Christmas – Books Are Cool

Posted on October 21, 2020 by Stephanie — Leave a comment

Christmas Reunion in Paris by Liz Fielding

Celebrity chef James Harrington never expected to find himself face-to-face with Chloe, his first love, again… Especially, with her working as a chambermaid at his luxury hotel! Their chemistry’s as strong as ever, but she’s hiding a secret. Can James convince Chloe that their love is worth taking a chance on – again?

Katie Fforde wrote, when honouring her with the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019 said – “Liz Fielding’s books, with their warmth, humour and emotion, have charmed millions of readers. She is a true star of the romantic fiction genre.”

My review

Second chances go hand in hand with Christmas, as it’s a time for new beginnings and a bit of magic.

In this story James and Chloe are initially star-crossed lovers, but then circumstances bring them back together in an unexpected way. Crazy coincidences are all grist for the mill in a romance. Both are likeable on the whole, although they have their moments. But who doesn’t.

The setting of Paris is well portrayed. It has a reputation as a romantic city so it’s fitting that our couple spend time there. Food, as you’d expect, gets mentioned quite a lot. Other themes that emerge are family interference, chasing dreams, and and unrealistic expectations.

There’s festiveness so it’s a nice book to read in the run-up to Christmas.

Enjoyable and entertaining.

Purchase Links

Amazon – https://mybook.to/ChristmasReunion

iBooks – https://books.apple.com/gb/book/christmas-reunion-in-paris/id1508284570

Google https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Liz_Fielding_Christmas_Reunion_In_Paris_Mills_Boon?id=DgPdDwAAQBAJ

Nook – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-reunion-in-paris-liz-fielding/1136637305

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/christmas-reunion-in-paris-mills-boon-true-love-christmas-at-the-harrington-park-hotel-book-1

Mills and Boon – Harlequin –

https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335556462_christmas-reunion-in-paris.html

Mills and Boon Australia

https://store.millsandboon.com.au/products/christmas-reunion-in-paris?_ga=2.190695592.2088628603.1594193836-1074301285.1594045585

Author bio

Best selling author, Liz Fielding worked as a secretary in Africa, the Middle East and the UK before writing full time. Her award winning books are published worldwide in multiple languages and she has more than 15 million books in print.

Social media links

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/lizfieldingauthor

Twitter – https://twitter.com/lizfielding

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/liz.fielding/

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Stephanie — 1 Comment

The 12 Christmases of You & Me by Jennifer Joyce

What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?

Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?

When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?

The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.

My review

I think most of us wish that we could revisit at least one of our childhood Christmases, especially if your parents, or whoever the main enablers of Christmas were for you, have passed away. Or if, as here, there’s something you’d like fix. Likewise parents think fondly about those most magical Christmases when their children were small. What we’d all give to jump around in time like Maisie can! This element of the story is very fitting.

I suppose it’s the time travel element that necessitates the use of the present tense, which works satisfactorily but, I must confess, I’m not a number one fan of the practice!

Our characters are lively and fascinating, and it’s fun to see them growing up. There aren’t too many to confuse the reader, but enough to be interesting and to get some lovely interaction.

The settings are seasonal with Christmas always strongly in the background.

Jennifer Joyce provides us with a different and enjoyable approach to a festive romcom.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B086T3LKB7/

US – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086T3LKB7/

Author bio

Jennifer Joyce is a writer of romantic comedies who lives in Manchester with her husband and their two daughters. She’s been scribbling down bits of stories for as long as she can remember, graduating from a pen to a typewriter and then an electronic typewriter. And she felt like the bee’s knees typing on THAT. She now writes her books on a laptop (which has a proper delete button and everything).

Social media links

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jenniferjoycewrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/writer_jenn

Instagram: www.instagram.com/writer_jenn

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Stephanie — Leave a comment

The Ticklemore Christmas Toy Shop by Liz Davies: a delightfully different, festive tale of new beginnings

You’re never too old to fall in love…

There is a disturbance in the force and octogenarian Hattie Jenkins can feel it in her water. Still active and spritely, she guesses that the miserable-looking gentleman sitting morosely in the café where she works, might be the reason.

Widowed Alfred Miller has recently moved in with his daughter because she is worried that he’s becoming too frail and forgetful to look after himself. And he’s not in the least bit happy about it, especially since his home is soon be cleared and sold.

But when he enlists Hattie’s help to save some of his precious belongings, he doesn’t realise that Hattie’s mission is to save more than a few sticks of furniture. She’s on a mission to save him, too.

My review

This is a really enjoyable, quirky, festive book, the type I absolutely adore! And after you’ve read it, so will you!

Hattie is a wonderful character, as cantankerous as anything but with special abilities that she uses for good. Imagine a grumpy old godmother and you’ve got her. Alfred is a dear, and prey to his bossy but well-meaning daughter. However, she’s trying to organise him in directions he doesn’t want to go. Their relationship is actually a very sharp insight into that interesting but frequently fraught stage of life when role reversal cuts in and the child becomes the carer of the parent. (This hit me particularly hard when my son helped haul me out of a ditch the other day. Don’t ask…)

Alfred too has a secret gift, although it’s rather more normal than Hattie’s. He’s a talented toy maker. These toys face being thrown out, together with many of his belongings prior to him selling up to move in full-time with the family. These toys offer him a lifeline, which Hattie’s determined he’ll grab hold of.

Lots of wry and dry humour to be found in this clever, delightfully different Christmas tale of new beginnings.

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ticklemore-Christmas-Toy-Shop-warming-ebook/dp/B08H5V7Z74

US – https://www.amazon.com/Ticklemore-Christmas-Toy-Shop-warming-ebook/dp/B08H5V7Z74

Author bio

Liz Davies writes feel-good, light-hearted stories with a hefty dose of romance, a smattering of humour, and a great deal of love.

She’s married to her best friend, has one grown-up daughter, and when she isn’t scribbling away in the notepad she carries with her everywhere (just in case inspiration strikes), you’ll find her searching for that perfect pair of shoes. She loves to cook but isn’t very good at it, and loves to eat – she’s much better at that! Liz also enjoys walking (preferably on the flat), cycling (also on the flat), and lots of sitting around in the garden on warm, sunny days.

She currently lives with her family in Wales, but would ideally love to buy a camper can and travel the world in it.

Social media links

Website: https://lizdaviesauthor.wixsite.com/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LizDaviesAuthor1

Twitter https://twitter.com/lizdaviesauthor

Posted on October 11, 2020 by Stephanie

Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay by Katie Ginger

Grab your cosiest jumper and escape to the beautiful Swallowtail Bay!

Christmas and romance are in the air and Nell is obsessed! She can’t stop watching her favourite Christmas romcoms and dreaming of the day when she meets her own romantic hero, especially as she is hosting the first ever wedding at her small hotel, Holly Lodge.

Nell’s best friend, Tom, has been in love with her ever since they met. But Nell has never seen him that way, and he’s always kept his feelings a secret in case it ruins their friendship.

After the opening of the glamorous Langdon Mansion Hotel in the bay, Nell’s hotel is struggling for survival and she must fight, with Tom’s help, to keep Holly Lodge open. Can the magic of Christmas help two old friends save Holly Lodge and open Nell’s eyes to a love that was always there the whole time?

Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay is the hilarious new romantic comedy from Katie Ginger.

My review

This is such an enjoyable book!

The key phrase in it is ‘the one’ and it refers to many ‘best’ things: the one wedding dress, the one best wedding venue in Swallowtail Bay, the one best friend, and The One, the man of Nell’s dreams.

Nell is fabulous. She’s both romantic head-in-the-cloudsy, and very down to earth. She’s confident one moment, and a dithering bundle of nerves the next. She’s perfect in being so realistically imperfect.

Tom is gorgeous in an understated, natural way. He’s Nell’s The One, but of course, she doesn’t realise that. Will she finally stop alternating between daydreaming and overworking and see what’s under her nose?

Swallowtail Bay is a bustling, interesting place with a population of interesting characters who enjoy good and bad relations, friendships and rivalries with each other, and there are interlinked and opposing businesses too. It’s beautifully portrayed.

Lots to entertain and enchant you in this seasonal romcom.

Purchase Links

UK Amazon ebook: https://amzn.to/2Ni5ipv

US Amazon ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Winter-Wishes-Swallowtail-Bay-Book-ebook/dp/B08B4D1N1M

Author bio

Katie Ginger lives by the sea in the south-east of England, and apart from holidays to very hot places where you can sit by a pool and drink cocktails as big as your head, she wouldn’t really want to be anywhere else. Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay is her sixth novel. She is also the author of Spring Tides at Swallowtail Bay, Summer Strawberries at Swallowtail Bay, Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage and the Seafront series – The Little Theatre on the Seafront, shortlisted for the Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year award, and Summer Season on the Seafront.

When she’s not writing, Katie spends her time with her husband and two kids, and their dogs: Wotsit, the King Charles spaniel, and Skips, the three-legged Romanian rescue dog. (And yes, they are both named after crisps!)

For more about Katie, you can visit her website: www.keginger.com, find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KatieGAuthor, or follow her on Twitter: @KatieGAuthor.

Posted on October 10, 2020 by Stephanie

You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Louise Marley

You Make It Feel Like Christmas

The only thing preventing Beth’s perfect family Christmas? Her family!

Television presenter Agatha Holly has built her career on telling viewers how to have the perfect Christmas. A Holly Jolly Christmas has been screened every December for twenty years and her entire family are involved, including her daughter Beth—the unwilling star of a thousand memes and gifs. But Beth has finally had enough of public ridicule. All she’s ever wanted is a traditional family Christmas away from the television cameras. If she can’t persuade her family to change, should she consider celebrating Christmas without them?

My review

There’s an awful lot going on in this book! It’s about Christmas – obviously! – expectation, over-expectations, appearance, reality, traditions and family. Family is really the crux of the matter, and that theme is explored in both poignant, tension and explosive modes. Loyalty, love and hostility jostle for prime place. Sound familiar? The author has a fine eye for detail and portrays many situations we’ve probably come across with humour and honesty.

There’s romance too, and that’s beautifully handled.

Christmas is a time when divisions are healed and new starts are made and those are both elements of this novel.

The action is brisk on the whole, with occasional changes in pace to focus on something else, and the plot is cleverly put together. The characters aren’t ones you can ignore. You either love them or hate them, and quite often you do both!

This is a very enjoyable festive read, perfect for getting you into a Christmassy mood, and also thinking about your own family and the Christmases you’ve had together, and those that are yet to come.

Purchase Links

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Make-Feel-Like-Christmas-ebook/dp/B08HL8QH9B

USA: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HL8QH9B

Author bio

Louise Marley writes murder mysteries and romantic comedies. She is lucky enough to live in a village where there is a famous library and TWO ruined castles. (Her husband still thinks they moved there by accident.)

Her first published novel was Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which was a finalist in Poolbeg’s ‘Write a Bestseller’ competition. She has also written articles for the Irish press and short stories for women’s magazines such as Take a Break and My Weekly. Previously, Louise worked as a civilian administrative officer for the police.

Louise’s books have spent a total of 7 months in the Amazon Top 100 (UK). Three of her books have been #1 bestsellers in Romantic Suspense and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes was #1 in Romance.

Social Media Links

Website: http://www.louisemarley.co.uk/

Amazon Author Page (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Louise-Marley/e/B005FV0ITM

Amazon Author Page (USA): https://www.amazon.com/Louise-Marley/e/B005FV0ITM

Twitter: https://twitter.com/louisemarley @LouiseMarley

Blog: https://louisemarleywrites.blogspot.com

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

Facebook (Page): https://www.facebook.com/LouiseMarleyAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisemarleywrites/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4557986.Louise_Marley

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/louisemarley/

Posted on October 8, 2020 by Stephanie

The Winter We Met by Samantha Tonge

The Winter We Met

When charming, mysterious Nik sits next to Jess on a plane home from a Christmas toy trade fair, she never could have imagined the impact he’d have on her life. As they touch down in London, Jess is hesitant to let Nik walk away, and before she knows it, she’s invited him to visit.

As the two take in the delights of the toy store where she works, Jess gets an upsetting phone call. Willow Court, her grandmother’s care home, is to close before Christmas. Jess is determined to find the perfect new home for her Gran – and throw the best Christmas party Willow Court has ever seen!

But time is running out with the closure looming and Jess becomes increasingly drawn to enigmatic Nik who joins forces with her and best friend Oliver to realise those plans.

Will a chance encounter on an aeroplane bring love to Jess’s life or is this Christmas miracle too good to be true?

My review

This is an enjoyable and festive story, that’s more than just a seasonal romcom. There’s almost two stories with the toyshop element, and the Willow Court care home element. They tie together cleverly with very touching and inspiring consequences.

The characters are all larger than life and fascinating. Nik is gorgeous, Jess is strong and genuine, Gran is sweet and courageous, to name just a few of the lovely people we meet.

It’s an original Christmassy story that uses toys, a staple part of Christmas fare, and a more serious issue of senior care that can be rather fragile.

Great fun, moving, absorbing.

Purchase Link – getbook.at/WinterWeMet

Author Bio – Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and studied German and French at university. She has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris, and has travelled widely.
When not writing she loves family time, reading and baking. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.

In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014 her bestselling debut, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction Best Ebook Award.
In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category.
In 2019 she was shortlisted for the RNA’s Romantic Comedy Award.
In 2020 she won the RNA’s Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award with her novel Knowing You, from publisher Canelo.

Social Media Links – Twitter: @SamTongeWriter

Instagram: @samanthatongeauthor

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

Posted on September 23, 2020 by Stephanie

Cover reveal: Christmas in Cockleberry Bay by Nicola May

Christmas in Cockleberry Bay

Meet old and new characters in the Bay for Christmas fun and frolics.

With both the Corner Shop and Cockleberry Café in safe hands, Rosa turns her attention to Ned’s Gift, the charity set up in memory of the great-grandfather whose legacy turned her life around.

Over at the Ship Hotel, Lucas has his work cut out with his devious new girlfriend and the mystery poisoning of an anonymous hotel inspector. Will the hotel still get its 3-star Seaside Rosette?

Will Mary find true love at last? Can Titch cope with the demands of the shop and being heavily pregnant. And can Rosa, with a baby of her own, pull off the Cockleberry Bay Charity Christmas Concert in time?

Christmas in Cockleberry Bay is a festive delight for fans of Rosa and her cheeky mini dachshund Hot, delivering a feast of unpredictable events and surprises.

Pre-order Links

Kindle – UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08JHJKLQF/

Kindle – .com – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JHJKLQF/

Paperback – http://eye-books.com/books/christmas-in-cocklberry-bay

Publication Date – 4^th December

Author bio

Nicola May is a rom-com superstar. She is the author of eleven romantic comedies, all of which have appeared in the Kindle bestseller charts. Two of them won awards at the Festival of Romance, and another was named ebook of the week in The Sun. The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay became the best-selling Kindle book in the UK, across all genres, in January 2019, and was Amazon’s third-bestselling novel in that year.

She lives near Ascot racecourse with her black-and-white rescue cat, Stan.

Follow Nicola May

Website – www.nicolamay.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NicolaMayAuthor

Twitter – https://twitter.com/nicolamay1

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/author_nicola/

Posted on September 18, 2020September 18, 2020 by Stephanie

My Christmas Number One by Leonie Mack

Cara doesn’t do sexy and she only does ‘Happy Christmas’ under duress. She is, after all, a serious musician, and her stubborn streak is born from her struggle to recover from a serious injury.

Javi lives for escapist fun – in his music, and in his life – especially since he’s always failed at life’s more serious challenges, including marriage and fatherhood.

Javi and Cara are forced to record a Christmas single together, but neither of them have plans to spend any more time with each other than they absolutely have to. With Christmas traditions that couldn’t be more different, and outlooks on life that are worlds apart, the chemistry just shouldn’t work. But the magic of Christmas can bring even opposites together…

From the snowy beauty of London at Christmas, to the candle-lit magic of Javi’s traditional family celebrations, let Leonie Mack whisk you away on a memorable festive adventure.

My review

First up, what a clever title. I do like those! The ‘Christmas Number One’ refers to more than just the song Cara and Javi are making.

A lovely cover too. Yes, there are rather a lot of festive novels out there with blue covers and swirly writing but at least here it’s red! It’s eye-catching, genre-friendly and raises expectations of a fun, Christmassy read.

This is a lively novel and gives an interesting insight into the world of the music industry. Just as authors have to write their seasonal stories well in advance of Christmas, similarly pop stars have to think festive in midsummer. Thus the action of the story spreads through about six months of the year so it’s not just a Christmas based story, but there’s enough of the festive spirit to qualify this as a Christmas read.

I did find the lead characters to be a little uneven. Cara was super and likeable from the start with her determination and wry humour. Javi… hmm, he took some warming to and I’m not sure I ever really liked him! But tough, it doesn’t matter what I think! Cara is happy, so that’s good enough for me.

The writing is brisk and enjoyable, the settings superb and so there is much to entertain the reader.

Purchase Links –https://amzn.to/3dBg995

Author

Leonie Mack is a debut romantic novelist. Having lived in London for many years her home is now in Germany with her husband and three children. Leonie loves train travel, medieval towns, hiking and happy endings!

Social Media Links –

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/leoniejmack

Twitter – https://www.twitter.com/LeonieMAuthor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LeonieJMack

Mailing list sign up – https://bit.ly/LeonieMackNewsletter

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Stephanie

Cover reveal: One Kiss Before Christmas by Emma Jackson

Could it be the start of her happy ever after?

Ashleigh could use a little Christmas magic. She’s still living in Brighton with her Nan — who could give the Grinch lessons in how to be miserable — her acting career has been reduced to playing one of Santa’s elves, and not even the prospect of a friend’s winter wedding can cheer her up…

That is until Olivier, the gorgeous French chef, reappears in her life. Or more accurately, next door.

When they were teenagers, Olivier would spend every other Christmas with his mother, who just happens to be Ash’s neighbour and owner of the best chocolate shop in England.

If anyone can bring a little sparkle back to Ash’s life, it’s Olivier. All she needs is one kiss before Christmas…

Feel-good and festive, this is the perfect romance to curl up with this winter!

Pre-order Link – http://bit.ly/OneKissBeforeXmas

Publication Date – 2^nd November

Author Bio

Author of the Best Selling A MISTLETOE MIRACLE and contender for the Joan Hessayon Award 2020, Emma has been a devoted bookworm and secret-story-scribbler since she was 6 years old. When she’s not running around after her two daughters and trying to complete her current work-in-progress, Emma loves to read, bake, catch up on binge-watching TV programmes with her partner and plan lots of craft projects that will inevitably end up unfinished. Her latest romantic comedy, SUMMER IN THE CITY, was released in June 2020.

Emma also writes historical and fantasy fiction as Emma S Jackson. THE DEVIL’S BRIDE was published by DarkStroke in February 2020.

You can find out news about Emma via her website, by signing up to her newsletter at www.esjackson.co.uk or on:
Twitter: @ESJackson1

Instagram: @emma_s_jackson

Facebook @EmmaJacksonAuthor

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Stephanie — 1 Comment

Christmas at Lock Keeper’s Cottage by Lucy Coleman

Join us for Christmas in the Cotswolds in this perfect festive escape, from the bestselling Lucy Coleman.

Imogen Tolliman never knew her mother. And when an accident robs Immi of her father too, she goes to live with her grandfather, Tollie, in his picturesque lock-keeper’s cottage by the Aysbury marina.

Tollie is the star of the Santa Ahoy Special each Christmas – a festive boat ride along the canal that enthralls both children and adults alike. And as Immi grows up, she starts to appreciate the magical community she is lucky enough to live in.

When Immi meets Gray Adams, she instantly realises he’s someone special. And as their relationship gets serious, they start to plan for the Christmas to beat all Christmases.

But as the day approaches, and the romantic snow showers turn into blizzards, their dream of a Christmas to remember, looks set to be one they’ll never forget – for all the wrong reasons. Can they salvage the festivities, or will old secrets that are finally uncovered turn Immi’s life upside down forever?

Let Lucy Coleman transport you away to a dreamy Cotswolds Christmas full of snowflakes and secrets, log fires, mistletoe, friends and much-loved traditions.

My review

It took me a little while to settle into this story. I’m not a huge fan of first-person present-tense narrations – blame it on my age! – but this narrative style seems to be increasingly popular so I guess I’ll just have to move with the times! And anyway, once the action got underway I stopped noticing it so much.

The book is principally character-driven, and we have some fascinating ones in this novel. Like real people, all these fictional creations have back story, foibles, strengths, problems and dreams. They interact believably and give a strong sense of community.

The waterside and boat setting is unusual and interesting, and introduces those of us not well acquainted with such a way of life to different experiences.

The festive element is all it should be for a Christmassy story.

An enjoyable, easy read that will start making you think about getting that Christmas shopping done early!

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3fGdGvu

Author Bio –

Lucy Coleman is a #1 bestselling romance writer, whose recent novels include Snowflakes over Holly Cove. She also writes under the name Linn B. Halton. She won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award and lives in the Welsh Valleys.