20 Books of Winter - June

 

We are already a month through the 20 Books of Summer/Winter event! Can you believe how quickly that has gone?

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

I am pretty happy with my progress so far. I read 7 of the books that I nominated on my original lists which puts me on track to finish the list. I did read 19 books in total in June so I do have some opportunities for swaps should I need them later. 

Here's my full list. The ones in bold are the titles I have read.

20 Books of Winter

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn - Review

A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K Runyan

Over the Seas to Skye by Sue Moorcroft - Review

Three Juliets by Minnie Darke

A Secret Garden in Paris by Sophie Beaumont

The Midnight Bakery by Emma Davies

Half Truth by Nadia Mahjouri - Review

The Village Cafe in the Loire by Gillian Harvey

The Storytellers by Sue Heath

The Story Collector by Evie Woods

French Rhapsody by Antoine Laurain

The King's Jewel by Elizabeth Chadwick

The Butterfly Women by Madeleine Cleary - Review

The Last Love Note by Emma Grey

The Library of Heartbeats by Laura Imai Messina

Emily Wildes Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Butter by Asako Yuzuki

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee

If your #20BooksofSummer25 TBR were a beach, what’s the most surprising thing you’ve unearthed so far – a hidden gem, a total shipwreck, or something unexpectedly delightful?

I think the book that surprised me was The Butterfly Women by Madeleine Cleary mainly because of the light it shone of the hidden or forgotten history of Melbourne!

Imagine your reading progress as a summer road trip. Which book has been the scenic route, which has been the highway, and is there a rest stop book you’re looking forward to?

The book which was the scenic route was Over the Seas to Skye by Sue Moorcroft because it took us to the Isle of Skye in Scotland and was the final book in the trilogy, so we got the opportunity for all three stories to be wrapped up. 

The highway was The Storyteller by Sue Heath, because once I started it, I just could not put it down!

The rest stop book that I am looking forward to is The Village Cafe in the Loire by Gillian Harvey which I am reading soon. I really love her books and have high hopes for this one. It will also bring back memories of our visit to the Loire a couple of years ago.

Thinking about the books I have read collectively, it has been quite the road trip so far. I have visited the Ukraine and US, Scotland, Paris (twice), Morocco, Britain and historical Melbourne.  

If one of the books you’ve read this month was turned into an ice cream flavor, what ingredients would it have, and what would it be called?

I would turn Half Truth by Nadia Mahjouri into a pistachio and saffron ice cream. The colour of the pistachio could represent the green and gold of Australia and the saffron the flavours and cultures of Morocco. I feel like an ice cream would be very welcome in the heat of Morocco. 

If you could swap places with a character from one of the books you’ve read this month, purely for the summer, who would it be and what items would you absolutely take with you?

My answer to this one will surprise no one I am sure. If I could swap places with a character from one of the books I read it will be Charlotte from A Secret Garden in Paris. Why specifically Charlotte and not one of the other characters. She is staying rent free in her aunt's house in Paris! And the item I would take with me would be the hand drawn map of the garden tour that Emma's grandmother Mattie drew so that I can wander all over the city finding hidden and lesser known gardens.

“Plot twist!”: If your summer reading challenge were a book, what unexpected event just happened to shake things up? Or did life get in the way of your reading plans?

Whilst I did think a lot about what books to include in my original list, only two from the original list were from my list of committed blog tours, and I also didn't really take into consideration all of the books that I already had out from the library. This means that I have several reading lists going with due dates looming! That could become a problem over the next couple of months.

And now, onto July!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Winter 2025 to-read list

 Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Books on My Summer Winter 2025 to-Read List.

A couple of weeks ago I shared the first 10 of my 20 books that I plan to read for the 20 Books of Winter event hosted by Emma from Words and Peace and Annabel from Annabookbel. Today I am sharing the rest of the books I plan to read. 

The Last Love Note by Emma Grey - I loved Pictures of You when I read it earlier this year so I am really looking forward to this one. 

The Library of Heartbeats by Laura Imai Messina - This sounds like such a lovely read. 

Emily Wildes Encyclopeadia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - I have been not so gently encouraged to read this book for a while!

The Storytellers by Sue Heath - I am so excited for this book. The Secret Ingredient was one of my favourite books last year. 

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn - I have had this on my Kindle for 3 years. I actually already read and reviewed this one.  (My review)

Over the Sea to Skye by Sue Moorcroft  - I have already read and reviewed this one too. (My review)

Butter by Asako Yuzuki  - Every now and again my read on a theme book club reads the same book. This is the book we are going to read for our August meeting.

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson. I recently read her latest book. Having read and love both her first and latest books I had to read the one in the middle that I haven't read yet.

DallerGut Dream Department Store by Lee Mi-Ye - Can't remember where I heard about this book but I currently have it out of the library, along with a few others that I didn't include on this list. Not sure when I will read those!

The Butterfly Women by Madeleine Cleary - I am going to an author event for this book soon so will definitely want to read it after hearing the author talk

So now I have put my 20 Books of Winter out into the world. Now to read them all!

Do you have any of these books on your list this week?

Blog Tour: Over the Sea to Skye by Sue Moorcroft (includes UK giveaway)

 

Over the Sea to Skye is the third book in the Skye Sisters trilogy by Sue Moorcroft. This time, the focus is on Valentina, who has been a bit in the background in the previous books mainly because, unlike her sisters Ezzie and Thea, Valentina lives in Inverness rather than on the Isle of Skye. 

However, Valentina has now bought and renovated a cottage right on the shore and she is bringing her young son Barnaby with her to spend the summer. This has come at a good time for her given that her life is in turmoil. Her marriage has broken down and she has been made redundant so spending time on the island with the people she loves will help heal her hurts.

On the train, she meets an American tourist named Xander Courage and his nephew who are Britsburghers which mean that they're descended from British people but live in Pittsburgh. Xander is heading to the island for a few weeks to explore his Scottish history and he has bought Macdonald with him to get him away from some trouble at home. Even though there is a 10 year age gap between Macdonald and Barnaby they bond over games. 

Valentina has a lot going on in her world. She is navigating her separation from her husband Gary following his affair. She also has to deal with Barnaby's feelings as he misses his dad. She is also attracted to Xander. And then there is the random email she has just received from someone saying he is her brother. All three girls were adopted by loving parents, and in each of their books we got to meet their birth families, and this time it is Valentina's turn. 

There is a British show called Lost Families which I often watch when I am home alone so no one can see my cry in just about every episode. It features families who have been separated and then reunited. Whilst I love the ones where relationships are repaired and loving bonds formed, it doesn't always work out that well, and I was interested to see which way this would go in Valentina's story.

I really enjoyed Xander as a character. He has come to find his family history, and take a break from his stressful job, but I think he probably didn't really know what he was taking on when he suggested bringing Macdonald with him. There isn't a lot for a lonely, hurt teenager to do on the island so it wasn't a surprise when there was a bit of  trouble. Xander felt like a fundamentally decent guy trying to do the right thing by everyone, even when it backfired on him. He was able to support Valentina admirably when she had to deal with yet another crisis and her ex's family (ugh!). 

Oh, and a special shout out to the VW camper van named Miley! Such a fun inclusion

Once again the Isle of Skye stars as the location for this book. As I mentioned in my review for the last book, we spent a couple of hours on Skye when we were in Scotland last year. It was nowhere near enough and the author makes me want to drop anything and go back now to spend more time exploring the island!

It's always a bit bittersweet when you come to the end of a trilogy that you have enjoyed. You know how the story is playing out for all the characters but you aren't quite ready to let them go just yet. It was lovely to see how Ezzie and Thea's lives now.

Here are my review for the first two books in the trilogy

Under a Summer Skye

A Skye Full of Stars

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at 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. Also, if you are in the UK, check out the giveaway at the bottom of this post

Rating 4/5

About the book:

Over the Sea to Skye

One summer on a beautiful island could change everything…

Valentina Taylor's life has been upended. With her marriage over, and unsure of what her future holds, she heads to the Isle of Skye for the summer with her young son, Barnaby.

But the journey there sets her on a new path, when she meets Xander Courage on the train – a charming American, running from problems of his own. After sparks fly, they go their separate ways. But on this small island, they’re never far from one another…

Skye offers Valentina the refuge she needs as she whiles away the long summer days at her beachside cottage, enjoying visits from her sisters, Thea and Ezzie. But when bad news from home throws her Scottish idyll into turmoil, Valentina finds herself pulled away from the place – and people – that she loves.

Valentina knows she must confront her heart’s desires – but can she let go of the past and embrace the future she deserves?

Lose yourself in a heartfelt story of second chances, love, and self-discovery, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Isle of Skye. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Karen Swan.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Over-Sea-Skye-million-copy-bestseller-ebook/dp/B0DLRBCYXY/

https://www.amazon.com/Over-Sea-Skye-million-copy-bestseller-ebook/dp/B0DLRBCYXY/

https://books.apple.com/gb/book/over-the-sea-to-skye/id6737715920

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/over-the-sea-to-skye-the-skye-sisters-trilogy-book-3-3

https://www.waterstones.com/book/over-the-sea-to-skye/sue-moorcroft/9780008740559

https://www.whsmith.co.uk/Product/Sue-Moorcroft/Over-the-Sea-to-Skye/15469811

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/over-the-sea-to-skye-sue-moorcroft/7722336

About the Author:

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

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

Social Media Links –

Amazon page: Sue Moorcroft

Audible page: Sue Moorcroft

Website: www.suemoorcroft.com

Facebook author page SueMoorcroftAuthor

Twitter: @SueMoorcroft

Instagram: @SueMoorcroftAuthor

Linked in: Sue Moorcroft

Link Tree: linktr.ee/SueMoorcroft

Bookbub: SueMoorcroft1

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Over The Sea to Skye, bookmark and pen (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday: Book titles that remind me of a song

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Bookish Wishes (List the top 10 books you’d love to own and include a link to your wishlist so that people can grant your wishes. Make sure you link your wishlist to your mailing address or include the email address associated with your e-reader in the list description so people know how to get the book to you. After you post, jump around the Linky and grant a wish or two if you’d like. Please don’t feel obligated to send anything to anyone!). 

I always feel a bit uncomfortable with this topic. I don't really have a wishlist and I would feel uncomfortable putting one up in the hope that someone would gift me something, and feeling uncomfortable if no one did!

Instead, I am bringing you 10 books with titles that remind me of a song. And you are welcome for any earworms that you might receive as a result of this post. I certainly gave myself some!

Best Days of Our Lives by Helen Rolfe - This phrase reminds me of the chorus of Thank You by Dido where one of the lines is  I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life. (my review)

Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens - Makes me think of the Joe Jackson song that was released in 1978. It's a very catchy tune!

Girls Just Want to Have Sun by Jo Lyons - This is an obvious play on the title Girls Just Want to Have Fun by the fabulous Cyndi Lauper

You Can't Hurry Love by Susan Buchanan - Phil Collins anyone? And look, there's a sloth on the cover. 

Someone I Used to Know by Paige Toon - The song title is actually Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye and Kimbra, but it's close enough to make me thing of the song. 

I Knew You Were Trouble by Sandy Barker - Now we are in our our Taylor Swift earworm era. I feel like if I went looking hard enough I would find quite a few Taylor adjacent titles. (my review)

Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane - Back to the 80s with Simple Minds for this one!

Over the Sea to Skye by Sue Moorcroft - The title of this song is actually The Skye Boat Song and it is a very old song, originating in Scotland in the 19th century. You may also be familiar with it as the theme song for the Outlander TV series. I will have my review up for this book later in the week.

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by Claudia Carroll - Not quite as old given that it was originally released in 1960  the title of this song by The Shirelles is sometimes shown as Will You Love Me Tomorrow but the lyrics include the word still. 

Suspicious Minds by Martin Edwards - Edwards has a whole series featuring detective Harry Devlin where several of the books have song titles. I chose this one because I love both the Elvis and Fine Young Cannibals versions.

Can you think of other titles which remind you of a song. I am sure there are lots!

This Week...

I'm reading

As I mentioned last week, the theme for our next read on a theme book club is war. I probably have at least 50 options already on my Kindle to fit that theme so I suspect that I will be reading multiple books again this month. I have already read the first which was The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn. I had this from Netgalley before it was even released. I do intend to write a review. Do you think it's too late to add feedback now?

I also read Over the Sea to Skye this week. This is the third book in the Skye Sisters trilogy and I enjoyed it. My review will be up later this week.

On audio, I finished The Mirror by Nora Roberts, the second book in the Lost Brides trilogy. The final book comes out later this year and I am looking forward to seeing how she wraps the story up. I have no idea what book I am going to listen to next. I have so many options and I can't make a decision. I did look at all the books I have nominated for 20 Books of Winter, but I already own them all or at least have them out of the library. 

I also finished The Page Turner by Viola Shipman Normally l love this author but this one didn't work for me. It did, however, have some great quotes about books and reading.  Here's just one

"Sometimes we forget why we read," my mother says as if to herself. "Sometimes it is to walk in someone else's shoes for a while. Sometimes it is to travel to a place or time we never will. Sometimes it is to get angry or more informed. And sometimes it's simply to escape, smile and be offered a little bit of hope so it's possible to go on in this world."

I was excited to attend the launch event for Jodie McAlister's new book, An Academic Affair. I am really looking forward to reading this one! It sounds so good!

I'm watching


I watched a French movie called Siddonie in Japan. It was a very quiet movie about an author who goes on a book tour to Japan. However, the ghost of her husband starts to appear to her as she begins to have feelings for her publisher. She visits some of the same places we went to in Japan. Only difference....there were no crowds! Here's the trailer

Life

It's been a very social long weekend here. Today is a public holiday to celebrate the King's Birthday (it's not his actual birthday) but it was mine! I was out for lunch and dinner on Friday, then we went to Geelong for lunch, and then to an engagement party and then brunch on both Sunday and Monday! Now I am ready for a good lay down!

Everything at the lunch at Geelong was delicious, and the view is pretty spectacular too!

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 of my 20 Books of Summer
The Women by Kristin Hannah

The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns

Blog Tour: The Silver Ladies Seize the Day by Judy Leigh
Weekend Cooking: In My Kitchen - May

Six Degrees: All Fours to War and Peace






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

Sunday Salon: Spell the Month in Books - January

 

Reviews From the Stacks

For 2025 I have decided to have a go at Spell the Month in Books which is hosted at Reviews From the Stacks. The link party opens on the first Saturday of the month, but I won't be posting until the third Sunday as I already have other things scheduled every Saturday and for the first two Sundays of the month.

The idea is that you use the title of books to spell the month name. There is also a theme each month, with the theme for January being New.

The Jam Queens by Josephine Moon - I read this back in 2021, and it was the first book I read from this author which made her a new author to me.  I had owned another book for a while, and still do! (My review)

At the Foot of the Cherry Tree by Alli Parker - I listened to this book at the beginning of last year. It was my first book by this author, and told the story of her grandparents, and in particular her Japanese grandmother starting a new life here in Australia

A New Dawn at Owl's Lodge by Jessica Redland - This was my first book from this author, and I couldn't resist using the word new given the theme for this month! (My review)

Under a Summer Skye by Sue Moorcroft - This is the first book in Sue Moorcroft's The Skye Sisters trilogy. We visited Isle of Skye last year which was a new destination for me (My review)

The Answer is No by Fredrik Backman - This short story was my first read from a new to me author (My mini review)

A Recipe for Christmas by Jo Thomas - This book features a character moving to Switzerland to learn new skills as a chocolate maker and to make a new start (My review)

Yellowface by R F Kuang - I bought this recently which makes this a new book on my TBR pile.

That was actually harder than I expected, especially the letter Y! And there's another Y in February so I have a few weeks to work out how I am going to approach that as I would prefer to not repeat the books I use very often. The theme for next month is Valentines Day/Something sweet on the cover.

I am also sharing this post with Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz

Top Ten Tuesday: Christmas reads!

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is Books I Hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes. I don't tend to ask or receive books as gifts, with the notable exception of cookbooks. So, here are the ten Christmas books I have read so far this year. I am currently reading another two as well!

Actually, I am going to start with a bonus book! Last night I read this book to my nephew. My sister, her husband and my husband were all in the room as well, so it was like a group readalong.

And now on for the actual top ten!

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - I can't believe I haven't read this until now!

The Silver Haired Sisterhood by Judy Leigh - Christmas on the Isle of Skye sound great. (My review)

A Christmas Surprise in Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen - It's so nice to read a Christmas novel set in Australia! (My review)

The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan - A fun short story! Must read more Jenny Colgan (My review)

A Skye Full of Stars by Sue Moorcroft - Yes, this is another Christmas novel set on the Isle of Skye. (My review)

Someone Like You by Sandy Barker - This one was set in both London and Seattle, which I loved! (My review)

A Recipe For Christmas by Jo Thomas - This one had it all! Chocolate, grumpy hero, and snow in Switzerland! (My review)

The Village Christmas Party by Sue Roberts - What happens when the village senior Christmas lunch is booked at the same time as a birthday party for a 5 year old. (My review)

One Winter at the French Chalet by Mandy Baggot - When a journalist is sent to a village in the French Alps to cover a story about a pregnant reindeer and a man named Wolf, Christmas magic ensues. (My review)

Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel by Rebecca Raisin - Christmas in Paris! Yes please. (My review)

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Countdown to 2025: Day 7

This year I am participating in Countdown to 2025 hosted by Lynn from Lynn's Books. Today is day 7 and the prompt for today is Christmas Tree – a winter read

I did have a few different choices here but I ended up going with one of my more recent winterry reads, A Skye Full of Stars by Sue Moorcroft.  You can read my review here.

Tomorrow's prompt is Baubles – these add some colour, a very colourful and striking cover

Blog Tour: Celebrating 25 books by Sue Moorcroft (includes UK Giveaway)

Today I am honoured to be part of the extended blog tour which is celebrating the release of Sue Moorcroft's 25th book. The book that I was chosen to focus on was The Christmas Love Letters, and so I thought I would do it in the form of a letter. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour. I shared my review of the latest release earlier in the tour, which I have linked to below.

Dear Sue

Congratulations on the release of your 25th book. That is quite an achievement and quite right that we should be coming together to celebrate it.

I was very pleased when I was allocated The Christmas Love Letters as my stop on this celebratory tour, as it is one of your books that I have read. You see, I am a latecomer to your books, I knew of you, especially your work with the Romance Novelists Association in the UK, but hadn't yet managed to read you until 2023 when I read An Italian Island Summer. 

The Christmas Love Letters was my first of your Christmas books that I read, and I really enjoyed it. I now have several more of these waiting for me to read.

When I think back to when I read The Christmas Love Letters a couple of years ago,  the thing that I remember most was the idea that even when we think we know the people closest to us, they can still have secrets that we all have no idea about. I have seen this play out in the lives of people I know, and to a certain extent, my own family, and sometimes the fallout is devastating.

I also find the whole idea of a stash of love letters coming to light very romantic, and how that will not necessarily be possible for the that generations that follow us. The early days of my own relationship were very much based on text messages, which really won't make interesting reading to any one else, even if anyone else could access them. There's only so many "See you soon" and "On my way" messages that someone can read without losing interest. 

The thing that I have enjoyed about all of the books that I have read by you are that there are layers and depth as the characters deal with. For example, in your most recent Skye Sisters books, I love the thinking around family and what that means, particularly in the context of being adopted, and what happens when you suddenly find your birth family. I reviewed A Skye Full of Stars here and the previous book, Under A Summer Skye,  here

I love that while in The Christmas Love Letters there was an engrossing story revealing family secrets, this was very much and unashamedly a Christmas book. In my original review I said:

There are some Christmas books where the story is set at Christmas and there is a mention of Christmas now and then. This is not one of those books. This book is all about Christmas - food, crafts, fetes, markets, so much snow!

We won't talk about how weird it is to be quoting myself!

As someone who lives in Australia, we don't get snowy Christmases so that seems very idyllic to us.  My husband and I did travel to Europe for Christmas a couple of years ago and didn't see a single snowflake drop from the sky. That trip is now infamously known as the "No $%$#$ snow" holiday. Maybe next time!

I thought I would share links to each of the books of yours that I have previously reviewed

An Italian Island Summer

The Christmas Love Letters

Under a Summer Skye (#1 in the Skye Sisters trilogy)

A Skye Full of Stars (#2 in the Skye Sisters trilogy)

So I guess that means I have 21 more books to read, some of which I already own. That will certainly keep me busy.

Anyway, congratulations again on your latest release...your 25th!

Oh, and given that this is about The Christmas Love Letters, I should finish up by saying Merry Christmas to you and yours, and here's to amazing 2025. I look forward to your next book already!

Regards

Marg - The Intrepid Reader and Baker.

About the book

The Christmas Love Letters

A secret romance was just the start of the story…

Tucked into a crook of the Norfolk coast lies Nelson’s Bar – an idyllic village where time seems to stand still. Maddy Cracey has called this beautiful spot home all her life, as had her husband Adey – until an epic row sent him storming out into a blizzard, with no sign of him since that fateful night.

Six years on, and Maddy’s life in the village has settled into a gentle pattern with her young daughter and Great Aunt Ruthie. However, when handsome stranger Raff turns up with a handful of long-forgotten love letters, their quiet life is upended as family secrets from the past are unearthed.

As Raff and Maddy get to know each other, they grow closer and a love story of their own seems inevitable. But when Maddy receives a mysterious message, she can’t help but wonder whether her own past is as distant as she'd thought it was…

The festive new novel about love, family and the power of words from Sunday Times bestseller Sue Moorcroft, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Phillipa Ashley.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Love-Letters-gorgeous-heartwarming-ebook/dp/B0C7GDGBFX/

https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Love-Letters-gorgeous-heartwarming-ebook/dp/B0C7GDGBFX/

About the Author 

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

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



Social Media Links –

Amazon page: Sue Moorcroft

Audible page: Sue Moorcroft

Website: www.suemoorcroft.com

Facebook author page SueMoorcroftAuthor

Twitter: @SueMoorcroft

Instagram: @SueMoorcroftAuthor

Linked in: Sue Moorcroft

Link Tree: linktr.ee/SueMoorcroft

Bookbub: SueMoorcroft1

Giveaway

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of A Skye Full of Stars, bookmark and pen (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This week...

Blogging

Raise a glass! My blog can legally drink in Australia! I started this blog 18 years ago, which is pretty amazing to me. I did have a gap for a while, but I am still here.

You'd think I would be better at it by now, right??

To celebrate, I finally decided what I am going to do about Instagram and now I have an Insta account specifically for bookish goodness. Yes, I am committing to Bookstagram. I am always very late for any trends but better late than never!

You can find me @intrepidreaderandbaker and I would love it if you added it, and I will follow back!

I'm reading

Last week I finished reading Someone Like You, which is the fourth book in the Ever After Agency series by Aussie author Sandy Barker. The review can be found here.

I also then read A Skye Full of Stars by Sue Moorcroft, the second book in the Skye Sisters trilogy, and I reviewed that here.

I then started Crying at the H Mart by Michelle Zauner. I had never heard of the author before, but I am still finding it an interesting read. This is the current Cook the Books selection and will also work for my read on a theme book club as well. I will also need to find something to cook to tie in with this book, and get it all posted by 30 November!

I went to the library last week and noticed something that I had never seen before, or at least paid any attention to. There is a selection of books by the door which they are calling Express Reads. You can't request them, you can't extend them, and they have to be returned within a week. Now, even though I knew I wouldn't get it read, I couldn't resist picking up The Sea Captain's Wife by Jackie French. She is a prolific Australian writer across a number of genres, including historical fiction. I have started the book, but there is no way I am going to get it finished, so maybe I will have to return it and then borrow it again to finish it. We'll see how far I get today or tomorrow.

Speaking of Australian historical fiction authors, I went to see Tea Cooper at an author event and heard her speak about the inspiration for her latest book, The Golden Thread. I have to say the story behind the story was fascinating!!


I'm watching

Before the Tea Cooper event, I went to the see the movie Lee, starring Kate Winslet. This tells the story of the first female war photographer, Lee Miller. She took some iconic pictures during WWII, despite initially being told that she could not go to the front lines because she was a woman. It was a very, very good movie.

Here's the trailer:

I also started my Christmas movie viewing with Hot Frosty. A woman puts a magical scarf around the neck of a carved snowman and he magically came to life! It sounds really naff, but it was actually a lot of fun, with some great nods to other movies like Pretty Woman and Mean Girls.

Life


Yesterday we went to the One Electric Day music festival which is held in the grounds of a historic home not too far from us. The weather threw everything at us, from strong winds, rain, being cold, to quite sunny and warm. Ah Melbourne weather at it's best. I somehow also managed to get sunburnt in a 2cm strip on my wrists, which is a bit odd!

It was a great show featuring the bands Chocolate Starfish, Killing Heidi, Baby Animals, Wolfmother, Birds of Tokyo and finishing with Noiseworks. Birds of Tokyo is one of our favourites so we love seeing them. Chocolate Starfish are always a lot of fun and draw the crowd in, which is a bit tricky seeing as there are so many people just arriving when they are on. It was our first time seeing Wolfmother and Killing Heidi.

Last week was the hardest week so far of the not working thing goes. There were a couple of days where I was struggling for motivation to do some of the things that I know need to be done. I am definitely not missing being stressed all the time, but my brain does have a habit of finding things for me to stress about. For example, I have a blog post due in a couple of weeks and I couldn't sleep the other night because I was thinking about the content. No idea why that was important at that time but apparently it was.

Max


Max is feeling much better than he has been. He wants to play, to be chased, to climb up on us, which he hadn't for a while now. In the picture you can see him being a lap dog again! lol

His fur is starting to grow back again in all the places that he was shaved but it is a slow process! 

He will go back to the vet again on Wednesday.

Posts from the last week


Top Ten Tuesday: A New Start
Blog Tour: Someone Like You by Sandy Barker

Blog Tour: A Skye Full of Stars by Sue Moorhouse

Weekend Cooking: Sift by Nicola Lamb

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

Blog Tour: A Skye Full of Stars by Sue Moorcroft (including UK giveaway)

 

It's been a tumultuous time for Ezzie and her sister Thea, but things are settling down now. Thea is all loved up, and Ezzie has been promoted to manager of Rothach Hall, situated on the Isle of Skye. She loves working at the hall, and on the Isle of Skye.

Normally, the Swedish family that owns the hall only visit during the summer, but this year they have decided that they are going to have a Scottish Christmas, which means only one thing - more work for Ezzie. She is already working on ways to make the Hall a winter tourist destination, and now she needs to ensure that the family areas are decorated, be available whenever required, she's short staffed and more.

Things don't get off to a great start when Ezzie clashes with the (handsome) over-bearing son Mats. He is spending time with his adorable kids on the island while their mother cruises around the Meditteranean on a super yacht with her new partner.

With Mats bumbling around issues that are none of his business and causing chaos, Ezz doesn't need any more stress, so when some unexpected visitors turn up, her whole life feels like it has been turned upside down. So why is it Mats that she turns to when she needs support? 

In some ways Ezzie appears to be very in control, but that has come with a lot of work and a lot of strategic coping mechanisms. But with the Larson's in town, soon those somewhat fragile mechanisms are picked apart one by one. What will happen if she loses her job that she invests so much of herself in, and have to start all over again?

The Larsons, including Mats, have issues of their own. There is clearly something going on with his parents, and Mats' ex-wife Inger is being a pain as well, leaving him to deal with their children. What he is realising is that he needs to make some changes in his own life so that he can prioritise them.

When we visited Scotland, I was very excited that we were going to be visiting the Isle of Skye. The reality was though that we were on the island for all of about 2 hours, we visited one small town right near the bridge to the mainland and then crossed back on our merry way and that was that, so it's fair to say we didn't see much of Skye. Reading this book definitely makes me want to go back. The Isle of Skye does also seem to be having something of a moment right now, with numerous books being released recently which take place on the island. 

I really loved the mixing of Christmas traditions present in this book. The Larson's are Swedish and so there are loads of mentions throughout the book of Swedish Christmas food and traditions but they are also determined that there will be Scottish elements to their Christmas as well. It was a delightful mix.

Sue Moorcroft has once again delivered a great read, with interesting characters and a great setting. I will definitely be keen to read then next book in this trilogy, which will feature the oldest of the Winter sisters, Valentina. Given some of the things that happened in this book with Valentina, I will be looking forward to seeing how things unfold for her in her own book

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog.  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.

You can read my review of the first book in the trilogy, Under a Summer Skye, here.

This post is part of the blog tour for the release of A Skye Full of Stars. It is, however, also part of a bigger blog tour which is celebrating the fact that this is Sue Moorcroft's 25th book. I will be back later in the extended tour with my post. The details of the extended tour are at the bottom of this post.

Rating 4/5

About the book

A Skye Full of Stars

Under the winter stars, anything is possible…

Ezzie Wynter can’t wait for Christmas on the beautiful Isle of Skye. Her island home sparkles at this time of year thanks to the snow-capped mountains and frosty winter walks, topped off with family gatherings with those she loves the most.

But her peaceful Christmas idyll is upended when she hears that the Larson family – the owners of Rothach Hall – are flying in from Sweden for the festivities. As Manager of their grand Scottish manor house, Ezzie suddenly has decorations to hang, food to source and itineraries to organise.

Life only becomes more difficult when Mats Larson turns up. The owners’ handsome, self-assured son is used to doing things his own way – and he is only another headache to add to her overflowing list.

Yet when unexpected visitors arrive looking for Ezzie, nothing else matters as she is left questioning everything she ever knew about herself. But amidst the Christmas chaos, she might also discover that, when all is lost, it’s sometimes those we least expect who come to our aid…

A beautiful, escapist festive tale to curl up with by the fire this Christmas. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Karen Swan.

Purchase Links

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skye-Full-Stars-beautiful-million-copy-ebook/dp/B0D13K69K8/

US: https://www.amazon.com/Skye-Full-Stars-beautiful-million-copy-ebook/dp/B0D13JJF2C/

Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/Skye-Full-Stars-million-copy-bestseller/dp/0008708924/

About the Author 

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

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



Social Media Links –

Amazon page: Sue Moorcroft

Audible page: Sue Moorcroft

Website: www.suemoorcroft.com

Facebook author page SueMoorcroftAuthor

Twitter: @SueMoorcroft

Instagram: @SueMoorcroftAuthor

Linked in: Sue Moorcroft

Link Tree: linktr.ee/SueMoorcroft

Bookbub: SueMoorcroft1

Giveaway

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of A Skye Full of Stars, bookmark and pen (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday: October Reads

 Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's theme is How My Reading Habits Have Changed Over Time (submitted by Lydia @ https://lydiaschoch.com)

Occasionally I do a look back at books I have read in this month over previous years and this theme seems like it would work for that quite well. So, here are some books that I have read in October over the last few years

2023 - The Christmas Love Letters by Sue Moorcroft - Reading Christmas novels is something I would never have done 10 years ago

2022 - A Year at the French Farmhouse by Gillian Harvey - This was my first Gillian Harvey book, but I have now read a further 6 books by her, and consider her an auto-read author

2021 - The Summer Cottage by Viola Shipman - In October 2021 I read two books by Viola Shipman. I would have read more but his books are a bit tricky to get on e-book here.

2020 - Beach Read by Emily Henry - I did read my first Viola Shipman in October 2020, but it was also the first time I read Emily Henry, who I definitely consider and auto-read author now, or rather auto-listen as I tend to listen to her books.

2019 - The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Riley - Another series I tend to listen to. I really must listen to the last couple of books in this series. They are a big commitment though.

2018 - Lethal White by Robert Galbraith - I really enjoyed the audiobooks of this series, but these days I don't really read this series.

2017 - A Letter from Italy by Pamela Hart - So I have been reading about Italy for a while now

2016 - The Art of Keeping Secrets by Rachael Johns - Even during my biggest reading slump, Rachael Johns was an author I read..

2015- Taken with You by Shannon Stacey - I used to read a lot of books from this author, but this was  the last one I read, and I have no idea why.

2014 - Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - Back in the day I used to read and love the occasional YA book but it has been a while now