#BlogTour Just a Girl by Becky Monson

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Just a Girl by Becky Monson.

Enter the Giveaway below to Win 2 x $25 Amazon Gift Cards (Open Internationally)

About the Author

By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. An award-winning author, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last... but it probably won't.

Follow @bmonsonauthor on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit beckymonson.com, Buy Just a Girl

About the book

What happens when the right girl and the right guy meet at the wrong time?

One thing that can be said about Quinn Pearson is that she has a knack for doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. Like, the worst time ever. Take her job for instance. One little slip of the tongue using the mother of all swear words while reporting the news, and suddenly she finds herself with over 18 million views on YouTube and her employment in jeopardy. If that wasn’t bad enough, when she meets the man of her dreams, she nearly chokes to death on a powdered sugar donut.

Thankfully for Quinn, the dashing Brit, Henry, finds her near death experience quite charming. But just when Quinn thinks her luck is going to change, she finds out her timing is all wrong again. Henry is off limits. Or is he? Maybe it’s time for Quinn to quit settling for what life hands her. Perhaps it's time for her to become more than just a girl.

Review

It's fair to say that honesty plays the biggest issue when it comes to Quinn being able to embrace what she feels for a handsome young man she meets. Se becomes her own worst enemy and is extremely talented at presenting herself in a less than favourable light.

What begins as an accidental embarrassing encounter becomes more, but it's a more that entails keeping secrets, and that never ends well for anyone does it?

I think when it comes to Quinn it's a coming-of-age story. Learning to accept yourself and your own limitations without always taking second place to the desires, wants and needs of others. It can become a part or rabbit hole people fall into, the follower and the person who always backs down. The person who always takes a second place to others.

Quinn has to learn to make her own stamp on the world, perhaps even stop being a people pleaser. That is possibly why she is drawn to someone with similar traits, although being utterly charming and hard to resist helps.

I liked the fact Monson gives her main characters, in each book, such different traits. It's gives the old romcom recipe a bit of a refresher. Combining two people who have to find a way to navigate their way through common obstacles is also what draws them closer together.

It's a romance with a YA vibe that can be read by older and younger readers. A contemporary series that will fall into multiple age brackets. Stories addressing issues that may appear minor, but ultimately can have a major impact on the development of people and their relationships.

Buy Just a Girl at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

Enter the Giveaway to Win 2 x $25 Amazon Gift Cards (Open Internationally)

a Rafflecopter giveaway *Terms and Conditions –Worldwide 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.

#BlogTour Winter at Wishington Bay by Maxine Morrey

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Winter at Wishington Bay by Maxine Morrey.

About the Author

Maxine Morrey is a bestselling romantic comedy author with eight books to her name including Winter’s Fairytale and the top ten hit The Christmas Project. She lives in West Sussex. Her first novel for Boldwood, #No Filter, was published in November 2019. Sign up to Maxine Morrey's newsletter.

Follow @Scribbler_Maxi on Twitter, On Instagram, on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, on Pinterest, Visit scribblermaxi.co.uk Buy Winter at Wishington Bay at Amazon Uk

About the book

Eighteen months ago, Sophia Jones finally walked out on her unhappy life. With a tricky divorce ongoing, money is tight and so when friends offer her a housekeeping job while they’re away travelling, she accepts.

Nate McKinley is hesitant when his brother, Gabe, offers him the use of their home in the picturesque village of Wishington Bay. But he has a book to a write and an imploded marriage to recover from, so maybe a change of scene is exactly what he needs. 

As Wishington Bay works its magic, friendship blossoms between Sophia and Nate. For Nate, finally feeling able to be himself with someone who is honest and down to earth is a revelation. 

But Sophia has a secret and a jealous colleague is determined to blow her cover. Can she really keep her old life in the past or is it destined to destroy this new, happy one too?

Take a trip back to Wishington Bay this winter and find out…

Review

Sophia has finally gathered all her courage and walked out on a relationship that doesn't make her happy - it makes others happy and that is the crux of the matter. Always trying to please other people and live her life the way everyone else expects her to.

Instead she is trying hard to start fresh somewhere new. Working hard to get by, which is a new experience in itself. She meets Nate, whilst on her hands and knees, which isn't a great first impression.

The story is a romcomy romance, however it leans more towards the more serious side of the genre. Morrey combines the serious with the fun, the frivolous with the kind of issues that can make or break a person or a relationship. I think it's the very fine balance of the two that makes the read.

It's not really a sparks fly and they are drawn together like a bee to pollen kind of read- it's more of an awkward meeting of broken hearts that need a moment to be repaired. A story of second chances. Some people are only supposed to be with you for part of your life, perhaps until you meet the one you're supposed to be with.

It often feels like a venture into more serious fiction. The characters dissect themselves and their relationships, and there often isn't much room left for warmth and happiness of the meeting of two minds who appear to be made for each other.

Buy Winter at Wishington Bay at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Boldwood Books; pub date 3rd November 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogBlitz Wedding Vows and Cornish Ribbons by Laura Briggs

 

Today it's the Blog Blitz for Wedding Vows and Cornish Ribbons by Laura Briggs.

About the Author

Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller 'A Wedding in Cornwall'. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to church, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

Follow @PaperDollWrites on Twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit paperdollwrites.blogspot.com,  Buy Wedding Vows and Cornish Ribbons

About the book

Event planner Julianne Rose is on the verge of making her dreams of ‘rescuing’ weddings in need of help a reality. She and business partner Kitty have finally finished transforming the dilapidated barn into a chic event space, and they even have a new client eager to use it—a quirky, charming space organization guru named Deirdre who seems capable of organizing everything but her own special day. As if that wasn’t enough, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity soon presents itself through the who’s who of their sleepy little Cornish village: the chance to step into the event planning void for a posh bride in desperate need of an emergency salvage for her wedding plans. A wedding that could establish Julianne and Kitty as two of Cornwall’s best event planners if all goes well.

But an event that big doesn’t come without a catch. To persuade the posh clients to commit to them, Julianne and Kitty must first impress them with the ceremony for their current bride-to-be—a task that seemed easy, but proves complicated when stories emerge involving a history of broken engagements, cold feet, and commitment phobia on the part of Deirdre, who soon begins to exhibit possible symptoms of nervousness regarding her big day. Faced with a real case of runaway bride—and with their future reputation at stake— they must attempt to the impossible task of holding together a wedding fraying at its seams, and Julianne finds herself seemingly facing a choice between what’s best for Save the Date’s survival and what’s best for her client’s happiness, regardless of the cost.

Are Julianne’s worst fears about to be realized, with Deirdre gearing up for yet another run from the church altar? Can she persuade the posh but sympathetic bride Alexi to take a risk on Save the Date regardless of it? And will Julianne and the handsome-but-equally-busy Matt find time to smolder anything in their marriage besides leftover chicken pie? Readers will learn these answers and more in the funny and heartfelt sequel to the first full-length titular novel Return to Cornwall .

Review

This is the full-length sequel to A Wedding in Cornwall, when Julianne found the perfect career and a devastatingly handsome partner to boot. Now many years and a few kids later, with a brand new career venture we return to the life Julianne has carved out for herself in the little Cornish village.

Julianne and Kitty need to throw the kind of wedding event that makes people sit up and take notice to keep their dream kicking and alive. A bride in need of a quick emergency and yet terribly grand wedding is possibly their gateway to bigger clients. But hey It's Julianne, so if anything can go wrong it will go wrong, and that counts from food to the emotional needs of her clients.

Briggs gives readers a feel good read, escapism full of laughter, escapades, problems and memorable characters. Although it's fair to say that Matt and Julianne aren't exactly the way readers will remember them in the first book, you can still feel the fun, attraction and tension between them.

Where does Save the Date go next? Based on the ending we could be in for an interesting new story if Briggs decides to add to this series going forward.

Buy Wedding Vows and Cornish Ribbons (Return to Cornwall Book 1) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. 

Read my reviews of Return to Cornwall, The Cornish Secret of Summer's Promise, A Train from Penzance to Paris, and A Wedding in Cornwall by Laura Briggs.

#BlogTour When I Come Home Again by Caroline Scott

 

Today it's an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour When I Come Home Again by Caroline Scott. From the highly acclaimed author of The Photographer of the Lost, a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick.

About the Author

Caroline completed a PhD in History at the University of Durham. She developed a particular interest in the impact of the First World War on the landscape of Belgium and France, and in the experience of women during the conflict – fascinations that she was able to pursue while she spent several years working as a researcher for a Belgian company. Caroline is originally from Lancashire, but now lives in southwest France. The Photographer of the Lost was a BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick.

Follow @CScottBooks on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy When I Come Home Again

About the book

They need him to remember. He wants to forget.1918. In the last week of the First World War, a uniformed soldier is arrested in Durham Cathedral. When questioned, it becomes clear he has no memory of who he is or how he came to be there.

The soldier is given the name Adam and transferred to a rehabilitation home where his doctor James is determined to recover who this man once was. But Adam doesn’t want to remember. Unwilling to relive the trauma of war, Adam has locked his memory away, seemingly for good.

When a newspaper publishes a feature about Adam, three women come forward, each claiming that he is someone she lost in the war. But does he believe any of these women? Or is there another family out there waiting for him to come home?

Based on true events, When I Come Home Again is a deeply moving and powerful story of a nation’s outpouring of grief, and the search for hope in the aftermath of war

Review

1918 - Wandering aimlessly through streets is a man they later call Adam. He is has no memory of who he is, where he is from and where he is going. Or is it because he just doesn't want to remember what he has been through?

An ad in the newspaper seems like the perfect way to find someone who might be able to identify him, but what no one expects is multiple desperate grieving women to turn up, because they are all certain Adam is their lost loved one.

What Scott does with an uncanny accuracy is capture the pain and emotional turmoil of those involved in war, especially when they have been in the midst of battles. The trauma and PTSD, which at the time was still unknown territory to medical experts, was often dismissed as fake. All those lives and families destroyed by the war to end all wars. 

What is even more heartbreaking and at the heart of this story is how many of those brave men remain without an ending to their story and in equal measures the loved ones who also search every face, report, rumour and story for an ending.

The thousands of men who remain nameless and unaccounted for - even now in the 21st century remains from WW2 for instance are being identified via DNA and families are finally getting closure after so many decades. 

Aside from the excellent writing, I really do enjoy the way Scott seems to have her finger on the pulse when it comes to the despair, the endless searching and the lack of understanding for the trauma war brings with it. Even now can someone who hasn't been in the midst of open warfare and battle ever really understand the inner torment of those who have?

It's an emotional and at times extremely sad read, but also one that gives readers the hope we can do better going forward. Simultaneously it speaks to the humanity, empathy and the belief that someone can leave their presence behind in so many ways, which is a comfort in itself. 

Buy When I Come Home Again at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher Simon and Schuster: Publishing 29th October 2020 | Hardback | £14.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Archers: Ambridge at War by Catherine Miller

Today it's has been a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Ambridge at War by Catherine Miller. Ambridge at War is fully authorised by BBC Radio 4, and Catherine Miller, has had exclusive access to the world of The Archers, to create a compelling and faithful novel about what might have happened.

In this wonderful new novel celebrating the 70th anniversary of the beloved radio show, follow the lives of the families of Ambridge before it all began…

About the Author

Catherine Miller is the author of 18 novels under her own name and other pseudonyms. Born to an Irish family in London, her career took her from producing radio commercials to being a voiceover agent for various stellar actors. Nowadays she writes all day at home in Surrey, occasionally lifting her head to raise her daughter and feed the dogs. She writes fiction by day and listens to the Archers by night.

Follow Catherine on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy The Archers: Ambridge at War

Jeremy Howe, editor of The Archers, has worked closely on Ambridge at War, providing crucial behind-the-scenes insights into the nations favourite radio drama.

About the book

It’s 1940 and war has broken out. It is midnight at the turn of the year, and Walter Gabriel speaks the same line that opened the very first radio episode – 'And a Happy New Year to you all!' For Ambridge, a village in the heart of the English countryside, this year will bring change in ways no one was expecting.

From the Pargetters at Lower Loxley to the loving, hard-working Archer family at Brookfield Farm, the war will be hard for all of them. And the New Year brings the arrival of evacuees to Ambridge, shaking things up in the close-knit rural community.

As the villagers embrace wartime spirit, the families that listeners have known and loved for generations face an uphill battle to keep their secrets hidden. Especially as someone is intent on revealing those secrets to the whole village . . .

BBC Radio 4’s The Archers has aired over 19,000 episodes since the first pilot in 1951, and has nearly 5 million regular listeners. In the quarter October – December 2019 it was also the most popular on demand radio programme on BBC Sounds.

Review

The Archers might not be something the younger generations will recognise, although they may have heard their grandmothers or parents talk about this infamous long-running radio show and audio soap opera of its day. It has a solid loyal audience.

Listening to the radio seems to be a little bit of a lost art. I mean really listen to a story or something like the fictional world of The Archers, as opposed to songs, ads and just for the popular breakfast DJ. One of my guilty pleasures as a child was listening to The Whistler late at night, both shows are precursors to the modern audiobook. 

If you have never listened to an episode of The Archers before then perhaps this delightful book can be seen as an open invitation to join them. Even with no prior knowledge it's a read steeped in delightfully quirky and eccentric rural village life. Everyone knows everyone else's business, and yet there always seems to be a secret or two. In a world that is once more dealing with the frustration, pain and destruction of war a little semblance of normality, even the village kind, can bring people closer together.

I shall end this review with the highest praise for Catherine Miller for being able to immerse herself so completely in the fictional world that has been listened to by so many since the 1950s and being able to to give readers the Archers we know so well, in this story set before that radio time period. The Archers before we came to love and expect to hear their voices - a prequel to the 19000 strong episode story. She has absolutely captured the world of The Archers accurately.

Buy The Archers Ambridge at War at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Simon & Schuster UK pub date 29 Oct. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour And Then She Shines by Helen Libby

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour for And Then She Shines: A Collection of Novelettes - Five women, five different issues, five ‘feel-good’ reads. And Then She Shines brings together brings together four previously published novelettes, along with Helen Libby’s new story, Cassie’s Choice.

About the Author

Originally from North Wales, Helen currently lives in Shropshire with her husband and their dog. Helen worked for many years in the public sector and has an administrative background. She writes both fiction and non-fiction. As well as being an indie author, Helen is a self-publishing consultant, offering editorial, self-publishing, and writing services. To find out more, please go to: www.helen-edwards.co.uk 

Follow Helen @helibedw on Twitter, on Istangram, on Amazon, on Facebook, on Goodreads, Buy And Then She Shines

About the book

Ruby’s Secret - Can you keep a secret? All the clothes Ruby’s bought may have filled her wardrobe, but they haven’t helped her to feel fulfilled. She’s been holding back on her dream of travelling for years. And now Ruby’s in debt. A LOT of debt. She’s so ashamed. She doesn’t want anyone to know, not even her boyfriend, David. He’s so careful with money – he wouldn’t understand. Ruby’s trying to change. She wants financial stability AND a good relationship. Will she be able to resolve her debt before David discovers her secret?

Love, Anna - Stay or go? Anna’s a romantic. She loves musical theatre, but her life is a far cry from her favourite shows. When her boyfriend Joe tells her he doesn’t love her anymore, she doesn’t know what to do. Anna just wants to be loved, but Joe suffers from depression, and they've both been unhappy for a long time. A last minute trip to Paris gives Anna some time to reflect, and shows her whether life can ever really be like a musical.

Laura’s Embrace - "People who love me leave me.” Laura makes a New Year’s resolution – to find her birth mother. She needs answers. What she doesn’t need is a relationship, so when things start getting serious between her and Rob, she does her best to hold back. Only Rob won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and Laura is torn. Will Laura find her birth mother? And will love find a way?

Finding Ella - He knows everything about her. The only thing she knows about him is that he’s her husband. Can she fall in love with him for a second time? Ella’s lost her memory – the last ten years of her life. Her friends and family want her to slot back into place, only it’s not that easy. Will Ella's memory return? Does she need to remember her husband in order to love him again? Join Ella on her journey of self-discovery.

Cassie’s Choice - “Something is missing from my life, and I can’t pinpoint what it is. Could it be a baby? Maybe.” What if you think you want a child, but your partner doesn’t? It’s time for Cassie to make her mind up. Does she want a baby, or not? If she does, is she willing to leave her beloved husband, Alex, in order to start again? Can you miss something you’ve never had? Does Cassie need a baby in order to feel fulfilled? So many questions, and she’s running out of time.

Review

This book contains Helen Libby's new story Cassie's Choice and also the stories Finding Ella, Laura's Embrace, Love Anna and Ruby's Secret. All of them are novelette length.

In Finding Ella it's about estrangement and coming to terms with living a life that Ella doesn't remember and yet is somehow stuck in. In Ruby's Secret the main character manages to justify her failings and put them on her partner, who in turn becomes the scolding parent. It's a little bit of a role reversal when it comes to the blame game.

I have to say the story of Love Anna wasn't an easy read. Yes there has to be an acknowledgement that someone living with a partner with depression suffers with them, but to me Anna represented the typical reaction of someone who doesn't understand what depression is. I found her quite selfish and self-obsessed. Me, me, me how does this impact me? Joe has to confront his mental health issues so they - she - can be happy again.

Cassie's Choice was an interesting one, I firmly believe that for a relationship to succeed long term there has to be a consensus about what both want when it comes to important milestones in life, such as marriage and babies, regardless of whether you want either or not. Waiting until one person is ready or appeasing them is just delaying the inevitable, which for women usually means a missed bio clock or having to restart their lives when they have passed their prime. Honesty at the beginning can save a lot of heartache.

Overall I believe Libby wants to her stories to convey women who discover they are strong enough to make their own choices and be bold enough to embrace the change they need for themselves. I wouldn't exactly call them uplifting stories, perhaps because what they all have in common is a woman who is struggling with their situation and emotional well-being.

It depends on perspective I suppose. Some situations can be perceived as a character becoming emboldened enough to get what they want, however it can also be viewed as selfish and as seen just through their eyes, despite the impact of their decisions reaching beyond their own person.

I would call the stories brief moments of honesty and putting oneself at the forefront of our own needs and wants, regardless of how it may come across. Possibly something women need to do more often.

Buy And Then She Shines at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Helen Libby; pub date 1 Nov. 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

#PublicationDayPush Unbroken Truth by Lukas Lundh

 It's a pleasure to take part in the Publication Day Push for Unbroken Truth by Lukas Lundh.

About the Author

Lukas Lundh grew up around books and started writing in early childhood. He speaks English, Swedish and Japanese from living in New Zealand as a teen and studying for a year in Japan in early 20s.

He is educated in philosophy, game design, creative writing and is currently working on a history degree. Between reading course books which inspire history flash-fictions, Lukas writes everything in between space opera, fantasy steelpunk, and post-ap war dystopias.

His debut novel, a steelpunk spy thriller, Unbroken Truth, is available for pre-order. He doesn’t blog, but he is active on twitter.

Follow @LundhLukas on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit thefifthhorizon.com, Buy Unbroken Truth

About the book

Beneath the arcane Rustpeaks lies the city of Lansfyrd, where visibility is at an all-time low and airships rumble through the skies. Detective Lentsay “Len” Yoriya is a former homicide detective stuck at a burglary assignment as punishment for loving the wrong person. But when a xenophobic radio-shaman is murdered and the killers try to frame the city’s oppressed insectoids, Len sees a chance to prove her worth. Though high-profile murders are rarely uncomplicated.

In the city’s affluent quarters, Len’s partner Vli-Rana Talie works as a lector at the university, studying the history of a species that once ruled the world. As the temperature rises for her partner, Vli will soon realize that delving into history, that some would prefer was forgotten, will carry risks of its own. Especially when the ambitions of empires are affected.

Meanwhile, there is an election coming up, and the tension simmering in the city is reaching a boiling point. Vli and Len must find what allies they can and face the powers that threaten their home.

History never ends, and unless its lessons are heeded what was once the past might become the present.

Review

First and foremost this needs a glossary at the beginning of the story. It is so complex and intricate the readers who are new to the world-building of Lundh will need an imprint of his mind-map. Species, politics, evolvement of the dystopian world, ergo the pre-history. Heck I want pictures, maps and this could absolutely be a great graphic novel with the right illustrator - just saying. Insectoids - that just has to be a nightmare for some readers out there.

Len is a police detective stuck in a rut and unable to progress in her career, because her choice of personal partner absolutely works against her. When a nasty little shaman is murdered she sees her chance to finally pressure the upper echelon to let her back into the world of homicide.

At the same time her partner becomes involved in a dangerous game of secrets that need to remain buried as the political tensions in the city start to boil over as an election looms. An election that can really change the day-to-day lives of others and the oppressed if it goes a certain way.

Is Steelpunk the new Steampunk? Hmm, good question, but for me there is no comparison. I'm not even sure if I would put this Steelpunk Spy thriller into the genre of Steelpunk per se. It has such a fantastic dystopian feel that it needs its very own sub-genre, especially because of the very species specific premise.

Whilst I am thinking of it, I also thought Lundh drew some interesting tongue-in-cheek comparisons to political and real time realities we are living through and with right now. Simultaneously also for inserting the same kind of discrimination, racism and xenophobia we are still experiencing in the 21st century. Kudos for sneaking a few nice little daggers in there.

Lundh is absolutely an author I would return to and recommend. I do enjoy creative speculative fiction that endeavours to bend and break boundaries. This is the first book in the Gleam series and I am looking forward to seeing where Lundh takes it next.

Buy Unbroken Truth at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. Buy Unbroken Truth from Kobo, Apple, Google, Kindle, !ndigo, Angus and Robertson, Vivlio, Scribd and 24 Symbols at books2read.