Blog Tour: Escape to the Turquoise Seas by Carrie Walker

 

Do you love an office rivals romance? With a twist? In this book the twist is that the rivals find themselves on a ship, competing for a huge PR account which will have a huge impact on their professional careers.

Kat Brennan is passionate about her job in PR. Her main client is Excalibur cruise lines. She can't believe it when she finds that Excalibur is making her company reapply for the right to continue their long standing business relationship. Of course, Kat is determined that they are going to win the competition, whatever it takes.

Leo Kendrick is the CEO of a rival agency, and he is just as determined that he and his team are going to do everything in their power to win that account! The thing is that Leo and Kat have a bit of a history. Fifteen years ago, they were both interns when they were starting out in PR, until Leo got the job that Kat wanted, and she is sure that there was underhandedness involved and she still holds a grudge.

The new Chief Marketing Officer at Excalibur has decided that the best way to provide inspiration to the two rival companies is for them to take an all expenses paid cruise on the new ship Esmerelda, along the Portuguese coast where the two teams have to experience everything that cruising has to offer.  It sounds glamorous, but the reality is anything but. The two teams are staying in bunk beds in crew accommodation, they are expected to take part in all of the activities whether they want to or not and by the end of the two weeks they have to come up with a winning strategy.

It wasn't all bad news though. Along the way the rivals got to experience some amazing sights and activities. But while Kat and Leo begin to spend more time together and to begin to fall for each other it doesn't take a lot for the fact that they are rivals to get in the way. For two people whose job is to communicate they aren't particularly good at it with each other. Mistrust and misunderstandings abound.

I loved reading about Portugal. It is one country I haven't been to in Europe but it is on the list. I just don't know when. We also enjoy a cruise so I could be convinced that a trip on the Esmerelda would be an amazing trip, although I would much prefer different cabins from those that Kat and Leo had to share with their respective co-workers.

This is the fourth book in the Holiday Romance series, and Kat really relies on her friends who have featured in the previous books. I have actually only read the third book, Escape to the Northern Lights (my review), but I have more on my Kindle waiting for the time when I want to escape to somewhere new! I am also keeping an eye out for whatever new books Carrie Walker comes out with! Yes, I am a fan!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. It was also one of the books I nominated to read for the 20 Books on Winter. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour below too!

Rating 4/5

About the book

Escape to the Turquoise Seas

Kat Brennan has always been the work-hard, play-harder type, navigating single life in London and the chaos of her job at Northstar PR. So when Excalibur Cruises invite her aboard to pitch for their account, she jumps at the chance to prove to her boss she's indispensable... and to finally relax a little.

But the last person she wants to get stuck on a boat with is industry hotshot Leo Kendrick, the CEO of rival agency Amplify – and Kat's nemesis. When Leo bagged a coveted marketing internship 15 years ago, Kat vowed never to let him win anything again. She is not about to break that promise, even if Leo has become a distractingly attractive opponent.

As the Esmerelda sails the seas, from the Azores to Lisbon via Madeira, the two agencies must battle it out to present the best pitch. But in such close quarters, the sea might not be the only thing rocking the boat…

PERFECT for fans of:

Forced proximity

Enemies-to-lovers

Workplace romance

A dash of spice

Beachy destinations

Purchase Link - https://amzn.eu/d/0eUS4oNt

About the author

Carrie Walker is a Brummie born rom-com lover with a lifelong passion for travel. She has lived in a ski resort, by a beach, in the country and the city, and travelled solo through Asia, South America and Europe. Her own love life was more com than rom until she met her husband a few years ago and settled down with him and her dog Ziggy in a small pub-filled village in Essex.

Social Media Links – https://www.carriewalker.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/carriewalkerauthor/

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 short reviews

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is Books I Want to Read by New to Me Authors (Share books from your to-read list that are written by authors you’ve never read before.)

I am going rogue today (again!) and sharing one to two sentence short reviews of books I have been meaning to review that I have read so far  this year but not yet done so!

The Goldsmith's Wife by Jean Plaidy - Read this for the Childhood Favourite theme at my F2F book club. It's been years since I read a Plaidy but it was still so good! And a really interesting story about Jane Shore, a woman who was the mistress of a king and yet ended her life in poverty. Read this for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. (5/5 read)

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters - This book is set in 1930s US and Canada, and tells the story of a young indigenous girl who disappears one day while her family is working as berry pickers. We hear of her life but also that of her brother who was the last person to see her. Incredibly moving. A 5 star read for me. Read this for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. (5/5 read)

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida - I don't really like cats. I am more of a dog person, but I don't mind reading about cats in books, particularly in Japanese books where there is often a twist in the tail (see what I did there?).  I read this one for the Goodreads Spring Challenge. (4/5 read)

We'll Prescribe You Another Cat by Syou Ishida - I think that you might not quite understand what is going on here unless you read the first book in the series. The third book comes out soon and I will be reading it! Both of these books count for the Books in Translation and Speccy Fic Challenge. The translator for both books was E (4/5 read)

Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett - I borrowed this book at least 10 years ago and so when my rerad on a theme book club had a book you borrowed from someone as the theme, it was finally time to read it. Set in Tasmania, it looks at a family whose mother has died and how that event has impacted the father and three sons. I really enjoyed this one and will more from this author, eventually. This is an Aussie author and the book counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. (4.5/5 read)

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn - I have loved Kate Quinn's historical fiction novels. This one is a complete change in direction. It is set in the Boston Library where a young woman find the way to live inside books. It was good, but not as good as the historical fiction. Will be interested to see where Kate Quinn goes next. This book counts for the Speccy Fic Challenge, Bookish Books and New Release Challenges (4/5 read)

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan - This was another book club read. This time the theme was Mothers and Daughters. I haven't read Amy Tan for many, many years and I liked this one a lot. It counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

The Paradise Pact by Anita Heiss - I have met Australian author Anita Heiss a number of times and really like her. She is smart, opinionated, and passionate about her indigenous identity. These traits showed in the characters in this book but I didn't really connect with the story as well as I would have liked. This qualifies for the New Release challenge(3.5/5 read)

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - I feel like Ariel Lawhon is an author I should have read before now, but I haven't. I will read more from her now. I really liked that this book was based on the life of a midwife who lived in the 1800s, and tells the story of what happens in a small town when a body is found trapped under the ice in the frozen river. I read this for the Goodreads Spring Challenge and for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. Even though this is a short review, this book counts as a Big Book of Summer at 448 pages long. (4/5 read)

The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier - This is a book that I read for a recent book club retreat that I attended. This book was set on Kangaroo Island and features a newbie police officer who is pulled into a murder investigation at a luxurious house on the island. I liked it. It isn't my normal genre but that's one of the good things about book clubs right? This counts for the New Release Challenge and was one of the books I nominated for 20 Books of Winter.  (3.5/5 read)

Phew! I feel a bit caught up now! 

Have you read any of these books? 

Blog Tour: Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse by Sue Moorcroft (includes UK giveaway)

 

The last trilogy from Sue Moorcroft featured three sisters living in Scotland on the Isle of Skye. Her new trilogy, of which this is the first book, again features three sisters but this time it is set on the shores of beautiful Lake Como

Jade was raised by her grandparents after being basically abandoned by her parents. Through out her life she has had nothing to do with either of her parents. One thing that she did know that under Italian property law, her father would have been the rightful heir of the guesthouse that Jade and her grandmother had run for many years. Jade has poured her whole career into the guesthouse, so it is a relief to find out that her father has foregone his right to inherit.

Fast forward many years, and the time has come. With Jade's grandmother's passing, Jade expects to inherit everything. It is therefore a complete shock when she finds out with her two half-sisters that she never even knew existed. Her grandmother knew about Rosalie and Erin and made provisions for them, even though she never met them.

Jade is standoffish with the two women as she realises that she is going to have to come up with a new plan for her future. Erin was raised by her mother and never knew their father either whereas Rosalie's mother had died when she was young but was raised by their father. With their different personalities and history, it is easy for feelings to be hurt, intentionally or not. 

If navigating new familial relationships where everyone is on edge isn't difficult enough, Jade's first love, Leo, is back in town. Sixteen years previously Leo had devastated Jade by announcing he was moving to England and just expected to go with him. Heartbroken, Jade said no, and so that was it. But now Leo is back after his relationship, which was both romantic and business, disintegrated in spectacular fashion. He is now at a loose end trying to work out what to do next.

I really enjoyed that Leo had his own storyline, and that he wasn't just there to be the love interest. His family also played an important part in the story. His parents had long been friends to Jade and her grandmother, so they provide support, but their lives are also changing. They are now semi-retired with Leo's brother taking over the management of running their own boutique hotel. Is there a place for Leo back in Italy or will he return to England to forge his new life?

As always Sue Moorcroft brings the setting to life on the page through the scenery, the food, the vibe. While I have visited Italy a couple of times, I have never made it to Lake Como and she had me wishing that I could visit there to see the amazing beauty for myself. 

There are two more books in the Italian Legacy series, one for each of the remaining sisters. I am looking forward to learning more about their stories, and seeing how this cobbled together family can truly unite and make up for all of the lost years!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. It was also one of the books I nominated for the Twenty Books of Winter. The theme for my read on a theme book club this time is Secrets, so given the title even has the word in it, this will be one of my book club selection. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour below too!

Rating 4/5

About the Book

Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse

Two sisters she's never met
A first love who's impossible to forget...

For Jade, life in Lake Como is la dolce vita. Until her beloved grandmother passes, leaving Jade not just the family's bustling guesthouse to run, but two life-changing secrets to confront...

The pensione hasn't just been left to Jade, it's also been inherited by her sisters - who she had no idea existed. As Erin and Rosalie arrive in Italy, Jade is forced to face the heart-wrenching prospect of sharing her last remaining tie to the woman who raised her.

Jade is desperately trying to hold on to the past, but there's one person she would prefer to leave firmly behind: her first love, Leo. He's back in the city that is filled with the memories they once made together. But as Jade fights to take control of her future and her heart, why do all cobbled roads lead back to Leo?

Lose yourself in the first, utterly romantic novel in a brand-new trilogy, filled with new beginnings and second chances. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Milly Johnson.

Purchase Link - https://geni.us/ItalianGuesthouse

About the Author


Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her novels have reached #1 on Kindle UK and Top 100 on Kindle US, Canada, Germany and Italy. She’s won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Novel of the Year, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award, two HOLT Medallions and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She’s the president of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.

Social Media Links –

Amazon page: Sue Moorcroft

Audible page: Sue Moorcroft

Website: www.suemoorcroft.com

Facebook author page SueMoorcroftAuthor

Twitter: @SueMoorcroft

Instagram: @SueMoorcroftAuthor

Linked in: Sue Moorcroft

Link Tree: linktr.ee/SueMoorcroft

Bookbub: SueMoorcroft1

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse and a Sue Moorcroft pen (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Gleam box below. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam 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 passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for 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.

Win a signed copy of Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse & Sue Moorcroft pen (UK Only)

Classics Club Spin: Careful, He Might Here You by Sumner Locke Elliott

When I put together my classics list, I deliberately went in search books that were considered Australian classics and included them as part of my list. One of my choices was this book, Careful, He Might Hear You by Sumner Lock Elliott. When the spin landed on this as the selection I was pretty happy. I had no idea, though, that I would love this as much as I did.

I am not sure that this author is one that I knew particularly much about, although I had heard of the movie version of this book which was made back in the 1980s. Apparently Elliott was a very successful writer and well known in the US. This book, which came out in 1963, was very autobiographical and also very successful, winning the 1963 Miles Franklin prize which is our top literary prize.

Our story opens with a glimpse into the life of a young boy named PS, so called because he was a postscript to his deceased mother's ridiculous life. Sinden died shortly after his birth, and with his father being perennially off searching for gold, his Aunt Lila and Uncle George are raising him as requested by his mother before she passed 

They live a very modest lifestyle, but there is a lot of love and Sinden is fondly remembered as Little One. When PS and his aunt go to visit her grave they refer to it as the The Little Garden, planting flowers but never mentioning that it is his mother's final resting place. It might be more whimsical as opposed to truthful, but PS is happy and secure.

When Aunt Vanessa turns up, PS's life is gradually turned upside down. Vanessa was sent to England at a young age to be a companion to a relative and so the life she leads is very different to that of her sisters. Vanessa believes that she too has a mandate to care for PS. In her eyes, this means providing him with the very best of everything including education, elocution correction to get rid of his terrible Australian accent, piano lessons, a big house, and impressive toys. These are all things that the humble Lila and George can not possibly provide

Ultimately this leads to a bitter custody battle over the bewildered little boy who just wants to go home and who doesn't really understand what it going on.

Whilst this is PS's story, we also get glimpses into the past lives of the sisters, including Sinden who was a writer who had received critical claim but not financial success. We also meet the father, Logan, who is irresistible to the sisters and who, ultimately, absconds from all responsibility for his son. One of the fun things for me was that Logan comes from Bacchus Marsh which is just up the road from me. 

Ultimately though, this is a quintessentially Sydney book. We catch the ferry across the harbour and the train to various locations, we feel the heat and witness spectacular summer storms and so much more. It is also a Depression story, with particular reference to the impact of the world financial situation on ordinary Aussie families.

This is a long book, coming in at 495 pages. It was very readable and I read it in a couple of days. I just had to pick it up to read and see what happened next at every opportunity My emotions ebbed and flowed with the story, and I recognised some of the bewilderment that PS felt from my own childhood experiences when my parents divorced. 

Bring on the next Aussie classic!

This book was one of the books I nominated for 20 Books of Winter and counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, the Big Books of Summer (hosted by Sue at Book by Book and Melinda from A Web of Stories) and also fits my read on a theme book club theme which is Secrets.

Twenty Books of Winter: July recap

 

1 June was the beginning of the 20 Books of Winter reading challenge which this year is being hosted by Anna(Book)Bel. I really enjoyed participating in the challenge last year so I was looking forward to this year. Now, here's my progress after 1 month. I am actually pretty pleased with my progress, having completed 9 of my nominated reads in June!

Here's my list, subject to change of course, and anything that is in purple is a book I read in June!

Charlie's Last Angel by Maggie Christensen (review)

Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse by Sue Moorcroft 

Escape to the Turquoise Seas by Carrie Walker 

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J Ryan Stradal

The Three Juliets by Minnie Darke 

The Kings Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick (started)

The Story Collector by Evie Woods

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (review)

The Maid by Nita Prose 

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

The Little Porto Book Club by Rebecca Raisin

The Palace of Lost Virtue by Anthea Hodgson (review)

The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier

The Secret Dressmaker by Jenny O'Brien

The Nile Cruise by Caroline James

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak 

First-time Caller by B K Borison

Seascraper by Benjamin Wood

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevens

Careful, He Might Hear You by Sumner Locke Elliott

The Palace of Lost Virtue by Anthea Hodgson

Goldrush history is always something that I find really interesting. So many interesting characters who leave everything behind in the hope that they can change their lives and the lives of their families, the mix of nationalities, the colourful characters and so much more. Of course, more often than not, that dream find does not happen but the lure of gold is strong.

Marigold Harrington, a devout young Christian woman, arrives in the remote Western Australian gold town of Kalgoorlie in the late 1890s with only one plan. She and her mother have undertaken the long and arduous trip from Melbourne to be reunited father. He used to be a preacher but he headed west in the hope of making his fortune and save his family from their current financial problems. When Marigold and her mother arrive, there is no sign of her father. 

It is hot, dry and dusty and Kalgoorlie is a typical gold town, full of miners, with limited numbers of women. And a lot of the women that there are prostitutes. American Pansy Arlington is the owner of the Palace of Pleasure. Pansy is rough around the edges, is prone to drinking too much, and is hiding a story of heartbreak

In theory, Marigold and Pansy should not even cross paths, but they do when Marigold joins the Christian Women's Temperance Union and she and the other members knock on the door to try and minister to the girls who work for Pansy. This unlikely pair form a friendship based on a love of good conversation, books and more.

This is a dual timeline novel with the second part of the story being set in the late 1920s when two gold detectives are murdered. As the investigation continues, we find out how the women's history impacts lives 30 years later.

Anthea Hodgson has found a great story to tell, packed with interesting history. Pansy Arlington was real life character from history, and the history of prostitution in Kalgoorlie is very interesting. The y came up with an interesting way of dealing with the problem of having ladies displaying their wares in public. This was through a policy called containment which meant all the brothels are located on just one street, known as Hay Street. There were also rules around how they could operate. It is something unique to Kalgoorlie. The murder case was also based on a true story which was also very interesting.

Many years ago we used to catch the train from Adelaide to Perth, which is a journey of around 36 hours. The last major stop before you get to Perth is in Kalgoorlie, where there was a fairly long stop. On one of those trips, I did a bus tour which took you down Hay Street, which is the street where all of the brothels were located. I mean, we looked at the mine heads and other things too. Apparently these days there is not much to see thanks to the advent of fly in fly out work and the internet but it was certainly an interesting tour to take.

Anthea Hodgson has given us another really interesting read with some little known aspects of history portrayed on the page. As a reader we were taken back to the dusty, rough streets of Kalgoorlie, warts and all. It wasn't an easy life and things happened to the characters that broke my heart.

I always intended to read this book, but it moved to the top of my list as it was one of the books that I needed to read for the Rachael John's Book Club Reader's Retreat that I attended last weekend. I might not read many of the other book club books, but I do make an effort to read the retreat ones! 

This book counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, which I host here, with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and was also one of the books that I nominated for 20 Books of Winter hosted at AnnaBookBel.

Rating 4/5

Thoughts on War and Peace

According to Goodreads I started reading War and Peace back in July 2010. I did give it a good go, but then I put it down and just didn't pick it up again. It wasn't that I wasn't enjoying it, but I just stopped. 

At the beginning of last year I decided I was going to try and read alongside the chapter a day readalong. I didn't join the group or anything like that. I just kind of kept up with the schedule. I was doing well until I started working again and I fell behind when I was about 2/3 of the way through. It sat on my desk, taunting me every day. Finally, I decided I was going to finish it, once and for all. And so I did!

Today I am sharing a number of thoughts about reading War and Peace. Fair warning....some will be deeper than others.

This isn't my first Tolstoy. Years ago I read and loved Anna Karenina when Oprah chose it for her Classics Book Club. I loved reading along with other readers and discussing the experience, even if not everyone loved it. I should have joined the readalong for this book but I chose to read alone. I knew that I could read Tolstoy but it was still daunting and it definitely felt like an achievement when I finished it.

I think the thing that I do enjoy about these books is the humanness of the characters and how relevant that is still today. Yes, Tolstoy goes off on massive tangents, and spends paragraphs talking about the fact that battles were won despite no one doing what they were ordered to do. I particularly thought where he was talking about the fact that we look back and say this one thing or one person was decisive but really there were many people and incidents that contribute to the eventualities was very perceptive. I think we see this evidenced in the fact that we say that WWI was started because of the shooting of the Archduke Ferdinand. It was, in effect, the straw that broke the camels back, but in reality tensions had been building for years. Another example is that the American's entered WWII due to Pearl Harbor but there had been many events that led up to that one decisive moment. 

Getting back to the humaness of the characters, we saw characters who undertook big transformations due to their experiences, such as Pierre going from illegitimate son, to rightful heir, to husband, to member of the Masonic Lodge, to outwardly losing everything. And similarly the female characters such as Natasha and Princess Marya experienced love and loss, and were bound by duty but ultimately achieved happiness.

Whilst the title is War and Peace, it could just as easily have been Love and Loss or Power and what ever the opposite of that is. 

Humour isn't the first word that comes to mind when I think of Tolstoy but there was definitely humour in the book, from the inept armies who couldn't follow orders and still triumphed to single lines that just made me smile, like the one late in the book which said about Pierre "Though the doctors treated him, let his blood, and gave him medications to drink, he nevertheless recovered."

Would War and Peace qualify as having one of the longest epilogues ever? There are two parts to the epilogue and together they are nearly 100 pages long which seems crazy. One was an epilogue in the more normal use of the word where we found out what happened to the characters after the main part of the story. The other part was more philosophical thoughts about war. 

I read the Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky translation of the book because theirs was the version I read of Anna Karenina. It felt quite accessible, and I liked that they kept a lot of the French in the books.

Ultimately, reading a book like War and Peace is a commitment, and I am so glad that I was able to finish it this time. I did close the book with a sense of achievement, but also relief that I had finally got to the end. If you asked me to name Tolstoy books I probably would only be able to name this one and Anna K, but there are others out there, which I might try to read.....one day.

This book counts for the Books in Translation Challenge hosted by Introverted Reader, for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I hosted, counts as one of my 20 Books of Winter and was read for the Marathon reader prompt of the Spring Goodreads Challenge.

20 Books of Winter 2026 reading list

1 June so the beginning of the 20 Books of Winter reading challenge which this year is being hosted by Anna(Book)Bel. I really enjoyed participating in the challenge last year so I am looking forward to this year now as well. 

Here's my current list, subject to change of course.

Charlie's Last Angel by Maggie Christensen 

Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse by Sue Moorcroft 

Escape to the Turquoise Seas by Carrie Walker 

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J Ryan Stradal

The Three Juliets by Minnie Darke 

The Kings Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick

The Story Collector by Evie Woods

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 

The Maid by Nita Prose 

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

The Little Porto Book Club by Rebecca Raisin

The Palace of Lost Virtue by Anthea Hodgson

The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier

The Secret Dressmaker by Jenny O'Brien

The Nile Cruise by Caroline James

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak

First-time Caller by B K Borison

Seascraper by Benjamin Wood

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevens

Careful, He Might Hear You by Sumner Locke Elliott

I have shared my reasons for picking each of these in recent Top 10 Tuesday posts which you can read here and here.

Happy reading everyone!

Top Ten Tuesdays: 20 Books of Winter (part 2)

  Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is Favorite Secondary/Minor Characters. However, I am following on from last week's post and giving you the second part of my 20 Books of Winter list.

Here are the second group of ten books that I am intending to read before the end of August.

The Little Porto Book Club by Rebecca Raisin - I really enjoy this author's books. I already had it on my list as a review book but now I am going to be on the blog tour for it in July.

The Palace of Lost Virtue by Anthea Hodgson - I am attending the Rachel John's Bookclub Readers Retreat in June and this is one of the two book club reads. 

The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier - This is the second book club read

The Secret Dressmaker by Jenny O'Brien - This is a blog tour read for July

The Nile Cruise by Caroline James - Another July blog tour read

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak - This is a library book that I have borrowed a couple of times now. Hopefully I will read it this time!

First Time Caller by B K Borison - I have really enjoyed the two B K Borisin books I have read so I am looking forward to this one!

Seascraper by Benjamin Wood - This is a historical fiction novel that has had good reviews since it's been released

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson - This will be a book I read for the Goodreads challenge

Careful, He Might Hear You by Sumner Locke Elliott - This is my Classics Spin selection

Top Ten Tuesdays: 20 Books of Winter list (Part 1)

 Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is May Flowers (This is a companion to the April Showers topic from last month. Interpret however you’d like: books with flowers on the cover, colorful covers, books set in springtime, books where flowers/plants are a common theme, titles with flower names in them, characters named after flowers, covers that are as pretty as flowers, books featuring gardens, etc.)

However, I have done a flowers on the cover theme for the last couple of years now, so I am turning my thoughts to the 20 Books of Winter which is hosted by AnnaBookBel this year. So here are 10 of the 20 books I am planning on reading for at some point between 1 June and 31 August. I'll be back next week with the next 10 (assuming that I have completed building my list!)

This list is subject to change but at this stage, this is the plan

Charlie's Last Angel by Maggie Christensen - I read a lot of Maggie Christensen's books that are part of series, but this one is a blog tour for a standalone novel.

Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse by Sue Moorcroft - I do enjoy Sue Moorcroft's books. It's been a while since I read one of her books set in Italy. This is also for a blog tour

Escape to the Turquoise Seas by Carrie Walker - My final blog tour book is this one which is the fourth book in the Holiday Romance series. I am due to review this in July but it looks like publication has been pushed back to October so that date might change. 

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J Ryan Stradal- This is the next Cook the Books selection

Three Juliets by Minnie Darke - The next three books are all books that I meant to read last year but I ended up swapping out so they are back on the list for this year. I actually read at least a third of this book but I will have to start again now.

The Kings Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick - It's been so long since I read an Elizabeth Chadwick so I need to prioritise this one. 

The Story Collector by Evie Woods - I have had mixed results with Evie Woods books so far, so I am interested to read this one to see where it lands for me!

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy - Last year I was trying to read War and Peace and I was doing pretty well until I started work again in August at which point I stopped. I think I have about 300 paged to go so my plan is to finish it. This will also count for a Goodreads challenge. 

The Maid by Nita Prose - Both this and the next book are for Goodreads challenges

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - This book has been on my TBR pile for a long time now. I plan to read it before the end of June.

Are you planning to participate in the 20 Books of Summer/Winter?

20 Books of Winter wrap up

 

In August post at the beginning of this month I was surprised that we were already 2 months into the 20 Books of Winter challenge but now that we are at the beginning of September and the challenge is over it feels like forever since I put my list together.

This was my first time of participating in the 20 Books of Summer/Winter, mainly because I liked that there was a winter logo!

Overall I am pretty happy with how I went. Below is my original list of books that I nominated. If it is highlighted purple I read the book in June, red means that I read it in July and blue are the books that I read in August. There are 3 books I didn't read, although I did start Three Juliets by Minnie Darke but I  didn't finish it. I am very happy with how many of them I reviewed too! The other two books are absolutely still on my TBR list. I just have to see when that will be.

Whilst I did only read 17/20 of the books I nominated, during the months of June, July and August I read a total of 57 books so I can definitely swap out other books for the 3 that I didn't get to finish.

Here's my original list.

20 Books of Winter

Beartown by Fredrik Backman - Review 

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn - Review

A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K Runyan - Review

Over the Seas to Skye by Sue Moorcroft - Review

Three Juliets by Minnie Darke

A Secret Garden in Paris by Sophie Beaumont - Review

The Midnight Bakery by Emma Davies - Review

Half Truth by Nadia Mahjouri - Review

The Village Cafe in the Loire by Gillian Harvey - Review

The Storytellers by Sue Heath - Review

The Story Collector by Evie Woods

French Rhapsody by Antoine Laurain - Review

The King's Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick

The Butterfly Women by Madeleine Cleary - Review

The Last Love Note by Emma Grey

The Library of Heartbeats by Laura Imai Messina - Review

Emily Wildes Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - Review

Butter by Asako Yuzuki - Review

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson - Review

Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee - Review

Our hosts, Emma from Words and Peace and Annabel from Annabookbel have come up with some fun questions for our end of event recaps.

Did you manage to finish all 10/15/20 books? If not, what kept you from completing the challenge?

I read more than 20 books but there were 3 from my original list that I didn't get to. Next year I need to remember to take library books and more upcoming releases into my list. I also ended up reading books for Aussie August and Women in Translation month so should factor that in as well. As I mentioned, I actually read 57 books over the three month period so I am counting it as completed.

Of all the books you read this summer, which one(s) was/were your favorite and why?

Do I have to pick just one? I am pretty happy as I had 3 books that I read for the event that I gave a 5/5 rating to. They were Beartown by Fredrik Backman, The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson and The Last Love Note by Emma Grey which I just read on 31 August.

Did you DNF any? Why?

I don't really deliberately DNF. I do occasionally put a book down and just never pick it up again but I don't think this is the case with any of the books here.

Which book surprised you the most, either by being better or worse than you expected?

I was a bit disappointed in Butter by Asako Yuzuki. I had been looking forward to this book for at least a year and I really enjoyed the event she was at for Melbourne Writers Festival earlier this year, but I didn't particularly like it, and neither did anyone else who read it for book club!

Did you notice any patterns in the genres you chose or enjoyed this summer?

I tend to read a bit all other the place and I think my selections reflected this.  I read quite a bit of historical fiction. a few books by Australian authors, a few books in translation and not to forget the books that I read for Paris in July!

Which one had the best cover?

I think I am going to pick The Library of Heartbeats. It's quite a simple cover but very effective. Or The Midnight Library because....purple!

Which one was the longest? And the shortest?

The longest one was The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson which came in at 586 pages, and the shortest was French Rhapsody by Antoine Laurain which was 232 pages.

Did you read them mostly in print? ebook? audio?

I had a bit of a mix between paper and ebooks with 10 ebooks and 7 paper books. I need to remember to factor in my audiobooks for next year too!

Imagine you’re hosting a “20 Books of Summer” book club wrap party.
Which book would you nominate as the guest of honor, and what kind of toast or speech would you give celebrating it?

I think I would host a picnic in a Secret Garden in Paris. We would use the map that was included in the book to follow the clue to end up in a gorgeous park, with lots of baked goods from the bakeries I read about, especially Butter-y croissants.

Looking back at all the characters you met over the summer, which one would you want as a summer buddy for a weekend getaway, and what activity would you do together?

I think I would like to hang out in the library with the characters from The Storytellers. We could read books, talk books all weekend and write a story together, and just generally have a lovely time.

Any other comments you want to add. Be creative as you like!

Given that this was my first time participating, I really enjoyed this and will be back next year. Thanks to Emma from Words and Peace and Anna(Book)Bel for doing such a great job of hosting. See you all next year!

Sunday Salon: Three mini reviews for Women in Translation Month

As we come to the end of August, I find myself with a number of books that I have finished for various blogging/bookstagram events where I have not yet written a review. I have found over the last couple of months that I have more books to review than I have days in the month spare in the blogging schedule. Today, I am therefore going to share some mini reviews books that I have read for various challenges or events which end today.

One of my blogging goals for this year is to review everything that I read by Australian authors, and all historical fiction novels. The books I am doing a mini review of today are books that don't fit into either of these categories. I do have some other books read but not reviewed which do fit into these categories and I will be reviewing them in September (hopefully!)

The Library of Heartbeats by Laura Imai Messina 

This was a lovely read. When Shuichi returns to his home town following the death of his mother, he doesn't realise that a young boy named Kenta had been spending time with her. At first, Kenta was wary of Shuichi but eventually they build a relationship. The way the story is told means that we just get a layer revealed, and then another layer and so on, until we find out the truth of Shuichi's life which has been shaped by his health issues.

The author is actually Italian but has lived in Japan for more than 20 years so clearly loves all things Japanese. I loved the way the author shared stories about Kenji which is Japanese calligraphy. It was interesting that the titular library was important to the story but didn't really appear until late in the story. 

I've already picked up another book by this author which is called The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World.

This was one of the books I nominated for 20 Books of Winter. I read this in August, so this also counts for the Women in Translation month and the Books in Translation challenge hosted at Introverted Reader. The translator was Lucy Rand.

Rating 4/5

Butter by Asako Yuzuki

I had been really looking forward to reading this book since I first heard about it last year and I even requested it from Netgalley but the file format was painful so I didn't read it then. Earlier this year I went to hear the author talk at Melbourne Writers Festival and it was a really interesting conversation. However, it wasn't until my book club chose to read this book that I finally read it. We normally read on a theme but this month we agreed to all read the same book. It's fair to say it wasn't a really popular choice. 

So what did I think? I will admit I struggled with it a bit. The story is that the main character, Rika,  is a journalist who decides that she wants to interview a woman who has been convicted of killing three of her lovers. Kajii is an enigmatic character who is overweight and so people can't understand why she could attract so many men. Kajii is also very manipulative, even with Rika. From behind bars, Kajii manages to change Rika's life by interesting her to amazing food and has her reevaluating her life.

The subtext is about feminism and role of women in Japanese society, the pressure to look a certain way. However, there is also a lot about weight and fat shaming which I found a bit difficult. The words fat, weight and heavy appear more than 100 times in this book.

The book evoked quite strong reactions. One of our book club members declared that she had never hated a book more than she hated this one. My reaction is more muted. I am glad I finally read it, but I didn't love it mainly because of the repetitiveness and the fat shaming. I did love the food references and I am determined that at some point I am going to try rice with butter and soy sauce which was one of the first recipes Rika tried. I have seen this mentioned in various Japanese books.

It does also prompt an interesting question about why we get fascinated by women who kill, particular multiple people.  Recently in Australia there is a case of a woman who killed three members of her extended family by feeding them poison mushrooms in a Beef Wellington and the case seemingly captivated the nation.

This was one of the books I nominated for 20 Books of Winter. I read this in August, so this also counts for the Women in Translation month and the Books in Translation challenge hosted at Introverted Reader. At 464 pages, this book also counts as a Big Book of Summer. I am also sharing this post with Weekend Cooking and Foodies Read. The translator was Polly Barton. 

Rating 2.5/5

Dallergut Dream Department Store: The Dream You Ordered is Sold Out by Lee Mi-Ye

This book is a little bit different than my normal reads. The Dallergut Dream Department Store is somewhere we might visit in our dreams. There we can choose from a number of different floors where they specialise in different types of dreams. You could choose to dream of stardom or success, or loved ones who have passed on or dream of delicious food. You might wonder how we pay for these dreams? We pay with the emotions that these dreams elicit.

Penny starts working at the Dream Store and we join her as she meets the many colourful characters who work in the store. She is learning how the store operates by working in different roles, and soon finds herself working with the boss. Penny also meets the dream makers, some of whom are almost celebrity like figures

I think my favourite floor was the one where pets could come and get their dreams. Given the number of times we see our dog chasing rabbits in his dreams, it made me smile!

This author is Korean and the translator, Sandy Joosun Lee, was very enthusiastic about her role in translating this book.

I liked this enough that I have the next book out from the library to hopefully read soon.

This was one of the books I nominated for 20 Books of Winter and also counts for the Books in Translation challenge hosted at Introverted Reader. 

Rating 3.5/5

Weekend Cooking: The Midnight Bakery by Emma Davies

When Francis decides to start again, one of the first things she does is change her name to one that she actually likes  and one that she feels is more representative of who she wants to be. Francis.....meet Frankie! 

Beginning again also means a new job in a new location, and so it is that Frankie finds herself working all night in Duggan's Bakery getting all the goods ready for the next day. She doesn't mind working overnight in the bakery by herself. In fact she prefers to be alone. She listens to music and dances around the bakery, she dreams about the changes she would make if she owned the bakery, and she begins to heal herself from her past. It is a place of safety for her. And the small flat above the bakery is home.

One night, Frankie witnesses a woman take a tumble near the bakery. She insists on providing some first aid, little knowing that this one interaction is going to change her life, bringing new people into her life and forming a circle of support that she didn't know that she craved. 

Beth is a nurse who works the night shift at the local hospital. Her husband Jack had an accident on their farm which left him in a wheelchair. Beth is now the primary earner and works night so that can be there for her husband when he needs help during the day. They can't afford to hire a carer so it all falls on Beth. And she is tired. So, so tired. She would do anything for Jack, but she is running on empty. When her job is threatened Beth can't see how she can keep going. 

William is a man with a past, one that means that it could be difficult for him to find work. Right now though, he is working at a nearby club as security. He suspects that there are some dodgy dealings going on at the club but he has to be so careful not to lose his job. He also knows that if he gets caught up in anything illegal he could end up back in prison.  His past actions have left him separated from his family but he is determined that this time will be different. This time, he will become someone that his new friends can be proud of.

And finally there is Tam. Tam is a failed businessman whose biggest mistake was trusting his best friend. After losing everything and being declared bankrupt, he is working a job as a carer in a nursing home and doing his best to pay back those who lost money. He has lost everything, is sleeping in his car in a car park near the bakery but he has his job and his integrity. When his job is threatened because he doesn't have a fixed address, he doesn't see much of a future.

I really loved how these four came together, and how well they were able to help each other. Whilst Frankie is obviously the main character, they each had a turn where their story was told and by working together they found ways for each of them to find a way forward. I particularly enjoyed the direction that Tam's story took, where he was able to use his compassion and ingenuity in a way that might be completely unexpected at the beginning of the book. 

Frankie's heart is what brings this group together, but it is their admiration and friendship that bring her the strength she needs when her own past catches up with her.

Given that this book is set in a bakery there are plenty of scenes where the characters are creating delicious sounding baked goods. I could see the shelves full of bread, cinnamon rolls and other treats all lined up at the end of each night, ready to be sold during the day.  There were times I could smell the bread baking. This is not a book to read when you are hungry..

You know that I am a sucker for a foodie book, in particular a book set in a bakery, so I was relatively confident that I would like it. The book does still need to have interesting characters and a good story. It can't just rely on the foodie aspects. Luckily, this book had both of these plus strong food elements. I also loved how the friendship grew between these four people as they navigated the issues that they had in their individual lives.

Each person's story was treated with dignity and I closed the book with a contented sigh.

You may notice that purple is my favourite colour and so I loved this cover the minute I saw it! Interestingly, this book had a last minute title change. Originally it was called Frankie Nightingale Begins Again and that is the title that my review copy had. However, just before publication date it had a last minute changes to The Midnight Bakery. I think that the original title was more unique but the second title would be an easier title to remember, even if it is more generic. What I can say is that regardless of the title, this will be a book that I will remember for some time! I am not sure why, but for some reason I thought that this was a historical fiction story so it was a bit of a surprise when it wasn't. 

This is the first time I have read anything from this author. She does have quite a big backlist and it appears that she writes across several genres. I did see that she has just announced a new Christmas book which will be out in October. I will be keeping a look out for it and intend to see what backlist books might work for me! In other words, Emma Davies has a new fan!

I am sharing this review with Foodie Reads hosted at Based on a True Story and with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog. This was also one of the books that I nominated to read as part of 20 Books of Winter.

Rating 4/5

Weekly meals

Saturday - Minestrone
Sunday - Minestrone
Monday - Pork steaks with mash, broccoli and mushroom sauce
Tuesday - Out for dinner
Wednesday - Chicken stir fry
Thursday - Chicken Enchiladas
Friday - Out for dinner

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page