Blog Tour: The House of Echoes by Alexandra Walsh

 

Once upon a time I used to read a lot of Tudor books. A lot. There were books telling straight history like Phillipa Gregory, there were books where a member of the court was investigating various plots and murders, great books like Legacy by Susan Kay and you know, some that weren't so great. The end result was by the mid to late 2000's I was all Tudored out, had Tudor fatigue, or however you want to phrase it.

If I am to pick up a Tudor book these days, there has to be something about it. For example, I read Clare Marchant's The Secrets of Saffron Hall a few years ago because I couldn't resist the cover. I read Wolf Hall just because. So what was it that I couldn't resist when I was offered this book, The House of Echoes? Well, there were a couple of things actually. It looked like a book where a house would play a key role in the story, I do love purple and the purple dress on the cover called to me, and the main reason was that I have read a couple of Alexandra Walsh's books before and really enjoyed them. 

Anne Brandon is the daughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk which makes her step daughter to Princess Mary, duchess, former queen of France and sister to the notorious King Henry VIII. As such, it is expected that Anne will make a brilliant match from among the noblest families in England. There is no room for marrying for love, particularly seeing as her parents are financially burdened by the huge fines they received from the king for marrying for love without his permission.

When Anne meets a young man named Randall Hanworth, they fall in love, and Anne hopes against hope that maybe she can convince her father that they should be married, but he has another suitor in mind, Edward Grey, Baron of Powis. However the union is not a happy one, mainly because Anne has trouble conceiving.

Anne is a member of the highest echelons of society, and as such she sees what is happening at the Court of Henry VIII, and this book opens in the 1520s, when he was married to Catherine of Aragon and carries right through all of his marriages. Whilst we do hear the stories, for the most part this book talks about what the effects are for Anne and others like her. The author rather cleverly makes Anne Brandon friends with Anne Boleyn, as they served in the same foreign court before returning to England, which gives us access to what some of Anne Boleyn's thoughts might have been during the tumultuous time between when Henry VIII started courting her and her death.

One thing that I haven't seen much before though, is talking about what the effect is of all of the scandals at court. For example, if it is okay for Henry VIII to put aside his wife as she has not produced a male heir and for him to openly parade his mistresses then surely it is okay for all the other noblemen in his court to do the same. So much for chivalry.

We don't often see many of the women from the Tudor world in history, unless they are the big names ones like Anne Boleyn and the other wives of Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth, and occasionally others. For the most part these women are mere footnotes in history. What Alexandra Walsh has done is to find a story about a really fascinating woman and share it with us. Anne is a Brandon and so there are traits there that mean that she is someone who knows how to fight for what she wants, for survival and for revenge. There are things that we cannot know, so obviously it is fictionalised, but the genuine historical facts are there.

In the modern day, the story focusses on Caroline Harvey, grand daughter of the world famous science fiction author Dexter Blake. And by world-famous, I am talking epic levels of fandom for both the books and movies, the type of fandom where every word is studied to understand what the subtle messages might be that are hidden in the stories. Obsessive fandom. Dexter has just died, and Caroline is getting ready for the launch of his final book in The Ether Heracles. Luckily, he had finished the final book in the series before he died. Caroline was also the sole beneficiary of his will, including a house and land in Pembrokeshire. 

When a developer approaches to buy some of her land, at the same time questioning her ownership of it, Caroline begins researching the house's history, and finds that there is some kind of link to Anne Brandon, and so she goes down the rabbit hole of research to try and piece together the story. And when people start to threaten to reveal the many secrets that she has, she needs to do what she can to protect herself and her family. 

She is surprised when her ex boyfriend, Gideon, shows up after many years, and this complicates matters, as Gideon is her true love, the one who got away, the one who she is keeping the most secrets from!

It is clear from the dramatis personnae at the beginning of the book that this story is going to cover a lot of ground. There are the characters from the modern day, plus the characters from the books and movies of the Ether Heracles and finally all the Tudor characters with their common names like Anne, Mary and Henry. For the most part, the author manages to keep all the storylines under control and yet still echoing each other. I don't think it will surprise anyone that I enjoyed the historical aspects of this novel the most, and I did guess most of the twists in the modern story although there was one that surprised me a bit.

Cleverly intertwined through the narrative of both stories is the story of Tristan and Isolde, medieval doomed star-crossed lovers, which was a lovely touch as well.

So far this author has given us books set in an archaelogical dig in Crete in the Victorian era, another that tells the story of the women who were married to the men who hatched The Gunpowder Plot and now this novel set in Tudor times. I can't wait to see where she takes us next. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, Bookish Book Reading Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host.  Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 4/5

About the book

The House of Echoes

‘The Brandon blood is dark with lies and treachery and as it flows through my heart, my vow is this: they will all pay.’

Hampton Court Palace 1530s

Anne Brandon has always understood the power of a king’s patronage and, though the court of Henry VIII is a dangerous place for women, as the daughter of the king’s best friend, Anne feels safer than most. But Anne’s husband Lord Powis is tiring of her childlessness and when Henry VIII begins plotting to rid himself of a queen in his quest for an heir, suddenly Anne’s life is in danger. And as whispers of the name of her friend Anne Boleyn get ever louder, there is peril in every loose word, every forbidden conversation.

Pembrokshire Present Day

Caroline Harvey has spent years helping her grandfather, the reclusive bestselling novelist Dexter Blake, hide from his legions of fans in his home on the Pembrokshire coast. After his death, the vultures begin to circle Dexter’s fortune. When Caroline’s ownership of the house she has inherited is called into question, her research into its history reveals it was once owned by Anne Brandon who had sought refuge there. Intrigued, Caroline is determined to discover why Anne fled the court of Henry VIII.

Two women divided by centuries but joined by secrets and courage. And when a twist in their histories threatens them both with the same fate – losing the man they love – their revenge will be the same too. Because there’s no one mightier than a woman underestimated or more powerful than the need to save those they love.

Bestseller Alexandra Walsh is back with a compelling, captivating insight into the Tudor court through the eyes of a woman who had only her guile to keep her alive. Perfect for all fans of Barbara Erskine, Philippa Gregory, Anne O’Brien and Elena Collins.

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/HouseOfEchoes

About the Author


Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines and TV, her first book for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @themarquesshousetrilogy
Twitter: @purplemermaid25
Instagram: @purplemermaid25
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/AlexandraWalshNews
Bookbub profile: ​​@acwalsh69

Countdown to 2025: Day 16

This year I am participating in Countdown to 2025 hosted by Lynn from Lynn's Books. Today is day 16 and the prompt for today is Turkey Dinner– eye’s too big for your belly? A chunkster. 

Once upon a time, I would buy a book precisely because it was a chunkster. The bigger the better. However, these days it is unusual for me to read huge books! In the end I chose The Other Bridget by Rachael Johns. At 490 pages this book probably only just qualifies as a chunkster but it is the second longest book I read this year, so it qualifies in my mind.

Rachael Johns is an autobuy author for me. When I was going through a massive reading slump a few years ago, she was one of only two authors I still read. I have had this book on my shelves for months, and it is even signed, but it was only last week that I picked it up to finally start reading. And then I couldn't put it back down again. I literally read this in a day. I can't remember the last time I did that!

I thought I would use this prompt as an opportunity to share a short review!

Bridget Jones is a librarian, and yes, she was named after THAT Bridget Jones. When the book starts she has just found out that her new boyfriend is a love cheat and so she decides that she is not going to try so hard to meet someone, she is going to let it happen organically. She knows it is definitely not going to be the grumpy man who has just moved in next door, but there is a very nice Italian barista who might be a possibility, and as a bonus he makes great coffee! Luckily she has a close knit group of co-workers who are like family and they will support her no matter what, including her wannabe author best friend Fred.

Of course, life isn't as easy as that, so along the way there is upheaval at work, a couple of heartbreaking storie about the stresses of life, and the ability of books to provide emotional support during times of illness, which Bridget relates to due to her own health struggles during her teen years. But there is also joy, and laughter, a senior's book club full of interesting characters and so much more! I laughed, I cried, and I closed the book with a pretty satisfied smile. There were a couple of small things that didn't quite work for me like the epilogue but they were very small

Give that Bridget is a librarian there are lots of references to books and authors. In fact, there are more than 80 references! It's fun to spot the ones that you are familiar with, and to acquaint yourself with the ones you aren't familiar with.

This book is set in the Perth harbour suburb of Fremantle. Every time I go to Perth to visit family I end up in Freo, and I have added a couple of places that are mentioned to the list of places I must visit next time I am over there including a place called Darling, Darling which is a pirate themed bar!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and Bookish Books Reading Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books!

Tomorrow's prompt is Glitter – A book that you simply have to have

Countdown to 2025: Day 6

  This year I am participating in Countdown to 2025 hosted by Lynn from Lynn's Books. Today is day 6 and the prompt for today is Christmas stocking – stocking fillers – a novella or short story  

I recently read The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan. This was an Amazon First read so I grabbed it straight away! I thought it was a fun read so that is what I am choosing to share with you today, and I thought I would share a mini review as well.

When Mirren's beloved Aunt Violet asks her to find a copy of a book that she had as a child, A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, as her dying wish, Mirren knows she will do whatever it takes to find it. Not just any copy, the one that was hand illustrated by famed illustrator Aubrey Beardsley.

Little does Mirren know this is going to start a mission that takes her across the country, visiting antique bookstores in London, Hay-on-Wye and Edinburgh. It turns out that the antique book trade can be quite cut-throat, so whilst Mirren is innocently asking questions to try to find the book, there are others who are determined to stop her getting the book, if it indeed exists.

Whilst this is a short story, it did make me wonder why I haven't read any Jenny Colgan books for a couple of years. It wasn't intentional, and I need to do something to rectify this.

I have just realised that this story seems to be connected to some other books. I will have to do some homework to see if I can work out which ones.

In summary, a fun Christmassy, bookish read!

Tomorrow's prompt is Christmas Tree – a winter read

Blog Tour: Breaking the Ice by Amy Andrews

 

After reading my last book, which was quite an intense WWII novel, I needed something completely different and this book provided that! After all, this is a funny, spicy sports hero, bookshop centred romance.

Sam is an ambitious career woman who is aiming to go even further up the chain - she is determined that the coveted corner office is going to be hers. She also suddenly has a ticking biological clock. She has gone from being a woman who had no interest in having children to being obsessed with the idea of meeting Mr Right and having babies...now.

The one person who she turns to to help her find the right guy is Nick. Nick is an injured NHL star who has been asked  by his family to run his grandmother's beloved romance bookstore until he gets back to his hockey career. Sam is a big romance reader and she has long loved visiting Birdie's bookstore, so when Birdie passes away she is relieved that the store will still be operating, although she is concerned that Nick will make wholesale changes.

When Sam quits her job after her boss promotes his smarmy nephew, she finds herself working at the bookshop, alongside Nick. Sam is a bit curvy and Nick is a handsome professional athlete so she thinks that there's no way that he could possibly be interested in her. He also does not want kids, so he doesn't meet her brief. She therefore asks him to help set her up with blind dates to help find the man who does.

We follow Sam as she goes on date after date, with Nick watching on wondering why she doesn't see how attractive she is. And when Sam and Nick do give into their attraction, the chemistry leaps off the page.

I loved that Nick and Sam were able to share their reading with each other. Whilst Sam is a diehard romance reader with a penchant for pirate romance, Nick loves Westerns and they challenge each other to read each other's preferred authors. 

My favourite of the secondary characters was definitely Sam's straight talking sister who often called Sam out on her shortsightedness when it comes to her life, and definitely when it comes to Nick.

Whilst I thought that this book was a lot of fun and I liked it a lot, there was one aspect that was overdone for me and that was Sam's eggs, as in her reproductive system. They were described as being mutinous, as cheeping, noisy, talking and recalcitrant, and that is just in the first chapter. Whilst it was fun at first, by the end of the book it was too much.

These spicier, sports romance are a little out of my current reading zones, but I will be happy to read more  of these from Amy Andrews, not least of all because she is an Aussie author. This book was previously released under the title Risky Business. I will be interested to see if her next release is another re-release or if it will be something new.

.I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Bookish Books Reading Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley  and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 3.5/5

Breaking The Ice

A bookshop face off!

NHL hot shot, Nick Hawkeye Hawke has 4 months to recuperate from a potentially career ending injury. All he has to do is take it easy and keep things low key. So, looking after his grandmother's beloved second hand romance bookshop and working very closely with the ruthlessly efficient Samantha Evans is just what he needs right? Wrong!

Career driven Sam has impulsively decided to swap her highly stressful corporate job for a slower pace in her favourite bookshop at the exact time her biological clock has started to tick. And she wants absolutely none of that. But when your boss is a hot hockey superstar and you can’t stop daydreaming of him being your baby daddy, forced proximity takes on a whole new meaning.

With temptation around every book shelf, Nick and Sam find themselves skating on thin ice until they put themselves firmly in the friend zone. But the more they try to resist their slow burn, the more they want each other. How long can they stay in the zone until one of them breaks the ice?

Previously publishd as Risky Business

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/breakingtheicebook

Author Bio –

Amy is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling, triple RITA nominated, Aussie author who has written eighty-nine contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets. Her books bring all the feels from sass, quirk and laughter to emotional grit and sizzling heat.

Social Media Links

Facebook: AmyAndrewsAuthor

Twitter: @AmyAndrewsbooks

Instagram: @AmyAndrewsbooks

Newsletter Sign Up: bit.ly/AmyAndrewsNews

Bookbub profile: @AmyAndrews

Blog Tour: The Bookshop at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash

 

For many readers, the dream of working in or owning a bookstore is real, if for no other reason that you get to read and talk about books all day! How much fun would that be?

For Nancy, that dream has come through, thanks in no small part to an inheritance that she has received. She has set up her shop in the small town of Driftwood Bay. It's fair to say that Nancy doesn't have a lot of experience running a business, but she does have every faith in the universe providing. She has a kind of if you build it they will come kind of mentality. When she isn't busy in her store, she helps keep the local beach clean, doing her bit for the environment

The person she doesn't expect to have come into her life is hotshot finance/business man Dennis. He is visiting his colourful grandmother, Vi, in Driftwood Bay. He waltzes into town wearing his designer clothes, takes one look at Nancy's store and sees straight away that she has no idea how to run a business successfully. And much to Nancy's chagrin, he's not afraid to tell her all the ways she is getting it wrong, which causes them to clash, even though she does have to admit, some of his ideas are quite good. And he is quite handsome too.

All is not as it seems with Dennis though. He is in Driftwood Bay because he is facing some challenges at work. While he gives off successful businessman vibes, he has had to work hard to get to where he is, especially given his start in life. I loved how the author chose to share Dennis's story through the mechanism of letters. It was such an effective way to do this.

Nancy has her own issues when it comes to romantic relationships, and it takes some time for her to see through outward appearances, sometimes too long maybe, so there was a time when I was inwardly begging Nancy just to talk to Dennis about what was going on.

This is the fourth book in the Cornish Cove series, all set in Driftwood Bay, and I have enjoyed them all. I loved the addition of the bookstore to the town. One thing that I really noticed in this book was the proliferation of specifically British insults and terms of endearment through the book. Maybe they were in the previous books but they really stood out this time. 

One things that authors do get right so often is the vibe of small town bookstores, and this was no exception. It sounded so cute, with great special events, and unique aspects to it. I for one would love to visit Nancy's book store in Driftwood Bay.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Bookish Books Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley  and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

About the book:

The Bookshop at the Cornish Cove

Escape to the beautiful coast in this heartwarming romance

Dare to dream big…

When Nancy opened her dream bookshop overlooking the golden sands and shimmering waters of Driftwood Bay, she may have taken on a little too much. She might know all about books, but doesn’t know the first thing about business! She did however, want to do something meaningful with the inheritance money she got from her beloved Aunty Theresa.

When Dennis, visiting grandson of one of her dearest friends, offers to help, Nancy knows she can’t say no. Dennis is a high-flying businessman, with a fancy London job and a successful banking portfolio to prove it.

Trouble is, he makes the worst first impression. Nothing short of an insufferable know-it-all, Dennis takes every opportunity to remind her how out of her depth she is.

But Nancy knows her strengths, and just as much as she needs Dennis, he needs her too. There’s plenty she can teach him, and the more she shows off her world of Driftwood Bay, where the pace of life is slower and the morning sunrises are the most beautiful thing you can witness, perhaps they could become more than just business partners?

An utterly gorgeous romantic read set by the beautiful Cornish coast, perfect for fans of Phillipa Ashley and Heidi Swain

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/bookshopatthecornish

About the Author 

Kim Nash is an author of uplifting, romantic, feel-good fiction, having wanted to write books since she was a little girl. She works as both Digital Publicity Director for publisher Bookouture. She lives in Staffordshire with her son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni. When she's not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog and reading, as well as running a book club in Staffordshire and organising local and national reader/author events.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kim.nash.10

Twitter https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kim_the_bookworm/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/KimNashNews

Bookbub profile: Kim Nash Books - BookBub

Blog Tour: The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey

I am a big fan of Gillian Harvey's books. I love how her passion for France shines through, whih really isn't surprising given that she lived there for years. I pick each one up with a great sense of anticipation, and this one was no different, although the story itself almost felt a bit different - almost sprinkled with fairy dust.

When Adeline and her young daughter Lili move to a small village in Provence, it is almost like fate played a hand. Adeline has recently learned something about herself that has changed the way she feels about her remaining family. She sees an ad in a paper for someone to work in a bookstore and before she knows it, the job is hers.

The bookstore owner is Monique, a woman who has a reputation for being a little bit "witchy", for want of a better word. She believes in gemstones and old wives tales, and she has the uncanny ability of being able to pick exactly the book that her customers need, even if they don't know they need it themselves. And she believes that Adeline has that exact same ability.

It is no surprise that Adeline moves to Provence, and soon she is looking to find the truth about her own identity, but along the way she has to question if making such an impulsive move was actually a good idea both for her daughter and for herself.  Meanwhile Monique has many secrets of her own so maybe it is time for her to make her own fresh start as well.

And there is no newcomer to France story without a bit of romance with a lovely French man right?

As always, reading a Gillian Harvey book makes me wish that I could just pop over and live in France for a while. A girl can dream can't she?

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Bookish Books Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley  and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

The Little Provence Book Shop

Everyone’s story has some magic. You just have to turn the page to find it…

As the sun rises over the little Provence village where single mother Adeline has escaped with her little girl Lili, she breathes deeply. This is their new beginning. Here, she can forget the lies her family told her. Here, she can start her story again.

Later she opens the door to the town’s tiny bookstore, where she is to work, ready to meet the mysterious owner Monique for the first time.

She expected an ordinary bookshop. But this bookstore feels somehow different… magical. Breathing in the smell of books, she feels a jolt of something. It feels like a new chapter beginning.

As she gets to know the villagers – including the handsome Andre and friendly Michel – she starts to believe in the magic of this new start. But can a runaway like Adeline ever find what she’s looking for? Or is a happy-ever-after just another fiction?

A totally gorgeous, escapist, romantic novel – set in rural Provence – by the bestselling author of A Year at the French Farmhouse and The Bordeaux Bookclub.

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/provencebookshopsocial

About the author

Gillian Harvey is a freelance writer and bestselling author who lives in France. She writes escapist fiction set in France, including bestsellers A Year at the French Farmhouse and A Month in Provence.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @GillianHarveyAuthor

Twitter: @GillPlusFive

Instagram: @GillPlusFive

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/GillianHarveyNews

Bookbub profile: @gillplusfive

Blog Tour: Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel by Rebecca Raisin

 

You know when you are offered a book for a blog tour and you need to go through the decision process. Let me share mine for this book:

Christmas- check!

Paris - check!

A book about books - check!

Rebecca Raisin - check!

Already overcommitted for this week? - Never mind!

In other words, I was never going to say no to this one, and for good reason.

Anais is a successful writer who is going through a rough time at the moment. She has just divorced her cheating husband and somehow he got the apartment that she bankrolled and she has ended up with a crumbling hotel in the 6th arrondisement in Paris. She has also ended up with a chronic case of writer's block and there is a deadline looming. I guess technically she is writing. It's just that when you are a romance writer you can't really kill off your hero in a multitude of colourful ways within the first couple of paragraphs.

On the first day of taking ownership of the hotel, Anais and her cousin Manon meet the owner of the bar next door, Noah. Noah comes across a bit grumpy. He's not happy with the state of the hotel, he isn't happy when the rubbish skip is dumped outside the hotel and he has a weird obsession with needing clean windows.

Anais' plan is to do the bare minimum, refreshing four of the rooms to get paying customers in and sell it as a going concern. Job done! She does, however, want to ensure that the boutique hotel will give their guests something memorable to get the best return possible and so she is giving all the rooms a literary theme. It was really fun to ride along with Anais and Manon as they searched for furniture, accessories and books to complete the rooms. 

What Anais doesn't expect is to find two rooms hidden behind a wall. One room is full of personal items, but the other is locked, but ultimately reveals a literary mystery. Who was the author who lived in these rooms, what happened to her, and can Noah and Anais find the final manuscript which will reveal the truth?

I have said it before, and I will probably say it again but I love the way that Rebecca Raisin writes about books and food and about places. In this case, the place is Paris and we are treated to a tour around some of the literary places in the local area, from bars, to parks and more. The spirit of Christmas also shines through. I would love to stay at this hotel the next time I visit Paris. Last time I was there it was just after Christmas and so there were bits and pieces of decorations around, but the idea of being in full Christmas mode is very appealing.

It did take me a while to warm to the characters, but I got there in the end, and I loved that we got a very small cameo from a couple of the characters from A Love Letter to Paris. I also enjoyed it when Margaret, the literary agent appeared, and not just because she has a good name! There was also a nice little secondary romance as well.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with the Bookish Books Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

About the book

Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel

Turn a tumbledown Paris hotel into a perfect boutique, bookish retreat, and have it open for Christmas? What could possibly go wrong?

When Anais receives a near-derelict Paris hotel in her divorce settlement, her first thought is to tidy it up and sell it immediately. All she wants is to move on and forget her disaster of a marriage ever happened.

But selling it proves impossible, so she has only one option: to make it gorgeous and open by Christmas… when her funds will almost certainly run out.

She’s not counting on the grumpy American bar-owner next door, Noah, coming and interfering at every moment though. Nor is she expecting to find a mysterious room – which holds the key to a one-hundred-year-old secret – about a woman who chose love against the odds.

One thing’s for sure… as the fairy lights twinkle all over the city of lights and the first snowflakes start to fall… this will be a Christmas in Paris to remember.

A totally gorgeous, escapist romantic comedy, with an unforgettable mystery! A perfect festive read for fans of Emily Henry and Sarah Morgan to curl up with this winter.

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/alwaysparissocial

About the Author  –

Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can armchair travel any day of the week.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: @RebeccaRaisinAuthor

Twitter: @jaxandwillsmum

Instagram: @rebeccaraisinwrites2

Newsletter Sign Up: bit.ly/RebeccaRaisinNews

Bookbub profile: @RebeccaRaisin

Blog Tour: Summer at the Santorini Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin

Today is the release day for Summer at the Santorini Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin. Hooray! I have read a number of this author's books so I was always going to read this one!

Rebecca Raisin has written books with a wide variety of settings and what I know from the books that I have read is that there are always going to be great descriptions of several factors - the place where the book is set (wherever that might be), the food and books, and that is once again the case with this book.

Evie loved her job as a book scout right up until the time the business was taken over by a new owner, who promptly made her redundant. There aren't all that many opportunities to find another book scout job. What exactly is a book scout? It is someone who reads books and tries to identify stories that could be made into movies. In other words, Evie gets to read books for work! Absolutely a dream job right?

When her mother realises that Evie is at something of a loose end she packs her off to Santorini with strict instructions to work out what is going on with her quirky grandmother. Floretta has led a colourful life. She has been married multiple times, apparently lost and found several fortunes. Most recently she has married a Greek man and settled down to open a bookshop. The only problem is that she can't afford the rent which has led to an altercation with the landlord.

It isn't long before Evie is called into help soothe the frazzled tempers by dealing with the landlord's gorgeous grandson, Georgios. They just need to keep Georgios's grandfather from either kicking Floretta out or from selling the building long enough to finish the renovations for the bookshop and for it to start paying for itself. What better way to delay either of these eventualities than suggest that Evie fake date Georgios. It's the perfect plan!

Whilst Evie and her grandmother work towards a glamourous opening of the bookshop, Evie begins to realise that fake dating Giorgis is going to be much harder than anticipated. When exactly does it cross the line from fake to real?

There is an endearing cast of colourful characters led by Floretta but there are others, ranging from the man who comes in and rearranges the colour coordinated shelves, the goat farmer, as well as a group of stray dogs with various bad habits. The book is filled with humour and I found myself smiling the whole way through it. In fact, I think this is my favourite Rebecca Raisin novel so far. Until the next one at least.

Is this a bookshop I would love to visit if I ever made it to Santorini - Absolutely! 

Thanks to Netgalley, Rachel's Random Resources and the publisher for the review copy. I will be sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Bookish Books Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books.

Rating 4.5/5

About the book

Summer at the Santorini Bookshop

A Greek island holiday. A fake-dating pact. A chance at true love?

After losing her job as a book scout, hopeless romantic Evie needs a fresh start. So when she hears that her eccentric grandmother has just taken on a small bookshop in Santorini, Evie jumps at the chance to visit her.

But life on the island is not as idyllic as it first seems. Gran has a tempestuous relationship with her landlord and he’s threatening to take the bookshop away from her. So when Gran asks Evie to fake a romance with her landlord’s Greek God of a grandson, Georgios, to keep the family on side, she reluctantly agrees.

As the sun sets on Evie’s Greek holiday, can she save the bookshop – and fake date her way to love?

Purchase Links

US: amzn.to/40rvToW

UK: amzn.to/3u4QJOY

Aust: amzn.to/3QOc6x1


About the author

Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can armchair travel any day of the week. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous heroes who have brains as well as brawn, is falling in love with them – just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with. People with big hearts who care about relationships and believe in true, once in a lifetime love. Her bestselling novel Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop has been optioned for film with MRC studios and Frolic Media.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaRaisinAuthor

www.twitter.com/jaxandwillsmum

https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaraisinwrites2/

https://signup.harpercollins.co.uk/join/signup-hq-rebeccaraisin

Blog Tour: The Bordeaux Book Club by Gillian Harvey

Have you ever tried to start a book club? It can be a bit difficult, especially if you are trying to bring together a group of strangers. In the latest book by Gillian Harvey we meet Grace, Leah, Monica, George and Alfie who are all British expats who have been living in France for varying lengths of time.

Grace decides that she wants to start a book club for English speakers who live in and near Bordeaux. She already knows that her friend Leah will be a member, but she doesn't know how much more interest she will get. She is therefore really pleased to learn that there are several other interested parties, but you never really know if everyone will click, and if they will come back after the first meeting!

Leah and her family moved to the area three years previously with the idea that they would be able to be self sufficient. They have planted the veggies, bought the chickens, but really, it hasn't turned out to be that easy. They have plenty of eggs, although it is a bit of a risk to go in and get them because at least one of the chooks doesn't like Leah but there are only so many egg dishes you can have. Leah's teenage daughter has turned into a moody teenager and her husband is behaving very strangely. It all just feels a bit too hard

Monica is a young mum who lives in a gorgeous apartment in Central Bordeaux. Her husband is away for weeks at a time and she is struggling with caring for herself and a young baby.

George is a tradie who has been living in France for a year working on a renovation, and Alfie moved to France years before with his mother.

Grace is the organiser, the person who volunteers for all sorts of activities, who ensures the food is organised and that everyone has what they need. Whilst she is always happy to be available to listen to everyone else, in a way that can come across as a bit intrusive, she isn't really that open to others. I feel like I have known a Grace in a previous book club, so I was interested to see how the new friendships influenced her behaviour. 

One of the things that I find interesting with book club related books is that the book club choices are always very earnest, lots of classics. and not the kind of book that the reader is reading! It's something that I have noted in previous book club books too.  The classics that they read in the book did prompt some interesting conversations at least.

I've read the last four books by Gillian Harvey, and I can assure you right now, I will read the next four too! One of things that I like about her books is that whilst they are all set in France, the situations are all a bit different and so it doesn't feel like you are reading the same book over and over!

Also, how gorgeous is this cover??

I am sharing this with the Bookish Books Reading Challenge and the New Release Challenge.

Check out other stops on the blog tour to hear other's thoughts on this good read!!

Thanks to the publisher, Rachel's Random Resources and Netgalley for the review copy

Rating 4/5

About the book

The Bordeaux Book Club

Love books? The Bordeaux Book Club is seeking new members!

When Leah and her husband moved to France, it was with the dream of becoming self-sufficient. But in truth, it’s not the ‘good life’ she’d imagined, as three hours of digging barely yields a single straggly carrot. Worse, her teenage daughter is acting up, and her husband seems to find every strange excuse under the hot French sun to disappear.

So when her friend entreats her to join the new bookclub she’s forming, Leah decides it’s something she will do for herself. The chance to make new friends, to drink a few glasses of wine, and to escape into stories that take her miles away from the life she’d thought would be her own happy-ever-after.

But the book club is a strange group of misfits. There’s prickly Grace, who lives alone and seems to know everybody and like no-one. Buttoned-up Monica, who says her husband is away and appears to be parenting her baby all alone. Handsome builder George, who has barely read a book before. And Alfie – who is a full two decades younger than everyone else, and is hiding a devastating secret…

As the stories they read begin to bring the new friends closer together, Leah is about to discover that happy-ever-afters don’t always look how you expect them to…

A gorgeously escapist read from the bestselling author of A Year at the French Farmhouse, perfect for fans of Veronica Henry, Jo Thomas and Fiona Valpy.

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/bookclubsocial

About the author

Internationally best-selling author of contemporary, emotionally compelling and humorous commercial fiction.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gharveyauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GillPlusFive

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gillplusfive/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gillianharveyauthor?lang=en

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/GillianHarveyNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gillian-harvey

Bookish Books Reading Challenge 2024

 I am thinking that I want to do a couple of reading challenges in 2024 in addition to the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I am hosting.

I am playing it a bit safe with the Bookish Books Reading Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books because, well...who doesn't love books about books!

The levels are

Toe in the Door: 1-10 books read
Picking and Perusing: 11-20 books read
Lost in the Stacks: 21-30 books read
Living in the Library: 30+ books read


I am choosing Picking and Perusing!

I am contemplating at least one more challenge. Or maybe two. We'll see. Anyone have a challenge that they love participating in?