tale of family, forgiveness and finding the courage to say yes to life’s beautiful surprises. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Jojo Moyes and Amanda Prowse.
*****
A warm welcome back to Seahaven Bay! If this is your first novel by Nicola May, then you are in for a reading treat (and a very nice back catalogue to begin with) but, if like me, you’ve been a fan of this author for a while, you’re in for an even bigger treat!
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Book Review: The Last To Know By Laura Jane Williams
Ash has met her perfect match.
So has CJ.
Unfortunately for them, it’s the same man.
Mid-thirties and feeling the pressure, they’re ready to fight for him. Even if it means sabotaging each other.
As Ash and CJ turn up on each other’s dates, ruin one another’s chances, and accidentally end up spending an awful lot of time together, their friends begin to wonder. Are they fighting over the same guy? Or are they fighting their feelings for each other . . . ?
*****
Cj loves her life in Portugal. She’s the manager of a successful business, has a “friends with benefits” situation with her best friend/colleague but most importantly, she has a son who is her whole world.
Ash is on a journey to find life. Having been the odd one out in her family and always being one for organisation to within an inch of her life, she’s attempting to open herself up to opportunities in Portugal for a few weeks.
When the women meet each other, it’s dislike at first sight. However, can they both find a way to thaw when it comes to each other?
by Book Review & Giveaway: The Fatal Farandole By Ana T. Drew
It makes me so happy to be welcoming Ana T. Drew to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The Fatal Farandole.
The Fatal Farandole is a cozy mystery full of plot twists and small-town secrets. It’s perfect for fans of character-driven crime novels with emotional depth.
A beloved Provençal festival.
A murderous conspiracy.
A bullfighter who knows too much.
When two local chefs are killed within a week, shockwaves ripple through the region’s tight-knit culinary world.
Suspicion lands squarely on baker Julie Cavallo.
As whispers turn to accusations, her eccentric family closes ranks, and her loyal friends rally to her side.
But Julie’s running out of time. Her pastry shop is at risk. Her love life is unraveling. The gendarmes are tracking her every move. Julie can’t afford to wait for the official investigation to uncover the truth.
Her instincts go into overdrive. Dots connect. Patterns appear…
Can Julie make it through this case, when asking the right questions has already gotten others killed?
*****
Julie has a lot in her life that she loves – her own Pastry business, a relationship with the handsome Gabriel and a great support system around her in the form of Grandmother, Rose, sister, Flo and colleague, Eric. However, when two fellow chefs are murdered within a week of each other, Julie soon becomes a suspect. Can Julie and the other members of FERJ find out what’s going on before someone else gets hurt?
The premise for this book sounded right up my street – a murder case/puzzle to solve, and a strong female lead. I jumped at the chance to take part in the blog tour for The Final Farandole. I couldn’t wait to get started.
This book starts out strong and puts the reader right into the thick of the action. The stakes are high from page one. Julie, the lead character, is immediately in a life-or-death situation. Not only this, but her Grandmother’s dog, Lady, is also with her. This meant that it didn’t take me long to completely get invested as I just kept saying ‘one more chapter.’
by Book Review: The Haunting of Willows Cottage By Isobel Blackthorn
It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Isobel Blackthorn to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, The Haunting of Willows Cottage, the third story in the Strathbairn Trilogy.
Ingrid and her daughter Susan return to the Western Highlands of Scotland, staying at Strathbairn with Gertrude McCleod while their new home, a cottage by the loch, is redecorated. The very same day, the ghosts of Ingrid’s past return when Gertrude’s brother Miles arrives with his new bride and his friend Timothy.
When her former beau turned betrayer Hamish starts work on a barn conversion, Ingrid is desperate to leave Strathbairn. She rushes to move into the cottage only to find she is sharing her new home with a violent ghost.
Realising the haunting is somehow connected to Strathbairn and sensing that something at Willows Cottage must be returned, she makes every effort to discover what that it is.
While Hamish and Gertrude conspire to force Ingrid into marriage, Timothy becomes a regular caller with a romantic motive. With two suitors and two marriage proposals, who will she choose – and can she solve the haunting of Willows Cottage?
A gripping conclusion to a classic gothic mystery trilogy laced with dark family secrets.
*****
Ingrid is hoping that her return to the Western Scottish Highlands will be a fresh start for both herself and her daughter, Susan. It’s not long after her arrival that she begins to feel unwelcome by both the living and ghostly inhabitants of Strathbairn.
I do like my paranormal mysteries and so I jumped at the chance to be a part of the blog tour for The Haunting of Willows Cottage.
by Audiobook Review: Butterfly Summer By Toni De Palma
It’s wonderful to be welcoming Toni De Palma to Novel Kicks and the review for Butterfly Summer.
Hollywood producer for the Bride-to-Be franchise, Anna is on top of her game. She’s helped generations of women navigate the ups and downs of romance. Ironic, since her own love life is a mess. When the Bride-to-Be finale is relocated to Ischia in Italy, Anna plans to use the opportunity to settle some family affairs. And perhaps solve an old mystery of her own. Delia. Decades before, at the age of seventeen, Anna had spent a summer with her aunt on the lush island.
Far from an idyllic vacation, she made few friends and learned her aunt had been hiding secrets from the family. Now she’s going back to sell her aunt’s house and finish up the show’s season finale. As the crew get ready to roll the cameras, all havoc breaks loose. The newest bride-to-be is missing. The groom’s partying has been all over social media. And the sale of the house is shrouded in mystery, with an anonymous buyer.
Both Anna’s personal and professional lives crash in on her. With only hours left until the finale, Anna must find a solution for the show. And face the events that still haunt her from that long ago summer.
*****
Anna has spent her life building up her career. Whilst she helps others with the concept of love, it’s an emotion she has shut herself away from. When her job takes her back to the place where she spent one important summer, she takes the opportunity to settle family affairs. However, when she arrives on the Italian island of Ischia, it’s matters of the heart that come to the surface.
The premise of this book sounded right up my street and so I jumped at the chance to review Butterfly Summer, the latest novel by Toni De Palma. This was my first opportunity to read work by this author and so I couldn’t wait to get started.
by Book Club
