Category: Romantic Comedy

Posted in Book Review, Family Drama, Friendship, Romance, Romantic Comedy

The Love Square Laura Jane Williams 4*#Review @laurajaneauthor @AvonBooksUK #Dating #Romance #Humour #RomCom #TheLoveSquare #BookReview

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She’s single. But that doesn’t mean it’s not complicated…

Penny Bridge has, historically, been very unlucky in love. She’s pledged to focus on other things – her friends, her career – making the most of what busy London life has to offer.

But when difficult circumstances mean that Penny’s uncle must hand over the kitchen of his beloved restaurant in Derbyshire, she finds herself stepping into a new life in a new town.

And as luck would have it, she’s suddenly confronted with one remarkable man who wants to date her, followed by another. And then another…

So begins a hilarious love-square with Penny firmly in the middle…

From the #1 ebook bestseller of Our Stop comes another funny and feel-good exploration of hope, romance and the trust it takes to finally fall in love.

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

My Thoughts…

This is a lighthearted romantic comedy where the female lead makes all the choices. It’s contemporary and diverse embracing love wherever it falls, which is refreshing. Penny is likeable, and the love square she finds herself in is amusing, frustrating and a little sad. I don’t necessarily understand what motivates some of her actions and choices, but they do make this a good read.

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

A Sunset in Sydney Sandy Barker 5*#Review #HolidayRomance @sandybarker @0neMoreChapter_ #Romance #Travel #Holiday #Sisters #ASunsetinSydney @rararesources #BlogTour #Book Review

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How far would you go in the name of love?

Sarah Parsons has a choice ahead of her. After the trip of a lifetime she’s somehow returned home with TWO handsome men wanting to whisk her away into the sunset.

Pulled in two directions across the globe, it’s making life trickier than it sounds. Her gorgeous American, Josh, wants to meet Sarah in Hawaii for a holiday to remember. Meanwhile silver fox, James, plans to wine and dine her in London.

It’s a lot to handle for this Aussie girl, who had totally sworn off men!

Join Sarah after her adventure in One Summer in Santorini, for the heart-warming and uplifting third novel in The Holiday Romance series.

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I received a copy of this book from One More Chapter and the Author in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

The love triangle that left us guessing at the end of One Summer in Santorini is back, and it’s decision time for Sarah. You need to read book one to find out how she meets James and Josh, but there is enough backstory to clue you into her dilemma.

The story takes place in London with James, Hawaii with Josh and then New Zealand and Australia. The travel is descriptive and gives this romantic comedy its edge. Sarah is a little like a child in a sweet shop wanting both, having both and then not sure which she likes best. However, her emotional journey is insightful. She decides, but is it who you thought? I confess to being slightly disappointed with her choice, but it’s the right one for her.

The characters are flawed and relatable there are lots of humorous moments which are easy to visualise and then there’s the romance what more do you need? Lovely.

I’m a writer and traveller with a lengthy bucket list and cheeky sense of humour, and many of my travel adventures have found their way into my books. I’m also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover, and a coffee snob, though my writing is mostly fuelled by copious mugs of strong, milky tea (no sugar).

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Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Friendship, Magic, Romance, Romantic Comedy

A Wish For Jinnie Audrey Davis 5*#Review @audbyname @rararesources #romcom #magic #humour #friendship #BlogTour #BookReview #AWishForJinnie #MondayBlogs #MondayMorning #RachelsRandomResources #MondayMotivation

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What if wishes really could come true? 

When Jinnie Cooper is dumped by her fiancé, and exiled to a job in an antiques shop in a sleepy Scottish village, little does she know a battered old lamp is about to shake up her life. 

Genie Dhassim grants wishes. But he also wants a few of his own to come true. Letting him explore the outside world proves nerve-wracking as Dhassim has an uncanny knack of putting his pointy-slippered foot in it. 

As Jinnie grows closer to her employer Sam, Dhassim discovers his time on earth is running out. 

Can both Jinnie and Dhassim find true happiness? Or are those wishes that cannot be granted?

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

My Thoughts…

Everyone needs a little magic in their life and Jinnie more than most. Losing her job and her lover, left her broke and heartbroken and having to move to a village on the outskirts of the city she loves. This story is character-driven. All the characters are believable and relatable and add to the story’s ambience. Then there’s the gene, who makes her life unpredictable but helps her start to live again.

Humour, poignant moments and romance characterise this lovely story, which is heartwarming and magical. The perfect escape from life’s troubles.

Audrey Davis is a Scottish-born former journalist, now resident in Switzerland. Her newspaper career saw her cover events in Northern Ireland and the Falkland Islands, as well as working for a London-based movie magazine writing reviews and carrying out interviews.

She self-published her debut romantic comedy novel A Clean Sweep in June 2017, following an online Open University course in Writing Fiction.

Audrey followed up with a short, darker prequel A Clean Break before beginning work on a rom-com novella trilogy with a ghostly twist – The Haunting of Hattie Hastings. Again, reviews across the board were excellent, and it was combined into a standalone novel in November 2018.

A Wish For Jinnie is her third standalone novel.

Apart from writing, Audrey enjoys travel and spends a lot of time in Edinburgh. She is an avid cook, watcher of scary movies and reluctant gym-goer.

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Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Friendship, Romance, Romantic Comedy

Agony Auntics Julie Butterfield 4*#Review @juliebeewriter @rararesources #romcom #multigenerational #AgonyAuntics #BlogTour #BookReview #RachelsRandomResources

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As an agony aunt, Fliss Carmichael should have all the answers but when her own marriage begins unravelling at the seams, she hasn’t a clue where to start. After a simple mistake causes an unintended role swap, she becomes the one seeking advice from an unlikely source!

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

My Thoughts…

Based on an unusual idea, which is always good, this story features an agony aunt and a young woman who emails her. Are agony aunts commonplace nowadays? They were in the second half of the twentieth century, which gives this story a retro feel, adding to its originality.

There are two stories, both entertaining, with poignant moments, but this is a mostly humorous romantic read. The characters are likeable and relatable and the situations they find themselves in very amusing.

This is an engaging escapist read.

Julie Butterfield

Julie Butterfield belongs to the rather large group of ‘always wanted to write’ authors who finally found the time to sit down and put pen to paper – or rather fingers to keyboard.
She wrote her first book purely for pleasure and was very surprised to discover that so many people enjoyed the story and wanted more, so she decided to carry on writing.
It has to be pointed out that her first novel, ‘Did I Mention I Won The Lottery’ is a complete work of fiction and she did not, in fact, receive millions in her bank account and forget to mention it to her husband – even though he still asks her every day if she has anything to tell him

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

The Never Have I Ever Club Mary Jayne Baker 5*Review @MaryJayneBaker @Aria_Fiction @HoZ_Books #RomCom #humour #multigenerational #ContemporaryFiction #uplit #BlogTour #BookReview #TheNeverHaveIEverClub

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Robyn Bloom thought Ash Barnes was the love of her life – until one day he announced he was leaving her to fly halfway across the world.

 Months later, Robyn is struggling to move on – but then she has a brainwave: The Never Have I Ever Club. Her handsome next-door neighbour Will helps her bring their fellow Yorkshire villagers together for some carpe-diem-inspired fun.

From burlesque dancing to Swedish massages, everyone has plenty of bucket-list activities to try, but it doesn’t take long for Robyn to realise what – or who – her heart truly desires: Will.

There’s just one problem: he’s Ash’s twin brother.

Make that two problems: Ash is moving home… and he wants Robyn back.

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

My Thoughts…

This story is full of charm and humour, which engages you from the first page. Robyn and Will are both likeable protagonists, and you want their attraction to mean something good. Ash is harder to empathise his callous treatment of Robyn is hard to forget. Freya and Eliot are notable characters too.

The story’s multigenerational aspect provides lots of laughs and some poignant moments. It adds authenticity, depth and variety to the story, which is much more than a romance.

Mary Jayne Baker grew up in rural West Yorkshire, right in the heart of Brontë country… and she’s still there. After graduating from Durham University with a degree in English Literature, she dallied with living in cities including London, Nottingham and Cambridge, but eventually came back with her own romantic hero in tow to her beloved Dales, where she first started telling stories about heroines with flaws and the men who love them.

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

Summer in the City Emma Jackson 4*#Review @ESJackson1 @books_dash @OrionBooks @rararesources #NY #Romance #Mystery #romcom #BookReview #BlogTour #SummerintheCity #RachelsRandomResources

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The heartwarming new holiday read from the bestselling author of A Mistletoe Miracle

Sometimes the one thing you’re looking for is right in front of you…

Stephen is on a very personal mission to find his father as per the wishes in their mother’s will. But he has no idea where to start, not that he’s going to tell anyone that… When Noelle, native New Yorker, daughter of a detective and desperate for a distraction from the novel she’s been struggling to write, offers to help, it feels like the perfect solution.

Except the last time she spoke to Stephen he thought they’d be seeing the New Year in together and instead she stood him up and sold him out! Stephen’s big enough and been around the block enough times to understand that all is fair in love and war, isn’t he? But when Stephen accepts her offer and they begin their search across the city, it soon becomes clear that the weather isn’t the only thing that’s heating up.

A heartwarming summer romance

Amazon UK

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

My Thoughts…

This story gets you into the New York vibe from the beginning. Noelle, a cosy crime writer, is struggling with her latest book and could do without family interference, even though she loves them. The descriptions of New York and the family dynamic draw you into the story quickly.

Stephen is fulfilling his mother’s last wish and searching for his estranged father without success.

The chemistry between the two unlikely lovers is a slow build. This is a vibrant story full of laughter, poignancy and romance. The well-described New York setting adds an extra level of interest to this Summer novel.

Author of the Best Selling A MISTLETOE MIRACLE, published in 2019 by Orion Dash, Emma has been a devoted bookworm and secret-story-scribbler since she was 6 years old. When she’s not running around after her two daughters and trying to complete her current work-in-progress, Emma loves to read, bake, catch up on binge-watching TV programmes with her partner and plan lots of craft projects that will inevitably end up unfinished. Her next romantic comedy, SUMMER IN THE CITY, is due for release in June 2020.

Emma also writes historical and speculative romantic fiction as Emma S Jackson. THE DEVIL’S BRIDE will be published by DarkStroke in February 2020.

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Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Friendship, Novella, Romantic Comedy

A Cornish Summer Holiday Little Duck Pond Cafe Rosie Green 4* #Review @Rosie_Green1988 @rararesources #RachelsRandomResources #RomCom #Loss #Cornwall #rural #Friendship #BlogTour #BookReview #ACornishSummerHoliday #LittleDuckPondCafe #novella #FridayMorning #FridayFeeling #FridayMotivation

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The Little Duck Pond Cafe girls are looking forward to a well-earned break in the Cornish seaside town of Pengully Sands, where Sylvia’s sister, Aggie, owns a holiday home. With the glorious golden sands, sparkling azure sea and an ice-cream parlour only yards away, it seems like the perfect location to relax and watch the surfers riding the waves (and maybe even have a go themselves). But when they arrive, the girls find it’s not quite the seaside idyll they were expecting. The house is less ‘holiday home’ and more ‘creepy, dilapidated haunted house.’ Gracie, who runs the ice-cream parlour, has problems of her own and the last thing she needs is a bunch of high-spirited girls arriving to disturb the peace and isolation she craves. And when a handsome stranger looks set to destroy her livelihood, it seems like the last straw. Will Gracie get her happy ending – and maybe even make friends with the girls next-door? This wasn’t the relaxing break the Little Duck Pond Cafe girls were expecting, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be the holiday of a lifetime!

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

My Thoughts…

Book ten of this popular series is my first experience with The Little Duck Pond Cafe series, which reads as a standalone. The girls are on a sabbatical from the cafe. They travel to Cornwall for a luxury coastal holiday, but everything is not as planned.

The dual perspective story contrasts between the girls’ camaraderie and new character’s Gracie’s isolation. There are lots of sad moments interspersed with fun mayhem and romance.

This is a lovely tale of friendship loss and love. Complex characters interact well making you want to read the earlier books in the series.

Rosie Green

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little.

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all – unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Her series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe. The latest, ‘ A Cornish Summer Holiday Little Duck Pond Cafe’, is out now.

Rosie is currently writing a full-length book, ‘Lucy’s Great Cornish Escape’, which – in a fun twist – will feature favourite characters from the Little Duck Pond Café series.

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Posted in Book Review, Family Drama, Friendship, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Romantic Comedy

Winters’ Gift Florence Keeling 4*#Review @KeelingFlorence @CrimsonCloakPub @rararesources #BlogBlitz #BookReview #RomCom #Mystery #Supernatural #Romance #Friendship #BankHolidayMonday #WintersGift #MondayBlogs

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A heart warming, feel good romantic comedy. 

‘I absolutely adored this book. It gave me all the feels! A charming read full of warmth and heart.’ ***** Kim the Bookworm

Bea Winters is in desperate need of a fresh start. Being bullied at work is not her idea of fun and she longs to follow her dream of becoming a published author. When an advert appears in her local paper to work in a publishing house in the sleepy village of Bloomsdale, it sounds too good to be true.  

She strikes up an instant friendship with gorgeous aspiring author, Eddie Richards and her dashing millionaire boss Scott Summers 

But all isn’t as it seems in the sleepy village of Bloomsdale.

How does the local clairvoyant know her name? Who does the little black dog that keeps appearing belong to and why does she keep bumping into the mysterious Charlie?  

As she starts to unravel the truth, it seems that everyone in Bea’s life is keeping secrets.   An uplifting romantic comedy that will warm your heart.

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

My Thoughts…

Winters’ Gift offers its readers something different. Bea is a likeable protagonist flawed but easy to empathise. Her life’s not easy, especially at work. With a little supernatural nudge, she embraces an opportunity for a new life and job.

Bea’s adventures in Bloomsdale are numerous, some funny some sad as she learns the secrets of her past and a real-life family drama unfolds at the publishing house.

Vibrant characters and a lovely balance of humorous and poignant moments make this an engaging story, especially with its supernatural twist.

Florence Keeling adopted for her pen-name her Great Grandmother’s name, chosen because of the shared birthday of April Fool’s Day.  She is married with two teenage chidren.  Born and raised in Coventry, England she now lives just outside in Nuneaton.  Reflected Destinies is her first novel.

Florence Keeling also writes for children under the name of Lily Mae Walters.

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Posted in Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Friendship, Holiday Romance, Romantic Comedy

The Cornish Cream Tea Summer Cressida McLaughlin 5*#Review @CressMcLaughlin @HarperFiction @fictionpubteam #RomCom #Actors #OnLocation #Summer #Friendship #TheCornishCreamTeaSummer #BookReview #BankHolidayWeekend #TheCornishCreamTeaSeries

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Everyone’s favourite bus goes on a summer adventure full of sunshine and the promise of romance…

Charlie has a new helper on her bus, her free-spirited and loveable cousin, Delilah, who’s paid a visit to the charming Cornish village of Porthgolow and is helping out on Charlie’s adorable cream tea bus.

When the Director of a new TV series filming further along the coast tells Delilah that the bus would be the perfect addition to their onsite catering, she takes him a bit too literally. Charlie and Delilah find themselves caught up in the filming of a lavish period drama and it isn’t long before Delilah finds herself drawn to the handsome male lead.

But Delilah has made a habit of making rash decisions and it’s one of the reasons she’s hiding out in Cornwall. Could this be one impulsive step too far, or is a change of direction the start of something quite unexpected…

Amazon UK

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins UK – Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My Thoughts…

It’s lovely to be back with Charlie and her Cornish Cream Tea Bus. This time her cousin Lila is running from her imploded life in London. Charlie and Lila are close but have very different personalities. Impulsive Lila soon ruffles Charlie’s organised life with the best of intentions. A contract with a film company on location challenges Lila’s career plans and her emotional future. Meeting the actors and film crew engages Lila and draws her into a glamorous world. It has an intrinsic interest and is so enjoyable for the reader too.

The romance between Lila and Sam is lovely understated but powerful. It tugs on the heartstrings when circumstances and misunderstandings pull them apart. There are some sublimely romantic scenes balanced with many equally humorous ones. The best friend drama is an added conflict. I have to admit I am firmly in Team Lila who undergoes significant positive character development in this story.

The beautiful setting believable characters and engaging plot make this an enjoyable, effortless read.

Posted in Book Review, Friendship, Release Day Blitz, Romantic Comedy, Travel

JoJo’s French Escape Lorraine Wilson 5*#Review @Romanceminx @0neMoreChapter_ #RomCom #AFrenchEscape @rararesources #France #SocialMedia #RealityTV #PublicationDay #BookReview #RachelsRandomResources

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‘She had me at Bonjour! Warm, funny, deliciously French…this lovely story filled my heart with sunshine’ Jane Linfoot

Imagine yourself in beautiful France with the sun warm on your face and a glass of wine in your hand…Jojo’s French Escape is the perfect summer read!

Trapped in paradise…

For twelve months JoJo Grant has been hiding from a secret too shameful to share.  And whilst her sanctuary might be the beautiful French countryside, JoJo has a horrible feeling that her peace is about to be shattered…because bursting into her life is the hottest celebrity chef around – Callum O’Connor.

Callum knows all about JoJo’s past, her time as a reality star, the scandal that has dogged her, but he isn’t sure why she’s still hiding?  After spending time with JoJo, it’s obvious to him that she has nothing to be ashamed of – she just needs to be a little braver…
But as much as JoJo likes Callum, he thrives on the glare of the outside world.  Can JoJo let go of her past…with Callum by her side?

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

My Thoughts…

The perfect start to the weekend a lovely escapist summer read set in France. Romance, friendship and lots of dogs make this an uplifting read with red hot romance and a motivational ethos.

JoJo, an ex-reality star, betrayed by her boyfriend, spent the last year in France, under the radar, recovering. A new celebrity chef is visiting. The disgrace and infamy, of her former life, threaten to engulf her.

Callum and JoJo’s unlikely romance is passionate. Both are wary, but their physical attraction soon deepens into an emotional involvement neither expected. There are many love scenes in this story, all well written and part of JoJo’s acceptance of her true self.

This story explores the power of reality tv and social media and its costs. The ending is powerful and uplifting.

Lorraine Wilson writes flirty, feel-good fiction for One More Chapter – a Harper Collins imprint – and is unashamedly fond of happy endings. She loves hearing from readers and feels incredibly grateful to be doing the job she always dreamt of.

She splits her time between the South of France and Cambridgeshire and is usually either writing or reading while being sat on, walked over or barked at by one of her growing band of rescue dogs.

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