When Boon met Toon!!!

On Saturday I went to Bluewater as I knew Paige Toon was signing copies of her new book The Sun in Her Eyes. I am new to Paige's books, but didn't want to miss the opportunity of getting a book signed, so off I went. I met up with fellow Blogger  Rea and we managed to be first in the queue (well someone has to be!!!). We didn't have to wait too long before Paige came out to say hello and took a photo of us all in the line and she said she was worried nobody would turn up.......The queue went back quite a way!! 

What a lovely lady Paige is and I can't wait to get stuck in to her new book and also the half a dozen of her older books I have on my TBR pile!! 

Also thank you to Waterstones at Bluewater, who were very helpful and the staff at Bluewater who came to talk to us whilst we were waiting in the queue! 

Bride Without A Groom Blog Tour

I am delighted to be hosting this Blog Tour as part of the "Wedding Season" during May and June on my blog. I mentioned to the author Amy Lynch that I wanted to read as many wedding themed books as I could during May and June and she very kindly agreed that I could take part in the blog tour! Thank you Amy!!

About the Author

Amy Lynch is an author of women’s commercial fiction and writing is her passion. She loves to write humorous romantic fiction, but not always with fairy tale endings! She has published fiction in magazines, and has worked in the charity sector for twelve years. She is married with two young children. When she is not writing, Amy can be found juggling school lunches and two Shetland pony-sized rescue dogs. Now, how’s that for multi-tasking? Amy is the author of two novels, Bride Without A Groom and Does My Bump Look Big In This? Her third novel is in progress. 

Sypnosis

Single, coupled-up or married, this laugh-out-loud summer read is the perfect anecdote for the wedding season!

Rebecca has chosen the most luscious, five tiered, wedding cake. The engagement ring that she has selected is celebrity inspired. The wedding singer is on speed dial. He doesn’t usually do Michael Bolton, but as it’s for a first dance he’ll make an exception. Father Maguire is checking dates for the parish church as we speak. The deposit on the white sand honeymoon is paid for in full on Barry’s card. She has fallen for an ivory lace couture gown that is to die for. The down payment may require her to sell a left kidney, but it will be worth it. Isn’t that why you have two?

There’s one teeny tiny problem. It’s nothing, really. No need to panic! It’s just that Barry has yet to propose. Says he’s not ready! He can be a bit of a kill joy that way. It’s time to face the harsh reality – Rebecca is a bride without a groom!

Review

Well, what can I say about Rebecca, other than she would win any award for “Bridezilla of the Year” hands down but surely you should wait until you are asked first!! Although saying that, my husband never proposed to me properly so sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns (so to speak!).

There were some really funny bits in the book and one of my particular favourites was when Rebecca goes to a zumba class with her Mum. I love the way the author tells the story using Irish language and “feck” does pop up now and again and this always makes me laugh!

I did feel the middle of the book sometimes repeated itself but on the whole it was a light hearted, funny look at a woman who is just desperate to get married. Her intended, Barry seemed a bit of a drip, but in the end he did things his way and on his terms, which made Rebecca realise what she was doing and to slow down a bit!

I didn’t warm to Rebecca at all and found her quite irritating and the fact that she is so untidy would drive me mad! 

Even though Rebecca drove me potty sometimes, I did enjoy this book and it had some great laughs in it and would definitely like to read Amy's next book!! Well done Amy and thank you for letting me read it.

****

Welcome to the first stop on The Island Escape by Kerry Fisher Blog Tour.....

I am very honoured to be the first host on The Island Escape Blog Tour. 

About the Author

Kerry was brought up in Peterborough. She now lives in Surrey with a very tolerant husband and two children. She studied at Bath University and speaks fluent Italian, Spanish and French. She also trained as a journalist at City University, then went on to write travel guidebooks for Thomas Cook.

After landing her dream job working on women’s magazines, she discovered that she hated writing about real people in case their families got upset.The Writers’ Program at the University of California helped her move from fact into fiction – the perfect forum for exploring human emotions without worrying about some poor mother weeping over her son’s account of his childhood.

Review

I loved the cover of this book from the very first time I saw it and just knew it would be a book I would enjoy. 

The two main characters are Octavia and Roberta who have been best friends for years and the first part of the book describes their lives both in the past and what they are doing at the present time. Roberta is married to Scott, an Australian who I instantly disliked, but the author made the other characters in the book dislike him, so I wasn't the only one!! They have one daughter Alicia.

Octavia is married to Jonathan and they have 3 children Charlie, Poppy and Immy. Their lives are different to Roberta's as they live a chaotic lifestyle with everything being done in a rush, something Roberta cannot deal with! 

The title is somewhat misleading for a lot of the book because you don't know much about the Island until three quarters of the way through as the author is leading up to how Octavia gets there.

I don't want to give any spoilers away so won't say much more other than I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it is a great summer holiday read. It's very funny in parts, as well as touching on serious subjects. 

It was a lovely, easy read with great characters and would thoroughly recommend this book. I haven't read Kerry's first book The School Gate Survival Guide, but I have it on my TBR pile so will definitely be giving that one a read!! Well done Kerry, I think this is going to be a summer smash!!

*****

A "Fabulous" Night in..............

Earlier this week I went to a book evening hosted by Fabulous magazine and met the lovely authors Lindsay Kelk, Lucy Robinson and Lucy Holliday. All lovely authors answered questions regarding the process of writing their new books.

I went with my lovely friend and fellow book buddy Julie and met up with other book bloggers (and even meeting  Karen for the first time!!)

As you can see from the background we got to see the famous book wall - it's amazing!!

And I even managed to find another of my favourite authors, Miranda Dickinson's book amongst the wall............

The new Harper Collins building in London Bridge is amazing and the views are gorgeous (I just can't stand too near the edge as I come over all dizzy and that's before a glass of wine!!).

I love going to these book events and meeting new people. Roll on the next one!!

Guest Blogger................

I am over the moon that my very good friend and "Book Buddy" Julie Williams has finally given in to my nagging and pleading and written a guest post. I gave her a copy of The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop for Christmas as I know that she likes this author and below is her review. I am ashamed to say I haven't read any of Victoria's books but have had a copy of The Island for years on my bookshelf! I have promised Julie that I will take it on holiday this year! I will hand you over to Julie who I hope will be blogging more regularly from now on!!

The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop

I have known Julie for a few years now and always encouraged her into starting her own Blog page which I am so proud of her for doing this year. As 'payback' she has asked me to write my first guest review. I have chosen The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop as this book was a Christmas gift from Julie.

The book is centred on the island of Cyprus and The Sunrise is a luxurious hotel being built by Savvas Papacosta and his beautiful wife Aphrodite in the then tourist resort of Famagusta.

The story focuses on three families all with links to the hotels but have very different lives. In the beginning the conflict between the Turkish & Greeks is not forefront but this soon changes as the book progresses with heartbreaking consequences.

There is no 'happy ending' as such, how could there be when so many lives were effected during this awful time in Cypriot history.

It seems hard to understand what the people of Cyprus, both Greek and Turkish Cypriots endured but I feel Victoria Hislop depicts it with believable characters and stunning descriptions of the country.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sunrise and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys history and romance. This is my third book by this author and after The Island it is my next favourite.

As part of "Wedding Season" on my Blog, I am delighted to be a part of Bride Without A Groom Blog Tour. Join me on 21st May for my review.....................

There have been a few clues along the way!!

Will Rachel get her Groom? You'll just have to wait and see.....................

I'm delighted to be able to show you the cover reveal of No Place For A Lady by Gill Paul to be published this Summer.....................Isn't it gorgeous!!

No Place For a Lady will hook anyone who’s loving Poldark, weeps at Suite Française, devours writers such as Victoria Hislop, and can’t believe their luck when they find Gone With the Wind is on the TV. Set against a backdrop of the Crimean War, packed with gripping drama, vivid historical detail and with a love story that will squeeze your heart tight – this is the perfect all-consuming summer read.

In wartime, the rules of love change…

 1854. Britain slides unprepared into a gruesome war. Lucy Harvington, who knows little beyond how to play the piano, has accompanied her handsome impetuous officer husband to the battlefields of Crimea. She’s way out of her depth, so if he doesn’t survive what will become of her?

Dorothea Gray, a nurse at London’s Westminster Hospital, is determined to follow her little sister Lucy to the front and serve her country alongside her heroine Florence Nightingale and the pioneering nurses already risking their lives out there.

 Neither sister could have known the horrors awaiting – the brutal cold, the appalling diseases, the hideous injuries … nor could they have guessed the risks they will have to take, the forbidden passions they will taste, and the simple heart-breaking fact they may never meet again …

Rich in historical detail, the far-reaching narrative will sweep you off your feet, making this the perfect escapist read this summer.

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson

Annie has a secret. But if she's not going to tell, we won't either. It's a heart-breaking secret she wishes she didn't have - yet Annie isn't broken, not quite yet. Especially now there's someone out there who seems determined to fix her.

Kate has run away. But she's not going to tell us why - that would defeat the point of running, wouldn't it? It's proving difficult to reinvent herself, however, with one person always on her mind.

Scratch beneath the surface and nobody is really who they seem. Even Annie and Kate, two old friends, aren't entirely sure who they are any more. Perhaps you can work it out, before their pasts catch up with them for good . . .

Review
I had heard so many great reviews of this book that I just had to buy a copy and find out what all the fuss was about! I wasn’t disappointed. The Prologue alone got my heart racing and “the twist” that everyone kept talking about was exceptional and I admit, I had to go back and re-read a few pages as I thought I had missed something!!

I am not going to delve into the storyline too much because I just don’t want to give any spoilers, but it tells the story of Annie who loses her Mum at such a young age and how she has to cope with that growing up and how her world changes when she meets Stephen Flint, who seems too good to be true………

Then there’s Kate who is running away to start a new life in a riding stables even though she doesn’t know the first thing about horses! As you read you just want to know why and what she is running away from and why she is so nervous and agitated all of the time.

The way the story comes together is just brilliant. I won’t say any more than that, other than you will only find out if you read it as I am giving nothing away!!

This is my first Lucy Robinson book but if this one was anything to go by, it certainly won’t be my last!!

*****

Welcome to the month of May and it's the time of year where I always start to think of weddings (I do love a good wedding!!) and so I hope to read as many "wedding" themed books during May and June as I can. I have a couple of Blog Tours this month, one being Amy Lynch's debut novel Bride without a Groom. So come along as..................