Thursday 28 November 2019

Book Review: Love Songs for Sceptics by Christina Pishiris


Thank you to the author, Netgalley and of course the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for the advance reading copy of Love Songs for Sceptics, the utterly fabulous debut from Christina Peshiris. You can buy your copy here! And you can read my post on what song I would choose right here, on the blog tour!

The Blurb
"My brother’s getting married in a few weeks and asked for help picking a song for his first dance. I suggested Kiss’s ‘Love’s a Slap in the Face’.
It didn’t go down well."
When she was a teenager, Zoë Frixos fell in love with Simon Baxter, her best friend and the boy next door. But his family moved to America before she could tell him how she felt and, like a scratched record, she’s never quite moved on. Now, almost twenty years later, Simon is heading back to London, newly single and as charming as ever . . .
But as obstacles continue to get in her way – Simon’s perfect ex-girlfriend, her brother’s big(ish) fat(ish) Greek wedding, and an obnoxious publicist determined to run Zoë – Zoë begins to wonder whether, after all these years, she and Simon just aren’t meant to be.
What if, despite what all the songs and movies say, you're first love isn't always all it's cracked up to be? What if, instead Zoë and Simon are forever destined to shuffle around their feelings for each other, never quite getting the steps right . . .


With a smart, relatable central character and razor-sharp wit, Love Songs for Sceptics is perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Lucy Vine and Lindsey Kelk.

My Review

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump recently, but Love Songs for Sceptics brought me back to life.

I can honestly say it was a pleasure to read, from beginning to end. I loved all the characters, especially Zoe, the main character. I love the way she cares so much about the people she works with, and how they are her main concern when the magazine they work on is threatened with closure. A magazine, incidentally I would love to read!

Zoe is brilliant – I love her. She’s a strong woman with her head screwed on right, and has great relationships with everyone around her, except for when it comes to her love life. She’s been holding a torch for childhood friend Simon for years, so when he comes back into her life, she is ecstatic. But life, and love, is complicated…

I love the use of song titles for the Chapters, and the whole book was well-structured and brilliantly executed. It would be amazing to see this transferred to the big screen one day!

I loved it!

About the Author

Christina was born in London to Greek Cypriot parents, who used to bribe her to go to family weddings by promising that George Michael might be there. To deal with the inevitable disappointment, she began making up stories on napkins and has been writing ever since.



Don't forget to check out my choice of song on the Blog Tour for Love Songs for Sceptics!

Blog Tour: Love Songs for Sceptics by Christina Pishiris


Thank you to the author, Netgalley and of course the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for this chance to be on the blog tour for Love Songs for Sceptics, the utterly fabulous debut from Christina Peshiris. You can buy your copy here, and click here for my review!

The Blurb
"My brother’s getting married in a few weeks and asked for help picking a song for his first dance. I suggested Kiss’s ‘Love’s a Slap in the Face’.
It didn’t go down well."
When she was a teenager, Zoë Frixos fell in love with Simon Baxter, her best friend and the boy next door. But his family moved to America before she could tell him how she felt and, like a scratched record, she’s never quite moved on. Now, almost twenty years later, Simon is heading back to London, newly single and as charming as ever . . .
But as obstacles continue to get in her way – Simon’s perfect ex-girlfriend, her brother’s big(ish) fat(ish) Greek wedding, and an obnoxious publicist determined to run Zoë – Zoë begins to wonder whether, after all these years, she and Simon just aren’t meant to be.
What if, despite what all the songs and movies say, you're first love isn't always all it's cracked up to be? What if, instead Zoë and Simon are forever destined to shuffle around their feelings for each other, never quite getting the steps right . . .
With a smart, relatable central character and razor-sharp wit, Love Songs for Sceptics is perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Lucy Vine and Lindsey Kelk.

Vikbat's Love Song for Sceptics...

Sometimes soppy love songs just don't cut it. 

Sometimes you want to listen to something that reflects real life a bit more, something, you know, that isn't sugary sweet (it's bad for diabetics and teeth). 

Something that hits a nerve.

So when asked by those lovely people at Simon & Schuster to come up with my own Love Song for Sceptics, I wracked my brains. I went all through the lyrics by my beloved band Muse, but even Matt Bellamy has fallen in love and got married now (not to me though... silly boy!). Nothing really stood out as being suitable for this.

Until I was listening to Guns N' Roses on Spotify... and the perfect song came on, and I literally punched the air with glee. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before - although it is definitely a blast from the past. It's an absolutely glorious song, celebrating the end of a relationship, describing what I would imagine a great many people have dreamed of doing to their exes...

The song was released as a B-side way back in 1988, and is on the album G N' R Lies. I know it's not exactly PC, but I believe it was written as a joke, not with any malicious intent behind it. That's how I have always taken it, just one of those songs, with the 'Her' being interchangeable with 'Him'.

The song is a lovely, country-style rock song  and it's so damn catchy! It's called 'I Used to Love Her', and basically, Axl goes on about how he used to love her, but he had to kill her, she's six feet under, and now she's buried in his back yard.

I love it.

If anything ever happens to my husband, this blog post never happened!





Tuesday 26 November 2019

Blog Tour: A Million Dreams by Dani Atkins

A Million Dreams: the heart-wrenching new love story from the winner of Romantic Novel of the Year by [Atkins, Dani]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Head of Zeus for the opportunity to take part in the blog tour for the new novel by Dani Atkins. A Million Dreams was published on 14 November 2019, and you can buy it here.

The Blurb
Beth Brandon always dreamed of owning a florist, but today the bouquets of peonies and bright spring flowers are failing to calm her nerves. Because today, Beth has a life-changing decision to share with her husband.
Izzy Vaughan thought she and her husband would stay together forever, but sometime last year, their love began to fade. They both find such joy in their young son Noah – but is he enough to keep them together?
Eight years ago, something happened to these two women. Something that is about to bring them together in a way no-one thought possible...

My Review

This is a tricky review to write, as I don't want to spoil anything for the reader. But what I can tell you is that when I heard Dani Atkins had a new book out, I couldn't wait to read it - and I was not disappointed!

Told from the perspectives of both women, we learn how life never quite plays out the way you expect.  Both women's dreams of happy families take a different turn when life has other ideas for them.

Dani always delivers beautiful, emotive stories, without being mawkish or overly-sentimental. She pulls at the heartstrings just enough to make this sometimes cynical reader reach for the tissues with every book she writes, and Beth and Izzy's stories are seemlessly brought together.

A lovely warm-hearted read.


About the Author

Dani was born and brought up in Cockfosters - a small London suburb at the end of the Piccadilly Tube Line.

This served her well for commuting into the city, where from the age of 18 she worked in a succession of secretarial positions in companies as diverse as a BMW car dealership to the BBC. Dani spent her two hour commute avidly reading and dreamed that one day she would become an author herself. 

When her two children grew up and left home, Dani set about turning this dream into reality and devoted her time to writing. She now lives in a rural Hertfordshire cottage with her husband, a soppy border collie dog and a haughty Siamese cat.

Her first novels FRACTURED (called THEN AND ALWAYS in the US) and THE STORY OF US published in 2014. In January 2016, her third novel, OUR SONG was published. THIS LOVE was published in March 2017.

You can follow Dani on Twitter: @AtkinsDani and Facebook .






Friday 27 September 2019


I'm delighted to be on the blog tour for Zara Stoneley's lovely festive read, Four Christmases and a Secret. Thank you to Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to review.

You can buy the book here:


The Blurb
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… 

Except for Daisy Christmas means another of Uncle T’s dreaded Christmas parties, complete with Christmas jumper and flashing antlers. And Oliver Cartwright. Gorgeous Oliver Cartwright. Who she hates. 

Every year Daisy has to face insufferable Ollie and hear all about how BRILLIANT he is. Whereas Daisy has no job, no man and no idea how to fix things. 

This Christmas however Daisy is determined things will be different. There will be no snogging Ollie under the mistletoe like when they were teenagers. No, this year she’ll show Ollie that she’s a Responsible Adult too.

But as the champagne corks pop, and the tinsel sparkles, Uncle T has news of his own to share…and it could change Daisy's life forever… 

My Review
Daisy feels hopeless, especially compared to childhood friend, Ollie, who she hears about endlessly from her mother - he's a Doctor, no less, with a Beautiful Girlfriend (again). How can she ever live up to that

Daisy's career is less than stellar - like many of us, she flounders from one thing to the next, unable to catch a break to do the thing she thinks she wants to do most. 

I found Daisy a bit irritating to start with - the story is narrated by her, and her thoughts tends to interrupt conversations so that I'd lose track sometimes, but I soon adapted to her style. After all, aren't we all thinking stuff during conversations - in the end it became endearing. 

Daisy's character grows through the story, guided by everyone's favourite 'Uncle' Terence, and the new 'man' in Daisy's life, Stanley.  Stanley is lovely, as are most of the characters. They are all well-rounded, even if some are not quite who they seem to be. And of course there is the hero of the tale, who is more than swoon-worthy!

There was so much more to this story than I thought at the beginning. It develops nicely, going deeper than I expected - which made it an absolute joy to read.

About the Author
Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of 'The Wedding Date'.

She lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Born in a small village in the UK, Zara wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years, and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true. She now writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say 'ahhh'.

Zara’s bestselling novels include 'Bridesmaids', 'No One Cancels Christmas', 'The Wedding Date', 'The Holiday Swap', 'Summer with the Country Village Vet', 'Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage' and the popular Tippermere series - 'Stable Mates', 'Country Affairs' and 'Country Rivals'.

You can find Zara on various social media platforms:


Thursday 11 July 2019

Blog Tour: The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows by Jenni Keer



I'm delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for Jenni Keer's lovely new novel, The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows, which you can buy here. Thank you to Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to review.

The Blurb

When Maisie Meadows finds herself single and jobless on New Year’s Day, she resolves that this will be the year she focuses on bringing her scattered family back together. Romance is all very well, but it’s the people you grew up with that matter the most. 

But a new job working at an auction house puts her in the path of Theo, a gorgeous but unattainable man who she can’t help but be distracted by. As their bond begins to grow, Maisie finds herself struggling to fulfil the promise she made to herself – but the universe has other ideas, and it’s not long before the Meadows family are thrown back together in the most unlikely of circumstances… 

Can dealing with other people’s treasures help Maisie to let go of the past, and teach her who she ought to treasure the most? 

My Review

Here we have a lovely lot up for your perusal  - a delightful tale set in an auction house where the quirky characters are just as colourful as the items up for sale.

The main character, Maisie, is just out of a job and a relationship. With her life turned upside down, the organised Maisie tries to bring some order by determining to bring her chaotic and fractured family back together. She starts working at the Gildersleeves Auction House, where she meets a delightful array of people, including Theo, whose mismatched clothes and untidiness is at complete odds with Maisie's self-disciplined way of life.

It's an exceptionally well-written story, with some real laugh-out-loud moments (eccentric naked old man!) intertwined with some moments of poignancy (I did have something in my eye when I got to know Arthur).  Plus there's also an element of mystery, involving a magical tea-set...

It's a great, thoroughly enjoyable read!

About the Author


Jenni Keer is a history graduate who embarked on a career in contract flooring before settling in the middle of the Suffolk countryside with her antique furniture restorer husband. She has valiantly attempted to master the ancient art of housework but with four teenage boys in the house it remains a mystery. Instead, she spends her time at the keyboard writing women's fiction to combat the testosterone-fuelled atmosphere with her number one fan #Blindcat by her side. Much younger in her head than she is on paper, she adores any excuse for fancy-dress and is part of a disco formation dance team. 

The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker was published in January 2019.

The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows is out in July 2019.




Social Media Links –
Twitter @JenniKeer
Instagram jennikeer

Saturday 27 April 2019

Blog Tour: Bridesmaids by Zara Stoneley



I'm delighted to be part of the Blog Tour for Zara Stoneley's new book, Bridesmaids, which is published by HarperImpulse. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and @rararesources for the advanced reading copy.

You can buy your copy from Amazon  iBooks  Waterstones and other good retailers.

The Blurb
Meet Rachel, the beautiful bride with BIG plans for the perfect day! The venue is a castle and the dress is designer. It’s just a shame her husband is a rat.
Maddie and Sally have only one thing in common – they both love the same man!
Beth is a newly single mum with a mystery baby daddy. Surely the father isn’t someone the girls all know?
And then there’s Jane, the glue holding them all together, but being dumped doesn’t make her the happiest bridesmaid…especially with gorgeous flatmate Freddie complicating things. 
Will the bride say, ‘I Do!’? Or will her bridesmaids save the day…and find love along the way? 
The most hilarious, feel-good rom com of the year!



My Review

This is the first book I've read by Zara Stoneley, and I have to say... I loved it! Fun, flirty and fabulous - the perfect elements for the perfect light-hearted read.

Dumped on her own hen night, Jane is understandably a bit anti-weddings. But not as anti as everyone around her thinks she is, she has her own reasons for casting doubt when her best friend announces The Wedding of All Weddings.

Add to that some friends Jane hasn't seen since school - not all of whom were bosom buddies - and the friends' reunion isn't without it's own issues... the girl who had everything but the boy, now has the boy who was everything to the other girl, and the girl who was the life and soul of the party is keeping her lips sealed about the father of her baby - except secrets have a way of coming out. 
A series of misunderstandings, assumptions and accusations lead Jane, the panicky chief bridesmaid, a merry dance as she tries to ensure everything runs smoothly for her friend.

It's a wonderful mix of characters and their secrets and lies. Jane is wonderful; despite her own heartbreak she is determined to do the best for her friend but is torn between telling her the truth and protecting her from it.

Then we have the husband-to-be - has he changed for the better? And the ex-husband-to-be is back on the scene... and the perfect but spiky Sally who is determined to hang on to her man, but is he really hers to keep?

And to complicate matters, there is Jane's other best friend, flatmate Freddie, who is actually rather hot. But Jane is scared of risking that friendship by taking anything further.

Bridesmaids is a fun, frenzied, chaotic read which sweeps the reader along on a wave of hilarious situations and misunderstandings. 

Rich, fruity layers with beautiful, sweet icing on top, it's the perfect book version of a wedding cake!

About the Author

Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Date.

Born in a small village in the UK, she wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years, and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true.

She writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say 'ahhh'.

Zara now lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Zara’s bestselling novels include 'No One Cancels Christmas', 'The Wedding Date', 'The Holiday Swap', 'Summer with the Country Village Vet', 'Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage' and the popular Tippermere series - 'Stable Mates', 'Country Affairs' and 'Country Rivals'.

Website: http://www.zarastoneley.com

Instagram: zarastoneley

Sunday 14 April 2019

Blog Tour: Amazing Grace by Kim Nash


I'm delighted to be part of the Blog Tour, run by Rachel's Random Resources, for the lovely Kim Nash's novel, Amazing Grace, published by Hera Books on April 10th, 2019. 

You can buy your copy here:


The Blurb
She’s taking her life back, one step at a time…
Grace thought she had it all. Living in the beautiful village of Little Ollington, along with head teacher husband Mark and gorgeous son, Archie, she devoted herself to being the perfect mum and the perfect wife, her little family giving her everything she ever wanted. 
Until that fateful day when she walked in on Mark kissing his secretary - and her perfect life fell apart.
Now she's a single mum to Archie, trying to find her way in life and keep things together for his sake. Saturday nights consist of a Chinese takeaway eaten in front of the TV clad in greying pyjamas, and she can’t remember the last time she had a kiss from anyone aside from her dog, Becks… 
Grace’s life needs a shake up – fast. So when gorgeous gardener Vinnie turns up on her doorstep, his twinkling eyes suggesting that he might be interested in more than just her conifers, she might just have found the answer to her prayers. But as Grace falls deeper for Vinnie, ten-year-old Archie fears that his mum finding love means she’ll never reconcile with the dad he loves. 
So when ex-husband Mark begs her for another chance, telling her he’s changed from the man that broke her heart, Grace finds herself with an impossible dilemma. Should she take back Mark and reunite the family that Archie loves? Or risk it all for a new chance of happiness? 
A funny, feel good romance about finding your own path and changing your life for the better – readers of Cathy Bramley, Jill Mansell and Josie Silver will love this uplifting read.
My Review

What a lovely, heartwarming story!

Grace's world revolves around her 10 year old son, Archie, determined to make life the best she can for him. She dotes on him and misses him terribly when he goes to stay at his Dad's. Grace needs to get a life of her own, and has some 'help' from a friend, resulting in some hilariously disastrous dates. 
But Grace has her eye on Vinnie, and quite frankly, who wouldn't? Kind, thoughtful, and seriously hot, Vinnie could be the answer to her prayers. But how is another man going to fit into her life without causing disruption to Archie?

And then there's the ex-husband, who wants the family back together. That would mean Archie has his mum and dad, and Grace wouldn't have to suffer when Archie was at his dad's...

We all know the ex, is a controlling, selfish twat, and Vinnie is hot stuff! But poor Grace is torn between forging a new life for herself and making everything perfect for Archie.

It's a lovely story of a mother trying to balance her absolute love for her son with the need for her to have her own life. The relationship she has with Archie is adorable, but I was screaming at the pages whenever Mark was lurking around - surely Grace couldn't sacrifice everything for him? I genuinely thought this could go either way, because if anyone can make the best out of a situation, it is Grace.

It is fabulously written, with an emotive storyline that kept me reading through the night - just another chapter, oh, just another one... I was hooked!

I can't wait to read more from Kim Nash!

About the Author

Kim Nash lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter Roni, is PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture and is a book blogger at www.kimthebookworm.co.uk

Kim won the Romantic Novelists Association's Media Star of the Year in 2016, which she still can't quite believe. She is now quite delighted to be a member of the RNA. 

When she's not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog, reading, standing on the sidelines of a football pitch cheering on Ollie and binge watching box sets on the TV. She's also quite partial to a spa day and a gin and tonic (not at the same time!) Kim also runs a book club in Cannock, Staffs. 


Connect with Kim on Social Media here:
Twitter: (@KimTheBookworm) https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm
Instagram: @Kim_the_bookworm

Thursday 14 March 2019

Blog Tour: Knowing You by Samantha Tong






Thank you to the author, the publisher Canelo, Netgalley and Rachel's Randon Resources for the opportunity to review the book on the Blog Tour!

Purchase Links

An abrupt change; a new friendship; a dark secret...
Kind-hearted Violet has never fitted in, but despite being bullied at school is now content. She is dating ambitious Lenny, has her dream job in publishing and runs a book club at the local retirement home.
However, when her relationship with Lenny begins to falter, Violet, hurt and alone, seeks the advice of her new flatmate, Bella. She changes her image and with her head held high aims to show that she doesn’t need Lenny in her life to be happy and successful.
Her long-term friends Kath and Farah worry about Bella’s influence and slowly Violet starts to distance herself from them. When she was a child, her closest confidant and companion was a boy called Flint. Her mother didn’t approve of their closeness and he suffered a terrible end. She won’t let the same thing happen to Bella, no matter what anyone says...
Knowing You is about friendship and knowing who to trust with your deepest secrets; it’s about taking control of your life and not being afraid to stand out. Perfect for fans of Ruth Hogan, Gail Honeyman and Amanda Prowse.

My Review

I love this book! It had me gripped all throughout. I was screaming at the page as Violet ignores all her old friends in favour of Bella, her new flatmate and confidente. Emboldened and encouraged by Bella's suggestions, Violet undergoes a radical transformation. But not everyone is happy with the new Violet...

The author has written with passion and sensitivity about emotive subjects, such as self-esteem, bullying and loss. I found Violet to be instantly relatable, and my heart was breaking for her as I read her story. It resonates deeply even now, weeks after I read the book.

About the Author

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and her passion, second to spending time with her husband and children, is writing. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely.

When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines. 

In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category.

Links
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor
Website: http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

Saturday 9 February 2019

Book Review: Four by Andy Jones


The Blurb
Two couples. One reckless night.
In the time they've known each other, Sally, Al and Mike have shared - well, almost everything.
Sally and Al have been married for seven years, though now their relationship is hanging by a thread.
Sally and Mike have been best friends since university. And on many occasions something more.
Mike and Al have been friends and colleagues for many years. Yet with Al poised to become Mike's boss, their friendship comes under threat.
And now there's Mike and Faye. They haven't been together long, but Mike's pretty sure that, this time, it's the real deal.
As the three old friends sit on a train heading towards Brighton to meet Faye, little do they know that after this weekend, the four of them will have shared . . . everything. 
They all know they have made a mistake.
But they could never have imagined the consequences.
My Review

I was drawn to this book because a) it's by Andy Jones. I love his books (even though The Two of Us rendered me a snotty, snivelling mess), and b) cos it sounded a bit kinky (guess I'm a bit of a perve, eh?).

Jones always writes his characters with care and consideration, and Four doesn't disappoint. Well, apart from the Four not being the kinky foursome I 'might' have imagined... but that's just me.

Sally, Alistair, and Mike have been close friends for years. Sally and Mike met at university, and Sally met Alistair through Mike, and for some reason that I don't understand, ended up marrying Alistair.

The characters are complex, as we all are in real-life. Sally is a GP, and her professional relationship with a patient's family shows a more human side to her than her marital relationship with her husband does. Soured by a lack of children, her marriage is on the slide anyway, but she and Alistair are attending counselling in an attempt to save it. 

Alistair is a thoroughly unlikable character. There is a brief glimpse of the resentment and degeneration of their marriage during the scene of the train journey to Brighton, when we see Sally cringing at a comment her husband makes, and that was it for me. He does nothing in the book to show himself in any better light.

Mike... I like Mike. Yes he has his faults, but don't we all? Father to the gorgeous Jojo, who lives on another continent, he is sensitive, kind... and under the influence of drugs and alcohol, is drawn into something along with his old friends when they all spend an evening with his new(ish) younger girlfriend, Faye.

I wasn't quite sure what to make of Faye, throughout the entirety of the book. The seeming instigator of the initial event, I found it hard to warm to her to start with. I mellowed as the story went on, but still, she seems quite a self-contained character, the only real person she really appears to connect with is Jojo.

It's a complex affair, in more ways than one. Love, lies, regret and consequences, Four is a tale that gets under your skin.

Four is published by Hodder & Stoughton and can be bought here (other retailers are available).


About the Author

Andy Jones lives in London with his wife and two little girls. During the day he works in an advertising agency; at weekends and horribly early in the mornings, he writes fiction.

He is the bestselling author of three novels: The Two of Us, The Trouble With Henry and Zoe, and Girl 99. His books have been translated into twelve languages.

Andy's new novel 'FOUR' will be published by Hodder & Stoughton in summer 2018. 

Follow Andy on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram where he posts as @andyjonesauthor




Thursday 17 January 2019

Blog Tour: Love Heart Lane by Christie Barlow






I am delighted to be involved in the blog tour for the latest novel by Christie Barlow, Love Heart Lane! My thanks to the publisher, @HarperCollins, @Netgalley and Rachel's Random Reads.

The Blurb
Welcome to Love Heart Lane…

When Flick Simons returns to the small village of Heartcross she only expected to stay for a few days. The white-washed cottages of Love Heart Lane might be her home, but the place holds too many painful memories, and of one man in particular – Fergus Campbell.

When a winter storm sweeps in, the only bridge connecting the village to the main land is swept away! As the villagers pull together, Flick finds herself welcomed back by the friends she once left behind. And as the snow begins to melt, maybe there is a chance that Fergus’s heart will thaw too…

My Review

Love Heart Lane is a lovely, cosy story best served with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, cashmere socks and a warm, soft blanket. Even if you haven't got those things to hand, you'll feel like you have when you read Love Heart Lane!

Perfect for these dark, cold January days, this tale of family, friendship and community is written with love and warmth, and is the perfect escape. Christie's writing is so evocative that I shivered when I was reading the snowy scenes at the beginning. Fergus soon melted my heart though!

The themes of heartbreak and loss also runs through the book, and we learn that tragedy can pull a community together, as well as tear it apart.

It truly is a heartwarming book, and it's the first in a series, so I'm looking forward to reading more and getting to know the residents of Heartcross even better.


About the Author
Christie Barlow is the author of A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother, The Misadventures of a Playground Mother, Kitty's Countryside Dream, Lizzie's Christmas Escape, Evie's Year of Taking Chances, The Cosy Canal Boat Dream, A Home at Honeysuckle Farm and Love Heart Lane. Her writing career came as somewhat a surprise when she decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. The book she wrote to prove a point is now a #1 bestseller in the UK, USA & Australia. 

Christie is an ambassador for @ZuriProject raising money/awareness and engaging with impoverished people in Uganda through organisations to improve their well-being as well as Literary Editor for www.mamalifemagazine.co.uk bringing you all the latest news and reviews from the book world.

Facebook page Christie Barlow author


Purchase Links