Blog Tour ‘n’ Book Review – One Last Dream for December (with giveaway)

One Last Dream for December

Sometimes, the dream we think we don’t deserve is the one that’s trying to come true…

Esme Blythe has led a nomadic existence for the last ten years, never thinking she fits anywhere, and never feeling she’s earned the right to. But when she moves in above Percival’s, the charming old toy shop in Market Square, Pebblestow, it seems the village is about to weave its signature fairy-tale magic.

Surrounded by wooden toy soldiers, rocking horses, and vintage doll’s houses, not to mention the locals who seem determined to be part of her life – from her endearing grumpy uncle, to warm-hearted co-worker Blodwyn, and smouldering single dad Seth – Esme has to face up to everything she’s been missing, or turn her back on an incredible opportunity.

New friends, formidable foes, and the thrill of a budding romance, conspire to make this the most bittersweet December ever. But when she finally learns the truth about the toy shop’s owner, her elusive benefactor, the mysterious Mr Percival, is it already too late for Esme to change her mind… and heal her heart?

Purchase Link – https://viewbook.at/LastDreamForDecember

Author Bio

Lottie Cardew writes uplifting, contemporary romcoms set around the picturesque village of Pebblestow, and is an advocate for diversity in fiction.

Regarded as the bossy one at Novelistas Ink, Lottie often subdues the other members if they misbehave (they don’t really) including the popular authors Trisha Ashley and Sophie Claire. She is a longstanding member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, scooping their New Writer’s Award in her twenties under a different pen-name. More recently, Lottie also joined the Society of Authors where as an active participant in the ADCI group (Authors with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses) she interviewed bestselling author Holly Smale in 2021 for the first ever Disability Issue of The Bookseller.

Lottie is diagnosed autistic with suspected ADHD. Her home in North Wales is overrun by husband, not-very-small children, and a ball of fluff masquerading as a Pomeranian, so Lottie frequently takes refuge at her desk.

Social Media Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsLottieCardew

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

Newsletter sign up form: Subscribe to my Newsletter

Website: www.lottiecardew.co.uk/

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/LottieCardew.Books

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Giveaway to Win a Festive Bundle of goodies (Open to UK Only)

Prize includes:

A handy winter-themed reusable shopping bag with pouch; a notebook to organise Christmas gifts and to-do lists; and a Scandi-style Christmas stocking. 

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link above.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

My Review

How can a story be so entertaining and yet challenging and powerful? I don’t know the answer, but I do know that with One Last Dream for December, Lottie Cardew has created just that.

Let me explain myself: starting with entertaining (which is why most readers pick up a work of fiction). The village of Pebblestow is charming, its resident warm and welcoming (Blodwyn, I’m talking about you), all of which should put Esme at ease when she finds herself living and working at Percival’s toy shop. Yet it’s not that simple. Why? That, you’ll have to wait and read for yourself.

The shop is quintessentially old-fashioned and traditional, and the workshop below stairs where Mr Percival used to craft his toys is a veritable treasure trove of finished and unfinished toys. With Mr Percival now ill and unable to continue making toys, there’s a sense of trepidation that the end is nigh for the toyshop. With Esme believing her time there is only temporary, that foreboding only gets stronger.

However, there are those (Esme’s uncle & Mr Percival) who see something else in Esme’s future, and an end to her nomadic lifestyle. They know – and they convinced me too – that Esme belongs in Pebblestow. It’s just a matter of persuading Esme now. Cue Seth and his daughter Tamika. Having lived through some traumatic times, Seth is also new to Pebblestow, having moved there to allow his daughter to see her grandparents more often. He is as lost as Esme, and their paths seem inevitably entwined – if only Esme can accept she fits in in Pebblestow. Their friendship is thorny at first, and you start to wonder if there will be a happy ending, but persevere as the delights and magic of Christmas are on hand to make dreams come true.

If seeing how that romance develops is not enough for you, then there are some lovely subplots with Blodwyn and a young man, Piotr, which will warm your heart too.

I’ll admit to finding the start to this story somewhat challenging in that I didn’t take to Esme at first, and I found her to be quite negative about everything. Of course, as I saw her character develop, I understood her better, and that’s what made this such a powerful read for me. The author didn’t instantly label Esme as neurodivergent, she showed how Esme viewed the world and her place in it. It all began to make sense when I saw things from her perspective. As someone who has been pigeon-holed since birth, this approach really made me think and reflect. Sometimes it’s too easy to label an individual; it’s much better all round to try to understand them.

A beautiful story on so many levels, and I’m convinced Mr Percival is related to Santa as well 😉

For more news and reviews,

As always,

Blog Blitz – A Scandinavian Summer

A Scandinavian Summer

It’s the right time for love, but is it the wrong place?

After the tragic, premature death of her husband Anthony, Martha has spent all her time focused on her teenage daughter Rosie in their small Welsh village.

But with Rosie leaving the nest, and Martha’s own job on the line, it feels that life is passing her by.

Inspired by her love for Scandi-noir dramas, Martha impulsively books a trip to Denmark, determined to push herself out of her comfort zone – even if the thought terrifies her…

Her trip to the tiny island of Fano becomes something much more: in the form of handsome stranger, Lars. Can Martha find love under the Scandinavian skies… but more importantly, can she find herself?

A romantic, warm and uplifting read, guaranteed to leave you smiling. Fans of Jenny Colgan and Kathryn Freeman will adore this feelgood read!

Purchase Links

AMZ: amzn.to/3JdMRO6

Kobo: bit.ly/3J5FyrT

Apple: apple.co/35X1tDk

Hive: bit.ly/3GHtlJn

Author Bio

Helga Jensen is an award-winning British/Danish best-selling author and journalist. Her debut novel was a winning entry in the 2017 Montegrappa First Fiction competition at Dubai’s Emirates Literary Festival. Her debut was also a contender for the coveted 2021 Joan Hessayon Award for new writers. Helga’s second romantic comedy, A Scandinavian Summer, went straight to number one on the Amazon Kindle charts for Danish travel on its publication day. Helga holds a BA Hons in English Literature and Creative Writing, along with a Creative Writing MA from Bath Spa University. She is currently working on a PhD.

Social Media Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/HelgaJensenF

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/Helgajensenauthor/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/helgajensenfordeauthor/

As always,

Blog Tour ‘n’ Book Review – Buttercups in the Basement

Buttercups in the Basement

1967: the summer of love and the year Betty moves into her first home.

Independent. Open. Inexperienced. She is excited to be living with her new husband, William, and committed to returning Hummingbird House to its former glory.

But when she invites captivating new tenants into her home and settles into married life, her world begins to transform in ways she could never have imagined.

She thought she was on a journey toward domesticity and devotion – but her experiences that summer prove to be anything but traditional.

Alternating between the1960s and the present day, Buttercups in the Basement is a delightful exploration of personal awakening, friendships – and what it means to be happy.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buttercups-Basement-Book-Hummingbird-House-ebook/dp/B09SF7VVG2/

US – https://www.amazon.com/Buttercups-Basement-Book-Hummingbird-House-ebook/dp/B09SF7VVG2/

Author Bio

Jane Harvey is a pen name (shhh). She crafts fun fiction for the thinking woman, where she enjoys exploring unexpected friendships and writing happy endings. This is lucky, because in real life her (prize-winning) fiction is a little bleaker.

She was born and raised on the island of Jersey, and lives with two males and a dog.

She owns an admirable collection of animal vases and unusual lighting.

Social Media Links

Instagram.com/jane_harvey_novelist

Facebook.com/janeharveynovelist

Twitter: @dreenac

My Review

Following on from The Landlord of Hummingbird House, this book focuses on Betty’s story and covers both the late 1960s and present day. As a new bride, Betty and husband William purchase Hummingbird House for their first home, not quite sure what they’ll do with all those extra rooms to start with, but they plan to enjoy redecorating before settling into family life.

Betty is definitely a naive young woman but is happy to give up her job and stay home in the hopes of being a good wife, and, someday, a mother. She throws herself into doing up the place but soon feels lonely being at home all day on her own while William goes to work. But she says nothing, and ploughs her energy into refurbishing the basement.
Eventually, it’s finished, and by now they’ve decided to rent it out – their first tenants being Sandra and her boyfriend Robert. This couple breathe fresh air into the building and into Betty’s life, and she and Sandra strike up a lovely friendship that enables Betty to share her innermost thoughts for probably the first time in her life. Seeing Betty grow and learn from Sandra is delightful, and even in the hardest and saddest of times their friendship remains solid – which is more than can be said with Betty’s other relationships.

Running in tandem with Betty’s early years at Hummingbird House is the present day story with Betty now as an 82-year-old landlord. This story recaps on events from book one but develops the relationships of the tenants further – with Betty and with each other.

While decades apart, the two stories show that many of the same issues still exist albeit with differing repercussions. As the wise elder of the house, Betty looks on at the fragility of some of her tenants, and can’t resist making things happen 🙂
The whole book is made wonderful by its leading lady, her fabulous tenants and friends, poignant and heart-warming (also heart-breaking) stories, and oodles of emotional baggage that needs a delicate touch to portray so effectively. Overall, it is undeniably believable, honest and engaging. Book three is already on my radar!

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As always,

Cover Reveal – The Only Exception

The Only Exception (Love in the Comptons 2)

Lucinda Green knows something is missing from her life. But what? Her catering business is enjoying modest success and she loves her cosy house, even if she does have to share it with her irritating ex-fiancé.
Whatever’s making her unsettled and edgy, Lucinda’s certain that a lack of romance isn’t the problem. How could it be when she doesn’t believe in true love?
But Lucinda’s beliefs are shaken by a series of electric encounters with Alex Fraser, a newly-notorious actor who gradually proves himself to be infuriatingly funny and smart, as well as handsome.
Not that any of that matters. Because Lucinda doesn’t believe in all that ‘The One’ nonsense. That’s the rule.
But doesn’t every rule have an exception?

This uplifting grumpy-meets-sunshine romance is perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Phillipa Ashley and Milly Johnson.

Pre-order Link – getbook.at/TheOnlyException
Publication Date: 7th June

Author Bio

Claire Huston lives in Warwickshire with her husband and two children.

She writes uplifting modern love stories about characters who are meant for each other but sometimes need a little help to realise it.

A keen amateur baker, she enjoys making cakes, biscuits and brownies almost as much as eating them. You can find recipes for over a hundred sweet treats at clairehuston.co.uk. This is also where she talks about and reviews books.

Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/clairehuston_author

As always,

Book Review – The Switch

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45134200-the-switch

Leena is too young to feel stuck.
Eileen is too old to start over.
Maybe it’s time for The Switch…

Ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, Leena escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Newly single and about to turn eighty, Eileen would like a second chance at love. But her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen… So Leena proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love, and Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire.

But with a rabble of unruly OAPs to contend with, as well as the annoyingly perfect – and distractingly handsome – local schoolteacher, Leena learns that switching lives isn’t straightforward. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, and with the online dating scene. But is her perfect match nearer to home than she first thought?

My Review

I can honestly say I didn’t expect to love this book quite so much. I mean, how funny, sad, heartbreaking and heartwarming can one story be? The Switch made me laugh out loud and also brought a tear or two to my eyes.
The premise is a family – grandmother – mother -(grand)daughter – all still grieving for the loss of Carla and not knowing how to help each other through their grief. By switching lives, grandmother, Eileen, and granddaughter, Leena might just understand each other and themselves better, and the “a change is as good as a rest” theory might help Leena understand her mother, Marian’s decision when it came to letting Carla go.

You’d think from that premise, this story might be heavy-going … but the remaining characters enable Eileen and Leena to throw themselves into their “new” lives and in so doing become the best version of themselves as well as bringing the respective communities together. The story, while focused on Eileen and Leena, also touches on loneliness, domestic abuse, cheating partners, all of which is balanced by the funnier side of online dating for the over 70s, Neighbourhood Watch meetings, and the ultimate village rivalry for the May Fayre.
It’s a story that delivers new friendships, rekindles old friendships and that promises new starts, because you’re never too old or too young to be the better version of yourself.

Praise for The Switch:

‘Another life-affirming joy‘ HEAT MAGAZINE

‘Warm, witty, and a cast of characters I wish I was friends with – I truly loved it!‘ LAURA JANE WILLIAMS

‘I am blown away. I didn’t think Beth could top The Flatshare but she has. It sparkles with wit, warmth and compassion. It deserves to be huge!‘ GILLIAN McALLISTER

‘Heartwarming and uplifting. Everyone should have an Eileen in their life!’ HEIDI SWAIN

‘Eileen Cotton proves you don’t have to be in your thirties to be Bridget Jones. A triumph of a second novel!’ ANSTEY HARRIS

‘Bursting with warmth and humour’ LOUISE O’NEILL

‘I loved it! A total joy to read. Such a breath of fresh air‘ LIBBY PAGE

‘It’s an absolute joy from beginning to end’ MIKE GAYLE

‘I just loved The Switch! What a beautiful story with such memorable characters. I have been well and truly Eileened! It’s an absolute triumph!‘ EMMA COOPER

‘Beth O’Leary has absolutely smashed it out of the park with The Switch. Brilliant, warm, funny, full of heart. Completely loved it!‘ RICHARD ROPER

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45134200-the-switch

About the author

Beth studied English at university before going into children’s publishing. She lives as close to the countryside as she can get while still being within reach of London, and wrote her first novel, The Flatshare, on her train journey to and from work.
You’ll usually find her curled up with a book, a cup of tea, and several woolly jumpers (whatever the weather).

Cover Reveal – Just One Day

Just One Day – Spring

Mum-of-three Louisa thought she only had her never-ending to-do list to worry about, but the arrival of a ghost from the recent past puts her in an untenable position. Can she navigate the difficult situation she’s in without their friendship becoming common knowledge or will it cause long-term damage to her marriage?

When a family member begins to suspect there’s more to her relationship with the new sous-chef than meets the eye, Louisa needs to think on her feet or she’ll dig herself into a deeper hole. But the cost of keeping her secret, not only from her husband, comes at a high price, one which tugs at her conscience.

With everyday niggles already causing a further rift between Louisa and husband Ronnie, will she manage to keep her family on track whilst her life spirals out of control? And when tragedy strikes, will Ronnie step up when she needs him most?

books2read.com/u/4XDkre

For fans of Fiona Gibson, Holly Martin and Jill Mansell.

Pre-order Link – books2read.com/u/4XDkre

Publication Date: 17^th May 2022

Author Bio

Susan Buchanan lives in Scotland with her husband, their two young children and a crazy Labrador called Benji. She has been reading since the age of four and had to get an adult library pass early as she had read the entire children’s section by the age of ten. 

Susan writes contemporary fiction, often set in Scotland, usually featuring travel, food or Christmas. When not working, writing, or caring for her two delightful cherubs, Susan loves reading (obviously), the theatre, quiz shows and eating out – not necessarily in that order!

Social Media Links

Website – www.susanbuchananauthor.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Susan_Buchanan 

Facebook – www.facebook.com/susan.buchanan.author

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/AuthorSusanBuchanan/

As always,

Blog Tour ‘n’ Book Review – The Bookseller’s Secret

The Bookseller’s Secret
A Novel of Nancy Mitford and WWII
Michelle Gable

From New York Times bestselling author Michelle Gable comes a dual-narrative set at the famed Heywood Hill Bookshop in London about a struggling American writer on the hunt for a rumoured lost manuscript written by the iconic Nancy Mitford—bookseller, spy, author, and aristocrat—during World War II.

“Gable’s witty narrative effortlessly moves between two time periods and is enriched with cameos by historical figures and authentic, memorable characters. Historical fiction fans will be riveted from the first page.” —Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)

In 1942, London, Nancy Mitford is worried about more than air raids and German spies. Still recovering from a devastating loss, the once sparkling Bright Young Thing is estranged from her husband, her allowance has been cut, and she’s given up her writing career. On top of this, her five beautiful but infamous sisters continue making headlines with their controversial politics.

Eager for distraction and desperate for income, Nancy jumps at the chance to manage the Heywood Hill bookshop while the owner is away at war. Between the shop’s brisk business and the literary salons she hosts for her eccentric friends, Nancy’s life seems on the upswing. But when a mysterious French officer insists that she has a story to tell, Nancy must decide if picking up the pen again and revealing all is worth the price she might be forced to pay.

Eighty years later, Heywood Hill is abuzz with the hunt for a lost wartime manuscript written by Nancy Mitford. For one woman desperately in need of a change, the search will reveal not only a new side to Nancy, but an even more surprising link between the past and present…

Purchase link: Amazon UK

About the Author

MICHELLE GABLE is the New York Times bestselling author of A Paris Apartment, I’ll See You in Paris, The Book of Summer, and The Summer I Met Jack. She attended The College of William & Mary, where she
majored in accounting, and spent twenty years working in finance before becoming a
full-time writer. She grew up in San Diego and lives in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, with her husband and two daughters. Find her at michellegable.com or on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest, @MGableWriter.

My Review

How could a story about a bookseller and wartime spy not appeal? I’ll admit to a vague knowledge of the Mitford family, and was keen to read more about Nancy. The concept of author Katie Cabot searching for Nancy’s lost manuscript seemed like a novel way to combine the dual timelines in a cohesive whole.

So, it’s 1942 and aristocrat Nancy Mitford needs to come up with another bestselling novel to maintain her lifestyle since her estrangement from her husband. But ideas are thin on the ground and she grows more and more uncertain of recreating her earlier success. To make ends meet, she starts work at the Heywood Hill bookshop on a temporary basis. Hoping to find inspiration in between customers, Nancy finally decides to write a memoir.

It is this that draws Katie to the bookshop some eighty years later. Similarly, Katie is struggling to write her next novel too. Like-minded women, decades apart, Nancy and Katie have more in common than being writers. Both have a vast array of friends who make up for their disinterested families, and these friends are pushy and demanding, though they wrap it up as encouragement.

For me, the story took a while to hook me. As much as the the story appealed in theory, it didn’t quite grab my attention from the outset. That may be due to it being heavily dialogue-driven, it lacked depth and was a tad too “conversational” to keep me interested. Given that I hadn’t really connected with the characters, their conversations didn’t help me like them any better.

Fortunately, the second half – and, in particular, the final chapters – turned things around for me as more details of Nancy’s fascinating life was revealed. I began to understand Katie’s interest in Nancy and the so-called “missing years” that would fill in the precious gaps of a lifetime of rare and exceptional experiences.

Combining historical fiction with a contemporary storyline is a tough ask. For me, the historical elements were stronger and tighter, but I did enjoy the concept of telling some of Nancy’s story through Katie’s discoveries. Based on this, I’m keen to read more by this author as well as Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love.

As always,

Thanks for reading

Blog Tour – Where Are We Tomorrow?

Welcome to the blog tour for award-winning novel, Where Are We Tomorrow by Tavi Taylor Black! Read on for more info and a chance to win a $25 Amazon e-Gift Card!

Where We Are Tomorrow

Publication Date: May 31st, 2021

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/ Women’s Fiction

Publisher: TouchPoint Press

Alex Evans, a thirty-six year old touring electrician, discovers through an accidental pregnancy and then the pain of miscarriage that she truly wants a family. But to attempt another pregnancy, she’ll have to change both her career and her relationship; her partner Connor, ten years her senior, isn’t prepared to become a father again.

When Alex is implicated in an accident involving the female pop star she works for, she and three other women on tour rent a house together in Tuscany. While the tour regroups, confessions are made, secrets are spilled: the guitar tech conceals a forbidden love, the production assistant’s ambition knows no limits, and the personal assistant battles mental issues.

Through arguments and accidents, combating drug use and religion, the women help each other look back on the choices they’ve made, eventually buoying each other, offering up strength to face tough decisions ahead.

TRIGGER WARNING: MISCARRIAGE/ ADDICTION/ GRIEF

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

Inside the concrete arena, programmed lights whirred and spun in rhythm; eleven thousand fans watched, mesmerized, as vibrant magenta and violet beams sliced through midnight black. On stage, the band regurgitated the same set as the night before, and the night before that. They’d performed the set in Mexico City and Guadalajara. As far south as Santiago and Lima. The road crew for Sadie Estrada’s Home Remedy tour knew each dip in volume, each drop in the beat. They knew exactly, down to the second, how much time it required to step outside and suck down a Marlboro. These time-zone travelers planned bathroom breaks by the songs’ measures; no one missed a cue to mute the stage mics, to hand out room-temp bottled water for set breaks, to pull up house lights.

Behind heavy velvet curtains, separated from the frenzied pace of the show, Alex unscrewed the cover of a moving light to expose the core: circuit boards and capacitors, motors connected to color wheels. Deep bass, feedback, and the fevered pitch of collective voices penetrated the curtain, the familiar, almost comforting reverberations of life on the road. Alex continued her diagnosis, removing the light harness as a mother removes a soiled diaper— routinely, with a touch of tenderness. While she located and replaced the broken part, she kept an ear to the music, alert to the final measure of the set, ready to repack her multi-wheeled toolbox, move on to the next city, set up again.

Alex ran the light through all its functions, testing and retesting once she’d replaced the gobo wheel. The body of the light panned and tilted, working fine. A small victory.

“Sure you know what you’re doing, little lady?” Alex turned at the familiar voice of the tour’s production manager.

“Funny,” she said. “Very original. For that, you get to help me put it away.” Alex waited for another barb, one about her not being able to lift the seventy pounds by herself, but Joe simply helped her flip and crate the unit, a harder task for him at 5’2” than it was for Alex, a good five inches taller.

The arena crackled in anticipation of the show’s climax. Thousands of voices swelled and surged, a unified congregation. The body of the moving light settled into the carved Styrofoam, and Alex tucked its tail inside the handle. As she slammed the case shut, Joe’s laminate got caught inside the box, and he was jerked down by the lanyard around his neck. He freed the latches and yanked it clear, smoothing the wrinkles from the photo of his two young children, a wallet-sized clipping he’d taped behind his backstage pass. Joe caught Alex eyeing the photo.

“When are you gonna give in and pop out a few yourself?” Joe asked.

Alex breathed slowly, letting a brief sadness settle into her body, though her face wore a practiced, blank expression. She gestured into the smothering dark, into the roar of the crowd and sweat-filled air. “And give up all this?”

Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | B&N

About the Author

Tavi Black lives on an island near Seattle where she designs sets for the ballet, works as the tour manager for a musical mantra group, and has founded an anti-domestic violence non-profit organization. Before earning an MFA from Lesley University, Tavi spent 14 years touring with rock bands. Several of Tavi’s short stories have been shortlisted for prizes, including Aesthetica Magazine’s Competition, and the Donald Barthelme Prize for Short Prose.

Tavi Taylor Black | Instagram | Kirkus Reviews | Indie Reader

Giveaway: Click the link below for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

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Blog Tour Organized By:

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Book Blitz – Everyday Magic

Great news! If you pre-order a copy of Everyday Magic by Charlie Laidlaw, you will receive a signed edition! But you have to order before May 26th!

Everyday Magic

Expected Publication Date: May 26th, 2021

Genre: Literary fiction/ Contemporary Fiction/ Humour

Publisher: Ringwood Publishing

Carole Gunn leads an unfulfilled life and knows it. She’s married to someone who may, or may not, be in New York on business and, to make things worse, the family’s deaf cat has been run over by an electric car.

But something has been changing in Carole’s mind. She’s decided to revisit places that hold special significance for her. She wants to better understand herself, and whether the person she is now is simply an older version of the person she once was.

Instead, she’s taken on an unlikely journey to confront her past, present and future.

Everyday Magic is an uplifting book filled with humour and poignancy, and reminds us that, while our pasts make us who we are, we can always change the course of our futures.

Pre-Order HERE!

About the Author

Charlie Laidlaw lives in East Lothian, one of the main settings for Everyday Magic. He has four other published novels: Being Alert!, The Space Between Time, The Things We Learn When We’re Dead and Love Potions and Other Calamities. Previously a journalist and defence intelligence analyst, Charlie now teaches Creative Writing in addition to his writing career.

Charlie Laidlaw | Facebook | Twitter

 

Book Blitz Organized By:

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Blog Tour ‘n’ Book Review – Tipping Point

Tipping Point

The sun … the ocean … the farmhouse … the scammer… the police… the 3-legged dog?

George and Ellen have retired to sunny Mallorca. Social butterfly Ellen is itching to make yacht-owning friends while George’s heart is set on a secluded farmhouse in the country. In fact, now that they’re no longer living busy London lives, they’re beginning to realise they have very different ideas of happiness.

Private investigator Salva specialises in cases of adultery. That’s why it’s particularly embarrassing that he didn’t realise his long-term girlfriend has been cheating on him. He has no time to nurse a broken heart, since his family are the victims of a property scam they urgently need him to solve.

Robyn Chase is giving talks on her self-help book, No More Toxic Relationships – 7 Years, 7 Lessons. She’s finding it awkward being a relationship guru when her own boyfriend is avoiding her.

The sun is shining in Mallorca and everything looks beautiful. But the residents of one particular apartment block are about to discover it all might be too good to be true.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tipping-Point-Emily-Benet-ebook/dp/B0887FVYR9

US – https://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Emily-Benet-ebook/dp/B0887FVYR9

 

Author Bio

Emily Benet is a journalist, award-winning blogger and author of contemporary fiction.

Her books include the blog-to-book Shop Girl Diaries, Wattpad hit Spray Painted Bananas and social media romcom #PleaseRetweet.

She lives in Mallorca with her husband and daughter and the sunny island is the setting for her latest novels The Hen Party and Tipping Point. She writes regularly for the luxury lifestyle magazine abcMallorca.

Social Media Links 

www.facebook.com/EmilyBenetAuthor

www.instagram.com/emilybenetauthor

https://twitter.com/EmilyBenet

My Review

This was a fascinating read, a truly circular plot that connected the inhabitants of an apartment block in more ways than you might possibly imagine.

Salva is a private investigator, wondering if his business will ever be as successful as he’d like it to be. He’s also feeling a tad sorry for himself after his girlfriend of six years recently left him. While he’s in this state of despondency, his family descend on him from Madrid. They had originally booked a farmhouse/villa for their holiday but the booking now seems to be nothing but a scam. Can Salva sort it out for them? Find the scammer and get his apartment back.

Ellen & George are renting an apartment in the same block while looking for a place to buy. George wants to purchase a place inland, where his money goes further and they can live off the land and fully integrate into Spanish life. Ellen yearns to be by the coast, joining the yachting set and having a whale of a time with the expat community. When George is sorely tempted by a remote farmhouse, Ellen fears becoming a hermit and dying or boredom. When a local surveyor offers to do a survey on the place, Ellen hopes he’ll find the place is falling to bits. The fact that the surveyor is a huge flirt and owns a boat soon sees her drooling over a different lifestyle, possibly without George.

The final main resident of the apartment block is Robyn, author of a hugely successful book about relationships. Is she the guru who can help mend Salva’s broken heart, or give Ellen and George hope for a future together. Well, of course, all is not as it seems. Robyn has her own secrets, as well as a relationship that has seen better days.

The story is told from their perspectives, and the interconnectivity of the three stories is hugely satisfying. How they connect is very clever and revealed in a drip-drip manner, making it a great mystery yet also an insight into the different lifestyles of the residents of a single apartment block.

It reminded me of living in Granada, when the landlady would pop in with vats of olive oil, the residents would gather at the postboxes and on the stairways to chat, or they’d be talking across balconies. The noise and vibrancy of those days came flooding back 🙂

A most enjoyable story.

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