#BlogTour The Cake Fairies by Isabella May

Today it's also my turn on the BlogTour The Cake Fairies by Isabella May.

About the Author
Isabella May lives in (mostly) sunny Andalusia, Spain with her husband, daughter and son, creatively inspired by the mountains and the sea. Having grown up on Glastonbury’s ley lines however, she’s unable to completely shake off her spiritual inner child, and is a Law of Attraction fanatic.

Cake, cocktail, churros, ice cream and travel obsessed, she also loves nothing more than to (quietly) break life’s rules. The Cake Fairies is her fifth novel.

Follow @IsabellaMayBks on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Instagram, on Facebook, Visit isabellamayauthor.com, Buy The Cake Fairies

About the book
1960's Somerset is no fun for cousins Polly and Annabelle Williams. Mourning their non-existent love lives, and the mundanity of village life, their only pleasure is baking - until a chance encounter has them magically transported to the bright lights of London... in 2019!

Promised a chance of love, first they must teach the people of the future about the simpler pleasures of life by becoming Cake Fairies. Over the course of a year they set off on a delectable tour of the UK, dropping off cakes in the most unexpected of places and replacing the lure of technology with much sweeter temptations.

But will their philanthropical endeavours lead them to everlasting love? Or will they discover you can't have your cake and eat it?

Review
May has certainly created a whole other sub-genre just for readers who love their fiction and/or romance with a bit of food porn. Foodie romance fiction for the people who enjoy it when their sweet-tooth and tastebuds are treated like one of the gang.

I loved the idea of cake becoming the connecting factor between people. The gesture of reaching out and bringing people together with a little sweetness. It's cake - what's not to like? I think the aspect of them having to sprinkle their sugary goodness here, there and everywhere in the future to ensure their happiness in the past, is a delightful premise.

Polly and Annabelle are cousins, who are transported to the future, with the help of a bizarre psychic come fairground attraction. Their desire to find love, happiness and a fulfilled life is in reach, but only after they have embarked upon a mission of sorts.

Creating a chain or sequence of events to connect and bring people together with kindness and beautiful gestures. Perhaps in a way infusing the 21st century with something that has become lost to a time period where technology has superceded face-to-face human communication and actual contact.Taking a slice of what was still the norm in the 1960s that we have somehow all let disintegrate.

It's a contemporary read, one of love and understanding, and friendship. It's important to hold on to relationships that bring you joy, strength and the sense of feeling safe. Those types of relationships aren't easy to come by, especially when it is family.

Buy The Cake Fairies at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my reviews of The Ice Cream Parlour and Costa del Churros by Isabella May.

#BlogTour The Ice Cream Parlour by Isabella May

It's my turn on the BlogTour The Ice Cream Parlour by Isabella May. It's a contemporary read, a story of intense tastes, emotions and introspection.

About the Author
Isabella May lives in (mostly) sunny Andalucia, Spain with her husband, daughter and son, creatively inspired by the sea and the mountains. Having grown up on Glastonbury's ley lines however, she's unable to completely shake off her spiritual inner child, and is a Law of Attraction fanatic.
Cake, cocktail, gelato, and travel obsessed, she also loves nothing more than to (quietly) break life's 'rules'.
The Ice Cream Parlour is her fourth novel.

Follow @IsabellaMayBks on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Goodreads, on Amazon,

Visit isabellamayauthor.com

Buy The Ice Cream Parlour

About the book
Giovanna Tonioli is a successful stockbroker with a famous sports star boyfriend, but things aren't as sweet as they seem. When life in the city of Bath goes from Vanilla to Rocky Road, she takes herself off to Italy for an 'Eat Pray Love' style tour of all things gelateria. What she doesn't expect to find on her travels is one smooth, hot dollop of temptation that she just can't shake.
How will her spiteful twin sister react when Giovanna returns to open a rival ice cream parlour? Will Natalia get her just desserts? Or will things become even stickier? All's fair in love, war and ice cream. Isn't it?
*Marian Keyes meets Paulo Coelho meets Nigella*
The Ice Cream Parlour is a mouthwatering tale of fate, family, love and jealousy - with a delectable drizzle of alchemy besides.

Review

Giovanna spends her days supporting the family business. She lives, breathes and dreams about one day being in charge of the gelateria. The only thing standing in her way is her annoyingly attractive twin sister. The two girls are in a constant battle for attention. Sibling rivalry takes on a more destructive tone as Natalia makes a point of going after everything her sister derives any pleasure from.

Giovanna is pulled between loyalty for her family and heritage, and the perceived betrayal by the same family. A shocking act of treachery throws her for a loop and forces her to take a closer look at all of her relationships, her own actions and how to find her own happiness.

So here's the thing, in a way this is three concepts in one and all of those concepts are tied to the main character. Individually they would be three completely different reads, together as one is to the detriment of that story. It keeps the story from being what it potentially could have been. In fact the ice cream and gelato, eat pray love, tasting and discovery of flavours storyline is a hidden gem. That could have been spectacular. Indeed the first part of this book is a literary delight.

Then there is the Cosa Nostra storyline, which opens up a world unto itself, especially because the roots are drawn from the origin base and not the more commonly known US one. Lastly the short excursion into past life regression. Each storyline is flavoured by Giovanna's emotional state of mind and the ongoing conflict with her family.

It's a case of less is more, however saying that this book is also a clear indicator that May is brimming with creativity and is a great writer. Most certainly one to watch, as she hones her craft and delights her readers with her stories. A hive of imagination waiting to be shared.

It's a contemporary read, a story of intense tastes, emotions and introspection.

Buy The Ice Cream Parlour by Isabella May at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy Amazon com.

#BlogTour Costa Del Churros by Isabella May

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Costa del Churros by Isabella May. It's an eye-opening view of ex-pats and a tongue-in-cheek parody of a variety of women, who connect and help each other in the strangest of ways. Don't forget to enter the Giveaway to win a signed copy of The Cocktail Bar (Open Internationally)

About the Author
Isabella May lives in (mostly) sunny Andalucia, Spain with her husband, daughter and son, creatively inspired by the sea and the mountains. When she isn’t having her cake and eating it, sampling a new cocktail on the beach, or ferrying her children to and from after school activities, she can usually be found writing. As a co-founder and a former contributing writer for the popular online women’s magazine, The Glass House Girls – www.theglasshousegirls.com – she has also been lucky enough to subject the digital world to her other favourite pastimes, travel, the Law of Attraction, and Prince (The Purple One). She has recently become a Book Fairy, and is having lots of fun with her imaginative ‘drops’! Costa del Churros is her third novel with Crooked Cat Books, following on from the hit sensations, Oh! What a Pavlova and The Cocktail Bar.

Follow @IsabellamayBks @crookedcatbooks on Twitter
IsabellaMayAuthor on Facebook isabella_may_author on Instagram
Visit isabellamayauthor.com
Buy Costa del Churros

About the book
The rain in Spain doesn't mainly fall on the plain…
Brits abroad Belinda, Julia, Laura and Georgina need more than the sweetness of churros with chocolate dipping sauce to save them from their unsavoury states of affairs.
Cue Carmen Maria Abril de la Fuente Ferrera, the town's flamboyant flamenco teacher! But can she really be the answer to their prayers?
One thing's for sure: the Costa del Sol will never be the same again.

Review
Leaving aside the often blinkered view and colonial attitude of ex-pats for a moment, there is also a strange phenomenon which occurs when they come in contact with each other. Regardless of background, education, socio-economic status or type of character they are, as ex-pats they have one thing in common and that is the thing they grasp onto for dear life.

The sense and feeling of having something in common, the element that binds them and makes them different from the locals. Not that a lot of them don't bond with the natives or try to integrate into their new country of choice, although I am not sure it can be called integration when they create small home countries away from home.

It is this essence of a geographical link, which first brings the women together. Then as the unusual friendships blossom it is the similarity of their problems and sorrows as women which brings them closer. It also allows each one of them to move on instead of treading water on the same spot, as they have been doing for many years.

The reason they suddenly find themselves in a position to take back their lives to enjoy hidden desires and discover a world beyond the framework laid out for them by others, is quite simply Carmen. The flamenco dancer, who might possibly be a mixture of an exotic genie and a vague predictor of truths and fortunes.

May reminds us that, despite our differences women all share similarities on a basic level, and perhaps we should remember that sometimes. Instead of judgement there should be support, and it is never too late for new beginnings.

It's an eye-opening view of ex-pats and a tongue-in-cheek parody of a variety of women, who connect and help each other in the strangest of ways. It's empowering in the quirkiest of ways. In fact let's all take up Flamenco dancing.

Buy Costa del Churros at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: Crooked Cat Books

Enter the Giveaway below – to Win a signed copy of The Cocktail Bar (Open Internationally) 

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