Weekend Cooking: The Slow Cooker Supper Club by Sue Heath

 

Erin can't believe that she has made such a major oversight. As a seasoned traveller, she should know the expiry date of her passport and so it is embarrassing when she can't board the plane on her latest trip. Now she needs to apply for a new passport, so she needs somewhere to stay for as long as that will take.

When her aunt lines up a housesitting gig with her friend Marie, who is off on a four-month cruise, Erin says yes, knowing full well (and disclosing) that she probably won't stay for the whole time. Once she has her passport, she will be off again. Marie has only a couple of requests. Erin will need to care for her dog, Bella, and keep an eye on her section of the community allotment. Oh, and she needs to continue to host the Thursday Night Slow Cooker Supper Club.

Not long before Marie's husband passed away, he bought her a slow cooker. It sat in the cupboard for a while but one day Marie decided she would use it and invite her neighbours in the Station Cottages to join her, and the Thursday Night Slow Cooker Supper Club was born. 

The club became a weekly highlight for all the neighbours. There is Eva, the elderly but still feisty and nosy neighbour. There are Phil (as in Philomena) and Johh who both have suffered losses and then newcomer Danny, who is recovering from a breakup and trying to decide what direction he wants to take in his career. Together they forge friendships and a sense of community that sees them working together

When Marie goes on her cruise, they are going to miss her, but they are also keen to get to know Erin. Erin doesn't necessarily want them to get to know her. She has been moving from one place to another for years and so doesn't really form friendships, but it doesn't take long before she feels part of the little community. The longer she stays, the more settled she feels.

She is a bit daunted by the supper club as she isn't much of a cook, but with the direction of the local butcher, she is soon able to rustle up a dish and bring some of her own experiences to the table. 

However, there are reasons why Erin has made some of the decisions she has made, and staying in one place and growing friendships with her neighbours has her reexamining her life and maybe thinking about reaching out to her family. The one person she doesn't need to reexamine her relationship with is her ex, Tim. Will Tim get in the way of her growing friendship with Danny?

As you would expect with a book set in a supper club, there are plenty of mentions of food ranging from Poulet Breton to ox tail stew, pulled pork and bread and butter pudding I did think that food would be more central to the story, and would love to have seen a recipe or two at the end of the book 

This is my third book by Sue Heath. I absolutely adored The Secret Ingredient and loved The Storytellers. This one, I liked a lot, but if I had to rank them, then this would be the third on the list. Interestingly, Sue Heath also writes romances under the name Zara Stoneley

What each of the books by Sue Heath has in common is the coming together of a group of people to form a found family, but she does it in a way that feels quite organic and not contrived at all! Whenever I finish one of her books I am already looking forward to the next one, and this time is no exception!

We love our pressure cooker/slow cooker combo appliance. Maybe this week we will pull it out of the cupboard and use it. It has been a while. 

I am sharing this review with Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story and with the New Release Challenge hosed at The Chocolate Lady's Book Blog

Rating 4/5

Weekly meals

Saturday -  Nothing
Sunday - Out for dinner
Monday - Pasta Alfredo
Tuesday - Chicken Stir fry and rice
Wednesday - Italian Meatballs
Thursday - Steak, egg and chips
Friday - Takeaway

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 in the comments. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

Blog Tour: The Nile Cruise by Caroline James

 

When widow Hattie Mulberry needs to get out of her charming country cottage while her bathroom is being renovated, she decides it is a good idea to go on a holiday, but where can she go? There are so many options. However, once she thinks about her favourite author, she knows where she wants to go. She is going to take a cruise down the Nile, following in the footsteps of Agatha Christie who is not only her favourite author but also an inspiration. Hattie works as a private investigator, but she is looking forward to a break from that.

Once onboard, Hattie meets a cast of other characters. There is Canadian Sylvie and her son Ezra who are travelling through Europe together. Whilst Sylvie has arrived safely in Egypt, her luggage has not, so it isn't long before she is borrowing Hattie's clothes. Ezra seems to be obsessed with the idea of curses and very reserved for a young man his age. Maybe it is to do with travelling with his mother?

Other passengers include Peter, a sausage maker who lives in a make-believe world where he is a spy, and Gerald and his much younger, and very glamourous, wife Anushka. She likes to think of herself as an influencer and as such, she isn't really that interested in the history or the scenery, apart from thinking about how she can use it for her Insta photos. But behind the glamour, not everything is picture perfect, and they are not the only people on board who find themselves sharing their feelings and secrets with the people they just met.

Unlike Anushka, my favourite thing about this book is the various locations with the scenery and the excursions along with the associated history. I have long wanted to visit Egypt, but we haven't made it yet. Maybe some time in the next decade. Also on my list of things to do is a river cruise. We have done several ocean cruises, but never a river one. Maybe I can convince my husband to combine the two. 

Caroline James likes to bring characters from previous books back into the current book for another period in the spotlight, and in this book, it is Hattie that is the recycled character. She has previously starred in at least three other books. While I get that this is a boon for readers who have been reading her books for a long time, I have only come to her books in the last few years. As someone who prefers to read series in order, it is a bit uncomfortable for me not having read the previous stories, but in this case I was able to glean enough of the backstory, and to realise that the events in this book represent a new start for Hattie.

There are moments in this that are perhaps a bit over the top, but if you are looking for a fun, escapist read that takes you to some of the most iconic sites in the world, then this book ticks all the boxes. I will be interested to see where Caroline James takes her readers next! And which characters she brings back as well.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. This was a book that I nominated as one of my 20 Books of Winter. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley 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

The Nile Cruise

Sail down The Nile this summer on a voyage of discovery…and just a little bit of mystery!

Will an adventure sailing The River Nile turn the tide for Hattie?

Hattie Mulberry is exhausted. Worn out from the demands of everyone around her, she’s long overdue a break. So, she decides to take a holiday – the adventure of a lifetime, following in the footsteps of her literary hero, Agatha Christie.

Before Hattie knows it, she’s embarking on a glamorous Nile cruise. Not only a voyage steeped in history and world-famous sights, but one where the passengers are almost as fascinating as the views from her luxurious cabin…

As the eclectic band of travellers journey between ancient temples and legendary tombs, guided by handsome Egyptologist Sam, secrets surface, desires awaken, and tensions simmer beneath the Egyptian sun.

Will the magic of moonlit nights on the Nile bring romance and renewal? Or will the infamous curse of Tutankhamun cast a shadow when least expected?

A gloriously escapist read full of sun, secrets and romance, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Judy Leigh.

 

Purchase Link

https://geni.us/TNCK   The Nile Cruise

About the author

Caroline James is the celebrated author of later-life fiction, including THE CRUISE, the #1 best-seller that has captivated cruise ship passengers worldwide, earning its reputation as Girl Power for the Over-Sixties! Her eagerly anticipated follow-up cruise novels, include THE CRUISE CLUB, and THE ARCTIC CRUISE both hitting the Amazon Top 100 Kindle charts.

Caroline’s vibrant storytelling stems from her colourful career. Before becoming a full-time writer, she carved out a fascinating path in the hospitality industry, owning a charming country house hotel and a lively pub. As a media agent, she worked closely with celebrity chefs, giving her an insider’s perspective on the glitz, glamour, and grit of the culinary world. When she finally turned her focus to writing, she discovered her true calling, penning best-selling novels that have garnered her legions of fans.

When she’s not writing, Caroline enjoys tranquil walks with Fred, her Westie, and writing and plotting her next novels in her Scottish retreat. As a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the SoA, ARRA, and the Society of Women’s Writers & Journalists, Caroline is a passionate advocate for the written word and a champion of life-long creativity

Books by Caroline James:

 

The Nile Cruise

The Arctic Cruise

Atticus Arnott’s Great Adventure

The Cruise Club

The French Cookery School

The Cruise

The Spa Break

Hattie Goes to Hollywood

Boomerville at Ballymegille

The Best Boomerville Hotel

Coffee Tea the Gypsy & Me

Coffee Tea the Chef & Me

Coffee Tea the Caribbean & Me

Jungle Rock

 

 

Social Media Links –

www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Twitter: @CarolineJames12

Facebook: Caroline James Author

Insta: Caroline James Author

Blog Tour: The Secret Dressmaker by Jenny O'Brien

 

When Flora Toussaint was a young woman she found herself in the unhappy predicament of being pregnant to an older man.  After giving birth to twin girls, she reluctantly hands them over to their father and flees to Ireland with no intention of ever returning to France.

Fast forward 18 years, Flora is now working in a parachute factory in WWII when she is approached by British intelligence. They suspect the girl's father, famous couturier Lucien Lumineau, is a collaborator. More alarmingly, one of her daughters has disappeared.

Taking the opportunity to leave her unhappy marriage, Flora finds herself living in a room above a brothel, her nearest neighbour is a singer named Edith (as in Piaf) and she is tasked with finding out whether Lucien is indeed a collaborator. It also gives her the chance to find out what happened to her daughters. She had believed that Lucien was raising both of their daughters with his glamourous wife Sabine, but it turns out the truth was very different.

Whilst working in the wardrobe department at the famous Moulin Rouge, Flora is able to use her skills as a seamstress to not only help maintain the gorgeous costumes but she also helps develop an ingenious way of delivering messages across enemy lines using a simple code. With the help of her Paris contact, a Paris wine merchant, she is able to work out her own complicated history and maybe find a future. It won't be without danger and challenges though! 

There is a lot that happens in this book, and at least two things that I was surprised by.  I was also a bit surprised when I realised that there was a character from the previous book, The Resistance Knitting Club which I reviewed here, that played a key role in this book. Don't let that worry you though. I didn't make the connection until I was looking to see if Tomas had appeared in the earlier book or not. 

I mentioned Edith Piaf but she isn't the only big name cameo to make an appearance. Lucien's work as a designer brings him into contact with the great, the good and the not so good in Paris!

I am already looking forward to the next book in this series. If I was to hazard a guess, I think the next book might feature Marguerette and it might feature crocheting! Of course, I could be wrong!

I am sharing this review with New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here.  This is also one of the books I nominated for 20 Books of Winter. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the blog tour below.

Rating 4/5

About the Book

The Secret Dressmaker

Shelves of sequins in a kaleidoscope of colours. Bolts of silk and tulle against the back wall. The sewing room was the last place anyone had seen her daughter alive.

Northern Ireland, 1942. Flora Toussaint packs parachutes for the RAF, haunted by the twin daughters she was forced to give up eighteen years ago. When British intelligence shows her photographs of her girls – now young women in occupied Paris – her world shifts. One is safe. One has vanished. And their father, the celebrated couturier Lucien Lumineau, is suspected of collaborating with the Nazis.

Flora agrees to a dangerous mission: parachute into France, pose as a seamstress at the Moulin Rouge, and uncover the truth. Lodging above a brothel where Edith Piaf sings after hours and where Pablo Picasso still holds court, she mends costumes between shows, searches for any trace of her missing daughter between curfews, and circles closer to Lucien.

But Lucien isn’t the man she remembers. Neither is their history. And what Flora discovers will unravel everything she thought she knew – about Lucien, about her daughters, and about the night she gave them away.

A sweeping tale of wartime Paris, family secrets and impossible choices. Fans of Kate Quinn, Pam Jenoff and Kristin Hannah will be mesmerised by The Secret Dressmaker.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Dressmaker-Jenny-OBrien-ebook/dp/B0GSVGSK36

https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Dressmaker-Jenny-OBrien-ebook/dp/B0GSVGSK36

About the author

Jenny O’Brien writes complex thrillers and heartbreaking historical fiction, as well as intriguing romances. Silent Cry, initially self published, topped the Amazon kindle chart in both the UK and the USA. Most of her books have followed suit.

Jenny has over 40 years experience as a qualified nurse. She turned to creative writing as a hobby when her children were born. Now, 20 years later, she's retired from the day job to focus on writing. She's currently working on the third book in the Threads Series.

Born in Ireland, she now lives in Guernsey with her husband and children.

Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/JennyOBrienWriter/

https://www.instagram.com/scribblerjb/

https://x.com/ScribblerJB

: Summer at the French Bakery by Jo Thomas

 

July is coming to an end, and so to is Paris in July! I just had time to squeeze in one more read set in France, and only just enough time to actually write the review!

I have read a number of Jo Thomas books over the last few years and I have enjoyed them all. I love the way that she incorporates food into all of her story. Over the years I have visited Italian towns with lasagne wars, a chocolate school in the alps, an oyster farm in Ireland and a German Christmas market amongst other places. This time we are in a small town in France!

Juliet has just gone through treatment for cancer and as a result she wants to make some changes in her life. She convinces her husband Pete that a holiday in France is just what the doctor ordered. There they find an unused water mill and in her mind she can see that it will make the perfect salon de thé. The only problem is that she can't see herself doing this with Pete. He is quite content with his life that is filled with routine. Juliet does not want that anymore. Her children are all grown up with lives of their own so they don't need her as much as they used to. Can she follow her dream of reinvigorating the water mill on her own?

Juliet's plan after refreshing the décor is to open a salon de thé where she can serve cakes and tea in an elegant lake side setting. However, it isn't too long before she hits her first hurdles. First, there is the mayor who wants Juliet to reopen the town boulangerie which has been closed for years and he won't support her plans unless she agrees to it. Now, there is only a tabac in town, and that only has a few customers. The town is served by a bread vending machine which is maintained by a slimy baker from a nearby town. He is not happy at the prospect of a rival taking his customers, especially given that Juliet rejected his advances.

As an aside, recently I was at the supermarket when I witnessed the check out operator doing something that I thought would be sacrilegious, but apparently the customer was asking her to do it. He had bought at least a dozen bread rolls including several baguettes which she folded in half to fit in a shopping bag!  I made a joke about man not being able to live on bread alone. Turns out he didn't speak English and so he didn't get my joke. I was shocked at the folding of the baguette, so the idea that you could buy a baguette from a vending machine in France is similarly shocking to me

Back to the book, the biggest issue is that Juliet doesn't know how to bake bread, particularly not the delicious, crusty, fluffy French bread that the town deserves. And in order to be called a boulangerie, the bread must be baked on premises. Juliet can make a lovely Victoria Sponge and a very nice Lemon Drizzle cake, but not bread. Juliet is going to need all the help that she can get, especially in getting the right ingredients to give it the right taste and texture. After all, there are only four ingredients in bread - flour, water, salt and water.  But in order to get the help she needs she is going to win over the gorgeous tabac owner Laurent and her grumpy upstairs neighbour who is initially opposed to Juliet's plan for her own reasons.

I liked that the author showed that it isn't easy to just decide to move to France anymore. Juliet had to meet certain criteria in order to get the right visas to be able to keep her French dream alive and the mayor's conditions might put that all at risk. Whilst this story is all about taking a chance on a new life, but I was really moved by Juliet's friendship with Annie who is undergoing her own treatment back in the UK.

Once again, food and community are right at the centre of Jo Thomas's books. It would have been nice to have a bit more of a feel about where in France the book was set but this was another fun read from an author who really knows how to draw the reader in, and to make you wish that you could eat a delicious baguette right now!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, with Weekend Cooking which I host here, with Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story and with Paris in July hosted at Words and Peace. 

Rating 4/5

The Seaside Book Club by Helen Rolfe

 

LIke many of us I am a sucker for a book about books. As soon as I saw this title I knew I needed to read it, particularly given that I know that I enjoy Helen Rolfe's writing.

The centre of this book is an unusual international book club. The members of the club are mainly in the UK and Australia. Given the time difference that means that, for the UK members, the meetings occur in the middle of the night. As someone who is often awake in the middle of the night this does sound appealing, although, to be fair, I never actually get out of bed then. I usually play games or red.

Howard loves meeting online with other book lovers from across the world. He is one of the stalwarts of the group, ever present, and often providing a sounding board to the other members. He loves books so much that he bought a bookshop when he retired. Now, he is fighting off the developers for as long as he can, to keep his bookshop dream alive

Margot attends the midnight book club in secret. Her controlling husband sleeps very heavily and she can sneak into another room and talk freely with the other members. If he had any idea of her activities, she knows he would absolutely put a stop to it. She does not however share her struggles with her friends, not even when she decides that she has had enough and secretly makes plans to leave.

The leader, for want of a better word, is Faye. She inherited the book club from her aunt and she is determined to keep it running, despite the fact that people she counted as true friends are leaving thanks to a huge scandal involving her twin sister. After her fiancé breaks off their engagement over the phone, she decides to join her father in the UK, where she can't be mistaken for her sister. She does not tell the group that she is in the UK, or that her engagement is off.

When Howard uncharacteristically misses a couple of meetings, Faye and Margot decide independently to try and find out what is going on. They both end up staying in picturesque Dorset and they are disheartened to find Howard's beloved bookshop closed. What is going on?

Soon, secrets are being revealed, bonds being strengthened and new friendships developing as everyone comes together, and for some of the group brings new beginnings. 

I really enjoyed the conversations about books where everyone had the freedom to share their thoughts even when there are differences of opinion. I also appreciate seeing where people who have met online are able to come together as friends in real life as well. I have a number of online friends that I have met in person thanks to our mutual love of books.

This was a lovely comforting bookish read. It's the kind of read that I meet right now given how intense work is for me. It was warm and uplifting, despite some of the difficult subjects that are explored through the various characters.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews,  Bookish Books Challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books and British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog. Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for this review copy.

Rating 4/5

Blog Tour : New Chapters on the French Riviera by Jennifer Bohnet

Since his wife died 9 months ago, chef Guy Lyon has shut himself away from the world. He has closed down their food and boutique hotel business in the villa they owned, Villa Celestia and refuses to see anyone. It’s not just grief though. Guy doesn’t really know why his wife was in the taxi that day.

Sandy and her husband Romain run retreats. They hire lovely villa’s, provide themed events and good food and let groups of people with shared interests come together and thrive. When the owners of the villa that they had rented for an upcoming writers retreat pulls out at the last minute, they only have two options. First is to cancel the retreat. The second is to see if Guy will let them use Villa Celestia. Originally he is set against the idea but he finally agrees on one condition. He will cook simple food (not the fancy food he is known for) and he will stay in the background.

The attendees are a varied bunch. There is successful novels Liz James who is trying to find her voice again after going through a difficult divorce, there is Lorraine a successful self published author who wrote romantasy before it was a thing, Isobel is polishing her book, Helena and Mandy are friends who want to write a book and don’t know where to start. Finally there is Becky, instagrammer, influencer and wannabe fiction author

Helena has been in love with her childhood friend, Teddy, for years, but they have only just gotten together and she hasn’t told anyone yet, especially not her mother and brother. She does feel a bit guilty going on the retreat as it will be the first time in years their mother won’t be able to celebrate their birthdays today with either one of her children.

When her brother surprises her with a visit from their mother, it sets in chain a series of events which is life-changing for several people in the story. This was a lovely part of the story for me.

There were some interesting dynamics at play. For example, Becky was busy living her best Insta life and often left the group to go and do other things. She also thought she would be able to write a best seller but just working with AI

Several of our characters start to see life differently thanks to spending their time at the writing retreat including Guy, Sandy, Liz and Helena and her family.

This was once again an enjoyable visit to France through the eyes and pen of Jennifer Bohnet.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and Bookish Books challenge hosted at Blogging ‘Bout Books. 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!

Can a grieving chef and a group of writers find their own happy endings?

Eight months after his wife Jacqueline died in a tragic car accident, Michelin stared chef and proprietor of Villa Celestia, Guy Lyon’s life has been in freefall. Consumed by grief and plagued by questions as to why she was in a taxi that fateful day, the doors to Villa Celestia have remained closed.

When a good friend, Sandy Thoreau, asks to rent the villa on the French Riviera for a fortnight to hold a women’s writers retreat after being let down, Guy reluctantly agrees.

All the women at the retreat are looking forward to being inspired. Helena and her friend Mandy are writing debut novels, Isobel is editing a cosy crime story, Liz is desperate to kickstart a new book, self-published author Lorraine is looking for advice and Becky, well Becky is a law unto herself.

Over the course of the next fortnight, two of these women will change the course of Guy’s life forever and new chapters - hopefully with happy endings - will begin for all of them.

The perfect tonic and escapist read to the South of France full of warmth and second chances.

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

About the Author

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

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @jenniewriter1

Twitter: @jenniewriter

Instagram: @jenniewriter

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


Bookbub profile: @jenniebohnet

Blog Tour: Summer Ever After by Mandy Baggot

It is a complete coincidence that I read two books set in Greece in a row, and I am also watching a TV series set there as well. Or is it? Maybe it is fate telling me to hurry up and go and visit Greece! If I was to visit Greece any time soon, then Mandy Baggot has convinced me that Corfu would be worth going to.

When Faye Lawson's marriage falls apart she finds refuge and purpose at one of her favourite places on Earth. She moves to Corfu and becomes the hotel manager at the family owned hotel Margaritari. Here she deals with the hotel guests, manages the team and budgets and so much more. She lives at the hotel but her dream is to find a small beachfront home to call her own. 

When Dimitria, her friend and the hotel owner, announces that they have an important guest, his name means nothing to Faye. Kostas Petsas, twenty-something ex-professional basketball player, is a Corfiot hero. There is even a statue of him in the town square.  Unfortunately, the love and pride the people of Corfu feel for Kostas is not really reciprocated. He blames the community for the demise of his father. Now, he wants to build a massive tourist development and marina right in the unspoilt area near the hotel.

Despite their 15 year age gap, Kostas and Faye are immediately attracted to each other, but it's complicated. He's a famous former athlete, she's an older divorced mum to a nineteen year old daughter who seems to still think that there is a chance for her parents to reunite, even though that is the last thing that Faye wants.

When she hears that her beloved hotel might be up for sale, she also has to worry about whether her Corfu dream might be coming to an end. And if she find out what Kostas real intentions are, could their fledgling relationship survive?

I have read a number of Mandy Baggot's books and I do enjoy them. Sometimes, there is an element of madcap in the humour, but this was not one of those books. There is still humour for sure, but you can tell that this book is talking about topics that are important to her.

I loved the characters of Dimitria and Kyriaki, Kostas' grandmother who he had long believed to be dead. Kyriaki lives in a tree house with no electricity or other mod cons, which doesn't mean to say that she doesn't know what is going on in the world around her. As she says, "Here I am away from everything I do not want and in the middle of everything I do."

I also loved the epilogue. I can't tell you why, but just the way that everything played out showed that Kostas really got Faye, her history, her dreams and more. In a way it surprised me to see that, despite his age, he really understood her. 

A key part of the story is the locals opposition to the full scale development that Kostas is originally proposing. In the afterword, Mandy Baggot talks about how this is a very real campaign in the area that the book is set, which is near her home. The video below, which comes from the Save Erimitis page, shows how beautiful the whole area is, and why people are keen to ensure that it is preserved in it's current state.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour too!

Rating 4/5

About the Book

Summer Ever After

Forty-year-old Faye Lawson is falling back in love with life at last. Finally divorced from her cheating husband, she has turned her back on the UK and has been living the Greek dream in Corfu managing a beautiful traditional boutique hotel.

For Kostas Petsas, twenty-something ex-professional basketball player, life as he has always known it is over. Having to take early-retirement because of injury, he’s at a loss as to what to do next. But when a piece of land in Corfu comes on the market, it seems this might be the perfect fit. There’s just a couple of things in the way… an area of natural beauty and… a little hotel on the beach.

Kostas has never met any woman like Faye before – she doesn’t behave around him how women usually do, and, when conflict starts to surface, it seems they can’t see eye-to-eye on anything. Or perhaps, when things get body-to-body, both of them begin to wonder if it can turn into heart-to-heart.

Escape to the beautiful island of Corfu with Mandy Baggot - queen of Greek summer romance!

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

About the Author

Mandy Baggot is a bestselling romance writer who loves giving readers that happy-ever-after. From sunshine romantic comedies set in Greece, to cosy curl-up winter reads, she's bringing gorgeous heroes and strong heroines readers can relate to. Mandy splits her time between Salisbury, Wiltshire and Corfu, Greece and has a passion for books, food, racehorses and all things Greek!



Social Media Links –

Facebook: @MandyBaggotAuthor

Twitter: @MandyBaggot

Instagram: @MandyBaggot

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

Bookbub profile: @MandyBaggot

Blog Tour: Hopes and Dreams at the Chocolate Pot Cafe by Jessica Redland

 

Tara and Jed are taking it slowly. Tara has emotional scars from her past that have forced her to keep her distance from everyone for years. Slowly, she has been letting down her barriers down to many people around her allowing her to form friendships, to rebuild her relationship with her foster parents and yes, to fall in love with Jed. But she is still keeping part of herself back from him. Fortunately, Jed understands. After all, he has a history of his own including his manipulative ex-wife who tore their family apart, and separated him from the boy he thought was his son, Aaron. 

The past has a tendency to come back to life. Jed returned from life in Australia with his two daughters and has established his own business across the road from Tara's Chocolate Pot Café. When Ingrid, his ex-wife shows up unannounced, drama is sure to follow. When Jed sees Aaron again, the boy is angry with him, believing that Jed had abandoned him and wanted nothing more to with him. 

For Tara, her painful past is represented by her step sister Leanne, who betrayed her in the most shocking way. When Leanne tries to get in contact with her parents, Tara knows that it won't be for altruistic reasons and she also knows that she has to protect herself even if it means losing her parents again.

When I started reading this book, it felt like I had walked in half way through, and that's because I had. Tara and Jed's story started in a book that was published years ago called Starry Skies Over the Chocolate Pot Cafe. Of course, it I had of seen the title it would have prompted me to wonder if they were connected but there was nothing to suggest that it was a continuation of a previous story on Goodreads or in the blurb. I have learned before that Jessica Redland likes to pepper her story with recurring characters and I expected it in this one. I just didn't expect that it would be a sequel. I guess I just have to hurry up and read all of the books set in Whitsborough Bay and then the recurring characters will be old friends!

Giving that this isn't the boy meets girl part of Tara and Jed's relationship, the story really comes from the Drama with a capital D that swirls around them, and there is a lot going on. Jed's daughters have a really fractured relationship with their mother, which is perfectly understandable given the history, so when Ingrid drops in unannounced he has to navigate carefully. Similarly, Tara has enough drama in her own world, but she still manages to see opportunity to help other people, including Zoe, a young girl who lives in a shelter.

I could relate to having a relationship that is in the middle of other people's lives. My husband and I have been known to have conversations about the fact that we are really good within the two of us, but it is outside dramas that can some times cause emotional impacts on one or both of us. The main difference is that we are not now navigating a new relationship as Tara and Jed were. 

Despite the fact that I did feel like I had missed the first half of the story, I did really enjoy this book and I would love to read more of Jessica Redland's books. The question is when will I find the time and space to do so!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour! Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

About the book

Hopes and Dreams at the Chocolate Pot Café

Sometimes all your hopes and dreams really do come true… ✨🌈

Life at the Chocolate Pot Café has never been sweeter for Tara Porter. Nestled on Castle Street in Whitsborough Bay, her café is thriving, her friendships are close, her foster parents are back where they belong—and she’s finally let herself fall in love with artist Jed Ferguson.

For Jed, returning from Australia feels like coming home in every sense. His teenage daughters have settled, his gallery opening is a success, and with Tara by his side, the future looks full of promise.

But the past can’t stay at bay forever.

When Tara’s estranged foster sister reappears, old wounds resurface. And when Jed is reunited with twelve year old Aaron - a boy he once believed was his son - secrets unravel and loyalties are tested.

Now Tara and Jed must decide whether facing the past will shatter everything they’ve built—or hope it gives them the strength and courage to dream again.

Warm, heartfelt and hopeful, Hopes and Dreams at the Chocolate Pot Café is a story of love, forgiveness and second chances.

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

About the Author 

Jessica Redland is the million-copy bestselling author of novels, including the Hedgehog Hollow and Escape to the Lakes series. Inspired by her hometown of Scarborough and the Lake District, she writes uplifting women’s fiction of love, friendship and community.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @jessicaredlandauthor

Twitter: @JessicaRedland

Instagram: @jessicaredlandauthor

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

Bookbub profile: @jessicaredlandwriter

Blog Tour: Love Blooms at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash

Michelle finally has the life that she wants. A couple of years earlier she had moved to Cornwall to a place that she loved, she had made some really good friends, her business is going well and she has fallen in love with a gorgeous Greek doctor named Demetri who she could see being part of her life ....well....forever! It's a long way from the life she was living before moving to Sandpiper Shore.

When Demetri announces that he needs to return to Greece to care for his sick mother, Michelle is torn. Can she start again...again? When she decides that this is something that she cannot do, Michelle and Demetri agree that the best way forward is no contact after he leaves. It would hurt too much to still be talking to each other.

Michelle is heartbroken but she is beginning to pick herself up again with the help of her friends, Jo and Emma who we met in the previous books in the series. One day she is shocked to find a man on her door step. At first, she thinks it is Demetri but it turns out it is Makkis, his brother. When Michelle explains that Demetri has gone home Makkis is surprised as he says that their mother is fine and suggests that there are other reasons for him to return home. Did Michelle really even know Demetri at all, or has she been played.

Makkis stays with Michelle and soon he is offering to help out with her business dealings and more. Can she trust Makkis more than she could ever trust Demetri?

A good guide to how invested you are in the characters in a story is how you react to some of the things that they do. As Michelle made several of her decisions I was yelling noooo in my head! I did, however, love the storyline with her brother. That part of the story made me feel quite emotional!

In all three books in this series, building community is a really important part of the story. In the first book, the friends were instrumental in building a Lonely Hearts club for the town. In the second it was a Christmas pantomime and in this one it was a barn dance (in an actual barn). When I was very young my family was involved in square dancing so we used to go to a lot of barn dances!

Once again, Kim Nash has delivered a really lovely story of friendship and love, healing and growth all set in a nice community near the beach in Cornwall! I am already hoping for the next book!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour! Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4.5/5

About the Book

Love Blooms at the Cornish Cottage

💔 How do you mend a broken heart? 💔

Michelle finally thought she’d found love with her hot Greek doctor. But when Demetri reveals he’s returning home to care for his sick mother, Michelle’s dream future crumbles. Choosing not to follow him feels like losing more than just love - it feels like losing who she’d started to become.

Determined not to fall apart, Michelle decides to throw herself into rebuilding her life in Sandpiper Shore, but then unexpectedly, Demetri’s brother, Makkis, arrives on her doorstep. Offering him a room seems like the kind thing to do… but the constant reminder of her lost love is difficult for her heartbroken soul.

And the more time she spends with Makkis, the clearer it becomes: there are parts of Demetri she never knew… Just as Michelle starts to heal with a little help from her friends, she’s faced with a decision: fight for the love she knows she deserves, or finally learn how to let go…

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/SandpiperShores3

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: @KimNashAuthor

Twitter: @KimTheBookworm

Instagram: @KimNashAuthor

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

Bookbub profile: @KimNash18

Blog Tour: The Wartime Affair by Victoria Cornwall

 

Elsa Kalbach is a young woman who has grown up in the 1930s in Germany. She remembers what life was like in the barren years that followed the end of WWI. As a teacher, she follows the rules, even the ones that related to allegiance to the Fuhrer. However, slowly, she begins to realise that maybe it is wrong to just follow him blindly and this is reinforced when she witnesses the events of Kristallnicht in her home town of Gollnow in the Pomerania region.

Sam is a British soldier who is injured during the Dunkirk evacuation, and he is captured and becomes a POW. 

Fast forward several years, and the war appears to be coming to an end. For Elsa, her home is right in the path of the Russian invasion into Germany and everyone is terrified about what they will do as they pass through, especially to women. Her family decides to leave, but her elderly grandfather doesn't want to go. Elsa stays behind until the last possible moment to leave but unfortunately he doesn't last long, and she is left to travel along with a young girl named Klara in her care. 

At the same time Sam is being marched across the country from one camp to another. He feels guilty for having been a POW for so long and for having survived when so many of his fellow prisoners have not, including some of his friends.

Fate brings Sam and Elsa together. Initially they do not trust each other at all. After all, they are on opposite sides of the war and they see the actions of both sides very differently. However, it makes sense for them to travel together and so they begin to walk. Sam is hoping that he is walking towards home, and Elsa is walking towards the city of Bremen, where she hopes to be reunited with her mother and sister. 

Of course, after that initial distrust, their feelings for each other begins to change and to grow. But what hope can there be for a German woman and a British man in this world torn apart by war. Elsa, Sam and Klara have to endure a lot during their journey, most of which is on foot. But reaching their destinations may not be the end of their trials. 

There are a couple of big jumps in time in this story, which was a bit disconcerting. While I did like the book overall, I did find the story and dialogue a bit stilted at times. I guess the real gauge is was I emotionally moved, and the answer is yes, particularly as we moved forward into the 1950s. 

When I read the author note it mentions that one of the questions Victoria Cornwall was trying to answer was how did the ordinary people of Germany remain bystanders as a dictator came to power, and his control continued to grow until he become one of the biggest villains in history. And it is a question that is relevant even today. How do leaders get people to follow them blindly? For me, one of the most powerful moments in the book is when Elsa is farewelling a woman who says "Heil Hitler" and Elsa realises that she can't do that anymore. 

It is always nice to discover a new author, and I have already bought one of her other books! I would classify this book as a solid read. It is worth checking out, if only for the relatively unusual situation of a German female main character. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Blog and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here.  Thanks to the publisher and Zooloo's Book Tours for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the blog tour below.

Rating 4/5

About the Book

A love that dares to hope when everything seems lost.

Germany, 1945. Elsa Kalbach was once the perfect daughter — loyal, obedient and proud to serve her country. But years of lies and fear have opened her eyes to the terrible cost of blind obedience.

As the Russian Army advances, Elsa flees her ruined hometown with an abandoned Jewish child in her care — and no one left to trust.

When she discovers a wounded British soldier hiding in a barn, she knows she should turn him in. His uniform makes him her enemy.

Instead, Sam becomes the only one she can trust as they seek safety away from the frontlines.

As Elsa and Sam travel across a land torn apart by war, a fragile bond begins to grow — one that defies everything Elsa was taught to believe.

And when the guns finally begin to fall silent, Elsa and Sam must decide whether their love can survive the wreckage of all they’ve lost.

This sweeping story of hope, humanity and the forbidden love that defied a world at war is perfect for fans of Soraya M. Lane, Kate Quinn, Rachel Hore and Kristin Hannah.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245501352-the-wartime-affair

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/wartimeaffair-zbt

About the Author:

Following a career in nursing, a change in profession finally provided Victoria Cornwall the time to write. Her books have subsequently reached the finals of the NEW TALENT AWARD at the Festival of Romantic Fiction, the RNA's JOAN HESSAYON AWARD, the 2021 RNA's Goldsboro Books HISTORICAL ROMANTIC NOVEL AWARD and have twice been nominated for the RONE Best Indie or Small Published Book Award by InD'tale magazine.

Victoria grew up on a farm in Cornwall and can trace her Cornish roots as far back as the 18th century. It is this background and heritage which is the inspiration for her Cornish based novels. She is married, has two grown up children and likes to read and write historical romance with a strong background story, but at its heart is the unmistakable emotion, even pain, of loving someone

Social Media Links

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/victoria_cornwallx/

Threads - https://www.threads.com/@victoria_cornwallx

Website - https://www.victoriacornwall.com/

The Sweet Life Cafe by Helen Rolfe

When sisters Addie and Susanna receive an invitation to their aunt's funeral, it isn't a done deal that they would attend. Gayle might have stepped in to care for the girls when they were orphaned, but it wasn't smooth sailing. Susanna, in particular, was resentful of having to move to Anchor Island in the Channel Islands, and she could not wait to get out of there when she was old enough. Addie was more settled living with Aunt Gayle, and she had a burgeoning love of baking as she helped in her aunt's pudding bar until she was forced to choose between staying on the island or heading to the mainland with her sister. 

Having arrived on the island, the two girls are shocked to find Aunt Gayle alive, although not necessarily well. A small but crucial word was missing from the invite - it was meant to be a living funeral! For Susanna, this accidental oversight feels like manipulation and she is reminded of why she wanted to get away from the island in the first place. However, Susanna's life is a bit of a mess right now with her marriage seemingly on the rocks, so maybe she can stay for a short time while she thinks about what might come next. What she doesn't need is to run into her first true love but Anchor Island is a very small place!

Addie is a single mother. She lives in London with her young son, and she worries about how she can give him a life where he has the freedom to play in a garden or ride his bike. It all feels like a long way from anything she can achieve now. Could spending time on Anchor Island help her define what her next steps in life are. 

Having agreed to stay for a short time, Addie and Susanna take on the task of clearing out their late father's belongings. Addie adored her father but the two sisters can't talk about him without tensions boiling over. Addie can't understand why Susanna has issues when it comes to him. And Gayle is the keeper of even more of their father's secrets. What happens when the truth is revealed?

I have read quite a few books set on the Channel Islands but most of them have been set during the German occupation during WWII. As far as I can remember none of them have had a contemporary setting. Anchor Island sounded like an idyllic place with it's mix of sea and land and interesting characters!

I loved the sound of Aunt Gayle's pudding bar. The food sounded amazing! From jam roly polys to fruit crumbles, lemon meringue pies and so much more. I would love to visit a place that specialised in all of these different desserts!

I have read a number of books by Helen Rolfe, and I do enjoy them. This was a different setting, and had a different feeling. It took a little while to get going, and it took me even longer to warm to Susanna in particular. Whilst this book is being billed as a standalone novel, it does feel like it could be the start of a series or a duology at last, and I would love to see what happens with one of the characters we met. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, with British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog and Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story. And of course with Weekend Cooking which I host. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy. 

Rating 4/5

Blog Tour: The Arctic Cruise by Caroline James

 

Do you have a bucket list of places you would like to visit one day? We absolutely do, and visiting somewhere like Norway to visit the Northern Lights is right up near the top! In fact, we are talking about doing it at the end of this year or early next year, and having read this book, I most definitely want to go!

Joy isn't sure that she wants to really take this Christmas cruise through Norway chasing the Northern Lights. She and her husband Tom had booked the cruise some time ago to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary, but he had subsequently passed away leaving her to take the cruise on her own.

Henry is on the cruise because of the guest speakers who are experts on his favourite hobby of photography. He is looking forward to sharing his Arctic adventures with his best friend, Audrey, who can't travel herself and is therefore living vicariously through Henry.

Letitia and Jim are making the most of every moment they can, knowing that Jim's health isn't going to get any better than it is right now. And Barb and Ken are there to see and be seen and are aiming to rub shoulders with the most important people on the ship, ranging from the captain to the guests who are staying in the ultra exclusive suites. 

For all that the other people play an important part in the story, this is really Joy and Henry's story. Henry is a life long bachelor and has no interest in forming any romantic relationships. Joy is still recovering from her loss. She does her best to hide in plain sight, with a wardrobe of frumpy clothes and little interest in taking part in any group activities. But some people have a knack of drawing out even the shyest of people. We watch as Joy begins to come out of her shell, and it is only then that we find out how much impact she has had in her field of work and we see her undergo a transformation of her own.

Ultimately, for Joy and Henry the attraction they feel for each other is initially hampered by their life experience and circumstances. Will they take a risk and try to build on what starts on a boat underneath the amazing aurora borealis, or will they take only their memories with them as they return to their normal life?

We love a cruise from the food to the entertainment, the sea days and the excursions, although we have never done one to cold climes. We also haven't done a cruise at Christmas time, which is when this book is set. We have talked about it, and it is very tempting, so it might happen at some point. And whilst it is more fun to be the one actually cruising from one interesting destination to another, Caroline James does a great job of taking us on a cruise through the pages of her books! I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of some of the excursions!

One of the challenges of travelling with other people is that there are all sorts of people out there, some of whom you can quickly come to like and other's who you know you would never pass the time of day to in other circumstances. We have met the people who know what is best for the whole group, the people who have been everywhere and done everything, and the people who just stick to themselves and barely acknowledge your existence. Just like in real life, the book is peppered with different types of people who are thrown together by fate. Fortunately, none of the people I have met in real life are as bad as a couple of the passengers in this story!

I have read several of Caroline James' books now, and I have enjoyed them all, but I particularly enjoyed this one with it's interesting mix of locations and characters. I look forward to reading her next cruise adventure!

I don't want to finish without giving a shout to the cover designers as this cover is amazing! Great job!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher, Rachel's Random Resources and Netgalley for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

About the book

The Arctic Cruise

Pack your bags for the adventure of a lifetime…



From the #1 bestselling author of The Cruise, embark on an unforgettable journey and sail through Norway’s winter wonderlands to see the spectacular Northern Lights.

________

Will the Arctic wonderland work its magic this winter?

Joy never imagined stepping aboard a cruise ship without her husband, Tom. Now widowed, Joy wonders what her voyage on the Emerald Dream will hold – and as it glides through breathtaking Norwegian fjords, she longs to believe in happiness again. However, she carries a secret that could unravel her fragile hopes if it ever came to light…

Elsewhere on deck, as the sun dips below the horizon and the polar night sets in, Henry, a lifelong bachelor, is living his dream of seeing the Northern Lights. Having long since given up on love, he now dedicates himself to his passion for photography. But when he meets Joy, is it more than the aurora borealis that catches his eye?

As they embark on a snow-dusted adventure which takes them from bustling ports to reindeer-drawn sleigh rides, will Joy and Henry find the courage to embrace love again? Or will hidden truths sink the possibility of a new beginning?

A heartwarming, feel-good voyage of self-discovery, romance and second chances, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Judy Leigh.

Purchase Link - https://geni.us/TACK1

About the author

Caroline James is the celebrated author of later-life fiction, including THE CRUISE, the #1 best-seller that has captivated cruise ship passengers worldwide, and her eagerly anticipated follow-up novel, THE CRUISE CLUB, and now: THE ARCTIC CRUISE.

Her best-selling novel ATTICUS ARNOTT’S GREAT ADVENTURE is described as “A heartwarming and uplifting read where the characters shine from the page.”

Caroline’s vibrant storytelling stems from her colourful career. Before becoming a full-time writer, she carved out a fascinating path in the hospitality industry, owning a charming country house hotel and a lively pub. As a media agent, she worked closely with celebrity chefs, giving her an insider’s perspective on the glitz, glamour, and grit of the culinary world. When she finally turned her focus to writing, she discovered her true calling, penning best-selling novels that have garnered her legions of fans.

When she’s not writing in her cosy writing retreat, Caroline enjoys tranquil walks with Fred, her Westie, and refreshing swims in a local lake. As a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the SoA, ARRA, and the Society of Women’s Writers & Journalists, Caroline is a champion of lifelong creativity.

Social Media Links –

www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Twitter: @carolinejames12

Facebook: Caroline James Author

Instagram: carolinejamesauthor

Bluesky:@carolinejames1.bsky.social