Showing posts with label Victoria Walker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Victoria Walker. Show all posts

Thursday, May 04, 2023

Blog Tour: Summer at Croftwood Cinemas by Victoria Walker


Patsy Clements moved back to Croftwood three years ago. She has a job she enjoys working as a barista for her friend Oliver. She loves knitting with the local knitting club and she enjoys her very quiet, very single life. But this is not who Patsy was before she moved back. She has made every effort to be practically invisible, and for good reason.

When Oliver asks her to help him out with his new project, reinvigorating the derelict local cinema which has been closed for years, she agrees, not knowing that her life will be changed in many ways by the experience.

There are so many things that need to be done. There's changes to the building,  interior design decisions to be made, the projector needs to be looked at, staff to be hired. The list is endless and Patsy shows time and again that she has the skills and attitude to get things done.

During the course of the renovations she comes into contact with Matt, the architect who is working on the cinema. Patsy and Matt clash from the beginning. And then there is Ed, who comes on board to help with getting the vintage film projector working.

I really loved all the details of the refurbishment of the cinema, and definitely had me wishing I could visit the cinema at Croftwood. The backstage area sounded like an amazing space!

I also loved seeing Patsy grow back into her own, particularly in standing up to the issues from the past which had her living such a small life. With her growing confidence she also found herself having some options when it came to men. I liked this aspect of the story although I did wonder at the speed at which everyone was falling in and out of love.

This is the first book I have read by Victoria Walker, but I will read more. I am particularly interested in reading her books set in Iceland as that is such an unusual setting.

This was an enjoyable easy read which really had me feeling like I need to visit some of my favourite cinemas. One of my favourites is an art deco cinema full of period details. Maybe I can find some time to visit it over the weekend.

Check out other stops on the tour too! The details are below.

Rating 4/5

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.



About the Book:



Summer at Croftwood Cinema

Patsy Clements lives in Croftwood. It’s been her sanctuary for three years while she rebuilt a life for herself that is safe and happy. Out of necessity, she has learnt to live without ambitions or dreams, but she does have her best friend Oliver who means everything to her.

Oliver Jones owns the trendy local coffee shop and establishes himself as the town entrepreneur when he buys the derelict old cinema in the park. Bringing it back to life is going to be a challenge and he wants his best friend Patsy to be his business partner.

After lying low for three years is it a mistake for her to change the life that has kept her safe or is it time to start living again? Will stepping into the limelight tempt fate and mean her past catches up with her and can she survive if it does?

Join Patsy and Oliver in the small town of Croftwood for a summer where friendships are made, challenges are everywhere and romance blossoms at the cinema in the park.


Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Croftwood-Cinema-Finding-chances-ebook/dp/B0C2JGYYCZ/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Croftwood-Cinema-Finding-chances-ebook/dp/B0C2JGYYCZ/




About the author:





Victoria Walker has been writing romantic fiction since a visit to Iceland in 2014 inspired her first novel. As well as writing, she spends her free time dressmaking, knitting and reading an inordinate amount of contemporary romance, occasionally punctuated by the odd psychological thriller and saga.

In the past she has worked as a cinema projectionist, a knitting and sewing tutor and has owned a yarn store, all things which will no doubt appear in her books if they haven't already.

Victoria lives in the Malvern Hills with her husband.

Social Media Links –

Website www.victoriaauthor.co.uk

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

Twitter -@4victoriawalker

Instagram - victoriamakes


Tuesday, May 02, 2023

Top Ten Tuesday: Random books

 

 

 





Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week the theme is The First 10 Books I Randomly Grabbed from My Shelf (close your eyes and touch/grab/point to 10 random titles and tell us what they are! And tell us what you thought if you’ve read them!)

Starting with the books I can see from where I am currently sitting: 




Harbouring by Jenny Patrick - I have this one out from the library at the moment. I borrowed it after our trip to New Zealand.

Lost Luggage by Samantha Tonge - I read this author a few years ago and I am hoping I enjoy this one too.




The Spice Master of Bistro Exotique by Samantha Verant - Another library book.

The Book Binders of Jericho by Pip Williams - I finished this one on the plane! It was such a good book.

And then some random books





Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - My cousin was talking about this book when I was in Perth

The Rain Queen by Katherine Scholes - My aunt was reading a Katherine Scholes book while I was staying at her house.

And then what I am reading now and next





Summer at Croftwood Cinema by Donna Walker - Readiing this at the moment. So far, so good!

A Taste of Italian Sunshine by Leonie Mack - This will be my next read

and then two books that I should read before the end of the month but I think I am going to struggle to fit in




Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - I have wanted to read this book for months but haven't quite fitted it in yet.

The War Nurses by Anthea Hodgson - I really want to read this one too!



Monday, May 01, 2023

This week...


I'm reading



I was away last week so didn't do an update but I did get a fair bit of reading done which was good. I don't always read a lot when I am away. The first book I read was Lost Daughters of Ukraine by Erin Littekin which I reviewed last week.



I also started and finished reading Escape to Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen which is the latest book in the Bellbird Bay series. I find this author's books very comforting and this book was a really good entry in the series. My review will be up next week.



I then moved onto The Book Binders of Jericho by Pip Williams. This is a companion book to The Dictionary of Lost Words which I have owned since it was released and not yet read. I need to rectify that as Book Binders was an excellent book! I really enjoyed it. I needed to get it read as on Saturday we are going to listen to Pip Williams talk at Melbourne Writers Festival. I am going with a couple of people from my book club as this was our choice for this month.



Now I am reading Summer at Croftwood Cinema by Victoria Walker. I hadn't read this author before but so far it is good.  My review will be up later this week.



I'm watching



We didn't watch anything last week but the week before we watched the end of Picard. I've been watching these characters from the Star Trek universe for many, many years. It is bittersweet to see it come to an end but I did like the way that it ended.



We also watched the last episode of this series of The Mandalorian. Already looking forward to the next series.



Life



Last week we visited Broome which has been on my list of places to visit for a long time! And it was awesome. It is such as amazing place in terms of the colours - blue sky, red dirt, green trees and blue water. It also has the most amazing sunsets!




One of the days we went on a flight over the Horizontal Falls, with a visit to a pearl farm where we got to see an oyster shell being opened. The plane was tiny - 5 passengers only. Here we are landing on a dirt airstrip.




We then visited my family in Perth. This is the first time we have been to Perth since before the pandemic so it was good to see them all again.



Max



Uh-oh. He's in trouble! He's eaten most of the camelias again.





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

TEMPLATE CREATED BY PRETTYWILDTHINGS