#BlogTour #Review : Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Cafe by Rose Green @Rosie_Green1988 @rararesources

Today I am thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for the latest instalment of the Little Duck Pond Cafe story. Many thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for having me on the tour and sending me a copy of the book to review.

Blurb:   Wedding fever is in the air in the village of Sunnybrook. With Ellie and Zak’s Big Day on the horizon, the sun is shining brightly on the Little Duck Pond Cafe community. But when dark clouds begin to roll in from more than one direction, several close relationships look to be under threat. Will the wedding of the year actually take place at all?

Purchase Link:

https://amzn.to/2Iqghul

 

My Review:  This is book 6 in the Little Duck Pond Cafe series and I’ve read all of the previous books and reviewed most of them (think I’ve missed one somehow). I really enjoy visiting Sunnybrook in each book and finding out what’s happened to the characters since the last visit. Although these novellas are part of a series there is enough background information given in each one that you could read it on its own.

The previous story story focused more on two new characters to the village whereas in this one we are firmly back will Ellie, Fen, Jaz and the others. The story starts off differently from usual with us being shown something and then whisked back 3 weeks to get perspective and background on what we’ve just seen. The story focuses on Ellie’s impending wedding, though location and date are as yet unknown as nothing has been booked, and the relationship between Jaz and Harry.  I have to say, in this story, some of the men disappointed me with their reactions and lack of understanding to certain things, one I can sort of understand but still doesn’t entirely excuse his behaviour. Happily the women rallied round each other and were as supportive as always and the continuation of the story of Rose and Archie provided a distraction from rest of the events taking place.

There was also a new character, Primrose, who had a past she was getting away from but also trying to find at the same time. It’ll be interesting to see if the next story, assuming there is one, focuses on her and how she came to Sunnybrook.

All in all I enjoyed this return visit to Sunnybrook to catch up with everyone and find out how things have progressed since the last book and I look forward to finding out if there is to be a seventh story in the series.

 

About the author:

Rosie Green has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all, unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

​Rosie’s brand new series of novellas is centred on life in a village café. Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Cafe will be the sixth in the series

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988

 

 

 

 

 

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#BlogTour #Review : Summer at the Kindness Cafe by Victoria Walters. @Vicky_Walters @simonschusterUK #RandomThingsTours

I am thrilled today to be on the blog tour for this book. Many thanks to Anne Cater and the publishers for having me on the tour and sending me a copy for the book for review.

Blurb: Welcome to Brew, a cafe where kindness is almost as important as coffee… almost!

Abbie has fled London and the humiliation of not being able to make rent after being made redundant. Her
sister, Louise, unlucky in love, has thrown herself into her career at the local hospital. And Eszter, who has
travelled from Hungary with her daughter Zoe, is hoping to fulfil her husband’s dying wish: to reunite his
family.

This summer, three very different women are inspired by the random acts of kindness written up on the
Kindness Board at Brew, and decide to make a pact to be kinder to others and to themselves.

Can a little bit of kindness really change your life? Eszter, Abbie and Louise are about to find out!

**Summer at the Kindness Cafe was previously published
as a four-part serial titled Random Acts of Kindness.
This is the complete story in one package.**

My Review: I absolutely loved this book, so much so that I’m not sure how to review it and do it justice. We meet Abbie, Louise and Eszter at different stages in their lives but all with dilemmas and problems to overcome. All of the characters are brilliantly crafted, they come to life straight off the page with so much realism that you feel you could bump into them round the next corner.

I loved watching the main characters going on their journeys and developing as the book progressed. It was a joy to go on the journey with them and the amount of depth and warmth in the story is, I think, the most I’ve found in any book I’ve read yet. The problems the characters are experiencing are completely realistic and it was good to see that while they handled them they had some challenges along the way which is more realistic than the lovely smooth journey that some books take tgreir characters on.

I got completely caught up in this story and honestly would recommend this to anyone looking for a fantastic read. It’s a summery book but I think you could read it at any time of year and feel all warm and cosy while you’re reading. I can’t wait for this author to write more, this is a fabulous read!

About the author:

Victoria Walters was discovered in a short story competition run by Simon & Schuster’s The Hot Bed.
Her first novel, The Second Love of my Life was published by Headline, and she returns to the fold with Summer at the Kindness Cafe, her second novel.

#BlogTour #Review :One Summer in Little Penhaven by Angela Britnell @rararesources @AngelaBritnell

I am thrilled to be taking part in this blog tour today. Huge thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources and to the author for letting me be on the tour and sending me a copy of the book to review. My thoughts are below along with a confession, which I hope everyone will understand.

Blurb:  Could one summer change your life?

When high-flying American lawyer Samantha Muir finds out she’s lost her partnership whilst on an assignment in London, she has a dramatic reaction.

Rather than returning home, she resigns, leaves her business suits behind and jumps on the first train to Cornwall at the encouragement of a friendly stranger.

The village of Little Penhaven, where Samantha eventually ends up, is a world away from her life in Knoxville, Tennessee – and local farmer Cadan Day is certainly a world away from any man she has met before. But could the Cornish village and Cadan play a part in Samantha’s summer of self-discovery?

Purchase Links:

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Little-Penhaven-Angela-Britnell-ebook/dp/B07PTBQXHL

US – https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Little-Penhaven-Angela-Britnell-ebook/dp/B07PTBQXHL

My Review:   So, as I said above I have a confession to make……….I haven’t finished reading the book………..there, I said it. It’s been a long and tiring few weeks with some less than ideal work news and a lot of general stress so my reading has hit a slight slump this past week. However, I have started this book and am loving it so far, it’s the perfect read for me to continue with this weekend (which, along with a snooze, is exactly what I have planned!).  From what I’ve read so far I can admit I love the characters of both Sam and Cadan. Sam is fed up of being put upon and working hard for what appears to be very little recognition and I can completely empathise with that feeling. She acts on the spur of the moment and while, at the point I have reached, she doesn’t know where her new direction will take her it does appear to be doing her a lot of good to have a break from the life she had built for herself. The villagers of Little Penhaven have issues with Cadan, they believe his ex-wife’s version of past events and as such shun him at every opportunity but I have a feeling they are soon going to find out that what they have been told is not the whole truth.

Neither character knows where their life is heading at this point and both have a lot of decisions to make but it’s going to be fun reading further and finding out what happens next. So far this is the perfect read for an escape from reality where you can watch other people dealing with tricky decisions and see how they cope (or not) with them. This is an ideal book for a sunny day or even a rainy one when you want to curl up with a drink and a book and not move for a few hours.  I’m fairly sure everyone reading this will have had at least one occasion in which they wanted to escape from their lives for a while so they can take stock and have a think about their future. While that is rarely possible, this book gives you the opportunity to do that through the characters instead, which is probably the best compromise option there is.

If you’re looking for a bit of escapism I would definitely suggest having a look at this book, it might be exactly what you need.

 

About the author:

 

Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years she’s been multi-published and sold over 25 novels. She also writes short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

If you’d like to find out more of what Angela gets up to (Advance warning: this may include references to wine, chocolate, Poldark and the hunky Aidan Turner) check out www.angelabritnellromance.com or follow her on www.facebook.com/angelabritnell , www.twitter.com/angelabritnell and on Instagram as Angela Golley Britnell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#BlogTour #PromoPost : The Dinner in the Sky by Anne John-Ligali @rararesources @AnneJohnLigali

Blurb:   After a shocking confrontation with an unexpected encounter, Constance tries to piece her life back together and is on a mission to finally move on.

The thought of having her friends near is comforting as they take time out of their busy online lives and meet up at their favourite place, A Cupful of Dreams Café. Everyone seems happy enough until cracks begin to show and all is not as good as it seems. Constance tries desperately to keep positive as there’s so much to look forward to: shopping for posh frocks, dinner at The Shard and a movie premiere.

As things start to look rosy, a few odd tweets begin to pop up from nowhere. At first, they seem innocent, but as the weeks go by and premier night draws near, not only do the tweets increase but they become more obnoxious.

By the time Constance and her chums arrive on the red carpet, she’s determined to work out who the troll could be and to keep them from spoiling her evening. However as Constance soon learns, the troll wants to destroy far more than that!

Breathtaking views of London. 

Posh frocks and Paparazzi

But there’s definitely trouble in the air …

 

 

 

About the author:

Anne John-Ligali is a writer and found of Books and Authors UK, a website that features author interviews, cover reveals, blog posts, features and reviews. She loves all things books, going to book events and meeting other book worms. She has written her first series and is currently writing her first novel.

When Anne is not writing she is likely to be playing with her kids, going for walks in the park, watching Netflix or thinking up more stories. Originally from Peterborough, Anne now lives in London. After moving to London she studies graphic design at the University of Arts and held a number of IT jobs in the city. Anne continues to write romantic comedies, women’s fiction, and has the desire to write a non-fiction book and a few children’s books. 

Author Social Media Links –

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anne_johnligali/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnneJohnLigali

Author FB: https://www.facebook.com/annejohnligali/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinner-Sky-Friendships-Online-Book-ebook/dp/B07QYJX7VR

US – https://www.amazon.com/Dinner-Sky-Friendships-Online-Book-ebook/dp/B07QYJX7VR

Book Trailer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-qRJaZdgjs

Spotify Playlist of the whole series –
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lYuwzrSYvz77Iuq6NymVY?si=b7FFD0EURuy-jhIdr5amZQ

Author Bio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#Giveaway #BlogTour : Those Who Are Loved by Victoria Hislop. @VicHislop @headlinepg #RandomThingsTours

Today I have a giveaway for my stop on this blog tour. Perfect timing for those who want to read it over the summer months. Below you can find all other bloggers on the tour, be sure to check out some of their stops.

Blurb: Athens 1941. After decades of political uncertainty, Greece is polarised between Right- and Left-wing views when the Germans invade. Fifteen-year-old Themis comes from a family divided by these political differences. The Nazi occupation deepens the fault-lines between those she loves just as it reduces Greece to destitution. She
watches friends die in the ensuing famine and is moved to commit acts of resistance.

In the civil war that follows the end of the occupation, Themis joins the Communist army, where she experiences the extremes of love and hatred and the paradoxes
presented by a war in which Greek fights Greek.

Eventually imprisoned on the infamous islands of exile, Makronisos and then Trikeri, Themis encounters another prisoner whose life will entwine with her own in ways neither can foresee. And finds she must weigh her principles against her desire to escape and live. As she looks back on her life, Themis realises how tightly
the personal and political can become entangled. While some wounds heal, others deepen.

Giveaway:

Click on the link below to win a copy of the book.

One Copy of Those Who Are Loved by Victoria Hislop

About the author:

Inspired by a visit to Spinalonga, the abandoned Greek leprosy colony, Victoria Hislop wrote The Island in 2005. It became an international bestseller and a 26-part Greek TV series. She was named Newcomer of the Year at the British Book Awards and is now an ambassador for Lepra. The Island has sold over 1.2million copies in the UK and more than 5 million worldwide.

Her affection for the Mediterranean then took her to Spain, which inspired her second bestseller The Return, and she returned to Greece to tell the turbulent tale of Thessaloniki in The Thread, shortlisted for a British Book Award and confirming her
reputation as an inspirational storyteller. It was followed by her much-admired Greece-set short story collection, The Last Dance and Other Stories. The Sunrise, a Sunday Times Number One bestseller about the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, was published to widespread acclaim in 2014. Victoria’s most recent book, Cartes Postales from Greece was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller and one of the Top Ten biggest selling paperbacks of 2017. Her novels have sold 10 million copies worldwide.

Twitter: @VicHislop • http://www.facebook.com/OfficialVictoriaHislop • http://www.victoriahislop.com

#BlogTour #Review : A Bakery at the Little Duck Pond Cafe by Rosie Green. @rararesources @Rosie_Green1988 #CoverReveal

Today I’m thrilled to be kicking off the blog tour for A Bakery at the Little Duck Pond Cafe. This is the 5th novella in the series and I have a review of it as well as a special sneak peak at the cover and blurb of book 6! How exciting is this!?!! So, get comfy and read on……

Blurb:

Ellie’s dreams of opening a bakery in Sunnybrook are finally coming true and best friends Fen and Jaz are happily rallying round, helping her to plan a fabulous grand opening day. Everything in their garden seems to be rosy – until the arrival of a newcomer brings chaos to the village and tests relationships to the limit. Can the bakery succeed in the face of such upheaval? And more importantly, can firm friendships survive?

Pre-order Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bakery-Little-Duck-Pond-Cafe-ebook/dp/B07MLF2N6T

US – https://www.amazon.com/Bakery-Little-Duck-Pond-Cafe-ebook/dp/B07MLF2N6T

My Review: So I’m starting my review a bit differently from usual. While the blurb posted above is the correct one and has some correct points in it, it doesn’t match the story so I’ll do a quick summary and then my review of the book.

We start by meeting Katya, part Russian and part Austrian but born and brought up in Norfolk. School bullies meant that she grew up feeling that people judged her simply because her name is unusual and therefore she is different from them. A bad romantic relationship has also made her wary of those. However, her well-meaning but meddling Gran gets her to apply for a vacancy at the Little Duck Pond Cafe and she gets the job and heads to Sunnybrook wondering what people will make of her and whether this is a good decision or not.

OK, so a brief summary of the beginning done, and now for the rest of it. I’ve read all of the previous novellas and loved them but this one, I felt, has done something different with the series. Having explored the main characters lives in previous books it was ideal to bring in characters from outside the village and see how they interacted with the existing characters and environment.

While I don’t have the non-UK heritage that Katja has I could understand why she felt the way she did about her background and people’s attitudes given her experiences. She felt realistically written, as did the other characters, and I empathised with her struggles and dilemmas as she adjusted to life in the village.

I read this book in quiet periods at work and also at home. When I was reading I was completely engrossed in the story and temporarily lost track of where I was. It was a bit of a shock being startled out of the village setting back to my noisy work environment. I loved seeing the character development of Katja and other new characters as the story progressed.

This is a fabulous story. If you’ve read the others then you’ll love this, if not you could actually start with this one as it would work well as a stand alone. I will advise though, have tissues near the end because I needed some! This is a efect read for any time of year, ideal for cosy times indoors in bad weather or lounging in the sunshine. It’s such a brilliant read and I would highly recommend it.

About the author:

Rosie Green has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all, unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Rosie’s brand new series of novellas is centred on life in a village café. Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Cafe will be the sixth in the series

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988

Breaking News – Coming Soon – Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Café

With Ellie and Zak’s Big Day on the horizon, the sun is shining brightly on the Little Duck Pond Café community. But as dark clouds begin to roll in, threatening more than one close relationship, will the wedding of the year take place at all?

Follow Rosie Green on Amazon to hear when its published and available for purchase – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosie-Green/e/B07CZYV7DW

#BlogTour #Review : Down to the Sea by Sue Lawrence @SueHLawrence @Sarabandbooks #LoveBooksGroupTours

Blurb: When Rona and Craig buy a large Victorian house up from Edinburgh’s Newhaven district – once teeming with fishing boats – they plan to renovate and set it up as a luxury care home. But something is not quite right: disturbing sounds can be heard when the sea mists swirl; their unpredictable neighbour makes it clear that the house was not always a happy family home. And their ‘characterful’ historic pile has a gloomy cellar harbouring relics from days gone by.

Back in the 1890s, superstitious fishwives blame young Jessie for the deaths of their menfolk in a terrible storm, and she’s forced into the Newhaven Poorhouse. In those less enlightened times, life was often severe, cruel even, and Jessie is entirely at the mercy of a tyrant matron. But one inmate is not all she seems. Jessie begins to pick at the truth, uncovering the secrets and lies that pervade the poorhouse – and which will have profound and dangerous consequences in the future.

Buy Link

https://amzn.to/2WemLSp

My Review: This is a little different from my usual reads but I really enjoyed it. The story is set in two distinct times and switches back and forther between them throughout the book. It’s not at all confusing as it is clearly marked at the beginning of the chapter which year it is and each time the year changes the story progresses that bit further as we learn more about Rona and Jessie.

What makes this story truly come to life is the writing, it’s so atmospheric and creates such a brilliant sense of place that you can easily imagine yourself there with all the accompanying sights, smells and sounds.

The other thing the story does is give the reader an education in what life was like for this with little money, or those seen as different from others. In some ways, that hasn’t changed in over 100 years but in other ways we have progressed quite a bit. What it does though, is highlight how far we still have to come in some respects.

If you’rooking for something a little different but with lots of depth and with strong characters then this could be an ideal read for you.

About the author:

As well as writing three very popular and well-reviewed historical mysteries published in the UK and overseas, Sue Lawrence is one of the UK’s leading cookery writers, with eighteen published cookbooks. Having trained as a journalist in Dundee, she won BBC’s MasterChef in 1991 and became a food writer, regularly contributing to Scotland on Sunday, as well as being the Sunday Times’ food writer for six years. Born in Dundee and raised in Edinburgh, she now lives near Newhaven, Edinburgh – the setting for her latest novel. She has won two Guild of Food Writers Awards and a Glenfiddich Food and Drink Award, and now focuses on researching and writing historical fiction.

Born in Dundee and raised in Edinburgh, she now lives near Newhaven, Edinburgh – the setting for her latest novel. She has won two Guild of Food Writers Awards and a Glenfiddich Food and Drink Award, and now focuses on researching and writing historical fiction.