Tag: Novella

Posted in Blog Blitz, Book Review, Christmas Read, Festive Read, Free Book, Friendship, Giveaway, Holiday Romance, Novella, Romance

Christmas at the Chateau Lorraine Wilson 4*#Review @Romanceminx @0neMoreChapter_ #Festive #Christmas #Romance #Dogs #France #Novella #BlogBlitz @rararesources #BookReview #Giveaway #AFrenchEscape #RachelsRandomResources #FreeBook

Posted on by jolliffe01
#ChristmasattheChateau

A Christmas she’ll remember forever…

Poppy is looking forward to spending her first Christmas in France at her boyfriend, Leo’s, Château. And as the snow falls softly around the dramatic castle, Poppy can’t think of anything more magical.

There are new traditions to discover, a cosy Christmas market to explore and best of all, a promise of secret treasure hunt from gorgeous Leo. Only family pressure and uncertainty about her future in France can threaten to cast a shadow over the holiday.

When the treasure hunt takes an unexpected turn Poppy knows for sure this is one Christmas she’ll remember forever.

Amazon UK

#ChristmasattheChateau #BlogBlitz

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

MyThoughts…

A charming sequel to Poppy’s Place in the Sun, its almost Christmas, and Poppy is looking forward to Christmas at the Chateau with Leo. Poppy is in love and suffering from all the insecurities that go with that state of mind. Her emails with her friend keep her positive, which is just as well as her mother is less than supportive.

There are lovely animals in this story, which provide humour and sentimental moments. The story is incredibly romantic and manages to tell a lovely festive tale in a few pages. This allows the reader to experience a Christmas story, in a short time, which makes it perfect for the commute to work, or when you have an hour or so to spare.

I have read most of this author’s books, which always have lovely settings, strong romance, and often an animal or two to complete the treat, this one is no exception and is a perfect festive read.

  • Lorraine and the dogs
  • Lorraine Wilson

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.

Facebook Twitter Amazon UK Author Page

GiveawayPrize
Giveaway to Win Signed a paperback copy of ‘Poppy’s Place in the Sun’ (1st book in the ‘A French Escape‘ series), hand-embroidered makeup bag (made by the author) and some artisanal French chocolates (Open INT)

Click to enter the giveaway

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the 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.

  • Lorraine Wilson
  • Giveaway Prize
  • Lorraine and the dogs
  • BlogBlitz
Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Espionage - Spy - Thriller, Friendship, Humour, Indie, Mystery, Novella, Romance, Travel

The Louise Fawley Symphony Rikki Evans 3*#Review @RikkiAuthor @SilverWoodBooks @rararesources #humour #eroticromance #Espionage #Novella #BookReview #BlogTour #LFS

Posted on by jolliffe01
#LFS

Meet Louise Fawley – the newest, sassiest and sleaziest agent in Her Majesty’s Secret Service. 

Follow Louise as she burgles and bungles at Melusine Plastics, gets flirtatious and salacious in Vetchley Castle, grows amorous and glamorous in Sainte-Modeste, and finally, hooks and sinks her villainess on the superyacht Bonquonne.

In this delicious, light-hearted, randy romp, can Louise solve the arcane mystery of La Ligne? 

he Louise Fawley Symphony contains material of a sexually-explicit nature, so will not be to the taste of every adult reader.

Amazon UK Amazon

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

My Thoughts…

The blurb enticed me to read this book, The glamour, giggles and gratuitous sexual encounters I anticipated, but the frenetic pace was a surprise. I enjoy fast-paced fiction but at times this was too much.

Told from Louise’s point of view, she is a curious mix of reality superstar and an emotionally damaged adult who didn’t receive enough nurturing in childhood. Winning money, gave her a status that she never aspired to, even though she tenaciously worked her way up the corporate ladder. Self-esteem issues deny her insight into her true worth. I like her, and her perchance for crazy schemes, danger and scandal make her the perfect protagonist for a story of this type.

The plot is imaginative and quirky. Full of humour and sexy moments. The vivid imagery gives you a good sense of the settings, but the characters are not so well described.

Irreverent, original and steamy, try this if you are looking for something different.

After more than twenty-five years in accountancy, Rikki quit the profession to care for a parent whose health had deteriorated and to give more time to those interests and hobbies which had helped render accountancy almost bearable.

 Rikki’s interests include all things historical, from castles to candlesticks, music of many genres, from Gregorian Chant to Brit Pop, and above all, like HE Bates, is happiest when working and whiling in a garden.

Facebook Twitter

The Louise Fawley Symphony
Giveaway to Win 1 x Signed Paperback of The Louise Fawley Symphony (Open INT)
Giveaway Link – Click to enter

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  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, Blogging Community, Book Review, Friendship, Novella, Romance

All At Sea Gemma Roman 4* #Review @GemmaRomanBooks #RandomThingsTours @AnneCater #Romance #ComingofAge #Cornwall #Novella #Relationships #Secrets #BookReview #BlogTour #BookBloggers

Posted on by jolliffe01
#AllAtSea

Alice is young, in love and living on the Cornish coast. Life should be perfect. But Alice is about to meet someone who will make her question everything.

Amazon UK

#AllAtSea

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

My Thoughts…

This is an interesting insight into a love triangle relationship. Alice and Kai are together, having been friends since childhood. Alice has lived and worked in the coastal town where she lives all her life. Kai, a freelancer works away, but always comes home to Alice. He wants to make them official, Alice resists, she needs her independence. Mia arrives home from her travels and a chance meeting with Alice, causes her to question everything.

This is an emotional story from three points of view. The reader is drawn into the web of tangled emotions, and you empathise, with all of them, because of their youth and naivety. The conclusion is well written and ties up the story in a believable and emotionally satisfying way.


is a#GemmaRoman

“I’m Gemma Roman.

I have pretty much always been a bookworm.

I always loved reading, writing and the creative arts, and also enjoyed dancing which led me to study for a degree in Dance Studies when I was at University. Following graduation, I worked in retail and became interested in the wealth of characters that I came across daily while working in customer service.  

I’d had a few ideas rumbling around in my head for a while, and so spent a few years writing my first novel in my spare time. I finally managed to release it in June 2016, and am now planning for the release of my new book ‘All At Sea’, which is due out in 2019.

Twitter Facebook Blog Website

Posted in Book Review, Christmas Read, Festive Read, Novella

Christmas at Ladywell Nicola Slade 4*#Review @nicolasladeuk @crookedcatbooks #giveaway #PublicationDay @rararesources #Festive #novella #timeslip

Posted on by jolliffe01
#ChristmasAtLadywell

A time for spilling secrets…

Having refurbished her inherited house and upcycled her whole life in the process, Freya – now happily married to Patrick, and with a small child –  has to transform her tiny stone barn into a romantic hideaway for a mystery guest who is also looking for change. With Christmas only a week away, things don’t go according to plan…

In the past old uncertainties are resolved when an elderly woman seeks the truth of a legend on Christmas Eve and confesses to a deception; a Tudor wife listens to a story that must never be repeated and is given a precious relic that must never be displayed; and in the early nineteenth century an old woman tells a younger one the story of the hares at Ladywell.

Past and present are only a whisper apart when Freya learns of an astonishing discovery that will make Ladywell famous, but meanwhile, her house is full of unexpected visitors, she has a turkey to cook – and a very special secret of her own that must be told.

AmazonUK Amazon

#PublicationDay

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

My Thoughts…

This novella is a Christmas visit to ‘The House At Ladywell’, the first book in this series, which I have yet to read. There is a helpful character list, with each characters motivation, or special quality. This is useful if you haven’t met the characters before.

The story is divided into the past and present, There is an engaging contemporary story with a festive theme. A mystery that connects the present day to the historical timeslip elements in the story, which cover different historical periods. All of this is in a novella format, and yet it reads like a novel, the contemporary story isn’t rushed. The historical interludes add information and interest to the main plot.

I enjoyed the story and the characters, and although it reached a satisfactory conclusion, I wanted more. So, I’m off to read The House At Ladywell and recommend this festive offering, if you’re seeking something atmospheric, and original for your Christmas reading.

#NicolaSlade

Nicola Slade is an award-winning, bestselling author of historical and contemporary mysteries and romantic fiction, all set in and around Winchester and Romsey in Hampshire – which is where she lives. The House at Ladywell – a contemporary romantic novel with historical echoes – won the Chatelaine Grand Prize for Romantic Fiction at the CIBA awards in April 2019.

She is the author of the mid-Victorian Charlotte Richmond mysteries and the contemporary Harriet Quigley mysteries and The Convalescent Corpse, published November 2018, is the first in a new series, The Fyttleton Mysteries, set in 1918.

Website Blog Facebook Twitter Pinterest

Giveaway Win mobi or PDF of The Convalescent Corpse by Nicola Slade (Open INT)
#Giveaway

Click on Link to Enter Giveaway

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  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 Book Review, Humour, Novella, Release Day Blitz

The Worst Couple in the World Holly Tierney-Bedord 3*#Review @HollyTierney @rararesources #Satire #Humour #Celebrity #reality #socialmedia #PublicationDay

Posted on by jolliffe01
#TheWorstCoupleInTheWorld

No longer content to just be Snappigram sensations, folk hop singers Zeke and Angelique are ready to move up from coffee house performances to the big stage. With songs like “Uh Huh, Future Baby Mama” and “Don’t Worry About the Bills, Little Missus” there’s pretty much no way they can fail.

But if their musical career takes off, will it leave their love behind?

Amazon Amazon UK

#PublicationDay

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

My Thoughts…

This book fits its title perfectly, Angelique and Zeke are irritating and credible stereotypes of some of today’s celebrity media stars. The idea for this story is good, and it is amusing and satirical. However, the two main characters and their entourage are difficult to empathise and connect with. The reality doesn’t live up to the expectation, rather like Angelique and Zeke.

If you embrace the current obsession with celebrity and publicising life for all to see, this is a fun read. However, if you find it all shallow and not worth your time, this story is likely to reinforce your perceptions.

#HollyTierneyBedord

Holly Tierney-Bedord is the author of over twenty books ranging from serious women’s fiction to romantic comedies, domestic thrillers, humour, and cozy mysteries. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

Facebook  Twitter  Instagram   Bookbub   

Goodreads   Website  Follow on Amazon   

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review, Crime, Excerpt, Horror Fiction, Noir, Novella, Short stories, Suspense

Ryder On The Storm Ray Clark 4* #Review @T1LOM #LoveBooksTours @LoveBooksGroup #Supernatural #CrimeFiction #Novella #ShortStories #Excerpt #BlogTour #BookReview #bookbloggers

Posted on by jolliffe01
#RyderOnTheStorm

When builder Terry Johnson spots what he thinks is a bargain he can’t resist but to succumb to temptation. The large, detached house stands on the side of a railway track and would be perfect for his needs … and it’s cheap! 

But Billington Manor has a very tainted history, and the grounds upon which it stands were part of an unsolved murder back in the 1850s. Terry is about to discover that the road to hell is not always paved with good intentions.

Based upon a true incident, Ryder On The Storm is a stand-alone supernatural crime novella from the author of the IMP series, featuring desk sergeant Maurice Cragg.  

Amazon UK

Excerpt from Ryder OnThe Storm – Ray Clark

Terry slammed the door shut.

His head was all over the place, not to mention his stomach. If he’d eaten anything at all he was sure it would have reappeared. Pins and needles raced up and down both his arms.

What the fuck had he walked into? Was George a ghost? Was he being haunted? Is that what the Billingtons had been on about when they said “he’d” take care of the place. And who exactly were the Billingtons? What part did they play in it all?

Excerpt from Ryder OnThe Storm – Ray Clark.
#RyderOnTheStorm

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

My Thoughts…

The blurb for the first story in this book intrigued me. I like stories with a supernatural element. This story starts in the past with the discovery of a body. Then in the present day, a builder is viewing an old house with a view to redevelopment. The elderly couple are strange and the logistics of the sale is similarly odd, but the builder’s eyes are focused on profit.

What follows is suspenseful and dark. I read it through twice, and the second time it resonated. The twist of the story is a popular one, but it is effectively used here. The more you think about it, the darker it becomes.

The other three short stories feature the author’s characters from the IMP series, which I haven’t read. The first two are Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries. Each is prefaced with an author’s note detailing how the story came about. This has intrinsic interest and puts each short story in context. The stories are well-plotted with complex characters and decent twists. All have engaging settings. Each delivers a good murder-mystery, and police procedural genre story.

I enjoyed reading all of these stories, perhaps the last three short stories are my favourite, and make me want to read the IMP series.

#RayClark

The British Fantasy Society published Ray Clark’s first work in 1995 – Manitou Man: The World of Graham Masterton, was nominated for both the World and British Fantasy Awards. In 2009, Ray’s short story, Promises To Keep, made the final shortlist for the best short story award from The Tom Howard Foundation. Ray is based in Goole and has set his Gardener and Reilly crime series in nearby Leeds.

  • #LoveBooksTours
  • #RyderOnTheStorm
  • #RayClark
  • #RyderOnTheStorm
Posted in Book Review, Friendship, Novella, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Serial

The Icing on the Cake – Cressida McLaughlin – 5* #Review @HarperFiction @fictionpubteam @CressMcLaughlin @HarperCollinsUK #Romance #Coastal #Cake #Cornwall#TheCornishCreamTeaBus #Friendship #Novella #Serial

Posted on by jolliffe01

Can Charlie pull off the perfect showstopper?
Charlie has fallen in love with Porthgolow village and they adore her vintage bus, now getting a new lease of life as the best place to have a Cornish Cream tea in the whole of Cornwall. Charlie and her bus have heralded a new start for Porthgolow too, but the one fly in the ointment is Daniel Harper who is still resisting the charms of Charlie and her bus. Can Charlie bake her way into his heart or is it time to admit that her Cornish dream has got a soggy bottom?

Amazon UK

Waterstones

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins UK – Harper Fiction via NetGalley

My Thoughts…

I’m sad now I’ve read the final part of this lovely, coastal series, it ties up all the loose ends and just when you think everything is going to work out for Charlie, because of her hard work and willingness to learn to trust again, there is a final breathtaking twist.

The story begins where part three finished. Will ‘The Cornish Cream Tea Bus’, survive, and who wants it to fail? At the start of the series, there are lots of people who might want Charlie to fail, but at this point in the story, the perpetrators are much fewer in number, thanks to Charlie’s kindness and tenacity. When the guilty party is revealed it isn’t a surprise, but it’s good to have your suspicions confirmed.

Charlie’ s romantic future seems brighter, but what happens after the Summer? The final twist is heartstopping and the resolution is perfect.

I enjoyed my time in Porthgolow and I hope the author may take us back there again? A lovely coastal romantic story, with some good unique elements, and complex, relatable characters, the perfect beach read.