Category: Romantic Comedy

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, Mystery, New Books, Romance, Romantic Comedy

Mistletoe at Moonstone Lake Holly Martin 5*#Review @HollyMAuthor #BlogTour #BookReview #RomCom #festive #Winter #MistletoeatMoonstoneLake

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Escape to the breathtaking Cornish Coast this winter, where the ocean sparkles in the moonlight and romance crackles like an open fire. This gorgeous new love story by Holly Martin, bestselling author of Sunlight Over Crystal Sands, is the perfect treat to warm your heart this Christmas.

Artist Zoey Flynn hadn’t planned to spend her favourite holiday on the shores of Jewel Island, but when her fiancé breaks off their engagement before their Christmas Eve wedding, this Cornish paradise is just the distraction she needs.

With a cosy cottage to call home for a month and a stall at the island’s famous Christmas market to sell her paintings, Zoey quickly puts her heartbreak behind her. Love is the last thing on her mind. That is until the handsome Kit Lewis crosses her path…

Their connection is instant, but Zoey has a secret. And the deeper she and Kit fall for one another, the harder it is to hide. Kit knows Zoey is holding something back and if she won’t tell him the truth she could lose him forever.

Is keeping a promise from the past worth sacrificing a future with the man she loves? Or might Kit be the one person she can trust?

Love, laughter and long-hidden secrets are waiting for you on stunning Jewel Island.

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I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

Like all books in the Jewel island series, this one is full of engaging characters. There is emotion, laughter, mystery and romance, with the addition of a Christmas market and other relatable festive touches. Christmas time on Jewel Island is lovely and vivid imagery draws the reader into the festivities. Zoey and Kit’s cute meet is memorable. It leads to an instant connection and hilarity. The visual images the author conjures up resonate.

There’s definite chemistry, but past heartbreaks make them cautious. Christmas has its complications, but like all good Christmas stories, this one has a lovely ending.

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, Mystery, New Books, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Suspense

Falling in Louvre Fiona Leitch 5*#Review @fkleitch #romcom #mystery #domestic #supense #uplit #Paris #Louvre #FallinginLouvre #BookReview @rararesources #BlogTour

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‘A heartfelt, funny and romantic caper – a mashup masterpiece!’

Sandy Barker, author of ‘That Night in Paris’.

Bertrand is King of the Pigeons…

Unofficially. From his perch atop a gargoyle on Notre Dame cathedral, he surveys his kingdom. He sees Sylvie Cloutier, art lover and ex-antiques dealer, making dinner for her bullying husband Henri, trapped in their loveless marriage like a bird in a gilded cage. He sees security guard, hopeless romantic and bookworm Philippe Moreau cycling through the streets of Paris in his crumpled uniform, late (again) for his night shift at the museum.

When Sylvie begs her husband to let her go to work, he gets her a job as an evening cleaner at the Louvre. He thinks such a menial position will dispel any ideas about independence she might have, but his plan backfires when she falls in love with kind, gentle Philippe. They decide to run away together, but there’s a major problem: neither of them has any money.

One stormy night in the Louvre, the answer to their prayers falls into their lap… But is it really the solution, or just another, even bigger problem?

What follows is a romantic, wistful but madcap adventure through (and under) the city of lights, involving a stolen painting, an art heist in reverse, and Eric Cantona. Will love find a way?

Amazon UK

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

This is a charming romantic Parisian escapade. In 2016, Paris, the city of lovers was also, the city of flooding and football. The reader meets Sylvie, trapped in a controlling marriage, a shadow of her former vibrant self and Phillipe, a gentle individual through the eyes of Bertrand, a Parisian pigeon. Sylvie and Phillipe meet at the Louvre, not as romantic as it sounds, but they are drawn to each other and enjoy an epic, escapist adventure but will they find happiness?

Believable characters and the Parisian setting come to vibrant life through vivid imagery. Humour and poignancy ebb and flow into a plot full of adventure, mystery and romance with a magical twist.

Fiona Leitch

Fiona Leitch is a writer with a chequered past. She’s written for football and motoring magazines, DJ’ed at illegal raves and is a stalwart of the low budget TV commercial, even appearing as the Australasian face of a cleaning product called ‘Sod Off’. After living in London and Cornwall she’s finally settled in sunny New Zealand, where she enjoys scaring her cats by trying out dialogue on them. She spends her days dreaming of retiring to a crumbling Venetian palazzo, walking on the windswept beaches of West Auckland, and writing funny, flawed but awesome female characters. Her debut novel and first in the Bella Tyson series, ‘Dead in Venice’, was published by Audible as one of their Crime Grant finalists, and her bestselling cosy mystery series, The Nosey Parker Mysteries, is published by One More Chapter/HarperCollins.

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Read my review of Murder Ahoy

Read my review of Murder on the Menu (Book1)

Read my review of A Brush with Death (Book2)

Read my Review of A Sprinkle of Sabotage(Book3)

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, Humour, New Books, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Travel

The Meeting Point Olivia Lara 4*#Review @olilara_writes @HoZ_Books @Aria_Fiction #Romance #Serendipity #soulmates #Love #BookReview #BlogTour @LoveBooksGroup #LoveBooksTour #TheMeetingPoint

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What if the Lift driver who finds your cheating boyfriend’s phone holds the directions to true love?

‘Who are you and why do you have my boyfriend’s phone?’

‘He left it in my car. You must be the blonde in the red dress? I’m the Lift driver who dropped you two off earlier.’

And with these words, the life of the brunette and t-shirt wearing Maya Maas is turned upside down. Having planned to surprise her boyfriend, she finds herself single and stranded in an unknown city on her birthday. So when the mystery driver rescues Maya with the suggestion that she cheers herself up at a nearby beach town, she jumps at the chance to get things back on track. She wasn’t expecting a personalised itinerary or the easy companionship that comes from opening up to a stranger via text, let alone the possibility it might grow into something more…

I received a copy of this book from Head of Zeus – Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

This is a heartwarming romantic comedy with an element of mystery set in California. Maya’s life is not turning out how she planned. When a career-making assignment implodes, Maya decides to surprise her boyfriend in California. Maya’s text to her boyfriend is answered by a stranger who has unwelcome news but offers a chance for fun that she decides to accept., Vividly created characters immerse the reader in their story. The romance is gentle, and there’s a mystery to solve. With lots of heartache and humour, this is a lovely escapist read for those who believe in love, serendipity and soulmates.

Olivia Lara

OLIVIA LARA‘s love for words started as a child when she spent her summer vacations watching her grandfather, who worked for the biggest publishing house in Romania, edit hundreds of books. She is a former journalist for a newspaper and a television network in Bucharest, now a Marketing VP in San Francisco – in between she lived in France where her love for Paris and the Alsace region was born. Her first book, Someday in Paris, became a B&N, Apple, Kobo and Amazon Top 100 Bestseller and was shortlisted for the Romantic Novel Awards. She lives in the Bay Area, California.

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Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Travel

The Dating Game Sandy Barker 5*#Review @sandybarker @0neMoreChapter_ #Friendship #Dating #Romance #RealityTV @rararesources #BlogTour #BookReview #TheDatingGame

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‘Hilarious and highly original’

Julie Houston, bestselling author of A Village Affair

Once upon a time, twelve women joined the hottest reality TV show looking for love. Except one had a secret identity . . .

Abby Jones is a serious writer. Or at least she will be, one day. Right now, she spends her time writing recaps of reality television under a secret identity.

When a recap for The Stag – the must-watch dating show – goes viral, her editor thinks she should be on set, writing the drama as it happens. The good news: the next season will be filmed in Sydney. Sun, sea and a glamorous trip abroad, this could be Abby’s big break.

The bad news: the producers don’t just want Abby to write the recaps, they want her to be on the show. Abby can’t think of anything worse than being undercover and followed around by cameras. But her career depends on it, and when she meets gorgeous producer Jack, Abby begins to wonder if this job might not be so bad after all . . .

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I received a copy of this book from One More Chapter via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

Whilst I can’t see the appeal of reality TV, the characterisation, humour and romance in this book kept me turning the pages. Abby is an easy to like character with a good heart and witty sense of humour. This book is a good balance of romance and comedy and is the perfect escape from real life, maybe just like the fictional show it features?

The romantic element has a realistic blend of conflict and emotion. The reader is invested in its outcome. The friendship dynamic is believably written. The show’s details are well-researched, immersing the reader in the world of reality TV. Enhanced with angst, believable characters and well-timed comic dialogue, this is an addictive original story.

Sandy Barker

Sandy is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of her travel adventures have found homes in her novels. She’s also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob. She lives in Melbourne Australia with her partner, Ben, who she met while travelling in Greece. Their real-life love story inspired Sandy’s debut novel One Summer in Santorini, the first in the Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.

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Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Family Drama, Festive Read, Friendship, Romance, Romantic Comedy

Will They, Won’t They? Portia MacIntosh 5*#Review @PortiaMacIntosh @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources #boldwoodbloggers #RomCom #BookReview #BlogTour #WillTheyWontThey #Family #festive

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Amazon UK

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

The opening chapter gets the reader’s attention in this story of relationships and self-discovery. Emmy is a believably flawed protagonist who learns what matters to her when she returns to her home town amid sadness and scandal. The shallowness of celebrity status and the intrusiveness of social media are explored. The story is set in the prelude to Christmas with the focus on a local pantomime. This book showcases quintessentially British humour, which I loved balanced with moments of poignancy. The romance is secondary to the family drama and Emmy’s self-realisation journey.

The characters are varied and relatable, and the festive setting gives the story an extra sparkle.

Portia MacIntosh

Portia MacIntosh is a bestselling romantic comedy author of 16 novels, including The Plus One Pact and My Great Ex-Scape. Previously a music journalist, Portia writes hilarious stories, drawing on her real-life experiences.

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Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, New Books, Romance, Romantic Comedy

Hot Desk Zara Stoneley 4* #Review @ZaraStoneley @0neMoreChapter_ @rararesources RomCom #office #BlogTour #BookReview #HotDesk

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Same desk, different days.

A post-it note is just the beginning…

Alice loves her job and wants to keep it – whatever the price. But then she’s told the company is switching to flexible working and hot desking…Alice’s desk might look a mess, but she knows exactly where everything is. Or she did. Until she found out she’s going to share it with the most annoying guy in the office.
 
Jamie can work from anywhere. He’s quite happy to sweep his work life into a box at the end of the working day. But can sharing a desk with Alice be as much fun as teasing her in person?
 
With no option but to try it and see, will their relationship turn into open warfare or will it ever progress beyond a post-it note?

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I received a copy of this book from One More Chapter via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

This isn’t my favourite of this author’s books, as the setting and pandemic references didn’t give me the escapist read vibe I like in this type of novel. Alice and Jamie’s desk share leads to communication via post-it notes which is amusing and eventually deepens into something more. For Alice, her desk and working in the office is much more than a job, it’s her space, an extension of her, and she feels its loss keenly. There are lots of humorous moments and a gentle romance.

Zara Stoneley

USA Today bestselling author Zara Stoneley was 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, and more than half a million copies of her books have now been sold worldwide.

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, a cocker spaniel puppy and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat.

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Posted in Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, New Books, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Travel

Meet Me in Tahiti Georgia Toffolo 4*#Review @ToffTalks @MillsandBoon #Romance #SecondChances #memories #Tahiti #BookReview #MeetMeinTahiti #MeetMe #MillsandBoonInsiders @AvrilTremayne

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Where there’s always a second chance at first love…

Zoe has spent her life facing battles: fighting her parents for independence, struggling with her feelings for local bad boy Finn and, after a car accident at eighteen, adjusting to the fact she would not walk again. She remained strong until the day Finn, the person she thought she could trust, broke her heart… Now a successful travel writer, Zoe is excited to review a new luxury hotel in the beautiful South Pacific – until she meets its owner…

Finn was never good enough for Zoe. He knew it. Zoe’s family knew it. The village of Hawkes Cove made sure he knew it. Proven when he let her down in the worst way possible. Now a successful businessman, he thought his past was behind him, until a journalist turns up to review his new resort…

As Finn shows Zoe the exotic wonders of the islands both face the fact their shared past might just be the beginning of a future. But only if Zoe can win the biggest battle of her life…facing up to her heart’s desire.

Amazon UK

I received a copy of this book from Mills and Boon via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

Set in romantic Tahiti, Zoe and Finn meet again after twelve years and find that the attraction still burns brightly between them but are they brave enough to overcome past differences? Zoe is a travel writer who explores holiday resorts to discover their accessibility. Zoe’s story is a journey of self-discovery, coming to terms with her past and taking a second chance at love with Finn. The story features Victoria, Lily and Malie and is told from Zoe and Finn’s viewpoints.

The setting is well described, and the friendship dynamic between the women is pivotal to the story and well written. This is an enjoyable chapter in the Meet Me series, humorous, poignant and romantic.

Read my review of Meet Me in London

Read my review of Meet Me in Hawaii

Posted in Contemporary Fiction, Cover Reveal, New Books, Romantic Comedy

My Ten-Year Crush Olivia Spring #CoverReveal @ospringauthor @rararesources #RomCom #Preorder #September 30 #MyTenYearCrush

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My Ten-Year Crush: From Friends to Lovers…

The first kiss wrecked their friendship. Could a second chance lead to love?

English teacher Bella isn’t having much luck with her love life. No matter who she dates, no one seems to measure up to Mike: the ex-bestie she shared a drunken kiss with ten years ago, which led to the end of their friendship…

When Bella comes face-to-face with Mike at their university reunion, sparks fly. He’s smart, funny and even hotter than before, and despite trying to fight her feelings, Bella still can’t get him out of her head.

But after what happened the last time she stepped out of the friend zone, Bella isn’t in a hurry to be rejected all over again.

Should Bella risk more heartache by telling Mike how she really feels? Could the attraction be mutual? Or is it finally time to put her past behind her and say goodbye to a second chance at love, forever?

My Ten-Year Crush is a fun, sexy, friends-to-lovers romcom about second chances and stepping out of your comfort zone.

Pre-order now and join Bella on her rollercoaster romantic adventures! Publication Date: 30th September


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Olivia Spring is a British, London-based writer of contemporary women’s fiction, sexy chick lit and romantic comedy. Her uplifting debut novel The Middle-Aged Virgin, which was released in July 2018, deals with being newly single in your thirties and beyond, dating, relationships, love, sex and living life to the full.

In addition to The Middle-Aged Virgin, Olivia has published five novels: The Middle-Aged Virgin in Italy, Love Offline, Losing My Inhibitions, Only When It’s Love and the sequel When’s The Wedding?

Olivia’s seventh novel, My Ten-Year Crush, will be published in September 2021.

When she’s not writing, Olivia can be found enjoying cupcakes and cocktails and of course, seeking inspiration for her next book.

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Posted in Blog Blitz, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Extract, Friendship, Giveaway, Mystery, New Books, Romance, Romantic Comedy

Cornish Gold at Summer’s End Laura Briggs 4*#Review #Extract @PaperDollWrites #ReturntoCornwall #humour #friendship #community #Ghosts #Mystery #Halloween #Cornwall #BookReview @rararesources #PublicationDayPush #cozymystery #Giveaway #CornishGoldatSummersEnd

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Rumours of a ghostly presence haunt Julianne’s Cornish autumn in the series’ charming fourth instalment.

What began as a bit of teenage mischief in the village quickly became stories of spooky lights and ghost sightings in the wood. Being sensible, Julianne is more worried about whether she can finish her kids’ costumes in time for the annual Halloween contest—and whether husband Matt and his eager assistants will be selected for the exclusive Brookshire Garden Design Competition. So when everyone in town begins flocking to the local ‘ghost walk’ tours Julianne assures her wide-eyed children it’s just a case of imagination run wild…until she experiences her own brush with the supernatural, that is.

Real or imagined, Julianne can’t shrug off what she saw, or even bring herself to confide in sympathetic Matt for advice. Best friend Kitty is on hand to help, despite her usual family battles, including that of her cousins’ shady new scheme to profit from the town’s ghost mania. But even Julianne’s friends can’t fully understand her need to find a solution this time, one that leads her on a quirky quest from local lore, to meetings with the village’s ragtag paranormal club, and even a creepy abandoned cottage hiding secrets in the woods.

Join Julianne for suspense, surprises, and (of course) heartfelt moments as book four in the series brings an autumn like no other to sleepy Ceffylgwyn.

Amazon UK

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

Having read Wedding Vows and Cornish Ribbons, I didn’t manage to read books two and three in this series, but it is lovely to reacquaint with Julianne and the villagers of Ceffylgwyn.

Halloween is approaching, and Julianne is engaged in creating appropriate costumes for her children. The village’s ghost walk is gaining popularity, and the village is the victim of vandalism or something more sinister? This story is full of quirky characters, gossipy villagers and community spirit, which this author does so well. In addition, this story has a cosy mystery feel to it, which the Cornish setting and folklore suit.

Family life in Julianne’s household is moving on, and there is a lovely relatability about this. This story is a balance of humour, mystery and poignancy. The plot has twists that keep you turning the pages until all is revealed.

Another heartwarming and humorous book in this series with a touch of supernatural.

Extract From Cornish Gold at Summer’s End –Laura Briggs

A huge thank you to Jane for letting me stop by and share an excerpt of my newest release with all her lovely readers! The book is titled Cornish Gold at Summer’s End and is the fourth installment in my new stories about American event planner Julianne Rose’s adventures living ‘across the pond’. In the scene below Julianne and her friend Lady Amanda Harbury discuss the village’s growing interest in a local ghost walk now that Halloween is almost upon them.

The Fisherman’s Rest had a lively lunch crowd, but Amanda had the table nearest to the pub’s little window, sending a quick text as she waited for me. The shopping bags around her were from the local market, with baby Charles’ diapers and bottles of shampoo peeking over their rims.

“I’ve had a busy morning — one of the Cornish tourism sites wants to feature the ghost walk for its monthly calendar,” she said. “Of course, it would be when half our posters were either blown away by the wind or replaced by the paranormal investigators’ fliers. What do you think of that?” she asked, sipping her mineral water.

“I think it’s the last thing I expected to hear of in Ceffylgwyn,” I answered, cutting into my mini cheese and mushroom quiche. “I didn’t know there were secret ghost hunters among us.”

“It’s all to do with that television program, I imagine,” said Lady Amanda. “You know the one — they’re ghost documentarians, or something like that. Youth are always fascinated by a rebel with a camera.”

“If the tourism site wants to feature the ghost walk, it must be pretty popular,” I remarked. “I counted at least twenty people the night I ran into you following along.”

“It’s going splendidly,” said Amanda. “I don’t know what Gerard’s book requires, but I certainly hope it takes him a year or two to finish it. Even locals from Falmouth and Par have come, and half the tourists at that new hotel near Aval Towan — there are even some from the hotels as far as Penzance.” She nibbled her chicken salad sandwich. “We posted an online guestbook on the little website I made, and the reviews are coming from all over the place. Not an army of them, it’s true, but enough that I feel it’s very promising. We can coax people into coming for the day soon, taking a cruise around the coast, having an oggie or two, window shop, then gather at the pub. If we reverse course every other night and start at the inn, it will toss a bit of business to the Silver Perch — Lily Hammond is very excited about that prospect.”

“I’ll bet,” I said. The local hostess’s posh tea houses were the last word in elegance locally, and generally cozy and cute in the eyes of tourists down from London. I could easily imagine the number of trays of cucumber and watercress sandwiches and lemon drizzle cake that would be consumed by hungry patrons ahead of a brisk nighttime ramble.

Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller ‘A Wedding in Cornwall’. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

Laura Briggs

Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller ‘A Wedding in Cornwall’. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

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*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the giveaway 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 be passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for the 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.

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, New Books, Romance, Romantic Comedy

Alice, Shaken and Definitely Stirred Paula Smith 4* #Review @PaulaSmith2424 @lovebooksgroup @lovebookstours #BlogTour #BookReview #AliceShakenandDefinitelyStirred #RomCom

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Amazon UK

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

I like this author’s chatty, inclusive and witty writing style. It draws the reader into Alice’s somewhat complex world with consummate ease. Original and with relatable characters the reader, empathises with Alice as she negotiates the complexities of life without a job and partner.

The dream sequences add vibrancy to this everyday story and give the reader insight into Alice’s emotions and thoughts. There are many humorous moments balanced with poignancy and a lovely, realistic conclusion to Alice’s tale.

Paula Smith