Book Review: Heading Home To Lavender Cottage by Alison Sherlock
I am so excited to be welcoming Alison Sherlock back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, Heading Home to Lavender Cottage.
With nowhere else to go, Harriet Colgan has returned to the sleepy village of Cranfield to sell her beloved aunt and uncle’s cottage, the only place she ever called home.
When she arrives at Lavender Cottage, Harriet discovers plans to replace the beautiful lavender fields, her uncle’s pride and joy, with an industrial warehouse.
With time on her hands, she realises she must fight to protect her family’s legacy and the village of Cranfield as well.
Workaholic businessman Joe Randall was expecting an easy purchase of the lavender fields. But suddenly his quiet life is disrupted by protests from angry locals, organised by Harriet.
Can Harriet show Joe that there’s more to life than just business? And can Joe change his mind and help Harriet save the lavender fields?
Over a long, hot summer, and with the help of a stray dog, perhaps Harriet and Joe can find their way home too.
*****
Having had to close her beauty salon in an expensive part of London, Harriet just wants to get back to Cranfield and Lavender Cottage, left to her by her late Aunt and Uncle.
Faced with having to sell the only place she’s ever called home, Harriet is struggling to stay positive. Can she and the community come together to bring the village back to life or will visitor Joe Randall ruin everything?
I have become such a fan of Alison Sherlock’s books. There is such a warmth about them. Heading Home to Lavender Cottage is the start of a new series and I couldn’t wait to get started.
First, the cover – just stunning.
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Book Review: Patches Through Time by Sian Turner
I am very pleased to be welcoming Sian Turner to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her book, Patches through Time.
Casual antique dealer Jake Patch picks up an unusual object and can’t put it down. Literally. His find is a time travel device, and he hatches a bold plan to acquire objects from the past and sell them at modern day prices. But when the mysterious Infinity Glass leaves Patch stranded in a dangerous past, it falls to his teen daughter Cass to save him.
With hints of The Time Traveller’s Wife and Back to the Future and a smattering of Lovejoy, Patches through Time will send you spinning headlong into the past, then spit you back into the twenty-first century.
This book contains occasional profanities. Trigger warning: bereavement (parent, spouse).
*****
When Jake Patch finds an unusual object gathering dust in an antique shop, what he thinks is a money maker soon turns into something he had not bargained for.
He soon finds himself with the ability to travel through time. However, this soon turns into danger when he finds himself stranded. Can his daughter save him?
I found the premise for this novel extremely interesting but really didn’t know what to expect having previously not read any of Sian Turner’s books. I am now a fan.
This book has been marketed as YA but I feel that adults will get a lot from it. I certainly did. Right from the beginning, I was hooked.
I felt that the time travel element was handled well and with a ‘realistic’ set of rules. Well, as realistic as a story about time travel can get. I got a bit of a Bill and Ted vibe about this novel.
by Book Review: Local Girl Missing by J.A. Baker
I am so pleased to be welcoming J.A. Baker to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, Local Girl Missing
Missing without trace…
When local woman Deborah goes missing, her colleagues Adrian, Yvonne and Merriel are all left in shock. Gossip around the office begins to swirl – what could have happened to Deborah? Is she dead or alive? And who could be responsible for her disappearance?
Everyone is terrified that they could be next…except the one person who has all the answers. The last person people expect.
Because Deborah is being held captive by a monster, a psychopath. But not a stranger… it’s someone she knows all too well…
*****
Deborah is being held against her will by a monster. However, this monster isn’t a stranger, it’s someone she knows well.
Whilst her work colleagues are reeling from her disappearance, someone knows the truth.
This was the first novel I’d read by this author. The premise of this book really caught my attention so I was happy to be invited onto the blog tour for Local Girl Missing.
Seriously, I know this term is banded about a lot but this book had me hooked from page one. I had to know more. I needed to know what becomes of these characters so one more page became one more chapter and before I knew it, I’d read it in one sitting.
by 12 Days of Clink Street: Stars and Waves by Roberto Maiolino
Laura is a student in Astronomy at the University of Cambridge. Her work on exoplanets – planets orbiting other stars – is largely unnoticed by the scientific community. However, it attracts the interest of a secluded elderly Russian astronomer, Professor Kasparov, on the basis of his own research thirty years ago. He tries to contact Laura and her supervisor, Julia, but dies in mysterious circumstances.
In the attempt to find out more about Kasparov’s old data, Laura and Julia travel across the globe. During their journey, science becomes entangled with poetry, while astronomy gets embroiled with mystery. They face a dark pattern of strange accidents and deaths. Their quest for clues gradually becomes a frantic pursuit through some of the most fascinating and deadly environments.
Will Laura and Julia uncover the truth? The whole truth? And… will they survive to tell the world?
*****
Laura is a PhD student in Astrophysics. Whilst observing some stars, she discovers something important.
However, it isn’t long before she realises that someone doesn’t want this data analysed and when she finds out someone has already mysteriously died, the more in danger she feels she’s in.
Can she get to the truth before she loses her life?
The premise for this book intrigued me and so I was happy to be invited onto the 12 Days of Clink Street to review Stars and Waves.
Laura is a strong, female character. She’s intelligent, compassionate, and easy to like.
by Book Review: He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by Aimee Brown
I am so pleased to be welcoming Aimee Brown back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not.
Dax Hartley has made flowers his entire life, just like his late father did.
When his dad’s old florist’s shop is up for sale, he has to have it. Only problem is, he’d need to sell a kidney to afford it. The reality show Battle of the Blossoms is the perfect opportunity to win the money he needs, but when his childhood crush blows back into his life, distractions risk taking his eyes off the prize. He needs his head and heart to start working together to ensure he doesn’t miss the opportunity of a lifetime.
Hollyn Matthews has made some colossal mistakes in life.
When she’s dumped just as she’s expecting an engagement ring, she knows she’s put her heart into the wrong man. Hoping for a second chance at being a grown-up, she moves home to stay with her brother and his best friend Dax, a boy whose memory faded as she ran away from her past. Facing the hurt she left behind means facing some home truths about herself, but there’s one boy who has always loved her, if only she’d take the time to notice him.
*****
Having spent eight years with her boyfriend, Hollyn is expecting a proposal. When he dumps her instead, she finds herself having to go back home. She ends up in her brother’s apartment, spending time with Dax. As Hollyn helps Dax win a flower competition, will they be able to keep their feelings at bay?
This is the first book I’ve read by Aimee Brown. The premise intrigued me so I was pleased to be invited onto the blog tour for He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not.
I did feel a little sorry for Hollyn. She has a horrible thing happen to her and I wanted to give her a hug. She did come across as a little shut down but when you learn more about background, you find out why.
I did get a little frustrated with her parents and you don’t get to know too much about the other supporting characters like River and Mercy (possible future books maybe?) I hope so as it’s not the last I want to see of these characters.
by Book Club
