Tag: Friendship

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Family Drama, Friendship, Holiday Romance, Romance, Travel, Travel Blogging

The Little Swiss Ski Chalet Julie Caplin 5*#Review @JulieCaplin @0neMoreChapter_ #RomanticEscapes @rararesources #Switzerland #Cake #Chocolate #Cheese #Romance #Travel #HolidayRomance #BlogTour #BookReview @Juleswake #MondayBlogs

Posted on by jolliffe01

It’s time to pack your bags and head to the breathtaking, snow-covered peaks of the Swiss Alps for velvety hot chocolates, delicious cheeses and a gorgeous love story…

Food technician Minna has always believed that chocolate will solve everything – and it’s just what she needs when her latest relationship mishap goes viral!

So with her bags packed and a new determination to sort her life out, Minna decides to drown her sorrows with the best hot chocolate in the world at her godmother’s cosy Swiss chalet. Chocolate: yes. Romance: no. Until she has a run in on an Alpine train with a mysterious but oh-so-gorgeous stranger…

Amazon UK Amazon

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

My Thoughts…

I’ve read all of the romantic escape series and apart from travelling to lovely places you meet engaging characters and experience their emotional journeys. Mina goes to Switzerland, to stay with her godmother at her Swiss ski chalet. Mina is recovering from a messy breakup and social media notoriety. She’s not looking for love, but fate intervenes, and the results are romantic and unexpected.

The reader is given a flavour of Switzerland from the vivid descriptions of the chocolate, cake and cheese. The ski chalet setting is picture-postcard, and the characters are varied and larger than life. The romance has a touch of magic about it and is gentle but passionate.

This is a perfect escape read and full of romance, but it’s also a story of self-knowledge and following your dreams.

Julie Caplin

Julie Caplin, formerly a PR director, swanned around Europe for many years taking top food and drink writers on press trips (junkets) sampling the gastronomic delights of various cities in Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, Copenhagen and Switzerland. It was a tough job but someone had to do it. 

These trips have provided the inspiration and settings for her Romantic Escapes series which have been translated into fifteen different languages.

The first book in the seven strong series, The Little Café in Copenhagen, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novel of the Year Award.

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Posted in Book Review, Friendship, Medical Romance, Romance

Awakening His Shy Vet Shelley Rivers 5* #Review @SRiversAuthor @MillsandBoon @HarlequinBooks #MillsandBoonMedical #MillsandBoonInsiders #Romance #Vet #SecondChance #BookReview #HarlequinMedicalRomance

Posted on by jolliffe01

They’re looking for a fresh start…

…with each other?

After the tragic death of his wife, horse trainer Kern MacKinley shut himself off from the world – and love. Until the arrival of vet Ruby Day. Ruby may be reserved, but she has an unrivalled way with animals. And it’s not just her patients, Kern discovers, that Ruby has the ability to heal. Once he lets Ruby in, for him there’s no going back – but can he heal her too?

Amazon UK

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

My Thoughts…

This is an engaging romantic story. The two main characters are easy to like, and you feel their angst. Their emotional pain diminishes as their relationship develops into friends and something more. The animals and Ruby and Kern’s affinity for them give the story its unique quality. There’s a relatable cast of supporting characters most likeable, one notably not.

This is an emotional story with great characters and gentle healing romance.

Posted in Book Review, Friendship, Holiday Romance, Romance

Italian Escape With The CEO Nina Milne 4*#Review The Casseveti Inheritance @NinaMilne509 @MillsandBoon @HarlequinBooks #MillsandBoon True Love #HarlequinRomance #MillsandBoonInsiders #Romance #Italy #BookReview

Posted on by jolliffe01

A fake romantic getaway
A very real attraction!

In order to claim her inheritance, Ava Casseveti’s late father requested she make amends with Liam Rourke – his business rival’s son. Gorgeous CEO Liam doesn’t want her money… but he does need a stand-in girlfriend! Yet, as they embark on a ‘romantic trip’ to Italy, the lines soon begin to blur. And walking away from their fake relationship is harder than they planned…

Amazon UK

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

My Thoughts…

A second chance romance about two people who shy away from emotional involvement because of their pasts. Both have secrets, but they need each other, and they cannot deny the attraction between them.

Relatable characters and a recognisable glamorous setting contribute to this is a lovely romance. It’s based on a fake relationship but develops into friendship and love. The first book in the Cassaveti Inheritance series is Ava and Liam’s story.

Ava and Liam are easy to empathise both damaged by their past family life. The trust between them realistically matures into love which culminates in a happy ever after. There are new characters to meet and questions to explore in further books in this romantic series.

Posted in Audiobook Review, Blog Tour, Friendship, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Travel, Young Adult

The Island C.L.Taylor 4* #Review @callytaylor @HQStories Narrators Olivia Dowd, Sam Newton, Sarah Ovens, HQ Young Adult #YA #Romance #Teen #Mystery #Psychological #Suspense # audiobook #Relationships #Phobias #BlogTour #FridayMorning #Thailand #TheIsland #HarperCollinsAudioUK

Posted on by jolliffe01

It was supposed to be the perfect holiday: a week-long trip for six teenage friends on a remote tropical island.

But when their guide dies of a stroke leaving them stranded, the trip of a lifetime turns into a nightmare.

Because someone on the island knows each of the group’s worst fears. And one by one, they’re becoming a reality.

Amazon UK

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

My Thoughts…

This is a suspenseful story about six teenagers marooned on an island. Their darkest fears materialise as someone is turning paradise into hell. The characters are authentic and behave relatably. After witnessing an adult tragedy, the team dynamics start to crumble. Vulnerabilities and weaknesses rule each of the teenagers’ motivations. A vividly portrayed island setting is integral to the suspense. The dual point of views are both unreliable protagonists can their accounts be trusted?

The story has psychological suspense and insights into team dynamics and how stress affects individuals and the group. There are poignant moments and twists with a satisfying ending. It’s a fast-paced read which keeps you turning the pages.

The audiobook’s narrators bring the characters to life the different people and their changing emotions and reactions to each other are easy to discern. The narration is professional and builds the suspense and tension in the story well. It’s an easy book to listen to, and you soon become involved in the action and emotions

This audiobook is an addictive medley of naivety and noir that will appeal to its intended audience and adults who like psychological suspense and atmospheric settings.

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Cozy Mystery, Friendship, Murder Mystery, Romance

Deadly Whispers in Lower Dimblebrook 5* #Review @juliebeewriter @rararesources #BlogTour #BookReview #CozyMystery #MurderMystery #VillageLife #Detective #Friendship #DeadlyWhispersinLowerDimblebrook

Posted on by jolliffe01

When Isabelle Darby moves to the delightfully cosy village of Lower Dimblebrook, she’s searching for peace and quiet as well as a chance to escape from heartbreak. After making friends with Fiona Lambourne, another newcomer to the village, Issie is left reeling when tragedy strikes and Fiona is murdered, the second wife Anthony Lambourne has lost in unfortunate circumstances. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the local gossips insist that Fiona had been embroiled in an affair before her death, something which Issie knows not to be the case. Determined to clear her friend’s reputation and solve the mystery of the rumours, Issie takes on both the gossips and the handsome but stern DI Wainwright, making both friends and enemies along the way!

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

My Thoughts…

Issie is a character that you quickly like. A kind woman who is still recovering from a betrayal. The loss of a close friend is not something she can easily cope with, and the range of emotions she experiences are authentic and relatable.

There are lots of villagey characters, a multi-layered plot and a taciturn and sexy detective. He and Issie frequently clash over the murder investigation. Madeline Issie’s landlord and neighbour is an enigmatic character who disperses advice humour and alcohol in a china teapot throughout the story.

The plot keeps its secrets well and has lots of false leads. The ending is climatic and revealing in lots of ways and worthy of such an engaging tale.

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, Friendship, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Travel, Young Adult

The Island C.L.Taylor 4* #Review @callytaylor @HQStories #YA #Romance #Teen #Mystery #Psychological #Suspense #BookReview #BlogTour #FridayReads #Thailand #TheIsland

Posted on by jolliffe01

It was supposed to be the perfect holiday: a week-long trip for six teenage friends on a remote tropical island.

But when their guide dies of a stroke leaving them stranded, the trip of a lifetime turns into a nightmare.

Because someone on the island knows each of the group’s worst fears. And one by one, they’re becoming a reality.

Amazon UK

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

My Thoughts…

This is a suspenseful story about six teenagers marooned on an island. Their darkest fears materialise as someone is turning paradise into hell. The characters are authentic and behave relatably. After witnessing an adult tragedy, the team dynamics start to crumble. Vulnerabilities and weaknesses rule each of the teenagers’ motivations. A vividly portrayed island setting is integral to the suspense. The dual point of views are both unreliable protagonists can their accounts be trusted?

The story has psychological suspense and insights into team dynamics and how stress affects individuals and the group. There are poignant moments and twists with a satisfying ending. It’s a fast-paced read which keeps you turning the pages.

It’s an addictive medley of naivety and noir that will appeal to its intended audience and adults who like psychological suspense and atmospheric settings.

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Family Drama, Friendship, Romance

One Summer in Monte Carlo Jennifer Bohnet 5*#Review @jenniewriter @BoldwoodBooks #Monaco #MonteCarlo #Romance #Friendship #Life #Family #BookReview #BlogTour @rararesources #boldwoodbloggers #OneSummerinMonteCarlo #PublicationDay

Posted on by jolliffe01

Monte Carlo means different things to different people; a billionaires playground, overflowing with glitz and glamour but also where dangerous secrets hide.

For Nanette Weston, and her then fiancé, F1 racing driver Zac Ewart, their dream life came to an abrupt halt 3 years ago following a car accident which Zac walked away from, but left Nanette being airlifted back to the UK, never to return and never to see her fiancé again.

Monte Carlo was a place she wanted to forget, not revisit. But when her friend and employer, Vanessa asks Nanette to look after her children in the Principality for a few months, Nanette knew she had no choice but to return.

As the F1 circus once again comes to town, with Zac in pole position, mistakes of the past, leave legacies for the future…

This book was previously published as Follow Your Star by Jennifer Bohnet.

Amazon UK

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

My Thoughts…

This story captures your interest from the beginning. Nanette is still coping with the aftermath of her accident in Monaco three years previously. Going back is her worst fear, but circumstances conspire, and she finds herself back in the glamorous location not sure if she is ready to face the past.

Set in Monaco and The Amazon this story has vibrant locations and vivid characters. Danger and intrigue balance friendship and romance in this engaging story. Vanessa and her new husband face danger in the jungle whilst Nanette wonders if there is more to her accident than she can remember. The romance is gentle and surprising.

This is an intriguing romantic story which lets the reader forget the cold winter nights for a while.

Jennifer Bohnet is the bestselling author of over 14 women’s fiction titles, including Villa of Sun and Secrets and A Riviera Retreat. She is originally from the West Country but now lives in the wilds of rural Brittany, France.

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

Lost in Translation Audrey Davis 5*#Review @audbyname @rararesources #romcom #Switzerland #LostinTranslation #BlogTour #BookReview #Relationships #SelfDiscovery #Friendship #Romance #Satire

Posted on by jolliffe01

Charlotte Egerton and family are off to Switzerland, after husband Dom bags a big-time job promotion.


But Charlotte isn’t exactly yodelling with delight at the prospect. Not since a chance discovery cast a shadow over her ten-year marriage. And navigating twisty Swiss roads and getting to grips with French only adds to her woes…

Following a bumpy encounter with an arrogant German, Charlotte is far from convinced the expat life is for her.

With doubts about Dom — and concerns for her best friend, Ruth — plaguing her mind, will Charlotte embrace the Swiss way of life, or are some mountains just too hard to conquer?

Embark on a journey filled with laughter, tears and lessons in love. Sometimes you just have to seize the day…

Praise for Audrey Davis

‘Warm, witty and highly entertaining.’

‘The author never fails to provide humour and pathos in equal measure.’

‘The story-telling is rich, intelligent and rewarding.’

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

My Thoughts…

Charlotte and her two boys are uprooted from the UK to follow her husband Dom, to Switzerland. Charlotte faces making a new start when she has doubts about her relationship. This story explores the humorous and often, poignant consequences.

The reader is drawn into Charlotte’s life, using sensory imagery. Charlotte is an easy to empathise character she values her family but views them realistically. Her ability to see their flaws leads to the story’s many humorous instances.

The female characters are relatable and the relationship dynamics believable. Family-drama, humour and romance all feature in Charlotte’s new life in Switzerland. It’s more than a geographical change she develops as a person and realises her worth.

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 her third standalone novel, was published in June.

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

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Posted in Book Review, Christmas Read, Family Drama, Festive Read, Friendship, Romance

Christmas Wishes Sue Moorcroft 5* #Review @SueMoorcroft @AvonBooksUK #Romance #Family #festive #ChristmasWishes #BookReview

Posted on by jolliffe01

Hannah and Nico are meant to be together.

But fate is keeping them apart…

When Hannah bumps into her brother Rob’s best friend Nico in Stockholm, the two rekindle a fast friendship. But Hannah has a boyfriend – and Nico has two children to look after. When Hannah loses her beloved shop in Stockholm, though, she is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip – only to find Nico has just moved in too. Under the same snowy sky, can the childhood friends make a romance work – or are there too many obstacles standing in their way?

Amazon UK

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

My Thoughts…

This is a lovely festive book, but it’s more than that. It can be read at any time if you are looking for family drama, heartwarming stories and romance. Set in Sweden and Middledip a familiar setting to regular readers. The characters are believable and easy to empathise. You are quickly immersed in their stories and want them to find happiness. Hannah is a quirky but entirely lovable character. Nico is focused entirely on his family, and the vulnerable, which makes him so appealing.

Hannah and Nico’s reunion is realistic, and the gentle pacing believably reflects their deepening relationship. A vivid cast of characters, adds to the story’s authenticity. They provide a believable balance of humour, poignancy, and romance.

Relatable characters and realistic stories filled with heart make this an enjoyable read.

Posted in Book Review, Christmas Read, Contemporary Fiction, Family Drama, Festive Read, Friendship, Mystery, Romance, Travel

Together by Christmas Karen Swan 5*#Review @KarenSwan1 @panmacmillan #Festive #secrets #mystery #Friendship #Family #Romance #TogetherbyChristmas

Posted on by jolliffe01

When Lee first came to Amsterdam, it was with a newborn baby and a secret.

Five years later, her life is approaching normal: her career as a celebrity photographer is flourishing, her son Jasper is growing up, and they are enjoying the run-up to Christmas with their tight circle of close friends.

But all this changes one morning when Lee finds a book in the basket of her bicycle – and scrawled inside it, a desperate message. Who left it for her, and why?

Lee feels compelled to help and tracks down the book’s author, Sam. With an instant, undeniable connection it seems they might have a shot at a real future together.

Until her past comes calling.

As the snow falls and ice thickens on the city’s canals, the secret Lee has never told resurfaces. Suddenly everything she holds dear hangs in the balance.

Christmas is a time for being together – but what if the truth means she ends up alone?

Amazon UK

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

My Thoughts…

This story is an engaging mix of family, friends, romance, and secrets, with topical themes, and a festive twist. The first chapters highlight an important relationship and hint at dramatic events revealed as the story unfolds. The relationships are complex, and Lee, the main protagonist, conflicted about many things. Damaged by the past, she focuses on her son and the good in her life, but as her past surfaces, she needs to confront it to heal.

Believable characters, a vibrant setting and festive events keep the reader entertained. This is an immersive and at times claustrophobic story but the festive customs and strong friendships counteract the angst, and the ending is a satisfying conclusion.