This week

I'm reading

Last week I started reading The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport as my selection for Her Story category on the Goodreads Challenge. I was a bit worried that I wasn't going to be able to finishe it before the end of the month as it felt like I was getting through it very slowly! However, it turns out the last 35% of the book were all the footnotes, photos and references so all of a sudden at 65% I was done!   

I also finished reading Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett for my book club selection. The theme this month is books you have borrowed from someone. I borrowed this from Bree at All the Books I Can Read more than 10 years ago so it is probably time I finally read it! Now that I have read it I am wondering what I was waiting for as it was a really good read! You can see the pile of other books above. Our next theme is Mothers and Daughters. I have no idea what I am going to read!

Now I need to get on with my review books for April, so I have read Love Blooms at the Cornish Cafe by Kim Nash. I have a couple of reviews due this week and a couple more next week so hopefully I can get through them

I did also read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans which was a lot of fun. It was due back at the library a couple of days ago so I need to go and return that one and pick up at least one other book that is currently on hold!

I'm watching

We have watched all three previous seasons of the show where Amanda Holden and Alan Carr buy a dilapidated house in Europe and then do it up. The first two seasons were in Italy and the third season was in Spain. This season they are on the Greek island of Corfu. It's a lot of fun


Life


We had a very busy weekend this weekend. I baked, we had brunch with friends at a new cafe on Sunday morning and I had book club on Saturday morning. 

On Friday night we went to see the first of three shows we are seeing at the Melboourne International Comedy Festival. We went and saw Australian comedian Emma Holland in her show, The Dog Dies at the Beginning. It was an interesting show, talking about her reaction to losing her dog. 

On Saturday night we went to see (and hear) the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra do their show Art of the Score, which is when they focus on the music of a particular composer's movie scores. This time it was James Horner so featured music from Avatar, Titanic, Field of Dreams and so much more!

The big news is that we have made a call on our upcoming trip. We had been looking at the state of the world and wondering if we should go or not. We knew we would have to find new flights that didn't go through Dubai. We have decided we are going so booked our new flights over the weekend

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Autumn 2026 To-Read List
Weekend Cooking/Cook the Books: The Language of Food by Annabel Abbs
Mini Reviews: Three Aussie Books






I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date, Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz and the Good Book and a Cup of Tea link up hosted at Boondock Ramblings

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Autumn 2026 To-Read List

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. 

This week the theme is Books on My Spring 2026 To-Read List but as always we are in the opposite season so this is my Autumn 2026 To-Read list

Something in the Air in Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen - If Maggie Christensen has a new book out then I am reading it! Turns out she has this one coming out in April and another stand alone novel coming out in June!

Love Blooms at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash - I do enjoy Kim Nash's books and this is the third book in the Sandpiper Cove series. 

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak - We are meant to be going to Turkiye in a couple of weeks time. I am not sure if that is going to happen or not given the state of the world. I have loved Elif Shafak's other books so this was a good opportunity to read her given that she is a Turkish author.

Gate to Kagoshima by Poppy Kuroki - Someone reviewed the follow up book to this for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge and I was intrigued!

Hot Chocolate on Thursday by Michiko Aoyama - I have read a couple of this Japanese authors books previously so I am keen to read this one 

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson - This is the fourth book in the Ernest Cunningham series. After reading this one I will be all caught up with the series and will have to wait for the next one.

Start at the End by Emma Grey - I am so excited to read this one! I read both of Emma Grey's books last year and they were both 5 star reads. 

Early Mornings at the Laksa Cafe by Janet Tay = The title of this one caught my attention. 

Call of the Camino by Suzanne Redfearn - This is the next Cook the Books selection. I am expecting to feel the need to make something Spanish after reading this!

The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport - Trying to read this one by the end of March as the Her Story category is the last one I need to finish for the current Goodreads Challenges

Top Ten Tuesday: Christmas reads this year

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 hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes. I don't ask for books so I am sharing the last ten Christmassy books I have read!

Best Wishes from the Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki - I didn't realise this was a Christmas book when I decided to read it, but it really is. It is set in the week leading up to Christmas and features talking cats, astrology and amazing sounding food!

Golden Girls on the Run by Judy Leigh - Our Golden Girls end up helping to organise a nativity play in  this book (my review)

The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan - How does getting stuck for Christmas in a crumbling Scottish castle which is full of books sound to you?

Christmas at Hollybush Farm by Jo Thomas - When a community comes together at Christmas, anything can happen. (my review)

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash - This is another book with community events at the centre, especially a Christmas pantomime (my review)

Good Spirits by B K Borison - This is a spin on the idea of the ghost of Christmas past visiting our main character but this is a ghost with a difference. 

The Midwife's Christmas Miracle by Fiona McArthur - My favourite part of this book was the metal ornaments that our main male character was making for our female lead.

A Christmas Gift by Sue Moorcroft - This book features a Christmas play! (my review)

A Family for Christmas in Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen - I love it when we get to read about Christmas as it is in Australia. Warm days and nights, maybe some time by the pool or the beach. (my review)

Christmas on Fifth Avenue by Julie Caplin - I would love to visit New York at Christmas, but if I can't, reading this book has definitely taken me there! (my review)

I have more Christmas books that I have read this year, but these are the last ten. What I didn't do this year is listen to Hogfather by Terry Pratched or The Secret History of Christmas by Bill Bryson. These have been part of my Christmas traditions over the last few years but I just couldn't fit these audiobooks in this year!

I am sharing this post with Comfy Cozy Christmas hosted hosted by Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and Erin from Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.  

This week....

Can you believe it is December already! Before I get into what I have been reading, watching and doing this week, I wanted to mentioned that I will be launching the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge for 2026 on Wednesday! If you love historical fiction, reading challenges or both, please consider joining us!


I'm reading

Last week I finished reading Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash. I reviewed it last week and I think it is her best book of the ones I have read. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai is another series that I really enjoy so I was always going to read the third book, Menu of Happiness. So far, it's making me...happy!

The other book I read this week was Christmas at Hollybush Farm by Jo Thomas, which is set in a struggling farming community in Wales.

I feel like my new normal is to read about 8 or 9 books a month. This month it was 9 book and while I didn't have any 5 star reads, there were 4 books that I gave a rating of 4.5/5 and they are pictured at the top of this post.

Books let our imaginations travel where our feet cannot - Nora Nguyen

Here's where I travelled through books in November

Europe

UK - Dear Mrs Bird, Maame, Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage, Christmas at Hollybush Farm

Ireland - Foster

Asia

Japan - The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park, Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop

Australia

Victoria - The Midwife's Christmas Miracle 

US

Good Spirits 

I'm watching

It's always a good day when the new season of Great British Bake Off starts. I have already watched two episodes and I am now waiting for inspiration to strike so that I can start baking again!

I did watch my first Christmas movie this week, which is a bit of a late start for this year. Fortunately I thought Champagne Problems was a good one, but there was always every likelihood that it was going to be when it is set in France, features a handsome French man and a beautiful chateau in the wine region of France!

We did watch a really interesting documentary series this week. It is called When the War is Over and it is hosted by actor Rachel Griffiths. It looks at the role of art in all it's forms in telling the story of war. The first episode was all about the impact of the movie Gallipolli in telling the story of Aussies in WWI. The second episode focussed on two songs which profoundly impacted the way that Vietnam veterans were viewed after they returned to normal life. The two songs are Khe Sanh by Cold Chisel and Nineteen by Redgum which is a song that quite often makes me cry! It's so poignant. You can watch the video for Nineteen on Youtube.

Other episodes focus on Afghanistan and the role of the official war painter, the role of music in helping prisoners of war cope with their incarceration in Singapore's Changi prison during WWII, and finally the Australian wars which is basically the story of the killings of Aboriginal men and women as the British colonised their lands. 

Here's an intro video about the series

I did also catch 3 episodes of Dish podcast this week on Youtube. It is a show that just brings me so much joy. I watched the episodes with Bob Mortimer, Millie Bobbie Brown and the live show with Jack Whitehall.


Life

We went and enjoyed an afternoon tea with friends yesterday. We have been to the Oxi Tea Rooms before but the menu changes regularly so it was different experience. The menu was called Palete Through Time: Before and so the dishes were inspired by different eras from Ancient Egypt through to Elizabethan era through to now. As usual the food looked spectacular and tasted amazing too. Interestingly, one of the features of this experience was that each dish was accompanied by a different scent. 

The menu actually changes in two days to something completely different, so I will be trying to visit Oxi Tea Rooms again to try that menu!

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: The last ten author events I have been to
Blog Tour: Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash
Weekend Cooking: Eating on Trains
Festive Treats so far....





I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date, Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz and the Good Book and a Cup of Tea link up hosted at Boondock Ramblings

Blog tour: Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash

 

Welcome back to Sandpiper Shore. In the first book in the series we met Jo who had just moved to the town as well as her two new friends, Michelle and Emma. The second book in the series is Emma's story!

Emma is a widow who lives on the same property as her friends Jo and Michelle. She is actively involved in the community as an organiser for the Lonely Hearts Club, which helps her fill her days and brings together lonely members of the community for different activities. She has no interest in meeting someone new, although her friends are trying to convince her that she is still young enough.

One day Emma is talking to the local vicar and his wife, and finds herself roped into organising a pantomime to raise funds for the local air ambulance. Back in her youth, she had been rehearsing for a version of Romeo and Juliet where she was Juliet when her heart was broken by her Romeo, a boy called Tom. Unable to face him, Emma became involved in the activities behind the scenes and loved it while someone else took the role of Juliet!

Complicating matters, that same boy has recently moved into the local area and is encouraged by his daughter to join the pantomime company. Tom went on to marry the girl who replaced Emma. Now a widower, he has returned from his life in Australia and is looking to settle into the community. And the chemistry between the two is still there! (Oh, yes it is!)

Emma now has a lot to do in a very short time from writing the script (which is inspired by Cinderalla), finding her cast, organising costumes, the stage sets, ticket sales and so much more. She doesn't have time to be distracted. And when her leading lady makes it clear that she has eyes for Tom, Emma can't face the idea that history might repeat itself. But what if Emma doesn't know the whole story of what happened all those years ago? Would that change things for her now?

This book has a cracking start which made me smile from the opening paragraph:

Two years ago I lost two things. One was my husband. The other was myself. I must be really careless because as if that wasn't enough, while out for lunch one day with my friends, I also lost my dignity.

And the enjoyment continued all the way through the book. I particularly enjoyed getting to know Emma as she started to recognise that she has allowed herself to be shaped by her husband and has tended to ignore her own needs. Now, though, that can change as she realises that she can live life on her own terms, even if that is from the simplest thing like not making sure the cushions on the couch are perfectly lined up. 

The pantomime performance is front and centre of the whole story (oh yes it is!) and I loved a couple of the character's performances in particular, but you will have to read the book to find out who they are! The pantomime is very much associated with a British Christmas season. A couple of years ago I went to a pantomime that was put on by a community theatre group in Perth and it was a lot of fun! I was so tempted to put in way more pantomime lines like "It's behind you. Oh no it isn't! Oh, yes it is" in my post. I feel I was very constrained by only including two! 

I have read quite a few of Kim Nash's books set in Cornwall, and I think this is her best yet! Bring on the next one. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. The blog tour for this book is a collaboration between three different tour organisers so thanks to the publisher for the review copy and Rachel's Random Resourced, Random Things Tours and Compulsive Readers Blog Tours for the opportunity to take part in this bumper blog tour! Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4.5/5

 

About the book

When life gives you heartbreak , sometimes it also gives you a second chance… 

When Tom Sullivan returns to the quiet village of Sandpiper Shore, Emma can hardly believe her eyes. She hasn’t seen him since they played Romeo and Juliet in their school play – a lifetime ago, before real heartbreak, and long before she ever imagined life as a widow.

The last thing she wants is to relive the past, especially with someone who once made her teenage heart flutter. But when Emma agrees to put on a charity pantomime to raise money for the air ambulance service that helped her late husband, she’s thrown firmly back into Tom’s path.

As rehearsals begin and the local community rallies around her, Emma finds unexpected joy in bringing people together – and a surprising connection with Tom that feels far too real to ignore. Maybe it’s time for Emma to become the leading lady in her own life, not just for the show, but for herself.

Full of warmth, humour and heart, this is a story about letting go and discovering that it’s never too late to take a chance on love.

 

About the author

 

Kim Nash is the bestselling author of uplifting, heartwarming, romantic, feel-good fiction. She has wanted to write books since she was a little girl. Her other dream, is to live in a home that has a view of a golden sandy beach and the sea sparkling in the sunlight. Until that dream comes true, she’ll continue to write second chance romances about women who live or move to the seaside on her behalf. She is published by Boldwood Books.

One of her greatest writing achievements is to be nominated for the Kindle Storyteller Award in 2020, and she was delighted when Claudia Winkleman had read her book and said it was 'Totally warm and absolutely lovely.'

She lives in Staffordshire with her son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni, is Author Community Director for publisher Bookouture (a division of Hachette UK) and, as an avid reader, started her career in the publishing industry as a book blogger.

When she's not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog at Cannock Chase, reading and binge-watching TV. She's also quite partial to a spa day, lemon drizzle cake and a gin and tonic (not all at the same time!)

Kim also runs a book club in Staffordshire and organises local and national reader/author events.

This week

I'm reading

It's November and the best of 2025 lists are coming out. It always bemuses me a little bit because there are still 5 weeks of year left and I still might not have read my best book of year yet! The other thing that I am always left wondering at the end of the year is what have I been reading. I have read some really great books this year, and have read more 5 star books this year than I have in the the two previous years combined. However, when I look at all the best of lists, I haven't read any of them!

I finished three books this week. The first was Letters from the Ginza Shihodo Stationery Shop by Kenji Ueda. This is another of the Japanese book which have a number of stories that are really only linked by location and theme. In this case, the location was a stationery shop. I loved all the talk of pens and notebooks and the like, but I am not sure this one worked completely for me.

By contrast, I loved  Good Spirits by B K Borison and started telling my friend to read it when I had only read the first chapter. It was so much fun and I am really looking forward to the second book of the series coming out in the second half of next year.

I was trying to get through my library books which I can't extend again, and so I picked up Foster by Claire Keegan. This is such a small book, less than 100 pages, but Keegan definitely knows how to tell a great story, about not a lot, in very few words! I am already looking forward to reading more from her.

I am currently reading Kim Nash's Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage and I am having so much fun with it! The main character is producing a pantomime which is very British Christmas to me. My review for this one will be up in the next few days for the blog tour.

I thought I had gone to my last author event for the year but it turns out I have two more in me. Last week I went to see Holly Brunbauuer talk about her book What Did I Miss? at my old library system. It's funny because the branch we went to is at the major shopping centre in the area but I had never been in the branch before even though it's been open for years! I have another library event this week  and then maybe that will be it for the year. Maybe!


I'm watching



We went to the movies on Saturday night to see The Choral which is showing as part of the British Film Festival. The movie stars Ralph Fiennes as a choirmaster who is recruited to lead the choir of a Yorkshire town. He's a controversial choice because he has spent a lot of time in Germany. It also follows the lives of some of the younger people in the village who face the inevitability of being sent to the War and the impact of the conflict on life.  It was a really lovely movie! If you've read either of the last two books by Helena Simonson you might enjoy this! Here's the trailer:

Life


We went to a lovely lunch with my sister and brother in law on a moving restaurant called Q Train. It was yet another meal on a train, although as far as I know that is the last one for the year.

We moved into this house 3 years ago. It was built new so there wasn't anything major to be done but there were still projects. This week, my lovely, handy husband finished building a deck by our front door. We upcycled the wood from my sister's old deck and it came up a treat! Now to the next two, much bigger projects. 

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Classics I Haven't Read
The Lucky Sisters by Rachael Johns
Dear Mrs Bird by A J Pearce
Cook the Books: Maame by Jessica George
Spell the Month in Books: November




I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date, Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz and the Good Book and a Cup of Tea link up hosted at Boondock Ramblings

Top Ten Tuesday: Animal Companions

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Animal Companions (These animals can be real or fantasy!) (submitted by P.S. I Love Books)

I was thinking about just doing a post with the word dog in the title, but it turns out I already did that a couple of years ago and I would have used a lot of the same titles! Instead, I am choosing books where there are dogs in the books. First though, here's a recent picture of our good boi, Max.

Now, onto the books!

A Snowy River Summer by Stella Quinn - Features a black labrador named Herbert.

Snowy Mountain's Daughter by Alissa Callen - There is a kelpie named Bundy in her series who just moves from place to place around town, whereever he is needed! (My review)

The Woman Who Met Herself by Laura Pearson - One of the characters, Debbie, starts walking a dog called Bonnie. (My review)

The Recipe for Happiness by Jane Lovering - Seren finds herself temporarily owning a Collie called Kez. Or is it temporary? (My review)

The Mirror by Nora Roberts - Mooks, Jones and Yoda! With all the books that Nora Roberts has written how on earth does she come up with character names and then have multiple dogs in the story too! I'm listening to this one at the moment!

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - How could anyone forget Six-Thirty the dog? (My review)

Starting over at Starlight Cottage by Debbie Viggiano - Tilly tells her dog Cindy all her secrets. I mean, I talk to Max. I am not sure that he is that good at keeping secrets. (My review)

Hopefuly Hearts at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash - Gladys the labrador plays a big part in this book. (My review)

A Christmas Surprise in Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen - When Molly the dog gets sick, Rachel takes her to the vet and meets the vet locum, Luke, who just happens to be her first love. (My review)

Muster Dogs: From Pups to Pros by Lisa Millar- I haven't actually read this but it is the book that accompanies the Muster Dog TV series, which I adore!

Blog Tour: The Cornish Cottage by the Sea by Kim Nash

 

After really enjoying all the books in Kim Nash's Cornish Cove series, there was no way I was going to miss her latest book, which is the first in a new series. We are still in Cornwall, but this time it is in a village called Sandpiper Shore.

When Jo Jenkins inherits a cottage by the sea from her ex-husband's aunt, she is most surprised, especially seeing as she hasn't seen Aunt June for many years. Jo's divorce from Michael has left her battered and bruised in more ways than one. Her two daughters don't mean to take her their dad's side, but they expect her to just be around to be at their beck and call like she was as a stay at home mum. She was cleaned out financially but somehow he was still able to keep their expensive holiday home in Spain where he now lives with Jo's ex-best friend, Claudia.. Jo also feels like she doesn't have many true friends any more. 

With her beloved mum's encouragement, Jo decides that she will do the unthinkable. She is going to move into the cottage in Cornwall, sight unseen. She does second guess herself a bit when she arrives. It is not the picture perfect cottage that she fell desperately in love with all those years ago. It is falling apart, it is full of stuff that she will need to sort through, and the outbuildings all need a lot of work too. What it does still have is an amazing beachfront location and a ton of potential. 

The sheer amount of work and money needed to do it is overwhelming though. Fortunately, Jo meets handyman Seamus, apparently the hottest single man in the village, who is willing to help out with ideas and costing estimates, and more if she will let him. Jo also meets two woman who she instantly bonds with, Emma and Michelle, and soon she is building a new life for herself, much to Michael's disgust. 

The part of this book that really resonated with me was the conversations about what it means to be lonely, and how hard it is to get out of that space. Whilst I have my lovely husband, I do find myself struggling with friendships and some family members at the moment. Everyone is so busy so it feels like unless I organise something then I won't see people and I feel invisible, which is how Jo felt with her family too. I admire how Jo, along with her new friends, proactively did something to make new friends, and also to reach out to other lonely people in the community as well. 

There were a couple of things in this book which had me stop and pause. One was a twist that was a bit too coincidental, and a bit of miscommunication but otherwise this was a good read,. I also am not sure I get the cottage. I get that it is bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. It is also described as being in a resort but having outbuildings large enough to convert into accommodation. Maybe my idea of what a resort is is a bit different to how they are in Cornwall. Oh well, it's a minor thing. Regardless, I look forward to reading the next books in the series!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. 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 Cornish Cottage by the Sea

A new start by the sea…

For Jo Jenkins, life has always been about putting others first. But with her children grown and her ex-husband as rotten as ever, she knows it’s time to put herself at the heart of the story. So, when she inherits a beautiful beachside cottage in Cornwall, she grabs the chance to start over.

The crumbling old cottage needs a little love, but so does Jo. And with the help of her new friends – a kind-hearted jeweller, a no-nonsense businesswoman, and a local Jack of all trades with a past of his own – Jo begins to rebuild more than just bricks and mortar.

But tucked away inside the cottage is a secret that could change everything. As the waves roll in and the sea air clears her mind, Jo must decide if she’s ready to let go of the past. Will she finally learn to embrace the life she truly deserves?

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

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Books with the Word Cafe in the Title

 Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Books with the Word “[Insert Word Here]” in the Title (Choose a word and find ten books with that word in the title.)

My initial thought was to use the word girl but in the last few days I have read a couple of really good books which both had the word cafe in the title, so I am going with that! 

The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe by Alexander McCall Smith - This is book number 15 in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series

The Cafe by the Bridge by Lily Malone - This is the second book in a trilogy set in in southern Western Australia.

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webb - I loved this book when I read it a few years ago (my review)

Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - This is the second book in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series

The Custard Tart Cafe by Isabella May - Just thinking about this book makes me want to eat a Portuguese Custard Tart! (my review)

The Enchanted Garden Cafe by Abigail Drake - This is the first book in a series set in Pittsburgh. (my review)

Finding Family at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash - whoops. Had this recorded in my spreadsheet as Finding Family at the Cornish Cafe. It is, however, set in a cafe so I am keeping it! It is the second book in the lovely Cornish Cove series. (my review)

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore - This is the first book in the very popular Dream Harbor series.

The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe by Catherine Greer - I just read this last week and I loved it. I will be reviewing it in a couple of weeks.

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods - Whoops this is a bakery not cafe but it was such a good read I am going to count it anyway! 

I am also going to be sharing this post with Weekend Cooking which I host here! 

Top Ten Tuesday: A new start

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is "Destination Titles (titles with name of places in them. These places can be real or fiction!) (this was a topic Rachel @ Sunny Side came up with for a freebie week last year and has let me steal it!)". 

Now I have done this topic numerous times in one variation or another and I probably could just do another whole post with Paris in the title and not duplicate from the last time I did it, but I will save that for Paris in July next year.

Instead, this week, I am going to keep it simple. These are the last ten books I have read where one or both of the main characters has moved to a new location. Most of these will be escape lit - set in other countries like France and Italy but others are just new starts in the character's home country:

Poppy's Parisian Patisserie by Daisy James - Poppy is a baker who goes to Paris to help out in the patisserie owned by her brother's friend. (review)

An Island Promise by Kate Frost - Three friends come back together in Ibiza ten years after a momentous holiday. (review)

A French Country Escape by Jennifer Bohnet - A brother and sister move to France for a new start (review)

Falling for Provence by Alison Roberts - Ellie agrees to stay in Provence to renovate the cottage that she and her sisters have inherited (review)

The Little Provence Book Shop by Gillian Harvey - Adeline and her daughter move to France after finding out that she was adopted as a child (review)

One Winter at the French Chalet by Mandy Baggot - Journalist Orla accepts a last minute job in a small village called Saint-Chambéry to write a story about a mute man and a pregnant reindeer. (review)

In Italy for Love by Leonie Mack - Jules moved to Italy for love, but it didn't work out. Now she is going to work on a homestay farm for as long as it takes for her to be able to head back to Australia. (review)

A Recipe for Christmas by Jo Thomas - Clara takes a risk and moves to Switzerland where she is going to do a fun course in chocolate making. I am planning to review this one shortly

The Bookshop at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash - Dennis is visiting his grandmother in Driftwood Bay when he meets Nancy who runs the local bookshop (review)

A Little Place in Prague by Julie Caplin - Anna is moving to Prague for a few months for a cultural exchange. She doesn't expect to meet her ex, Leo, there. (review)

Do you enjoy a new start romance?

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

This week...

I'm reading

This week I finished listening to Stanley Tucci's new book What I Ate in One Year (and related thoughts) which I reviewed here. I think started and finished Toshikazu Kawaguchi's latest book in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series which is called Before We Forget Kindness. Whilst I still really love the stories, I am finding myself noticing when the rules related to the time travel element of the book are getting a bit fluid. I also notice that my coffee (or tea as the case may be) seems to get cold much more slowly than the coffee does in the book.

I am currently debating whether to do a short-ish easy listening romance as my next audiobook, or if I should commit to a meatier, longer audiobook now that I have more time on my hands. Not sure. I think I am leaning towards the latter but I will need to make a decision soon. 

I also finished reading The Bookshop at the Cornish Cove by Kim  Nash. I then started reading A Little Place in Prague by Julie Caplin. I have reviews due for both of these later this week.

We had our read on a theme book club meeting on Saturday and here are just some of the books that people read for our theme of Going Back.

I'm watching


We watched a movie this weekend called The Great Escaper. It stars Michael Caine as a WWII soldier who escapes from his nursing home to go back to France for the 70th anniversary of D Day. It was a lovely movie. It was apparently Michael Caine's last role and it was also Glenda Jackson's final role before she died. It is actually based on a true story.

It turns out that Pierce Brosnan made a movie inspired by the same story, although it is a different story other than those key facts. We saw that this movie was also available on streaming so we watched this one too. This movie was called The Last Rifleman. This was good in a different way. If I had to pick just one it would be The Great Escaper but they were both worth watching.

Here's the trailer for The Great Escaper

Life


Last week I went to an author event featuring Australian chef Annie Smithers and baker Nadine Ingram. It was such a fun night. They talked about their shared philosophies around food, about knowing their limits and more. I resisted the urge to buy their books, particularly Nadine's but I have just borrowed her first book from the library.

I went with my friend who is also in the book club with me. Ever since we have been doing this book club, I had suggested doing food related books but no one was ever interested so I had given up. This week my friend had the brilliant idea that we should do food or cooking for the next theme!!! At least I know that I have dozens of books that I can read that fit this prompt already on my Kindle!

I mentioned last week that I had some changes in my world. I have left my job, and my intention is to spend a couple of months not doing much at all until the new year when I will start looking for my next role. The idea is that I will read, bake, watch TV series and go to the movies, go for walks, do all those things that I never have time for like going to doctors. That's the plan at least. So far, after one week, I am coping surprisingly well really. I am very fortunate to be in a position to be able to do this and to have my lovely husband's full support.


Max


I'm a little bit worried about Maxxie boy. He just doesn't seem like himself, and his face is very, very thin. We took him to the vet on Friday so we are just waiting to hear what is going on.

Posts from the last week


Top Ten Tuesday: October Reads

Blog Tour: In Italy For Love

Weekend Cooking: What I Ate in One Year (and Other Related Thoughts) by Stanley Tucci

I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date

This week...

I'm reading

This week I finished reading A Recipe for Christmas by Jo Thomas. This isn't the first festive story I have read and it definitely won't be the last. As soon as I read the first line I knew this was a book I was going to enjoy and I was right. It's set in Switzerland and it's all about chocolate. Delicious. And the opening line:

How many Lindor chocolates can you fit into your mouth at the same time? Three isn't as easy as you may think.

Next up I started reading The Bookshop at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash which is the fourth book in the Cornish Cove series. We all know that books about books are always fab, and so far I have been happily engrossed in this one.

On the audiobook front I finished listening to The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods which was good, without being great.  I was very excited to then start What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci. 




I'm watching


Well, the America's Cup is run and won for this year. Congratulations to team New Zealand. I must confess, this is the first time I have really paid much attention to the America's Cup but my husband loves all things sailing so I suspect it might not be the last time

The new series of Dessert Masters started last week. This show comes from the makers of Masterchef and features professional pastry chefs making extraordinary creations. Everything looks absolutely amazing.

We also started watching Shrinking. We are only two episodes in but I think we will probably keep watching.


Life

There's been big changes in my world this week. I'll talk more about this in due course. Just need to do some processing about what it all means.

We did go and see the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra playing the music of John Williams on the weekend. Lots of fun.

After a year of doing Duolingo I also started French lessons this week. I intend to just do a term and then see how I feel but I did like it last week, so tres bon so far!

Posts from the last week





Weekend Cooking: Cookbooks I want to buy 




I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date