****4 stars
This is my second book by Moorcroft and it was great as well. I am going to have to go and get some more that she has written as I have truly enjoyed the last two I have read. I really loved the characters in this one and didn't even see the twist til it was there. Very enjoyable read!
Book Jacket Summary:
New start, new love.
That’s what Honor Sontag needs after her life falls apart, leaving her reputation in tatters and her head all over the place. So she flees her native America and heads for Brighton, England.
Honor’s hoping for a much-deserved break and the chance to find the mother who abandoned her as a baby. What she gets is an entanglement with a mysterious male whose family seems to have a finger in every pot in town.
Martyn Mayfair has sworn off women with strings attached, but is irresistibly drawn to Honor, the American who keeps popping up in his life. All he wants is an uncomplicated relationship built on honesty, but Honor’s past threatens to undermine everything. Then secrets about her mother start to spill out ...
Honor has to make an agonising choice. Will she live up to her dutiful name and please others? Or will she choose freedom?
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Starting Over by Sue Moorcroft
****4 stars
This was my first book by Sue Moorcroft, and definitely want be my last. I absolutely adored this book and watching the character find her place in new surroundings. I really liked all the characters and found myself thinking of them after the book ended. I can't wait to start my next Moorcroft book ;)
Book Jacket Summary:
New home, new friends, new love. Can starting over be that simple? Tess Riddell reckons her beloved Freelander is more reliable than any man - especially her ex-fiancé, Olly Gray. She's moving on from her old life and into the perfect cottage in the country. Miles Rattenbury's passions? Old cars and new women! Romance? He's into fun rather than commitment. When Tess crashes the Freelander into his breakdown truck, they find that they're nearly neighbours yet worlds apart. Despite her overprotective parents and a suddenly attentive Olly, she discovers the joys of village life and even forms an unlikely friendship with Miles. Then, just as their relationship develops into something deeper, an old flame comes looking for him ... Is their love strong enough to overcome the past? Or will it take more than either of them is prepared to give?
This was my first book by Sue Moorcroft, and definitely want be my last. I absolutely adored this book and watching the character find her place in new surroundings. I really liked all the characters and found myself thinking of them after the book ended. I can't wait to start my next Moorcroft book ;)
Book Jacket Summary:
New home, new friends, new love. Can starting over be that simple? Tess Riddell reckons her beloved Freelander is more reliable than any man - especially her ex-fiancé, Olly Gray. She's moving on from her old life and into the perfect cottage in the country. Miles Rattenbury's passions? Old cars and new women! Romance? He's into fun rather than commitment. When Tess crashes the Freelander into his breakdown truck, they find that they're nearly neighbours yet worlds apart. Despite her overprotective parents and a suddenly attentive Olly, she discovers the joys of village life and even forms an unlikely friendship with Miles. Then, just as their relationship develops into something deeper, an old flame comes looking for him ... Is their love strong enough to overcome the past? Or will it take more than either of them is prepared to give?
Thursday, October 27, 2011
From London with Love by Jemma Forte
****4 stars
This was a cute read and I really enjoyed it. Loved how it went from the United States to London and different lifestyles as well as language. This was a great read and as I haven't had much time recently to read it was a nice escape.
Book Jacket Summary:
Everyone wants to be famous, don't they?
Not Jessica Granger. Her father was the movie star who played the world's favourite James Bond and, worse, her mother was voted sexiest-ever Bond Girl for her role as Heavenly Melons. Like it or not, fame is in her blood.
But Jessica dearly wants to be someone in her own right.
So she flees Hollywood for London, seeking independence in a city where nobody knows her name. But when she finds a job as a celebrity booker on a chat show she realizes the more friends she makes, the harder it is to keep up the lies about who she is. And when Jessica falls for Paul, a writer on the show, her life as a double agent causes double trouble.
the truth of her past about to explode into her new world, can Jessica convince Paul she's the real deal? Or maybe a sprinkling of the old 007 magic will spice up her love life?
This was a cute read and I really enjoyed it. Loved how it went from the United States to London and different lifestyles as well as language. This was a great read and as I haven't had much time recently to read it was a nice escape.
Book Jacket Summary:
Everyone wants to be famous, don't they?
Not Jessica Granger. Her father was the movie star who played the world's favourite James Bond and, worse, her mother was voted sexiest-ever Bond Girl for her role as Heavenly Melons. Like it or not, fame is in her blood.
But Jessica dearly wants to be someone in her own right.
So she flees Hollywood for London, seeking independence in a city where nobody knows her name. But when she finds a job as a celebrity booker on a chat show she realizes the more friends she makes, the harder it is to keep up the lies about who she is. And when Jessica falls for Paul, a writer on the show, her life as a double agent causes double trouble.
the truth of her past about to explode into her new world, can Jessica convince Paul she's the real deal? Or maybe a sprinkling of the old 007 magic will spice up her love life?
Friday, October 14, 2011
(un)like a virgin by Lucy Anne Holmes
**** 4 stars
I have looked forward to Holmes next book after reading "50 ways to find a lover" and this one did not disappoint. I was truly shocked at the depth that this book had. As it isn't a laugh a minute type of book, it is still an awesome read and one that you will find hard pressed to put down. I am so looking forward to any other books that Holmes has on her horizon.
Book Jacket Summary:
Is Gracie in love for the very first time? You know that bit in The X Factor, when the singer tells everyone about the rocky road they travelled to pursue their dream? Well, that's Gracie Flowers' story. Gracie is very focused for a woman of almost twenty-six. Her favourite book is 'The 5-Year Plan: Making the Most of Your Life'. And her five-year plan is going very well. That is, until she is usurped from her big promotion by a handsome, posh idiot; she is dumped by her boyfriend; and discovers her loopy mother is facing bankruptcy. Hormones awry and ice cream over-ordered, a dream Gracie thought she'd buried ten years ago starts to resurface. A dream that reminds her of the girl she used to be and everything she wanted to become.
I have looked forward to Holmes next book after reading "50 ways to find a lover" and this one did not disappoint. I was truly shocked at the depth that this book had. As it isn't a laugh a minute type of book, it is still an awesome read and one that you will find hard pressed to put down. I am so looking forward to any other books that Holmes has on her horizon.
Book Jacket Summary:
Is Gracie in love for the very first time? You know that bit in The X Factor, when the singer tells everyone about the rocky road they travelled to pursue their dream? Well, that's Gracie Flowers' story. Gracie is very focused for a woman of almost twenty-six. Her favourite book is 'The 5-Year Plan: Making the Most of Your Life'. And her five-year plan is going very well. That is, until she is usurped from her big promotion by a handsome, posh idiot; she is dumped by her boyfriend; and discovers her loopy mother is facing bankruptcy. Hormones awry and ice cream over-ordered, a dream Gracie thought she'd buried ten years ago starts to resurface. A dream that reminds her of the girl she used to be and everything she wanted to become.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes by Sue Watson
*****5 stars
A truly delicious book! I love books that talk about baking and this was no different. I truly loved the friendships shown and other relationships. This book will definitely be put in my long term library to reread someday. Can't wait to see what else Sue Watson has for us. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Can you really make a living from indulging in your dreams?
TV Producer Stella Weston is over worked, overweight and under fire. Having battled uphill for years to balance her career with her family life, she is repaid by being put out to pasture on a religious gardening programme – complete with a nervous vicar, his nymphomaniac wife, and 22 stone Britney wannabe gardener, Gerald.
In the past, comfort has always been found at the bottom of her mixing bowl, but when even the most delicious lemon sponge with zesty frosting cannot save the day, Stella decides enough is enough.
However, finding the courage to quit is sometimes the easy part. Can you really turn a passion into a profession? Does more time at home actually give you a happier family life? Are men truly from Mars or another universe altogether?
Stella has to roll up her sleeves and find out – when the going gets tough, the tough get baking....
A truly delicious book! I love books that talk about baking and this was no different. I truly loved the friendships shown and other relationships. This book will definitely be put in my long term library to reread someday. Can't wait to see what else Sue Watson has for us. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Can you really make a living from indulging in your dreams?
TV Producer Stella Weston is over worked, overweight and under fire. Having battled uphill for years to balance her career with her family life, she is repaid by being put out to pasture on a religious gardening programme – complete with a nervous vicar, his nymphomaniac wife, and 22 stone Britney wannabe gardener, Gerald.
In the past, comfort has always been found at the bottom of her mixing bowl, but when even the most delicious lemon sponge with zesty frosting cannot save the day, Stella decides enough is enough.
However, finding the courage to quit is sometimes the easy part. Can you really turn a passion into a profession? Does more time at home actually give you a happier family life? Are men truly from Mars or another universe altogether?
Stella has to roll up her sleeves and find out – when the going gets tough, the tough get baking....
The Beach Cafe by Lucy Diamond
****4 stars
This is my first Lucy Diamond book, and definitely not my last. I truly enjoyed this book and even though I had s much going on truly felt torn wanting to get back and read more. I look forward to her other books in the near future.
Book Jacket Summary:
Evie Flynn has always been the black sheep of her family - a dreamer and a drifter, unlike her over-achieving elder sisters. She's tried making a name for herself as an actress, a photographer and a singer, but nothing has ever worked out. Now she's stuck in temp hell, with a sensible, pension-planning boyfriend. Somehow life seems to be passing her by.
Then her beloved aunt Jo dies suddenly in a car crash, leaving Evie an unusual legacy - her precious beach cafe in Cornwall. Determined to make a success of something for the first time in her life, Evie heads off to Cornwall to get the cafe and her life back on track - and gets more than she bargained for, both in work and in love...
This is my first Lucy Diamond book, and definitely not my last. I truly enjoyed this book and even though I had s much going on truly felt torn wanting to get back and read more. I look forward to her other books in the near future.
Book Jacket Summary:
Evie Flynn has always been the black sheep of her family - a dreamer and a drifter, unlike her over-achieving elder sisters. She's tried making a name for herself as an actress, a photographer and a singer, but nothing has ever worked out. Now she's stuck in temp hell, with a sensible, pension-planning boyfriend. Somehow life seems to be passing her by.
Then her beloved aunt Jo dies suddenly in a car crash, leaving Evie an unusual legacy - her precious beach cafe in Cornwall. Determined to make a success of something for the first time in her life, Evie heads off to Cornwall to get the cafe and her life back on track - and gets more than she bargained for, both in work and in love...
Monday, August 29, 2011
Always something there to remind me by Beth Harbison
***3 stars
I really looked forward to this book to being released. I had read the description and thought that it sounded like a great read. I think it fell a little flat for me. Throughout the book you see Erin in the present as well as the past. I truly loved the idea it and parts of the book, but found some of the details a bit much and some of the plot forced. Still a fan, but wasn't my favorite.
Book Jacket Summary:
Can you ever really know if love is true? And if it is, should you stop at anything to get it?
Two decades ago, Erin Edwards was sure she’d already found the love of her life: Nate Lawson. Her first love. The one with whom she shared everything--dreams of the future, of children, plans for forever. The one she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. Until one terrible night when Erin made a mistake Nate could not forgive and left her to mourn the relationship she could never forget or get over.
Today, Erin is contentedly involved with a phenomenal guy, maneuvering a successful and exciting career, and raising a great daughter all on her own. So why would the name “Nate Lawson” be the first thing to enter her mind when her boyfriend asks her to marry him?
In the wake of the proposal, Erin finds herself coming unraveled over the past, and the love she never forgot. The more she tries to ignore it and move on, the more it haunts her.
Always Something There to Remind Me is a story that will resonate with any woman who has ever thought of that one first love and wondered, “Where is he?” and “What if…?” Filled with Beth Harbison’s trademark nostalgia humor and heart, it will transport you, and inspire you to believe in the power of first love.
I really looked forward to this book to being released. I had read the description and thought that it sounded like a great read. I think it fell a little flat for me. Throughout the book you see Erin in the present as well as the past. I truly loved the idea it and parts of the book, but found some of the details a bit much and some of the plot forced. Still a fan, but wasn't my favorite.
Book Jacket Summary:
Can you ever really know if love is true? And if it is, should you stop at anything to get it?
Two decades ago, Erin Edwards was sure she’d already found the love of her life: Nate Lawson. Her first love. The one with whom she shared everything--dreams of the future, of children, plans for forever. The one she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. Until one terrible night when Erin made a mistake Nate could not forgive and left her to mourn the relationship she could never forget or get over.
Today, Erin is contentedly involved with a phenomenal guy, maneuvering a successful and exciting career, and raising a great daughter all on her own. So why would the name “Nate Lawson” be the first thing to enter her mind when her boyfriend asks her to marry him?
In the wake of the proposal, Erin finds herself coming unraveled over the past, and the love she never forgot. The more she tries to ignore it and move on, the more it haunts her.
Always Something There to Remind Me is a story that will resonate with any woman who has ever thought of that one first love and wondered, “Where is he?” and “What if…?” Filled with Beth Harbison’s trademark nostalgia humor and heart, it will transport you, and inspire you to believe in the power of first love.
The Soloman Sisters Wise up by Melissa Senate
****4 stars
I have found that Melissa Senate is a solid read and so far not to disappoint. I really liked this book as I dove into while at the beach this summer. I look forward to more reads by her.
Book Jacket Summary:
The Solomon family has never been close, and Ally and Sarah have never warmed to Zoe, their father's daughter by his second wife. But when they find themselves all living at their father's penthouse apartment, each grappling with a personal crisis, they quickly realize they're going to have to get along. Ally, a successful lawyer who desperately wants a child, caught her husband cheating on her with her Pilates instructor. Sarah is pregnant with the child of a guy she's only been dating for a month and a half. And Zoe, a relationship expert, just lost her own boyfriend over her inability to commit. To make matters worse, their distant father is about to marry a woman half his age, and Zoe's mother seems to have come unhinged over his impending nuptials.
I have found that Melissa Senate is a solid read and so far not to disappoint. I really liked this book as I dove into while at the beach this summer. I look forward to more reads by her.
Book Jacket Summary:
The Solomon family has never been close, and Ally and Sarah have never warmed to Zoe, their father's daughter by his second wife. But when they find themselves all living at their father's penthouse apartment, each grappling with a personal crisis, they quickly realize they're going to have to get along. Ally, a successful lawyer who desperately wants a child, caught her husband cheating on her with her Pilates instructor. Sarah is pregnant with the child of a guy she's only been dating for a month and a half. And Zoe, a relationship expert, just lost her own boyfriend over her inability to commit. To make matters worse, their distant father is about to marry a woman half his age, and Zoe's mother seems to have come unhinged over his impending nuptials.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Welcome to my world by Miranda Dickinson
****4 stars
I really liked the characters for this book. I had read that if you are a Sophie Kinsella or Jill Mansell fan you would love this book. I did find that it was a lot like their books, but if I had to compare to an author it would be more of a Katie Fforde book for me. I liked the setting and although at times it seemed to lag a bit, pure curiosity keeps you going wanting more. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Close your eyes and imagine the world is your oyster...
And now imagine never seeing it. Welcome to Harriet Langton's world. All her life she's dreamt of travelling the globe - fate always got in the way.
Working as a travel agent, the closest Harri comes to her dream destination of Venice is booking the trip for someone else. But everything changes when travel fanatic Alex drops in.
With her boyfriend Rob tied up with work, Harri is persuaded to help Alex in his quest for love. But in her attempts to help, Harri soon discovers that she's alienating those around her.
Desperate to leave her life behind, will her dreams finally come true? Or will Harri's leap of faith be her biggest mistake yet?
I really liked the characters for this book. I had read that if you are a Sophie Kinsella or Jill Mansell fan you would love this book. I did find that it was a lot like their books, but if I had to compare to an author it would be more of a Katie Fforde book for me. I liked the setting and although at times it seemed to lag a bit, pure curiosity keeps you going wanting more. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Close your eyes and imagine the world is your oyster...
And now imagine never seeing it. Welcome to Harriet Langton's world. All her life she's dreamt of travelling the globe - fate always got in the way.
Working as a travel agent, the closest Harri comes to her dream destination of Venice is booking the trip for someone else. But everything changes when travel fanatic Alex drops in.
With her boyfriend Rob tied up with work, Harri is persuaded to help Alex in his quest for love. But in her attempts to help, Harri soon discovers that she's alienating those around her.
Desperate to leave her life behind, will her dreams finally come true? Or will Harri's leap of faith be her biggest mistake yet?
Friday, August 5, 2011
The Bachelorette Party by Karen McCullah Lutz
**2 stars
This book had some funny points to it and was very open. I really wanted to get into it more, just found that I couldn't get into the main character Zadie or the book itself. I do have to admit the writing was witty and had some great zingers. This may not have been my thing, but find that some others will probably love it.
Book Jacket Summary:
After being left at the altar by her soap star fiancé, Los Angeles high school teacher Zadie Roberts wants nothing more to do with love and romance. With the help of her best buddy Grey and several bottles of wine, she just might survive the trauma of the wedding that wasn't. Unexpectedly, Grey gets engaged to Zadie's prim and proper cousin Helen, and suddenly Zadie is dragged back into wedding festivity hell. The coup de grace is Helen's bachelorette party, thrown by her clique of prissy friends and certain to be a day of torture. But when the Pinot Grigiot goes down and the sweater sets come off, things get out of control. Helen turns into a girl gone wild and manages to get herself into a situation that just might sink the happy couple for good. Zadie faces a major debacle: should she tell Grey about Helen's night of indiscretion, or forever hold her peace?
This book had some funny points to it and was very open. I really wanted to get into it more, just found that I couldn't get into the main character Zadie or the book itself. I do have to admit the writing was witty and had some great zingers. This may not have been my thing, but find that some others will probably love it.
Book Jacket Summary:
After being left at the altar by her soap star fiancé, Los Angeles high school teacher Zadie Roberts wants nothing more to do with love and romance. With the help of her best buddy Grey and several bottles of wine, she just might survive the trauma of the wedding that wasn't. Unexpectedly, Grey gets engaged to Zadie's prim and proper cousin Helen, and suddenly Zadie is dragged back into wedding festivity hell. The coup de grace is Helen's bachelorette party, thrown by her clique of prissy friends and certain to be a day of torture. But when the Pinot Grigiot goes down and the sweater sets come off, things get out of control. Helen turns into a girl gone wild and manages to get herself into a situation that just might sink the happy couple for good. Zadie faces a major debacle: should she tell Grey about Helen's night of indiscretion, or forever hold her peace?
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Bittersweet by Sarah Monk
****4 stars
I saw this book and thought it looked cute. I love Little Black Dress books for a bit of escapism. I thought this looked like a cute little romance. I was wrong as it was so much more in depth and touching. I loved the characters and where I was hoping to have a book I could put down, as I have a busy week ahead, found I had to devour it in under a day. It truly will touch the heart.
Book Jacket Summary:
Nell and Ange have their whole lives mapped out with their fiancés – brothers Marcus and Justin. But when a trip to Prague goes pear-shaped, the plane brings them back down to earth with a bump. Desperate for a change of direction, Nell sacks off her job and her sorry excuse for a boyfriend, and sets off to see her much-loved Aunt in Cornwall with Ange in tow. The girls soon settle into village life – Nell opening up her own cake shop and Ange pulling pints (and men) as a buxom barmaid. But not everything in this quaint seaside town is quite what it seems..
I saw this book and thought it looked cute. I love Little Black Dress books for a bit of escapism. I thought this looked like a cute little romance. I was wrong as it was so much more in depth and touching. I loved the characters and where I was hoping to have a book I could put down, as I have a busy week ahead, found I had to devour it in under a day. It truly will touch the heart.
Book Jacket Summary:
Nell and Ange have their whole lives mapped out with their fiancés – brothers Marcus and Justin. But when a trip to Prague goes pear-shaped, the plane brings them back down to earth with a bump. Desperate for a change of direction, Nell sacks off her job and her sorry excuse for a boyfriend, and sets off to see her much-loved Aunt in Cornwall with Ange in tow. The girls soon settle into village life – Nell opening up her own cake shop and Ange pulling pints (and men) as a buxom barmaid. But not everything in this quaint seaside town is quite what it seems..
Monday, August 1, 2011
Baby Be Mine by Paige Toon
*****5 stars
This book along with "California Dreamers" by Belinda Jones was one of my most anticipated book releases this summer. It did not disappoint. It was awesome! I wasn't sure how it was going to go with it pretty much being a sequel to Johnny Be Good and where the story would go. I really don't want to spoil the book for anyone, so won't go into anymore detail on my thoughts, but know this is a definite must read! :)
Book Jacket Summary:
'He's not mine, is he?' That's the question I fear the most. You see, I have a secret. My son is not fathered by my boyfriend, but by one of the most famous rock stars that ever lived. And he doesn't even know it. One-time celebrity personal assistant to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg Stiles is now settled and living in the south of France with her doting boyfriend Christian and their son Barney. But they're living a lie - a lie that will turn their lives upside down and inside out - because as Barney reaches his first birthday, Meg can no longer deny that her son is growing to look more and more like his rock star father every day, and less and less like Christian, and sooner or later, the world is going to realise ...
This book along with "California Dreamers" by Belinda Jones was one of my most anticipated book releases this summer. It did not disappoint. It was awesome! I wasn't sure how it was going to go with it pretty much being a sequel to Johnny Be Good and where the story would go. I really don't want to spoil the book for anyone, so won't go into anymore detail on my thoughts, but know this is a definite must read! :)
Book Jacket Summary:
'He's not mine, is he?' That's the question I fear the most. You see, I have a secret. My son is not fathered by my boyfriend, but by one of the most famous rock stars that ever lived. And he doesn't even know it. One-time celebrity personal assistant to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg Stiles is now settled and living in the south of France with her doting boyfriend Christian and their son Barney. But they're living a lie - a lie that will turn their lives upside down and inside out - because as Barney reaches his first birthday, Meg can no longer deny that her son is growing to look more and more like his rock star father every day, and less and less like Christian, and sooner or later, the world is going to realise ...
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Wish you were here by Phillipa Ashley
****4 stars
This was a quick read, and I really enjoyed it. The characters were all well done and likeable. There was bit of suspense building and you could tell that there was more to the story, but couldn't pin point what that was until it came to that point in the book. Very well done!
Book Jacket Summary:
A very young Beth and Jack met, fell passionately in love and had a whirlwind engagement several years ago in Corsica. But when they got back to the reality of their everyday lives in the UK, Jack mysteriously ended their relationship and Beth was left alone and heartbroken. What a cad. Or was he? When Beth, all grown-up and newly engaged - again - ends up working for Jack by a bizarre twist of fate, they start to unravel a string of misunderstandings that drove them apart. But it's too late to try again - or is it?
This was a quick read, and I really enjoyed it. The characters were all well done and likeable. There was bit of suspense building and you could tell that there was more to the story, but couldn't pin point what that was until it came to that point in the book. Very well done!
Book Jacket Summary:
A very young Beth and Jack met, fell passionately in love and had a whirlwind engagement several years ago in Corsica. But when they got back to the reality of their everyday lives in the UK, Jack mysteriously ended their relationship and Beth was left alone and heartbroken. What a cad. Or was he? When Beth, all grown-up and newly engaged - again - ends up working for Jack by a bizarre twist of fate, they start to unravel a string of misunderstandings that drove them apart. But it's too late to try again - or is it?
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
California Dreamers by Belinda Jones
*****5 stars
Belinda Jones does it again. I loved this book and the whole idea of a make-up stylist just waiting for something to happen in her life. Next thing you know she is a stylist for a big movie production in California on a live set, elbowing with true celebrities. I found this book immediately engaging and was sad when I finished it on the same day. My only complaint with Belinda Jones is that she doesn't churn her books out fast enough for me ;) Great solid read! Don't pass this one up!
Book Jacket Summary:
Ever wished you could make-over your life?
Make-up artist Stella is an expert at helping other people change their images, but when it comes to transforming herself, she doesn't even know where to start.
So when her new friend, glamorous Hollywood actress Marina Ray, summons her a movie set in California, Stella can't resist the chance to start afresh - it is the land of sunshine and opportunity after all!
But are they really friends or does Marina have an ulterior motive? What is the secret that both women are hiding about the nautical (but nice) men in their lives? And what will it take to really make both of their California dreams come true?
In a Pacific Coast journey that takes in Los Angeles, the world's most romantic ranch and California's very own castle in the sky - this story of friendship, long-distance love, kissing (and making up) is the perfect escapist read.
Belinda Jones does it again. I loved this book and the whole idea of a make-up stylist just waiting for something to happen in her life. Next thing you know she is a stylist for a big movie production in California on a live set, elbowing with true celebrities. I found this book immediately engaging and was sad when I finished it on the same day. My only complaint with Belinda Jones is that she doesn't churn her books out fast enough for me ;) Great solid read! Don't pass this one up!
Book Jacket Summary:
Ever wished you could make-over your life?
Make-up artist Stella is an expert at helping other people change their images, but when it comes to transforming herself, she doesn't even know where to start.
So when her new friend, glamorous Hollywood actress Marina Ray, summons her a movie set in California, Stella can't resist the chance to start afresh - it is the land of sunshine and opportunity after all!
But are they really friends or does Marina have an ulterior motive? What is the secret that both women are hiding about the nautical (but nice) men in their lives? And what will it take to really make both of their California dreams come true?
In a Pacific Coast journey that takes in Los Angeles, the world's most romantic ranch and California's very own castle in the sky - this story of friendship, long-distance love, kissing (and making up) is the perfect escapist read.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Step on it Cupid by Lorelei Mathias
***3 stars
Cute story about speed dating and funny antidotes. I really liked the character Amelie's character. The story went from 3rd person to 1st person narrative through a diary. This would be a great beach read :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Amelie’s life is arranged just how she likes it. Brilliant job, great social life, and on-off love-life. So it’s a shock when she realises one day that everyone she knows seem to be happily coupled up – getting married even. Is it time she thought about settling down?
Assigned an awful project in work – writing the ad campaign for Britain’s biggest speed-dating company – she is forced against her will into plenty of market research. And with her best mate Duncan, her annoying boss Joshua and her ex-boyfriend Jack all causing havoc in her life, maybe a speed-dating romance could be her salvation…
Cute story about speed dating and funny antidotes. I really liked the character Amelie's character. The story went from 3rd person to 1st person narrative through a diary. This would be a great beach read :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Amelie’s life is arranged just how she likes it. Brilliant job, great social life, and on-off love-life. So it’s a shock when she realises one day that everyone she knows seem to be happily coupled up – getting married even. Is it time she thought about settling down?
Assigned an awful project in work – writing the ad campaign for Britain’s biggest speed-dating company – she is forced against her will into plenty of market research. And with her best mate Duncan, her annoying boss Joshua and her ex-boyfriend Jack all causing havoc in her life, maybe a speed-dating romance could be her salvation…
Sunday, July 24, 2011
My one and Only by Kristan Higgins
*****5 stars
GREAT book! Literally read this in one sitting and couldn't put it down. The characters were so engaging along with great supporting actors. Loved this story line and found myself wanting to see how it all would turn out. I really liked the intensity and could feel the unfinished feelings between the two main characters Harper and Nick. This is not my first Higgins book but possibly my favorite. If you are a romance reader, you won't be disappointed.
Book Jacket Summary:
Divorce attorney Harper James can't catch a break. Bad enough that she runs into her ex-hubby, Nick, at her sister's destination wedding, but now, by a cruel twist of fate, she's being forced to make a cross-country road trip with him. And her almost-fiancé back at home is not likely to be sympathetic.
Harper can't help that Nick has come blazing back into her life in all of his frustratingly appealing, gorgeous architect glory. But in Nick's eyes, Harper's always been the one. If they can only get it right this time, forever might be waiting—just around the bend.
GREAT book! Literally read this in one sitting and couldn't put it down. The characters were so engaging along with great supporting actors. Loved this story line and found myself wanting to see how it all would turn out. I really liked the intensity and could feel the unfinished feelings between the two main characters Harper and Nick. This is not my first Higgins book but possibly my favorite. If you are a romance reader, you won't be disappointed.
Book Jacket Summary:
Divorce attorney Harper James can't catch a break. Bad enough that she runs into her ex-hubby, Nick, at her sister's destination wedding, but now, by a cruel twist of fate, she's being forced to make a cross-country road trip with him. And her almost-fiancé back at home is not likely to be sympathetic.
Harper can't help that Nick has come blazing back into her life in all of his frustratingly appealing, gorgeous architect glory. But in Nick's eyes, Harper's always been the one. If they can only get it right this time, forever might be waiting—just around the bend.
Friday, July 22, 2011
The Perfect Hero by Victoria Connelly
***** 5 stars
Love this author and her books. The last book I read "A weekend with Mr. Darcy" was absolutely fabulous and this one held the same appeal for me. I am a huge Austen fan and thoroughly enjoy her modern take on the loosely based Austen adaptions. Even if you are not an Austen fan you will still find this book appealing as the characters are engaging and well formed. I wouldn't let this book pass you by :)
Book Jacket Summary:
The circus has come to town…
Die-hard romantic, Kay Ashton, uses her inheritance to open a B&B in the seaside town of Lyme Regis and is dumbstruck when the cast and crew of a new production of Persuasion descend, needing a place to stay. Kay can't believe her luck – especially when she realises that heart throb actor Oli Wade Owen will be sleeping under her very own roof!
Meanwhile, co-star Gemma Reilly is worried that her acting isn't up to scratch, despite landing a plum role. She finds a sympathetic ear in shy producer, Adam Craig, who is as baffled by the film world as she is. Kay thinks the two are meant for each other and can't resist a spot of matchmaking.
Then, when Oli turns his trademark charm on Kay, it seems that she has found her real-life hero. But do heroes really exist?
Love this author and her books. The last book I read "A weekend with Mr. Darcy" was absolutely fabulous and this one held the same appeal for me. I am a huge Austen fan and thoroughly enjoy her modern take on the loosely based Austen adaptions. Even if you are not an Austen fan you will still find this book appealing as the characters are engaging and well formed. I wouldn't let this book pass you by :)
Book Jacket Summary:
The circus has come to town…
Die-hard romantic, Kay Ashton, uses her inheritance to open a B&B in the seaside town of Lyme Regis and is dumbstruck when the cast and crew of a new production of Persuasion descend, needing a place to stay. Kay can't believe her luck – especially when she realises that heart throb actor Oli Wade Owen will be sleeping under her very own roof!
Meanwhile, co-star Gemma Reilly is worried that her acting isn't up to scratch, despite landing a plum role. She finds a sympathetic ear in shy producer, Adam Craig, who is as baffled by the film world as she is. Kay thinks the two are meant for each other and can't resist a spot of matchmaking.
Then, when Oli turns his trademark charm on Kay, it seems that she has found her real-life hero. But do heroes really exist?
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Can't Hurry Love by Christie Ridgway
****4 stars
Love this series and was anxious for it's release. It held up to my expectations and hated for it to end. This book was centered around the third and oldest Baci sister. I had been eager to see what the story was behind her and Liam after reading the tension from the previous books. This book almost seemed more in depth due to the issues dealt with along with the history of the families as well as Liam and Giuliana. Wish there were more to come in this series.
Book Jacket Summary:
Liam Bennett staked his claim to Tanti Baci after stepping in to help the Baci sisters save their family legacy. But Giuliana Baci doubts his motives. They've been at odds since the hot summer long ago that ended in heartache. With the fate of the winery on the line, the former lovers need to get a handle on their barely leashed hostilities-and the attraction that still draws them toward each other.
Love this series and was anxious for it's release. It held up to my expectations and hated for it to end. This book was centered around the third and oldest Baci sister. I had been eager to see what the story was behind her and Liam after reading the tension from the previous books. This book almost seemed more in depth due to the issues dealt with along with the history of the families as well as Liam and Giuliana. Wish there were more to come in this series.
Book Jacket Summary:
Liam Bennett staked his claim to Tanti Baci after stepping in to help the Baci sisters save their family legacy. But Giuliana Baci doubts his motives. They've been at odds since the hot summer long ago that ended in heartache. With the fate of the winery on the line, the former lovers need to get a handle on their barely leashed hostilities-and the attraction that still draws them toward each other.
Finding Monsier Right by Muriel Zagha
****4 stars
This book started off slow for me but I thoroughly enjoyed it once I had gotten into it. It has the most delicious ending and I absolutely adored the characters. One of the major draws for me was that you couldn't tell where the storyline was going and found you enjoyed the adventure along with Daisy and Isabelle. I think the only flaw for me was the french sentences that were random and I couldn't quite place what they said, I was worried I was missing something but found that it didn't seem to matter. The phrases that were key were always explained in English or responded to, so that the reader understood. A definite book to get swept in :)
Book Jacket Summary:
A tale of two cities…
Two girls…
And a life-altering swap.
Daisy’s just landed the perfect job: spending a year in Paris writing about fashion. Swapping homes with French student Isabelle seems like the perfect arrangement.
Sensible Isabelle, however, finds London bewildering. But all her assumptions about crazy English guys are overturned when she meets hunky gardener Tom.
Meanwhile, fun-loving Daisy discovers that Paris is the City of Love, and more than one Monsieur Right…
This book started off slow for me but I thoroughly enjoyed it once I had gotten into it. It has the most delicious ending and I absolutely adored the characters. One of the major draws for me was that you couldn't tell where the storyline was going and found you enjoyed the adventure along with Daisy and Isabelle. I think the only flaw for me was the french sentences that were random and I couldn't quite place what they said, I was worried I was missing something but found that it didn't seem to matter. The phrases that were key were always explained in English or responded to, so that the reader understood. A definite book to get swept in :)
Book Jacket Summary:
A tale of two cities…
Two girls…
And a life-altering swap.
Daisy’s just landed the perfect job: spending a year in Paris writing about fashion. Swapping homes with French student Isabelle seems like the perfect arrangement.
Sensible Isabelle, however, finds London bewildering. But all her assumptions about crazy English guys are overturned when she meets hunky gardener Tom.
Meanwhile, fun-loving Daisy discovers that Paris is the City of Love, and more than one Monsieur Right…
Monday, July 11, 2011
Summer Loving by Allie Spencer
*****5 stars
What a great book! You begin reading and thinking it is or ordinary chick lit book with friends getting away for a vacation, but there is so much more depth to this book. You will find all the characters likeable and the storyline is quick and well done. I truly was sad to see the book end. I look forward to reading more by this author :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Sun, sea and Retsina... what could possibly go wrong?There comes a point in a girl’s life when she just needs to hang out with her girlfriends - preferably in Greece - so they can laugh, reminisce and perhaps indulge in a holiday romance or two. Beth has reached that point, and being a woman who likes to organise things, she arranges the holiday of her dreams for her and her three best friends.However, the bars, clubs and wild nights of their imaginings are a far cry from the slow, quiet pace of life on Liminaki. But if they thought that meant they were in for a peaceful time, they soon discover their mistake.For a start, Ginny drives everyone mad talking about her bleeping wedding. Anna falls hook, line and sinker for the waiter. Beth succumbs to the charms of a handsome sailor. And something is definitely Up with Kirsten. And then Beth’s boyfriend turns up at a Very Bad Moment... surely things can’t get any more complicated?
What a great book! You begin reading and thinking it is or ordinary chick lit book with friends getting away for a vacation, but there is so much more depth to this book. You will find all the characters likeable and the storyline is quick and well done. I truly was sad to see the book end. I look forward to reading more by this author :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Sun, sea and Retsina... what could possibly go wrong?There comes a point in a girl’s life when she just needs to hang out with her girlfriends - preferably in Greece - so they can laugh, reminisce and perhaps indulge in a holiday romance or two. Beth has reached that point, and being a woman who likes to organise things, she arranges the holiday of her dreams for her and her three best friends.However, the bars, clubs and wild nights of their imaginings are a far cry from the slow, quiet pace of life on Liminaki. But if they thought that meant they were in for a peaceful time, they soon discover their mistake.For a start, Ginny drives everyone mad talking about her bleeping wedding. Anna falls hook, line and sinker for the waiter. Beth succumbs to the charms of a handsome sailor. And something is definitely Up with Kirsten. And then Beth’s boyfriend turns up at a Very Bad Moment... surely things can’t get any more complicated?
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Just say Yes by Phillipa Ashley
*** 3 stars
This was a quick paced book and a great summer read. I did feel it was a bit rushed in areas. I liked the idea of the plot and thought it had some real potential to be funny, but found that it just fell flat for me. I felt as though I knew the surroundings by description but would have liked to see more interaction between Lucy and her friends.
Book Jacket Summary:
Lucy Gibson needs to get away. When her good-looking, popular boyfriend Nick Laurentis, winner of reality TV show Hot Shots, proposes to her on air she's stunned - into silence. Every girl loves a romantic gesture, but she's just not ready for that kind of commitment. With the press hounding her as the one who callously broke Nick's heart, Lucy escapes her London flat to seek refuge in an isolated Cornwall cottage. But little does she realise that life down there will be far from uncomplicated...
This was a quick paced book and a great summer read. I did feel it was a bit rushed in areas. I liked the idea of the plot and thought it had some real potential to be funny, but found that it just fell flat for me. I felt as though I knew the surroundings by description but would have liked to see more interaction between Lucy and her friends.
Book Jacket Summary:
Lucy Gibson needs to get away. When her good-looking, popular boyfriend Nick Laurentis, winner of reality TV show Hot Shots, proposes to her on air she's stunned - into silence. Every girl loves a romantic gesture, but she's just not ready for that kind of commitment. With the press hounding her as the one who callously broke Nick's heart, Lucy escapes her London flat to seek refuge in an isolated Cornwall cottage. But little does she realise that life down there will be far from uncomplicated...
Looking for Trouble by Erin Kern
***3 stars
This was a great book for the price. I uploaded this for my kindle at $.99. I liked the plot and the characters. I think the only reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 4 stars is it dragged in areas, and certain aspects of the character were brought up many times, while other areas it seemed rushed. I will definitely be looking to reading next books.
Book Jacket Summary:
When Noah McDermott, owner of McDermott Construction, walks out into the bright morning sunshine, the last thing he expects is to get run over by a careless woman in a yellow Mercedes. His anger quickly fades into curiosity when the driver turns out to have endless legs and bottomless brown eyes.
Avery Price, daughter of a publishing millionaire, should have followed her instinct and kept driving instead of stopping at a dot on the map. But Trouble, Wyoming is growing on her and she needs a job – fast.
Lately, Noah’s been going through office managers like people go through sticks of gum. He needs someone with a tough backbone to get his office organized. However, he did not want that someone to be the same woman who left her bumper imprint on his backside. As the two of them work together day after day, the sparks fly. Surely they can be professional and keep from acting on their attraction toward one another. As they spend more time together, Noah starts to get the feeling Avery isn’t who she says she is. Is she just a girl looking for a change or is there more going on than she’s telling him?
Avery quickly adapts to her new life in the picturesque town of Trouble. She has a job for the first time in her life and a boss who turns her on more than her ex-fiancé ever did. But did she make the right choice by leaving home or is she falling deeper into trouble?
This was a great book for the price. I uploaded this for my kindle at $.99. I liked the plot and the characters. I think the only reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 4 stars is it dragged in areas, and certain aspects of the character were brought up many times, while other areas it seemed rushed. I will definitely be looking to reading next books.
Book Jacket Summary:
When Noah McDermott, owner of McDermott Construction, walks out into the bright morning sunshine, the last thing he expects is to get run over by a careless woman in a yellow Mercedes. His anger quickly fades into curiosity when the driver turns out to have endless legs and bottomless brown eyes.
Avery Price, daughter of a publishing millionaire, should have followed her instinct and kept driving instead of stopping at a dot on the map. But Trouble, Wyoming is growing on her and she needs a job – fast.
Lately, Noah’s been going through office managers like people go through sticks of gum. He needs someone with a tough backbone to get his office organized. However, he did not want that someone to be the same woman who left her bumper imprint on his backside. As the two of them work together day after day, the sparks fly. Surely they can be professional and keep from acting on their attraction toward one another. As they spend more time together, Noah starts to get the feeling Avery isn’t who she says she is. Is she just a girl looking for a change or is there more going on than she’s telling him?
Avery quickly adapts to her new life in the picturesque town of Trouble. She has a job for the first time in her life and a boss who turns her on more than her ex-fiancé ever did. But did she make the right choice by leaving home or is she falling deeper into trouble?
Friday, July 1, 2011
Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini
****4 stars
When I first started this book, I thought I wasn't gonna like it, I WAS WRONG! I got to about the third chapter and was completely absorbed. I really liked the characters and the spin on Pride and Prejudice. It was a bit hot in certain scenes, but I loved the anticipation that built throughout. If you are a fan of romance, this will definitely be a great read. It was fun to see how the authors saw the characters of Pride and Prejudice as contemporary characters.
Book Jacket Summary:
Judge Fitzwilliam Darcy, a legal expert on both sides of the Atlantic, is ready to hang up his black robe and return to the life of a country gentleman—until he meets Elizabeth Bennet, a fresh-faced attorney with a hectic schedule and no time for the sexy but haughty judge.
Tempers and sparks fly in Judge Darcy's courtroom— and outside, in a series of chance encounters that give each of them pause—as the two match wits and try to fight their overwhelming attraction. When they meet up in England at an international law conference, they embark on a hot, heavy affair. Back in the States, though, ethical considerations intrude, and each is subjected to a torturous period of soul-searching before they can find their way back to each other...
When I first started this book, I thought I wasn't gonna like it, I WAS WRONG! I got to about the third chapter and was completely absorbed. I really liked the characters and the spin on Pride and Prejudice. It was a bit hot in certain scenes, but I loved the anticipation that built throughout. If you are a fan of romance, this will definitely be a great read. It was fun to see how the authors saw the characters of Pride and Prejudice as contemporary characters.
Book Jacket Summary:
Judge Fitzwilliam Darcy, a legal expert on both sides of the Atlantic, is ready to hang up his black robe and return to the life of a country gentleman—until he meets Elizabeth Bennet, a fresh-faced attorney with a hectic schedule and no time for the sexy but haughty judge.
Tempers and sparks fly in Judge Darcy's courtroom— and outside, in a series of chance encounters that give each of them pause—as the two match wits and try to fight their overwhelming attraction. When they meet up in England at an international law conference, they embark on a hot, heavy affair. Back in the States, though, ethical considerations intrude, and each is subjected to a torturous period of soul-searching before they can find their way back to each other...
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Luck be a Lady by Cathie Linz
***3 stars
I had read "Big Girls Don't Cry" and liked it, so had to find more by this author. Luck be a Lady is a follow up of "Mad, Bad and Blonde", which I really liked. I was excited to read more about Faith at the beginning of the book and keeping up with her. I really liked the character Megan. I just found the beginning of the book and the end a bit rushed. I still look forward to my next Cathie Linz book. It was an enjoyable read, just not in my top fav by her.
Book Jacket Summary:
A shocking announcement at her cousin's Vegas wedding sends retro- loving librarian Megan West on a whirlwind tour across Nevada with brash cop Logan Doyle. It's the gamble-and perhaps love affair-of a lifetime...
I had read "Big Girls Don't Cry" and liked it, so had to find more by this author. Luck be a Lady is a follow up of "Mad, Bad and Blonde", which I really liked. I was excited to read more about Faith at the beginning of the book and keeping up with her. I really liked the character Megan. I just found the beginning of the book and the end a bit rushed. I still look forward to my next Cathie Linz book. It was an enjoyable read, just not in my top fav by her.
Book Jacket Summary:
A shocking announcement at her cousin's Vegas wedding sends retro- loving librarian Megan West on a whirlwind tour across Nevada with brash cop Logan Doyle. It's the gamble-and perhaps love affair-of a lifetime...
Monday, June 27, 2011
Questions to ask before Marrying by Melissa Senate
****4 stars
This book was an enjoyable read that had me guessing the whole way through as to what Ruby was gonna do, with that being said it had alot more going on than the initial question of "Should she marry Tom?". I really loved the relationship between Ruby and Stella as well as they trip and where it took them. I was sad to see it end.
Book Jacket Summary:
A New York Times article lists fifteen questions couples should ask before marrying Ruby Miller and her fiance, Tom Truby, have questions 1 to 14 almost covered. It's question 15 that has the Maine schoolteacher stumped: Is their relationship strong enough to withstand challenges?
Challenges like...Ruby's twin sister, Stella. The professional muse, flirt and face reader thinks Ruby is playing it safe. And that the future Mrs. Ruby Truby will die of boredom before her first anniversary or her thirtieth birthday, whichever comes first.
Challenges like...sexy maverick teacher Nick McDermott, Ruby's secret longtime crush, who confesses his feelings for her at her own engagement party.
But before Ruby can plan the wedding that may never be, Stella announces she's pregnant by a one-night stand whose name might be Jake (or James? Maybe Jason?) and who lives somewhere under the glittering lights of Las Vegas. Ruby and Stella hit the road to find him with a lot more than fifteen questions.
And after three thousand miles, a stowaway relative and hitchhiking teen lovebirds bound for an Elvis wedding chapel, the Miller sisters might get some answers.
This book was an enjoyable read that had me guessing the whole way through as to what Ruby was gonna do, with that being said it had alot more going on than the initial question of "Should she marry Tom?". I really loved the relationship between Ruby and Stella as well as they trip and where it took them. I was sad to see it end.
Book Jacket Summary:
A New York Times article lists fifteen questions couples should ask before marrying Ruby Miller and her fiance, Tom Truby, have questions 1 to 14 almost covered. It's question 15 that has the Maine schoolteacher stumped: Is their relationship strong enough to withstand challenges?
Challenges like...Ruby's twin sister, Stella. The professional muse, flirt and face reader thinks Ruby is playing it safe. And that the future Mrs. Ruby Truby will die of boredom before her first anniversary or her thirtieth birthday, whichever comes first.
Challenges like...sexy maverick teacher Nick McDermott, Ruby's secret longtime crush, who confesses his feelings for her at her own engagement party.
But before Ruby can plan the wedding that may never be, Stella announces she's pregnant by a one-night stand whose name might be Jake (or James? Maybe Jason?) and who lives somewhere under the glittering lights of Las Vegas. Ruby and Stella hit the road to find him with a lot more than fifteen questions.
And after three thousand miles, a stowaway relative and hitchhiking teen lovebirds bound for an Elvis wedding chapel, the Miller sisters might get some answers.
Friday, June 24, 2011
The Love Academy by Belinda Jones
****4 stars
I dropped right into this book after reading "I Love Capri", because I had read online somewhere there was a follow-up exert on Kim. I had to know what became of this character. I had purchased all of the Belinda Jones books some time ago as I loved them and have been slowly working my way through them, dragging them out so that I have them to read in between other books and savor them, something to look forward to. Jones always has a way of writing that you feel as though you are visiting or wanna visit the location she is describing and that held true for this book as well. I loved the location and the premise for the storyline. I especially loved the many quotes used at the beginning of each chapter as well as ones that were brought in throughout the story. I found myself wanting a highlighter to go back and reference them later as many of them were great. I don't think I enjoyed the characters quite as much as I did in "I Love Capri", but did find that I enjoyed the suspense of wondering what Kristy was going to do. Not my fav by this author but still a solid, enjoyable read! :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Do you have enough romance in your life?
Journalist Kirsty Bailey would have to answer no. She has the essential starter kit - a boyfriend - but somehow Joe seems to have skipped the vows of for better/for worse and gone straight to for granted.
But then just as she's on the verge of settling for a swoon-free existence, Kirsty's magazine sends her to a majestic Venetian palazzo to attend the much gossiped-about Love Academy... Her undercover mission? To prove her editor's theory that this 'school for singles' is nothing more than an escort agency with a sexy accent and fancy glass chandeliers.
But what if her editor is wrong and their promise of true amore is for real? Will Kirsty be able to resist the kind of moonlit temptations she's been dreaming of for years, or is her relationship with Joe going, going, gondola?
If you think Casanova was a bad boy, just wait until you see what Cupid has in store for Kirsty...
I dropped right into this book after reading "I Love Capri", because I had read online somewhere there was a follow-up exert on Kim. I had to know what became of this character. I had purchased all of the Belinda Jones books some time ago as I loved them and have been slowly working my way through them, dragging them out so that I have them to read in between other books and savor them, something to look forward to. Jones always has a way of writing that you feel as though you are visiting or wanna visit the location she is describing and that held true for this book as well. I loved the location and the premise for the storyline. I especially loved the many quotes used at the beginning of each chapter as well as ones that were brought in throughout the story. I found myself wanting a highlighter to go back and reference them later as many of them were great. I don't think I enjoyed the characters quite as much as I did in "I Love Capri", but did find that I enjoyed the suspense of wondering what Kristy was going to do. Not my fav by this author but still a solid, enjoyable read! :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Do you have enough romance in your life?
Journalist Kirsty Bailey would have to answer no. She has the essential starter kit - a boyfriend - but somehow Joe seems to have skipped the vows of for better/for worse and gone straight to for granted.
But then just as she's on the verge of settling for a swoon-free existence, Kirsty's magazine sends her to a majestic Venetian palazzo to attend the much gossiped-about Love Academy... Her undercover mission? To prove her editor's theory that this 'school for singles' is nothing more than an escort agency with a sexy accent and fancy glass chandeliers.
But what if her editor is wrong and their promise of true amore is for real? Will Kirsty be able to resist the kind of moonlit temptations she's been dreaming of for years, or is her relationship with Joe going, going, gondola?
If you think Casanova was a bad boy, just wait until you see what Cupid has in store for Kirsty...
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
I Love Capri by Belinda Jones
*****5 stars
Pure Escapism! I love Belinda Jones books. These are also books that I have gone out and scarfed up every one and held on to to read one intermittently, so I can enjoy them over a duration of time. I love how in depth they are and you feel as you are in the actual location of where she is writing about, I have many dream spots to visit thanks to her writing ;) I think one of my favorite things about Jone's writing is the way she pulls in the reader and her topics real issues. You get a real feel for her character without having her describe every aspect of her looks but a feel by her reaction to her surroundings and interaction with others, which usually have great quips! You will find yourself smiling and enjoying the journey. I wouldn't take this on vacation as you won't want to put it down and make some memories of your own, but enjoy when you need an escape in between holiday periods :)
P.S I am now reading "The Love Academy" as it supposedly has a glimpse of Kim from this book and her whereabouts and what she is up to.... ;)
Book Jacket Summary:
Kim Rees became a translator for the glamorous jet-set lifestyle. So, five years later, how come she's ended up in a basement flat in Cardiff translating German computer games in her dressing gown? Fortunately her mother has a plan to extract her from her marshmellowy rut: a trip to the magical isle of Capri.
At first Kim refuses to wake up and smell the bougainvillea, but as she starts to succumb to the irresistible delights of cocktails on the terrace and millionaire suitors, she's surprised to realise she's changing. And when she meets a man who's tiramisu personified, she finds herself falling in love. But how far will she go to win her Romeo?
Pure Escapism! I love Belinda Jones books. These are also books that I have gone out and scarfed up every one and held on to to read one intermittently, so I can enjoy them over a duration of time. I love how in depth they are and you feel as you are in the actual location of where she is writing about, I have many dream spots to visit thanks to her writing ;) I think one of my favorite things about Jone's writing is the way she pulls in the reader and her topics real issues. You get a real feel for her character without having her describe every aspect of her looks but a feel by her reaction to her surroundings and interaction with others, which usually have great quips! You will find yourself smiling and enjoying the journey. I wouldn't take this on vacation as you won't want to put it down and make some memories of your own, but enjoy when you need an escape in between holiday periods :)
P.S I am now reading "The Love Academy" as it supposedly has a glimpse of Kim from this book and her whereabouts and what she is up to.... ;)
Book Jacket Summary:
Kim Rees became a translator for the glamorous jet-set lifestyle. So, five years later, how come she's ended up in a basement flat in Cardiff translating German computer games in her dressing gown? Fortunately her mother has a plan to extract her from her marshmellowy rut: a trip to the magical isle of Capri.
At first Kim refuses to wake up and smell the bougainvillea, but as she starts to succumb to the irresistible delights of cocktails on the terrace and millionaire suitors, she's surprised to realise she's changing. And when she meets a man who's tiramisu personified, she finds herself falling in love. But how far will she go to win her Romeo?
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Spirit Willing Flesh Weak by Julie Cohen
****4 stars
After reading a book of hers last fall, I have become a fan! I finished my book and went out and ordered more, which I have been saving to read in between other titles. As with all her books, this is a solid read with a great storyline. She has such a fresh voice and I adore her characters. I wasn't too sure about this book when I read the jacket summary, but figured it looked cute and would try it out. I am a bit skeptical when it comes to the supernatural, as was the male character lead. If you are a fan of Julie Cohen or romance you will definitely enjoy this book. I look forward to a couple more I have stashed for a later date ;)
Book Jacket Summary:
Rosie Fox is a liar. A really, really good liar. But when you’re a stage psychic who’s not actually psychic, you have to be. Then one night, while pretending to commune with the dead relatives and pets of her audience, Rosie makes a startling prediction – which tragically comes true. Suddenly she’s trapped in a media frenzy, spearheaded by the impossibly handsome journalist Harry Blake, a man intent on kick-starting his stalled career by exposing Rosie as a fraud. Yet when his interest in her goes from professional to personal, she thinks she can trust him not to blow her cover – but maybe she’s making a huge mistake.
After reading a book of hers last fall, I have become a fan! I finished my book and went out and ordered more, which I have been saving to read in between other titles. As with all her books, this is a solid read with a great storyline. She has such a fresh voice and I adore her characters. I wasn't too sure about this book when I read the jacket summary, but figured it looked cute and would try it out. I am a bit skeptical when it comes to the supernatural, as was the male character lead. If you are a fan of Julie Cohen or romance you will definitely enjoy this book. I look forward to a couple more I have stashed for a later date ;)
Book Jacket Summary:
Rosie Fox is a liar. A really, really good liar. But when you’re a stage psychic who’s not actually psychic, you have to be. Then one night, while pretending to commune with the dead relatives and pets of her audience, Rosie makes a startling prediction – which tragically comes true. Suddenly she’s trapped in a media frenzy, spearheaded by the impossibly handsome journalist Harry Blake, a man intent on kick-starting his stalled career by exposing Rosie as a fraud. Yet when his interest in her goes from professional to personal, she thinks she can trust him not to blow her cover – but maybe she’s making a huge mistake.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
A Single Girls To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk
*****5 stars
LOVE LOVE LOVED this book! I have been anticipating the release of this book and was not let down. I poured through this book and absolutely loved the characters and story line. I truly love Kelk's writing style. I really enjoyed her previous books the I Heart series with Angela Clark. I look forward to the next installment coming out at the end of the year! A definite book to share with your friends. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
A hilarious and romantic standalone novel from the bestselling author of the I Heart series
Rachel Summers loves a to-do list:
• Boyfriend
• Flat
• Great job
NOT on the list:
• Being dumped
Best friends Emelie and Matthew ride to her rescue with an entirely new kind of list – The Single Girl’s To-Do List. Rachel doesn’t know it, but it will take her on all kinds of wild adventures – and get her in some romantic pickles too. And then it won't be a case of what but who she decides to tick off…
• Mr. bendy yoga instructor
• Mr. teenage sweetheart
• Mr. persistent ex
• Mr. deeply unsuitable
The Single Girl’s To-Do List gives Rachel the perfect heartbreak cure – and proves love is out there if you’re willing to take a chance.
LOVE LOVE LOVED this book! I have been anticipating the release of this book and was not let down. I poured through this book and absolutely loved the characters and story line. I truly love Kelk's writing style. I really enjoyed her previous books the I Heart series with Angela Clark. I look forward to the next installment coming out at the end of the year! A definite book to share with your friends. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
A hilarious and romantic standalone novel from the bestselling author of the I Heart series
Rachel Summers loves a to-do list:
• Boyfriend
• Flat
• Great job
NOT on the list:
• Being dumped
Best friends Emelie and Matthew ride to her rescue with an entirely new kind of list – The Single Girl’s To-Do List. Rachel doesn’t know it, but it will take her on all kinds of wild adventures – and get her in some romantic pickles too. And then it won't be a case of what but who she decides to tick off…
• Mr. bendy yoga instructor
• Mr. teenage sweetheart
• Mr. persistent ex
• Mr. deeply unsuitable
The Single Girl’s To-Do List gives Rachel the perfect heartbreak cure – and proves love is out there if you’re willing to take a chance.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Trust Me On This by Jennifer Cruise
*** 3 stars
I always enjoy a Jennifer cruise book. I get through them pretty quickly and they are a great escapism. This book held true on all accounts, but I felt that I was reading more of a short story than a book. It was an interesting storyline, and I really liked the banter between Alec and Dennie. I also liked that there were multiple story lines. Overall a good read, but not my favorite by this author.
Book Jacket Summary:
Dennie Banks is an investigative reporter chasing down the biggest story of her career. Alec Prentice is a government agent working undercover to catch an elusive grifter. When they meet by accident, it’s a case of mistaken identities at first sight. What they don’t mistake is the instant attraction they have for each other, an attraction they’ll do everything in their power to resist—because Dennie thinks that Alec is running interference for her interview subject, and Alec suspects that Dennie is linked to his swindler. As the confusion grows, so do their feelings for each other, and what begins as a romantic comedy of errors may just end in the love affair of a lifetime.
I always enjoy a Jennifer cruise book. I get through them pretty quickly and they are a great escapism. This book held true on all accounts, but I felt that I was reading more of a short story than a book. It was an interesting storyline, and I really liked the banter between Alec and Dennie. I also liked that there were multiple story lines. Overall a good read, but not my favorite by this author.
Book Jacket Summary:
Dennie Banks is an investigative reporter chasing down the biggest story of her career. Alec Prentice is a government agent working undercover to catch an elusive grifter. When they meet by accident, it’s a case of mistaken identities at first sight. What they don’t mistake is the instant attraction they have for each other, an attraction they’ll do everything in their power to resist—because Dennie thinks that Alec is running interference for her interview subject, and Alec suspects that Dennie is linked to his swindler. As the confusion grows, so do their feelings for each other, and what begins as a romantic comedy of errors may just end in the love affair of a lifetime.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Becoming Scarlett by Ciara Geraghty
****4 stars
I started this book and wasn't sure if it was gonna be my cuppa tea. It seemed as though some of the characters were over the top or as if it were written as a play. Then as I kept reading I felt more drawn in. By the middle I was hopelessly unable to put it down. I realized that in the beginning where I felt they kept homing in the aspects of Scarlett's character were just building the anticipation of change in her you will see. I absolutely loved the characteristics and the different dynamics of the way the characters interact. It was a fresh view of an unplanned pregnancy. I was surprised at the many different feelings I went through in this book. It is definitely one to share with a friend. I also think I felt a kinship with it as the ending is something that has hit home very recently and being able to actually put into words many of the thoughts or emotions and it feel so realistic sealed the book for me. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Meet Scarlett O'Hara - wedding planner extraordinaire - who's famous for making dreams come true.
From scuba-diving ceremonies to flamingos at the reception, her colour-coded checklists make everything look simple.
Scarlett's personal life ran just as smoothly. Until now.
Her dependable boyfriend has moved to Brazil.
She's had to give up her Dublin flat and move back home.
And she's pregnant.
Worse still, she doesn't know who the father of the baby is . . . even though she's slept with exactly 4 ½ men in her entire 35 years.
How will Scarlett cope now all her best laid plans have gone with the wind?
I started this book and wasn't sure if it was gonna be my cuppa tea. It seemed as though some of the characters were over the top or as if it were written as a play. Then as I kept reading I felt more drawn in. By the middle I was hopelessly unable to put it down. I realized that in the beginning where I felt they kept homing in the aspects of Scarlett's character were just building the anticipation of change in her you will see. I absolutely loved the characteristics and the different dynamics of the way the characters interact. It was a fresh view of an unplanned pregnancy. I was surprised at the many different feelings I went through in this book. It is definitely one to share with a friend. I also think I felt a kinship with it as the ending is something that has hit home very recently and being able to actually put into words many of the thoughts or emotions and it feel so realistic sealed the book for me. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Meet Scarlett O'Hara - wedding planner extraordinaire - who's famous for making dreams come true.
From scuba-diving ceremonies to flamingos at the reception, her colour-coded checklists make everything look simple.
Scarlett's personal life ran just as smoothly. Until now.
Her dependable boyfriend has moved to Brazil.
She's had to give up her Dublin flat and move back home.
And she's pregnant.
Worse still, she doesn't know who the father of the baby is . . . even though she's slept with exactly 4 ½ men in her entire 35 years.
How will Scarlett cope now all her best laid plans have gone with the wind?
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
*****5 stars
I have to admit that I was hesitant about reading this book after reading "Something Borrowed". I don't think anyone was a huge fan of Darcy's after reading it. I do have to admit though, that with every group of friends there is a Darcy, the one that seems a bit more competitive and out for herself, where her compliments seem as though they are pointing out flaws instead of sincerely try to lift you. I will also admit that I was completely wrong about "Something Blue". I almost think it was the better of the two books, because how we got to see Darcy's way of thinking as well as her growth through out the book. I have seen many other reviews and have found that this is the case with others. So if you read "Something Borrowed" because of the release of it in theaters, then don't miss out on "Something Blue".
I also wanted to add that if you watched "Something Borrowed", but didn't read, you really must. The adaption was cute, but the character Ethan didn't stay true to the character that Emily Giffin wrote, in my opinion, which you will find hard to follow in "Something Blue", read both, you won't be disappointed. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Darcy Rhone has always been able to rely on a few things: Her beauty and charm. Her fiance, Dex. Her lifelong best friend, Rachel. She never needed anything else. Or so she thinks until Dex calls off their dream wedding and she uncovers the ultimate betrayal. Blaming everyone but herself, Darcy flees to London and attempts to re-create her glamorous life on a new continent. But to her dismay, she discovers that her tried-and-true tricks no longer apply--and that her luck has finally expired. It is only then that she can begin her journey toward redemption, forgiveness, and true love.
I have to admit that I was hesitant about reading this book after reading "Something Borrowed". I don't think anyone was a huge fan of Darcy's after reading it. I do have to admit though, that with every group of friends there is a Darcy, the one that seems a bit more competitive and out for herself, where her compliments seem as though they are pointing out flaws instead of sincerely try to lift you. I will also admit that I was completely wrong about "Something Blue". I almost think it was the better of the two books, because how we got to see Darcy's way of thinking as well as her growth through out the book. I have seen many other reviews and have found that this is the case with others. So if you read "Something Borrowed" because of the release of it in theaters, then don't miss out on "Something Blue".
I also wanted to add that if you watched "Something Borrowed", but didn't read, you really must. The adaption was cute, but the character Ethan didn't stay true to the character that Emily Giffin wrote, in my opinion, which you will find hard to follow in "Something Blue", read both, you won't be disappointed. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Darcy Rhone has always been able to rely on a few things: Her beauty and charm. Her fiance, Dex. Her lifelong best friend, Rachel. She never needed anything else. Or so she thinks until Dex calls off their dream wedding and she uncovers the ultimate betrayal. Blaming everyone but herself, Darcy flees to London and attempts to re-create her glamorous life on a new continent. But to her dismay, she discovers that her tried-and-true tricks no longer apply--and that her luck has finally expired. It is only then that she can begin her journey toward redemption, forgiveness, and true love.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon
*****5 stars
I have had this book sitting in my library but haven't read. I had made the mistake and read "Chasing Daisy" first where Johnny makes a guest appearance and after seeing him through Daisy's eyes, I didn't care to pick up the book as quickly. I recently read the preface for "Baby Be Mine" that is due out this summer and realized that it was the follow up to "Johnny Be Good" and knew that I needed to get on reading it. I am so glad that I did take the time. I loved this book as I do all of Paige Toon's books. They are such wonderful reads that have you completely escaping and forgetting the time and everything else around you. I was worried that I wouldn't enjoy to Johnny and his bad boy ways, but found myself pleasantly surprised. I can't wait til her new release "Baby Be Mine" comes out. I will definitely purchasing the day it becomes available :)
Book Jacket Summary:
If your boss was the hottest rock star on the planet, would you mix business with pleasure? I'm Meg Stiles. This is my leaving party. And that song we're making a mockery of? That's written by one of the biggest rock stars in the world. And I'm moving in with him tomorrow. Seriously! I am not even joking. Well, maybe I'm misleading you a little bit. You see, I haven't actually met him yet ...No, I'm not a stalker. I'm his new PA. His Personal Assistant. And I am off to La-La Land. Los Angeles. The City of Angels - whatever you want to call it - and I can't bloody believe it! Celebrity PA to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg's glam new life in sun-drenched LA is a whirlwind of showbiz parties and backstage passes. Cool, calm Christian, in town to write his famous friend's biography, helps keep Meg's feet firmly on the ground. But with Johnny's piercing green eyes and a body Brad Pitt would kill for, how long will it be before she's swept right off them again?
I have had this book sitting in my library but haven't read. I had made the mistake and read "Chasing Daisy" first where Johnny makes a guest appearance and after seeing him through Daisy's eyes, I didn't care to pick up the book as quickly. I recently read the preface for "Baby Be Mine" that is due out this summer and realized that it was the follow up to "Johnny Be Good" and knew that I needed to get on reading it. I am so glad that I did take the time. I loved this book as I do all of Paige Toon's books. They are such wonderful reads that have you completely escaping and forgetting the time and everything else around you. I was worried that I wouldn't enjoy to Johnny and his bad boy ways, but found myself pleasantly surprised. I can't wait til her new release "Baby Be Mine" comes out. I will definitely purchasing the day it becomes available :)
Book Jacket Summary:
If your boss was the hottest rock star on the planet, would you mix business with pleasure? I'm Meg Stiles. This is my leaving party. And that song we're making a mockery of? That's written by one of the biggest rock stars in the world. And I'm moving in with him tomorrow. Seriously! I am not even joking. Well, maybe I'm misleading you a little bit. You see, I haven't actually met him yet ...No, I'm not a stalker. I'm his new PA. His Personal Assistant. And I am off to La-La Land. Los Angeles. The City of Angels - whatever you want to call it - and I can't bloody believe it! Celebrity PA to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg's glam new life in sun-drenched LA is a whirlwind of showbiz parties and backstage passes. Cool, calm Christian, in town to write his famous friend's biography, helps keep Meg's feet firmly on the ground. But with Johnny's piercing green eyes and a body Brad Pitt would kill for, how long will it be before she's swept right off them again?
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Then He Kissed Me by Christie Ridgway
*****5 stars
As romances go, I loved this book. I found myself pulled in immediately and wanting to go back to it, each time I had a spare moment and found myself finishing it within a day. The Baci sisters are well formed and likeable and the business of weddings at a winery are just too much to pass up. This is the follow up book to "Crush on You" and part of a trilogy called the "Three Kisses". I look forward to the next installment due out in July.
Book Jacket Summary:
The three Baci sisters are on a mission to save the family winery by transforming it into a wedding destination. When Stevie Baci playfully names her own side business Napa Princess Limousine, she never dreams she'll be driving a real prince around Napa Valley.
Jacques Parini, aka "Jack", is looking to expand his family's wine interests. But after kissing Stevie, he finds this California girl in a black chauffeur's hat does more than drive him crazy.
As romances go, I loved this book. I found myself pulled in immediately and wanting to go back to it, each time I had a spare moment and found myself finishing it within a day. The Baci sisters are well formed and likeable and the business of weddings at a winery are just too much to pass up. This is the follow up book to "Crush on You" and part of a trilogy called the "Three Kisses". I look forward to the next installment due out in July.
Book Jacket Summary:
The three Baci sisters are on a mission to save the family winery by transforming it into a wedding destination. When Stevie Baci playfully names her own side business Napa Princess Limousine, she never dreams she'll be driving a real prince around Napa Valley.
Jacques Parini, aka "Jack", is looking to expand his family's wine interests. But after kissing Stevie, he finds this California girl in a black chauffeur's hat does more than drive him crazy.
Something from Tiffany's by Melissa Hill
****4 stars
I read my first Melissa Hill book about a year ago and immediately went online and got all her other books. I love the way she makes her characters seem so real as well as the plot twists that are so unexpected. I feel that "Something From Tiffany's" follows this summation to a T. I liked her most recent book but it did not top some of my favorite by her. I truly disliked the character Gary and just seethed as I read the parts that had to do with him, with that being said if she wasn't such an awesome writer I wouldn't have felt so strongly. I loved the storyline and subject, who doesn't love a bit of magic.
Book Jacket Summary:
Doesn't every girl dream of getting... something from Tiffany's?
On 5th Avenue in New York City, two very different men are shopping for gifts for the women they love.
Gary is buying his girlfriend Rachel a charm bracelet. Partly to thank her for paying for their holiday-of-a-lifetime to New York. But mainly because he's left his shopping far too late.
Whereas Ethan's looking for something a little more special - an engagement ring for the first woman to have made him happy since he lost the love of his life.
But when the two men's shopping bags get confused, and Rachel somehow ends up with Ethan's ring, the couples' lives become intertwined.
As Ethan tries to reunite the ring with the woman it was actually intended for, he discovers this isn't that easy. Does fate have other ideas for the couples? Or is there simply a bit of Tiffany's magic in the air...
I read my first Melissa Hill book about a year ago and immediately went online and got all her other books. I love the way she makes her characters seem so real as well as the plot twists that are so unexpected. I feel that "Something From Tiffany's" follows this summation to a T. I liked her most recent book but it did not top some of my favorite by her. I truly disliked the character Gary and just seethed as I read the parts that had to do with him, with that being said if she wasn't such an awesome writer I wouldn't have felt so strongly. I loved the storyline and subject, who doesn't love a bit of magic.
Book Jacket Summary:
Doesn't every girl dream of getting... something from Tiffany's?
On 5th Avenue in New York City, two very different men are shopping for gifts for the women they love.
Gary is buying his girlfriend Rachel a charm bracelet. Partly to thank her for paying for their holiday-of-a-lifetime to New York. But mainly because he's left his shopping far too late.
Whereas Ethan's looking for something a little more special - an engagement ring for the first woman to have made him happy since he lost the love of his life.
But when the two men's shopping bags get confused, and Rachel somehow ends up with Ethan's ring, the couples' lives become intertwined.
As Ethan tries to reunite the ring with the woman it was actually intended for, he discovers this isn't that easy. Does fate have other ideas for the couples? Or is there simply a bit of Tiffany's magic in the air...
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Bake Off by Beth Kendrick
****4 stars
I loved the Bake Off, which didn't surprise me as I haven't read a Beth Kendrick book I haven't loved. Beth Kendrick's books are always easy comforting reads that you find you get into and never realize how much time has passed when you look up to the clock. My daughter almost missed the bus this morning because I had my head in the kindle :) The Bake Off is about siblings and family. I'm always hunting for a book that has a romance of some sort in it, usually more forefront with friendship and family second, although Bake Off had a bit of romance it wasn't the main plot of the book, but I still found myself absorbed until it ended. My only complaint is I have to wait for her next book ;)
Book Jacket summary:
Suburban soccer mom Amy has always wanted to stand out from the crowd. Former child prodigy Linnie just wants to fit in. The two sisters have been estranged for years, but thanks to a series of personal crises and their wily grandmother, they've teamed up to enter a national bake-off in the hopes of winning some serious cash. Armed with the top-secret recipe for Grammy's apple pie, they should be unstoppable. Sure, neither one of them has ever baked anything more complicated than brownie mix, but it's just pie-how hard could it be?
I loved the Bake Off, which didn't surprise me as I haven't read a Beth Kendrick book I haven't loved. Beth Kendrick's books are always easy comforting reads that you find you get into and never realize how much time has passed when you look up to the clock. My daughter almost missed the bus this morning because I had my head in the kindle :) The Bake Off is about siblings and family. I'm always hunting for a book that has a romance of some sort in it, usually more forefront with friendship and family second, although Bake Off had a bit of romance it wasn't the main plot of the book, but I still found myself absorbed until it ended. My only complaint is I have to wait for her next book ;)
Book Jacket summary:
Suburban soccer mom Amy has always wanted to stand out from the crowd. Former child prodigy Linnie just wants to fit in. The two sisters have been estranged for years, but thanks to a series of personal crises and their wily grandmother, they've teamed up to enter a national bake-off in the hopes of winning some serious cash. Armed with the top-secret recipe for Grammy's apple pie, they should be unstoppable. Sure, neither one of them has ever baked anything more complicated than brownie mix, but it's just pie-how hard could it be?
Fools Rush In by Kristan Higgins
*** 3 stars
I had previously read "Just One of the Guys" and immediately downloaded this book. I liked this book, but wasn't pulled into the plot as much. I just didn't feel the suspense or want to keep going that I felt with her previous book to see what would happen. I do look forward to reading others by this author as "Just One of the Guys" made that great an impression and this book was enjoyable.
Book Jacket Summary:
Millie Barnes is this close to finally achieving her perfect life . . .
Rewarding job as a local doctor on Cape Cod? Check. Cute cottage of her very own? Check. Adorable puppy suitable for walks past attractive locals? Check! All she needs is for golden boy and former crush Joe Carpenter to notice her, and Millie will be set.
But perfection isn't as easy as it looks -- especially when Sam Nickerson, the town sheriff, is so distracting. Sure, he needs a friend after being dumped by Millie's fortune-hunting sister, but does she really need to enjoy his company that much? He is definitely not part of her master plan. But maybe it's time for Millie to start a new list . . . --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
I had previously read "Just One of the Guys" and immediately downloaded this book. I liked this book, but wasn't pulled into the plot as much. I just didn't feel the suspense or want to keep going that I felt with her previous book to see what would happen. I do look forward to reading others by this author as "Just One of the Guys" made that great an impression and this book was enjoyable.
Book Jacket Summary:
Millie Barnes is this close to finally achieving her perfect life . . .
Rewarding job as a local doctor on Cape Cod? Check. Cute cottage of her very own? Check. Adorable puppy suitable for walks past attractive locals? Check! All she needs is for golden boy and former crush Joe Carpenter to notice her, and Millie will be set.
But perfection isn't as easy as it looks -- especially when Sam Nickerson, the town sheriff, is so distracting. Sure, he needs a friend after being dumped by Millie's fortune-hunting sister, but does she really need to enjoy his company that much? He is definitely not part of her master plan. But maybe it's time for Millie to start a new list . . . --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Monday, May 23, 2011
There Goes the Bride: This girl is out of here.. by Holly McQueen
****4 stars
I really liked the way this book was done. Although the story is about Polly each chapter is written from Grace's (Polly's best friend) and Bella (Polly's sister), while also telling what is going on with their lives and why they are spending so much energy on Polly and trying to avoid the things that are going on in their lives. I really liked the book and it had a suspenseful feel throughout. I felt this book went a bit deeper than the average chick lit and found it fast paced. This was my first book my McQueen and now I am looking forward to reading some of her others.
Book Jacket Summary:
Polly Atkins is getting married.
And her older sister Bella couldn’t be more excited. Not only will Polly be home after five years in New York, but she’s coming back to marry the most perfect man on the planet, Dev. Dresses, cake, first dance … Bella’s looking forward to getting stuck into the arrangements.
Polly's best friend Grace is just as excited. She’s can’t wait to walk down the aisle behind her childhood ally, especially as the stylish Polly wouldn’t dream of dressing her bridesmaids in anything but the best, which will make a welcome change to the ‘mum-wear’ she’s adopted since her second child was born.
The only person who doesn’t seem to be bursting with enthusiasm is Polly. Which is why, before things can get any more chaotic, she calls the whole thing off. And there’s no way she’s going to tell them why. Some secrets are best kept hidden.
But she’s reckoned without Grace and Bella, who are determined to get Polly and Dev back together if it's the last thing they do. After all, solving someone else’s problems has got to be better than dealing with their own …?
I really liked the way this book was done. Although the story is about Polly each chapter is written from Grace's (Polly's best friend) and Bella (Polly's sister), while also telling what is going on with their lives and why they are spending so much energy on Polly and trying to avoid the things that are going on in their lives. I really liked the book and it had a suspenseful feel throughout. I felt this book went a bit deeper than the average chick lit and found it fast paced. This was my first book my McQueen and now I am looking forward to reading some of her others.
Book Jacket Summary:
Polly Atkins is getting married.
And her older sister Bella couldn’t be more excited. Not only will Polly be home after five years in New York, but she’s coming back to marry the most perfect man on the planet, Dev. Dresses, cake, first dance … Bella’s looking forward to getting stuck into the arrangements.
Polly's best friend Grace is just as excited. She’s can’t wait to walk down the aisle behind her childhood ally, especially as the stylish Polly wouldn’t dream of dressing her bridesmaids in anything but the best, which will make a welcome change to the ‘mum-wear’ she’s adopted since her second child was born.
The only person who doesn’t seem to be bursting with enthusiasm is Polly. Which is why, before things can get any more chaotic, she calls the whole thing off. And there’s no way she’s going to tell them why. Some secrets are best kept hidden.
But she’s reckoned without Grace and Bella, who are determined to get Polly and Dev back together if it's the last thing they do. After all, solving someone else’s problems has got to be better than dealing with their own …?
Ellie Andrews Has Second Thoughts by Ruth Saberton
*****5 stars
If I could give this book more stars I would. I absolutely loved it! It had the most interesting likable characters. The book begins on Ellie's wedding day but we aren't sure who she is marrying. She then settles in and begins to look back at the last year and all that she has been through, all the while you are wondering who is the man that she is getting ready to marry and will she go through with it. I loved the way the book jumped around and kept you on your toes and you will definitely find yourself stiff-ling a giggle if not all out laughing. I truly thought Ellie was marvelous! Definitely one to add to my permanent library. Keep them coming Ruth. If you haven't read a book by Ruth Saberton you will also want to catch "Katy Carter wants a hero", another of my favorites.
Book Jacket Summary:
Ellie Andrews is finally getting married. Or she will be if she drinks enough champagne to pluck up the courage for her trip down the aisle. The problem is that after months spent bickering over menus and table placements, Ellie's never felt more distant from the man she's supposed to be spending the rest of her life with. As last minute nerves take hold, a night of soul-searching sees Ellie reflecting back on old flames in a bid to reassure herself she's making the right decision. There's Rupert - adoring but dull; Jay - the teenage crush; Marcus - sexy but toxic; and Xander - a true friend. But as the sun rises and the ceremony looms ever closer, Ellie is still unsure if she's doing the right thing. Then an unexpected encounter turns her world upside down. Should she take a chance? Or should she stick with the choices she's made? As Ellie makes her way to the church, only one question remains: who will be waiting for her at the altar?
If I could give this book more stars I would. I absolutely loved it! It had the most interesting likable characters. The book begins on Ellie's wedding day but we aren't sure who she is marrying. She then settles in and begins to look back at the last year and all that she has been through, all the while you are wondering who is the man that she is getting ready to marry and will she go through with it. I loved the way the book jumped around and kept you on your toes and you will definitely find yourself stiff-ling a giggle if not all out laughing. I truly thought Ellie was marvelous! Definitely one to add to my permanent library. Keep them coming Ruth. If you haven't read a book by Ruth Saberton you will also want to catch "Katy Carter wants a hero", another of my favorites.
Book Jacket Summary:
Ellie Andrews is finally getting married. Or she will be if she drinks enough champagne to pluck up the courage for her trip down the aisle. The problem is that after months spent bickering over menus and table placements, Ellie's never felt more distant from the man she's supposed to be spending the rest of her life with. As last minute nerves take hold, a night of soul-searching sees Ellie reflecting back on old flames in a bid to reassure herself she's making the right decision. There's Rupert - adoring but dull; Jay - the teenage crush; Marcus - sexy but toxic; and Xander - a true friend. But as the sun rises and the ceremony looms ever closer, Ellie is still unsure if she's doing the right thing. Then an unexpected encounter turns her world upside down. Should she take a chance? Or should she stick with the choices she's made? As Ellie makes her way to the church, only one question remains: who will be waiting for her at the altar?
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Just on of the Guys by Kristan Higgins
*****5 stars
This is my first romance by Kristin Higgins and I loved it. There were multiple side stories of family members and friends that kept the paced going quick. I really liked the characters and found that I was pulled in almost immediately. I am now a big fan and hope that her other books, that I have just downloaded on my kindle are as good. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Being one of the guys isn't all it's cracked up to be…
So when journalist Chastity O'Neill returns to her hometown, she decides it's time to start working on some of those feminine wiles. Two tiny problems: #1—she's five feet eleven inches of rock-solid girl power, and #2—she's cursed with four alpha male older brothers.
While doing a story on local heroes, she meets a hunky doctor and things start to look up. Now there's only one problem: Trevor Meade, her first love and the one man she's never quite gotten over—although he seems to have gotten over her just fine.
Yet the more time she spends with Dr. Perfect, the better Trevor looks. But even with the in-your-face competition, the irresistible Trevor just can't seem to see Chastity as anything more than just one of the guys.…
This is my first romance by Kristin Higgins and I loved it. There were multiple side stories of family members and friends that kept the paced going quick. I really liked the characters and found that I was pulled in almost immediately. I am now a big fan and hope that her other books, that I have just downloaded on my kindle are as good. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Being one of the guys isn't all it's cracked up to be…
So when journalist Chastity O'Neill returns to her hometown, she decides it's time to start working on some of those feminine wiles. Two tiny problems: #1—she's five feet eleven inches of rock-solid girl power, and #2—she's cursed with four alpha male older brothers.
While doing a story on local heroes, she meets a hunky doctor and things start to look up. Now there's only one problem: Trevor Meade, her first love and the one man she's never quite gotten over—although he seems to have gotten over her just fine.
Yet the more time she spends with Dr. Perfect, the better Trevor looks. But even with the in-your-face competition, the irresistible Trevor just can't seem to see Chastity as anything more than just one of the guys.…
Thursday, May 12, 2011
The Cinderella Plan by Heather Webber
****4 stars
I bought this for my kindle at a great price $2.99 and feel it was worth every penny and more. It is a contemporary romance, and I love a good romance. I was instantly pulled in by all the likable characters and the hometown feel. My only complaint would be that it ended. I will be looking to see more reads by Heather Webber as I really enjoyed this book.
Book Jacket Summary:
Three years ago, Prince Charming left town without his princess. Now he’s back to win her heart...if she’ll let him.
Big city lawyer Brady James has concocted The Cinderella Plan to win back the love of small-town librarian Hannah Spenser. Can they both overcome inner demons in time to see that beauty and worth come from deep within? Because it’s only then that they’ll find the happily-ever-after they’ve both dreamed about.
I bought this for my kindle at a great price $2.99 and feel it was worth every penny and more. It is a contemporary romance, and I love a good romance. I was instantly pulled in by all the likable characters and the hometown feel. My only complaint would be that it ended. I will be looking to see more reads by Heather Webber as I really enjoyed this book.
Book Jacket Summary:
Three years ago, Prince Charming left town without his princess. Now he’s back to win her heart...if she’ll let him.
Big city lawyer Brady James has concocted The Cinderella Plan to win back the love of small-town librarian Hannah Spenser. Can they both overcome inner demons in time to see that beauty and worth come from deep within? Because it’s only then that they’ll find the happily-ever-after they’ve both dreamed about.
Monday, May 9, 2011
The Cinderella Deal by Jennifer Cruise
****4 stars
I make sure to get all of Jennifer Cruise's book when I notice she has one coming out. My only complaint with her books are that they end so quickly. They keep me pulled in even though I can assume what the outcome is going to be. I had a hard time at the beginning getting into the characters of "The Cinderella Deal", but as I read on I found that I really began to warm to them and the book began to take off for me. I truly liked Daisy and her creative free spirit and was eager to see where the book would take her. Definitely one to pass on to my romance reading friends. If you are a Cruise fan you won't be disappointed:)
Book Jacket Summary:
Daisy Flattery is a free spirit with a soft spot for strays and a weakness for a good story. Why else would she agree to the outrageous charade offered by her buttoned-down workaholic neighbor, Linc Blaise? The history professor needs to have a fiancée in order to capture his dream job, and Daisy is game to play the role. But something funny happens on their way to the altar that changes everything. Now, with the midnight hour approaching, will Daisy lose her prince, or will opposites not only attract but live happily ever after?
I make sure to get all of Jennifer Cruise's book when I notice she has one coming out. My only complaint with her books are that they end so quickly. They keep me pulled in even though I can assume what the outcome is going to be. I had a hard time at the beginning getting into the characters of "The Cinderella Deal", but as I read on I found that I really began to warm to them and the book began to take off for me. I truly liked Daisy and her creative free spirit and was eager to see where the book would take her. Definitely one to pass on to my romance reading friends. If you are a Cruise fan you won't be disappointed:)
Book Jacket Summary:
Daisy Flattery is a free spirit with a soft spot for strays and a weakness for a good story. Why else would she agree to the outrageous charade offered by her buttoned-down workaholic neighbor, Linc Blaise? The history professor needs to have a fiancée in order to capture his dream job, and Daisy is game to play the role. But something funny happens on their way to the altar that changes everything. Now, with the midnight hour approaching, will Daisy lose her prince, or will opposites not only attract but live happily ever after?
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
*****5 stars
I am embarrassed to say that this is the first time that I have read this book. I was given the set, "Something Borrowed", "Something Blue", and "Baby Proof" a couple years ago and stuck them on my shelf. I read the synopsis and was worried that it would be a cringe worthy book, with the thought of cheating. I ended up loaning the books out to a friend to never have them returned. I recently saw the preview for the movie, and knew that I would go see it, and I am a total read the book before watching the movie kinda girl, so I broke down and read "Something Borrowed". WOW! What a great book. I truly loved the character Rachel and could totally identify with her. I think we all have a Darcy relationship in our lives, and if not then are possibly the Darcy. The plot was a bit off-setting and I, as a reader was happy not to be in this certain situation myself, but I do have to say that it definitely makes you think twice before judging. This was a quick paced and enjoyable read. I am not going to have to wait for pay day to go ahead and download "Something Blue". I will be interested to read about Darcy and her point of view and where this takes her. If you haven't read the book, I totally suggest you do. I am sure the movie will be cute, but as with all books that are made into movies, the book is always so much better, I am hoping tho that the movie will stay true to the nature of the book.
Book Jacket Summary:
Rachel White is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney at a large Manhattan law firm and a diligent maid of honor to her charmed best friend Darcy, Rachel has always played by all the rules. Since grade school, she has watched Darcy shine, quietly accepting the sidekick role in their lopsided friendship. But that suddenly changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when Rachel finally confesses her feelings to Darcy's fiance, and is both horrified and thrilled to discover that he feels the same way. As the wedding date draws near, events spiral out of control, and Rachel knows she must make a choice between her heart and conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk everything to be true to yourself.
I am embarrassed to say that this is the first time that I have read this book. I was given the set, "Something Borrowed", "Something Blue", and "Baby Proof" a couple years ago and stuck them on my shelf. I read the synopsis and was worried that it would be a cringe worthy book, with the thought of cheating. I ended up loaning the books out to a friend to never have them returned. I recently saw the preview for the movie, and knew that I would go see it, and I am a total read the book before watching the movie kinda girl, so I broke down and read "Something Borrowed". WOW! What a great book. I truly loved the character Rachel and could totally identify with her. I think we all have a Darcy relationship in our lives, and if not then are possibly the Darcy. The plot was a bit off-setting and I, as a reader was happy not to be in this certain situation myself, but I do have to say that it definitely makes you think twice before judging. This was a quick paced and enjoyable read. I am not going to have to wait for pay day to go ahead and download "Something Blue". I will be interested to read about Darcy and her point of view and where this takes her. If you haven't read the book, I totally suggest you do. I am sure the movie will be cute, but as with all books that are made into movies, the book is always so much better, I am hoping tho that the movie will stay true to the nature of the book.
Book Jacket Summary:
Rachel White is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney at a large Manhattan law firm and a diligent maid of honor to her charmed best friend Darcy, Rachel has always played by all the rules. Since grade school, she has watched Darcy shine, quietly accepting the sidekick role in their lopsided friendship. But that suddenly changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when Rachel finally confesses her feelings to Darcy's fiance, and is both horrified and thrilled to discover that he feels the same way. As the wedding date draws near, events spiral out of control, and Rachel knows she must make a choice between her heart and conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk everything to be true to yourself.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson
****4 stars
I love a good romance and am always eager to read Rachel Gibson's books when they come out. "Any man of Mine" was just as I hoped. Rachel Gibson's books always have a bit of suspense and the characters always seem so likeable. I really enjoyed the added bonus of some of the plot taking place in Las Vegas. My only complaint is that I seem to devour these books and read through them within a day and am sad that they have ended. I will be on the lookout for her next book :)
Book Jacket Summary:
What happens in Vegas . . . doesn't always stay there.
Autumn Haven's Las Vegas "to-do" list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam LeClaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her to run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality, and before she could say "pass the coffee," Sam was gone.
Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn hasn't clapped eyes on the heartbreaking hockey superstar for over two years . . . until she organizes his teammate's "Special Day," where Sam makes a big play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever?
I love a good romance and am always eager to read Rachel Gibson's books when they come out. "Any man of Mine" was just as I hoped. Rachel Gibson's books always have a bit of suspense and the characters always seem so likeable. I really enjoyed the added bonus of some of the plot taking place in Las Vegas. My only complaint is that I seem to devour these books and read through them within a day and am sad that they have ended. I will be on the lookout for her next book :)
Book Jacket Summary:
What happens in Vegas . . . doesn't always stay there.
Autumn Haven's Las Vegas "to-do" list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam LeClaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her to run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality, and before she could say "pass the coffee," Sam was gone.
Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn hasn't clapped eyes on the heartbreaking hockey superstar for over two years . . . until she organizes his teammate's "Special Day," where Sam makes a big play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever?
Meet me at Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan
***** 5 stars
I absolutely adored the main character Issy. She was the perfect character for me to relate to. She was sweet, caring and a bit old world or as some would call it naive. She is what my brother would call a people pleaser, and I can totally relate :) I am a fan of Jenny Colgan's books and was so happy to see this released. I especially liked the added touches she put on this book. There was a wonderful preface and each chapter it seemed came with a recipe to try. I, unfortunately, am still trying to shed those unwelcome pounds, but will go back at a later date and reread this book and actually try one or two of them, as I am fond of baking. "Meet Me at Cupcake Cafe" is a heart warming story of doing what you love and doing it your way!
Book Jacket Summary:
Ever dreamed of starting over? Issy Randall can bake. No, more than that - Issy can create stunning, mouth-wateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe's bakery she has undoubtedly inherited his talent. So when she's made redundant from her safe but dull City job, Issy decides to seize the moment and open up her own cafe. It should be a piece of cake, right? Wrong. As her friends point out, she has trouble remembering where she left her house keys, let alone trying to run her own business. But Issy is determined. Armed with recipes posted to her from Grampa, and with her local bank manager fighting her corner, Issy attempts to prove everyone wrong. Following your dreams is never easy and this is no exception. Can Issy do it?
I absolutely adored the main character Issy. She was the perfect character for me to relate to. She was sweet, caring and a bit old world or as some would call it naive. She is what my brother would call a people pleaser, and I can totally relate :) I am a fan of Jenny Colgan's books and was so happy to see this released. I especially liked the added touches she put on this book. There was a wonderful preface and each chapter it seemed came with a recipe to try. I, unfortunately, am still trying to shed those unwelcome pounds, but will go back at a later date and reread this book and actually try one or two of them, as I am fond of baking. "Meet Me at Cupcake Cafe" is a heart warming story of doing what you love and doing it your way!
Book Jacket Summary:
Ever dreamed of starting over? Issy Randall can bake. No, more than that - Issy can create stunning, mouth-wateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe's bakery she has undoubtedly inherited his talent. So when she's made redundant from her safe but dull City job, Issy decides to seize the moment and open up her own cafe. It should be a piece of cake, right? Wrong. As her friends point out, she has trouble remembering where she left her house keys, let alone trying to run her own business. But Issy is determined. Armed with recipes posted to her from Grampa, and with her local bank manager fighting her corner, Issy attempts to prove everyone wrong. Following your dreams is never easy and this is no exception. Can Issy do it?
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Girl on the Run by Jane Costello
*****5 stars
I had this on my pre-order list for my kindle and was so excited for it to come. I love Costello's characters. They're all so real, almost like a dear friend or someone you'd like to meet. I truly loved the plot in this book, as I feel we do get swamped down in our day to day and take for granted all the wonderful gifts we have that make us more fortunate. I have been trying to shed a few pounds myself, although not through running ;), but found myself easily able to identify and a bit inspired to do a little of my reading on my stationary bike. This will go in with my other Costello books, to my for keeps library, so I can reread sometime :)
Book Jacket Summary:
He's a real catch ...if only she could catch him up Abby Rogers has been on health kicks before - they involve eating one blueberry muffin for breakfast instead of two. But since starting her own business, after watching one too many episodes of The Apprentice, the 28-year-old's waistline has taken even more of a back seat than her long-neglected love life. When Abby is encouraged to join her sporty best friend's running club - by none other than its gorgeous new captain - she finds a mysterious compulsion to exercise. Sadly, her first session doesn't go to plan. Between the obscenely unflattering pink leggings, and the fact that her lungs feel as though they've been set on fire, she vows never to return. Then her colleague Heidi turns up at work and makes a devastating announcement, one that will change her life - and Abby's - forever.
I had this on my pre-order list for my kindle and was so excited for it to come. I love Costello's characters. They're all so real, almost like a dear friend or someone you'd like to meet. I truly loved the plot in this book, as I feel we do get swamped down in our day to day and take for granted all the wonderful gifts we have that make us more fortunate. I have been trying to shed a few pounds myself, although not through running ;), but found myself easily able to identify and a bit inspired to do a little of my reading on my stationary bike. This will go in with my other Costello books, to my for keeps library, so I can reread sometime :)
Book Jacket Summary:
He's a real catch ...if only she could catch him up Abby Rogers has been on health kicks before - they involve eating one blueberry muffin for breakfast instead of two. But since starting her own business, after watching one too many episodes of The Apprentice, the 28-year-old's waistline has taken even more of a back seat than her long-neglected love life. When Abby is encouraged to join her sporty best friend's running club - by none other than its gorgeous new captain - she finds a mysterious compulsion to exercise. Sadly, her first session doesn't go to plan. Between the obscenely unflattering pink leggings, and the fact that her lungs feel as though they've been set on fire, she vows never to return. Then her colleague Heidi turns up at work and makes a devastating announcement, one that will change her life - and Abby's - forever.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Walking Back to Happiness by Lucy Dillon
**** 4 stars
This is my second book by Dillon and it did not disappoint. I truly loved the characters and the plot. It had a sad subject of death and I was truly worried that I would have to put it away as we are dealing with a family member fighting for her life. I was worried that this was too close to home as I was hoping to escape from this as I am reading, but found the story great and hows an understanding of how the person grieving is feeling. I loved how Juliet found herself again and how she found strength. Many of the books I have read I feel that they really shouldn't be categorized as chick-lit because they truly have so much more depth. I would definitely classify this book as that. It is a must read with strong character as well as more than one story line going at a time.
Book Jacket Summary:
Juliet's been in hiding. From her family, from her life, but most of all from the fact that Ben's not around anymore.
Her mother Diane has run out of advice. But then she insists Juliet look after her elderly Labrador and it becomes apparent that Coco the dog might actually be the one who can rescue her daughter.
Especially when it leads to her walking dogs for a few other locals too, includign a spaniel, Damson, who belongs to a very attractive man...
Before she knows it, Juliet realises she has somehow become the town's unofficial pet-sitter. A job which makes her privy to the lives and secrets of everyone whose animals she's caring for.
But as her first winter alone approaches, she finally begins to wonder if it's time to face up to her own secrets? To start rebuilding her own life? And maybe - just maybe - to fall in love again?
This is my second book by Dillon and it did not disappoint. I truly loved the characters and the plot. It had a sad subject of death and I was truly worried that I would have to put it away as we are dealing with a family member fighting for her life. I was worried that this was too close to home as I was hoping to escape from this as I am reading, but found the story great and hows an understanding of how the person grieving is feeling. I loved how Juliet found herself again and how she found strength. Many of the books I have read I feel that they really shouldn't be categorized as chick-lit because they truly have so much more depth. I would definitely classify this book as that. It is a must read with strong character as well as more than one story line going at a time.
Book Jacket Summary:
Juliet's been in hiding. From her family, from her life, but most of all from the fact that Ben's not around anymore.
Her mother Diane has run out of advice. But then she insists Juliet look after her elderly Labrador and it becomes apparent that Coco the dog might actually be the one who can rescue her daughter.
Especially when it leads to her walking dogs for a few other locals too, includign a spaniel, Damson, who belongs to a very attractive man...
Before she knows it, Juliet realises she has somehow become the town's unofficial pet-sitter. A job which makes her privy to the lives and secrets of everyone whose animals she's caring for.
But as her first winter alone approaches, she finally begins to wonder if it's time to face up to her own secrets? To start rebuilding her own life? And maybe - just maybe - to fall in love again?
Friday, April 22, 2011
Jemima J by Jane green
***** 5 stars
Has there ever been a book that you can look back on fondly? That would be this book for me. It is the epitome of chick lit. I love the story line of this book and the lessons that Jemima learns. It is one of the books that I have offered out frequently and have recently gotten back. Happy to have it back in my long term library! :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Jemima Jones is overweight. About seven stone overweight.
Treated like a slave by her thin and bitchy flatmates, lorded over at the Kilburn Herald by the beautiful Geraldine (less talented, better paid), her only consolation is food. That and a passion for her charming, sexy colleague Ben. Her life needs to change and soon.
But can Jemima reinvent herself? And should she?
Has there ever been a book that you can look back on fondly? That would be this book for me. It is the epitome of chick lit. I love the story line of this book and the lessons that Jemima learns. It is one of the books that I have offered out frequently and have recently gotten back. Happy to have it back in my long term library! :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Jemima Jones is overweight. About seven stone overweight.
Treated like a slave by her thin and bitchy flatmates, lorded over at the Kilburn Herald by the beautiful Geraldine (less talented, better paid), her only consolation is food. That and a passion for her charming, sexy colleague Ben. Her life needs to change and soon.
But can Jemima reinvent herself? And should she?
My fake Wedding by Mina Ford
***** 5 stars
Obviously by my recent posts, I had gone on vacation and took some books to catch up on. This is the second time I have read this book. It is a fast paced book which I become completely absorbed. You will read this with a smile on your face with the one-liners and the scenarios that take place. Highly amusing. A must read! :)
Book Jacket summary:
Katie Simpson has decided to give relationships a miss. It might have something to do with the discovery of her boyfriend Jake on a heated towel rail with the ‘Balham Bike’.
You’d think her best mates would understand. But Janice has started schmoozing at funerals in search of the perfect (‘recently widowed and loaded’) husband; Sam is surrounded by girls with thighs like spaghetti; and George is more concerned with his Australian boyfriend’s rapidly expiring visa.
No, Katie’s friends are far too busy to get involved in her love life. Until she announces that she’s getting married...
Obviously by my recent posts, I had gone on vacation and took some books to catch up on. This is the second time I have read this book. It is a fast paced book which I become completely absorbed. You will read this with a smile on your face with the one-liners and the scenarios that take place. Highly amusing. A must read! :)
Book Jacket summary:
Katie Simpson has decided to give relationships a miss. It might have something to do with the discovery of her boyfriend Jake on a heated towel rail with the ‘Balham Bike’.
You’d think her best mates would understand. But Janice has started schmoozing at funerals in search of the perfect (‘recently widowed and loaded’) husband; Sam is surrounded by girls with thighs like spaghetti; and George is more concerned with his Australian boyfriend’s rapidly expiring visa.
No, Katie’s friends are far too busy to get involved in her love life. Until she announces that she’s getting married...
Holly's Inbox: Scandal in the City by Holly Denham
****4 stars
Great follow-up to Holly's Inbox. It was once again fast paced and didn't loose it's substance. It was a lot like listening to conversations with your friends. It was easy to get into and was a quick read. Definitely something to bring on a vacation.
Book Jacket Summary:
For Holly Denham, life seems to good to be true. She loves her job as a receptionist at swanky investment bank D.K. Huerst. And she's going out with the man of her dreams. All she has to do is stay out of trouble.
But things are about to go disastrously wrong. There's a scandal in the City and the gossip is all about Holly. And she discovers someone's been keeping a very big secret from her. Can she save her job and her relationship? For Holly, time is running out...
Great follow-up to Holly's Inbox. It was once again fast paced and didn't loose it's substance. It was a lot like listening to conversations with your friends. It was easy to get into and was a quick read. Definitely something to bring on a vacation.
Book Jacket Summary:
For Holly Denham, life seems to good to be true. She loves her job as a receptionist at swanky investment bank D.K. Huerst. And she's going out with the man of her dreams. All she has to do is stay out of trouble.
But things are about to go disastrously wrong. There's a scandal in the City and the gossip is all about Holly. And she discovers someone's been keeping a very big secret from her. Can she save her job and her relationship? For Holly, time is running out...
Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham
**** 4 stars
Loved this! It was like a sneaking a peek into someones personal life. It was quick paced. Although it took a bit to keep the emails straight and the characters, I found it absorbing and was through it in an afternoon!
Book Jacket Summary:
Ever wanted a peak at someone else's emails?
Meet Holly Denham. It's her first day as a receptionist at a City investment bank and, with no cooperate front-of-house experience, Holly is struggling to keep up. Add to this her mad friends, dysfunctional family and gossipy colleagues, and Holly's inbox is a daily source of drama, laughter, scandal and even romance. But Holly's keeping a secret from everyone - and the past is about to catch up with her...
Loved this! It was like a sneaking a peek into someones personal life. It was quick paced. Although it took a bit to keep the emails straight and the characters, I found it absorbing and was through it in an afternoon!
Book Jacket Summary:
Ever wanted a peak at someone else's emails?
Meet Holly Denham. It's her first day as a receptionist at a City investment bank and, with no cooperate front-of-house experience, Holly is struggling to keep up. Add to this her mad friends, dysfunctional family and gossipy colleagues, and Holly's inbox is a daily source of drama, laughter, scandal and even romance. But Holly's keeping a secret from everyone - and the past is about to catch up with her...
Reinventing Mona by Jennifer Coburn
*** 3 stars
This book was good, it didn't knock me off my feet. I really liked the quick pace of the book and the plot was interesting enough, just really didn't grab me.
Book Jacket Summary:
What's new? Me, for starters...
It all began when my job offered me a buyout package. That's when the realization hit: I'm young, I'm rich (thanks to a hefty inheritance), and I'm boring. Things are gonna change-starting now...
Building a better man trap...
First things first: Exercise. Carrot juice. Straight hair. Whiter teeth. Clothes that fit. But wait-there's more. I'm finally ready to take a chance on love with the perfect guy. He's handsome. He's smart. He's reliable. He's my CPA. Problem is, I'm clueless about winning him over. It's time to call in an expert. It's time to call in The Dog.
Down, boy.
Mike "The Dog" Dougherty is a man's man. A guy's guy. Okay, he's a chauvinist pig, and his sty is "The Dog House," a testosterone-charged column in Maximum for Him magazine. On one hand, I abhor all he stands for. On the other hand, who better to coach me? So here I am. Learning the complex unspoken language of the American male (Talk, bad. Sex, good.); trying exciting new things (Stripping lessons are empowering. Really.); falling for Mike. Uh oh. But the Mike I'm getting to know is different from The Dog. And the Mona I'm becoming isn't quite who I expected, either.
This whole makeover scheme is getting crazier by the minute. But "crazy" beats "boring"...right?
This book was good, it didn't knock me off my feet. I really liked the quick pace of the book and the plot was interesting enough, just really didn't grab me.
Book Jacket Summary:
What's new? Me, for starters...
It all began when my job offered me a buyout package. That's when the realization hit: I'm young, I'm rich (thanks to a hefty inheritance), and I'm boring. Things are gonna change-starting now...
Building a better man trap...
First things first: Exercise. Carrot juice. Straight hair. Whiter teeth. Clothes that fit. But wait-there's more. I'm finally ready to take a chance on love with the perfect guy. He's handsome. He's smart. He's reliable. He's my CPA. Problem is, I'm clueless about winning him over. It's time to call in an expert. It's time to call in The Dog.
Down, boy.
Mike "The Dog" Dougherty is a man's man. A guy's guy. Okay, he's a chauvinist pig, and his sty is "The Dog House," a testosterone-charged column in Maximum for Him magazine. On one hand, I abhor all he stands for. On the other hand, who better to coach me? So here I am. Learning the complex unspoken language of the American male (Talk, bad. Sex, good.); trying exciting new things (Stripping lessons are empowering. Really.); falling for Mike. Uh oh. But the Mike I'm getting to know is different from The Dog. And the Mona I'm becoming isn't quite who I expected, either.
This whole makeover scheme is getting crazier by the minute. But "crazy" beats "boring"...right?
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Hating Game by Talli Roland
****4 stars
This book was a different story line than you are used to, very fresh. I truly enjoyed it and although you can see at times where it might be heading it was a good journey. The main character, Mattie is not as likable as I would have liked but she does grow throughout the book and it was nice to see progression of change. I would definitely recommend this to a friend, as it has some seriously funny scenarios and is over all an enjoyable chick lit read.
Book Jacket Summary:
When Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating strategy.
After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £200,000 prize? Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes.
Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end?
This book was a different story line than you are used to, very fresh. I truly enjoyed it and although you can see at times where it might be heading it was a good journey. The main character, Mattie is not as likable as I would have liked but she does grow throughout the book and it was nice to see progression of change. I would definitely recommend this to a friend, as it has some seriously funny scenarios and is over all an enjoyable chick lit read.
Book Jacket Summary:
When Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating strategy.
After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £200,000 prize? Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes.
Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end?
Friday, April 8, 2011
Nice Girls Do by Sarah Duncan
***3 stars
This was a slow starter for me. It took me til about half way through the book to truly be pulled into the story, once it did, it really gripped me. It was a good book, but wasn't my favorite by this author. I really liked the interest in historic gardens as it was a new concept to me, but didn't take the book over either. A nice read but "Kissing Mr Wrong" still my fav by this author.
Book Jacket Summary:
Anna can cope with gardens, especially the historic ones it’s her job to research, but when it comes to love and relationships she has lost her way, following the collapse of her short-lived marriage. Then she meets Oliver, destined to inherit a magical eighteenth-century house and garden from his ageing grandmother, and a man who, unlike her, is more interested in the future than the past. But is Oliver’s interest in Anna entirely straightforward, or does he have a secret agenda? Will, the gardener, claims he has, but then Will has secrets of his own, and a past as mysterious as the garden he looks after. As Anna gradually deciphers the secret history of the garden, she realises that only by learning to read the messages will she find a way through the wilderness to the hidden heart at the centre, and discover where her own future happiness lies.
This was a slow starter for me. It took me til about half way through the book to truly be pulled into the story, once it did, it really gripped me. It was a good book, but wasn't my favorite by this author. I really liked the interest in historic gardens as it was a new concept to me, but didn't take the book over either. A nice read but "Kissing Mr Wrong" still my fav by this author.
Book Jacket Summary:
Anna can cope with gardens, especially the historic ones it’s her job to research, but when it comes to love and relationships she has lost her way, following the collapse of her short-lived marriage. Then she meets Oliver, destined to inherit a magical eighteenth-century house and garden from his ageing grandmother, and a man who, unlike her, is more interested in the future than the past. But is Oliver’s interest in Anna entirely straightforward, or does he have a secret agenda? Will, the gardener, claims he has, but then Will has secrets of his own, and a past as mysterious as the garden he looks after. As Anna gradually deciphers the secret history of the garden, she realises that only by learning to read the messages will she find a way through the wilderness to the hidden heart at the centre, and discover where her own future happiness lies.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Looking for Leon by Shirley Benton
*****5 stars
LOVED IT! Benton's first book will grab you from the beginning and have you enjoying every bit of it. There are twists and turns and back story that will have you going through many emotions. The characters are all very real and I especially loved the setting of Las Vegas. I truly was sad to see this end, and I will be on a look out for her future books.
Book Jacket Description:
What would you do to find the one that got away? Andie hadn't gambled on meeting the love of her life on a holiday in Las Vegas but when she meets Leon, love suddenly seems like a bet she can win. That is, until the wheel of fortune steps in and separates them during a fire drill. With next to no info on Leon, Andie finds it impossible to track him down despite staging a series of publicity stunts to get the media in on the act. Back in Ireland, journalist Andie begins to write a regular newspaper column about her search. Readers love it and a local TV station flies her back to Vegas to take up the hunt for the man she can t forget. What starts off as a simple low-budget documentary, spirals into a frenzied national media search. With the world's most ambitious PR agent on board, Andie becomes a heroine for those who are looking for love. But does Leon want to be found?
LOVED IT! Benton's first book will grab you from the beginning and have you enjoying every bit of it. There are twists and turns and back story that will have you going through many emotions. The characters are all very real and I especially loved the setting of Las Vegas. I truly was sad to see this end, and I will be on a look out for her future books.
Book Jacket Description:
What would you do to find the one that got away? Andie hadn't gambled on meeting the love of her life on a holiday in Las Vegas but when she meets Leon, love suddenly seems like a bet she can win. That is, until the wheel of fortune steps in and separates them during a fire drill. With next to no info on Leon, Andie finds it impossible to track him down despite staging a series of publicity stunts to get the media in on the act. Back in Ireland, journalist Andie begins to write a regular newspaper column about her search. Readers love it and a local TV station flies her back to Vegas to take up the hunt for the man she can t forget. What starts off as a simple low-budget documentary, spirals into a frenzied national media search. With the world's most ambitious PR agent on board, Andie becomes a heroine for those who are looking for love. But does Leon want to be found?
Monday, April 4, 2011
Second Thyme Around by Katie Fforde
*****5 stars
I absolutely adore Fforde's books. I can sit down and just take myself away and escape into the pages. She writes with so much warmth and compassion. I adore her characters and different ways of living. I look forward to my next read by this author! :)
Book Jacket Summary:
For years, things have run quite smoothly for Perdita and her organic gardening business. So what if her hair needs a complete overhaul, her sweater has more holes than Swiss cheese, and there's no hope of a boyfriend on the horizon? The last thing Perdita wants is a meddlesome man in her life-but she's about to get one, in the form of her completely infuriating ex-husband, Lucas.
Lucas in disagreeable, curt, arrogant, and smolderingly gorgeous. He's also the new chef at Grantly House, Perdita's number-one customer. Worse, Mr. Grantly has the insane idea of starting a television cooking show that will put Lucas and Perdita together as "The Gourmet and the Gardener."
Now, things are heating up in the kitchen--and elsewhere. With the bright lights blazing and old feelings stirring the pot, it could be a recipe for disaster...or absolute delight.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend by Jenny Colgan
****4 stars
I was hesitant on reading this book. I have had it on my shelf for a while and put of reading it for fear that the descriptions seemed so shallow. I was completely wrong. This was a good read. It had a bit of everything in it and I truly liked the main character Sophie and how she grew. I look forward to her new release in April, "Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe".
Book Jacket Summary:
Sophie is a girl about town - living the party lifestyle with Daddy footing the bill. But when she gets embroiled in a scandalous affair, she is thrown out of home and left to fend for herself on the mean streets of London. Scraping a living as a cleaner in a photographic studio, living in a bedsit on the Old Kent Road, eating baked beans from the can - this is one spectacular fall from grace. On top of that, she is papped by photographers every time she leaves the flat, with her so-called friends laughing at her downfall. But stepping in to solve a crisis at the studio, Sophie discovers that she is also quite handy with a camera, and a new career behind the lense is born. But when she is hired as the photographer for a society wedding, Sophie is thrust back into her old lifestyle, and discovers that perhaps money can't buy you happiness after all ...
RSVP by Helen Warner
*****5 stars
Loved this book! It had great characters and I really liked the way it was told. It jumped around a bit at the beginning, so watch the dates, but you won't have any problems keeping up. You will find your biggest problem is putting the book down. I truly lost an entire day with this book. I hope to see more by this author soon :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Four women, one wedding and a day to remember - or rather forget ...Anna's world is rocked when she receives an invitation to her ex Toby's nuptials - Toby was The One, The Love of Her Life, The One That Got Away. Will attending his Big Day finally give her the sense of closure she so desperately craves? Or will it only re-open old wounds? Clare is Anna's best friend, the person who was there for her when she and Toby split all those years ago. But little does Clare know that Toby's wedding day will also change her own life for ever. Ella is a classic femme fatale. She loves men and leaves them without a backward glance. But the one person who's never fallen for her charms is Toby. As he prepares to get hitched, is it too late for a last-ditch attempt to win his heart? Finally, Rachel is the blushing bride-to-be. This should be the happiest day of her life. So how come she feels nothing but a terrible sense of foreboding?
Loved this book! It had great characters and I really liked the way it was told. It jumped around a bit at the beginning, so watch the dates, but you won't have any problems keeping up. You will find your biggest problem is putting the book down. I truly lost an entire day with this book. I hope to see more by this author soon :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Four women, one wedding and a day to remember - or rather forget ...Anna's world is rocked when she receives an invitation to her ex Toby's nuptials - Toby was The One, The Love of Her Life, The One That Got Away. Will attending his Big Day finally give her the sense of closure she so desperately craves? Or will it only re-open old wounds? Clare is Anna's best friend, the person who was there for her when she and Toby split all those years ago. But little does Clare know that Toby's wedding day will also change her own life for ever. Ella is a classic femme fatale. She loves men and leaves them without a backward glance. But the one person who's never fallen for her charms is Toby. As he prepares to get hitched, is it too late for a last-ditch attempt to win his heart? Finally, Rachel is the blushing bride-to-be. This should be the happiest day of her life. So how come she feels nothing but a terrible sense of foreboding?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Summer of Love by Katie Fforde
*****5 stars
This is another great read by Fforde. I almost think that it is my favorite by her. I loved all the characters and the way that the story unfolded. There are several sub-plots going which makes the book keep a quick pace. I had so looked forward to this book and my only disappointment was the book had to end. I look forward to her next book :)
Book Jacket Description:
Sian Bishop has only ever experienced one moment of recklessness – a moment that resulted in her beloved son Rory. It’s not that she doesn’t love the outcome of that wild night, but since then she has always taken the safer route. So when dependable, devoted Richard suggests a move to the beautiful English countryside, she leaves the hustle and bustle of the city behind, and she throws herself into the picture-postcard cottage garden, her furniture restoration business, and a new life in the country.
Her good intentions are torpedoed on a glorious summer’s evening with the arrival of Gus Berresford. One-time explorer and full-time heartbreaker, Gus is ridiculously exciting, wonderfully glamorous and a completely inappropriate love interest for a single mum. But Gus and Sian have met before…
Sian has no use for a fling, she simply mustn’t fall in love with the most unlikely suitor ever to cross her path – even if he has now crossed her path twice. But who knows what can happen in a summer of love…
This is another great read by Fforde. I almost think that it is my favorite by her. I loved all the characters and the way that the story unfolded. There are several sub-plots going which makes the book keep a quick pace. I had so looked forward to this book and my only disappointment was the book had to end. I look forward to her next book :)
Book Jacket Description:
Sian Bishop has only ever experienced one moment of recklessness – a moment that resulted in her beloved son Rory. It’s not that she doesn’t love the outcome of that wild night, but since then she has always taken the safer route. So when dependable, devoted Richard suggests a move to the beautiful English countryside, she leaves the hustle and bustle of the city behind, and she throws herself into the picture-postcard cottage garden, her furniture restoration business, and a new life in the country.
Her good intentions are torpedoed on a glorious summer’s evening with the arrival of Gus Berresford. One-time explorer and full-time heartbreaker, Gus is ridiculously exciting, wonderfully glamorous and a completely inappropriate love interest for a single mum. But Gus and Sian have met before…
Sian has no use for a fling, she simply mustn’t fall in love with the most unlikely suitor ever to cross her path – even if he has now crossed her path twice. But who knows what can happen in a summer of love…
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A Single to Rome by Sarah Duncan
***** 5 stars
This was a great book! I really liked the characters, as well as the way Duncan described Rome. I hope to one day make this a vacation destination. I found the character Natalie a bit self-absorbed but loved how she grew. I look forward to my future reads by Duncan.
Book Jacket Summary:
A warm and romantic tale of love, sex and making the right choices from the increasingly popular author of NICE GIRLS DO and ANOTHER WOMAN'S HUSBAND
When Michael tells Natalie that he 'needs space', she’s devastated. She thought he was the love of her life but now Michael’s found himself a new girlfriend. So much for space. Natalie tries speed-dating, but how could she move on when she's still yearning for Michael? One of her speedy dates is Guy and, despite the lack of chemistry, at least she's now got a date for her best friend's wedding. But past indiscretions are about to come to light. Natalie needs to escape. Guy happens to own a flat she can borrow... in Rome! There Natalie makes some fabulous new friends and discovers who puts the Rome into Romeo. She's falling in love – but is it with Rome, or with someone she finds there?
This was a great book! I really liked the characters, as well as the way Duncan described Rome. I hope to one day make this a vacation destination. I found the character Natalie a bit self-absorbed but loved how she grew. I look forward to my future reads by Duncan.
Book Jacket Summary:
A warm and romantic tale of love, sex and making the right choices from the increasingly popular author of NICE GIRLS DO and ANOTHER WOMAN'S HUSBAND
When Michael tells Natalie that he 'needs space', she’s devastated. She thought he was the love of her life but now Michael’s found himself a new girlfriend. So much for space. Natalie tries speed-dating, but how could she move on when she's still yearning for Michael? One of her speedy dates is Guy and, despite the lack of chemistry, at least she's now got a date for her best friend's wedding. But past indiscretions are about to come to light. Natalie needs to escape. Guy happens to own a flat she can borrow... in Rome! There Natalie makes some fabulous new friends and discovers who puts the Rome into Romeo. She's falling in love – but is it with Rome, or with someone she finds there?
The List: Can Perfect Be Put on Paper by Carmen Shirkey
****4 stars
Great first book for Carmen Shirkey. I had downloaded this on my kindle and had forgotten about it. I am glad that I found it when searching for a new book. This was like a breath of fresh air. I really liked the characters and especially loved the location, as it is set in D.C. and I am from Richmond VA. It was a great read and I wish it didn't have to end so quickly. I will be sure to have to share this with my friends as the friendships in it remind me of mine. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
People make lists for a variety of reasons. There are grocery lists, errand lists and to-do lists. Candace Sanders is a 30-something with her own list – a list of almost 50 qualities she wants in her future husband. She’s excited when she finds her Mr. Right, as he earns check after check on her love itinerary. However, when she starts to fall for another man that’s the opposite of what she thinks she wants, she wonders: can perfect be put on paper?
Great first book for Carmen Shirkey. I had downloaded this on my kindle and had forgotten about it. I am glad that I found it when searching for a new book. This was like a breath of fresh air. I really liked the characters and especially loved the location, as it is set in D.C. and I am from Richmond VA. It was a great read and I wish it didn't have to end so quickly. I will be sure to have to share this with my friends as the friendships in it remind me of mine. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
People make lists for a variety of reasons. There are grocery lists, errand lists and to-do lists. Candace Sanders is a 30-something with her own list – a list of almost 50 qualities she wants in her future husband. She’s excited when she finds her Mr. Right, as he earns check after check on her love itinerary. However, when she starts to fall for another man that’s the opposite of what she thinks she wants, she wonders: can perfect be put on paper?
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon
*****5 stars
My first read of Lucy Dillon, and I can say I am hooked. I was so sad to see this book end. It is so warm and heartfelt, even if you aren't a dog lover, which I am. The book is based around Rachel as the main character, but there are many secondary characters. They are all so real, like friends you hold close to your heart. This will definitely end up in my collection to reread. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
When the abandoned strays from a local dogs’ home are matched with brand new owners, it turns out it might not just be the dogs who need rescuing.
Rachel’s aunt has left her a house, a Border Collie and, despite knowing nothing about dogs, a crowded kennels. But since her life has collapsed she’s not sure she can deal with any more lost souls.
Zoe’s ex-husband has given their children a puppy. The kids are in love, but she’s the one stuck training Toffee the impossible Labrador. She’s nearly at the end of her tether – until Toffee leads her to a handsome doctor...
Meanwhile Natalie and Johnny’s marriage hasn’t been easy since they started trying for a baby. But is a fridge-raiding, sofa-stealing Basset hound like Bertie really the child substitute they’re looking for?
As the new owners’ paths cross on the town’s dog-walking circuits, their lives become interwoven. And they – and their dogs – learn some important lessons about loyalty, companionship and unconditional love . . .
My first read of Lucy Dillon, and I can say I am hooked. I was so sad to see this book end. It is so warm and heartfelt, even if you aren't a dog lover, which I am. The book is based around Rachel as the main character, but there are many secondary characters. They are all so real, like friends you hold close to your heart. This will definitely end up in my collection to reread. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
When the abandoned strays from a local dogs’ home are matched with brand new owners, it turns out it might not just be the dogs who need rescuing.
Rachel’s aunt has left her a house, a Border Collie and, despite knowing nothing about dogs, a crowded kennels. But since her life has collapsed she’s not sure she can deal with any more lost souls.
Zoe’s ex-husband has given their children a puppy. The kids are in love, but she’s the one stuck training Toffee the impossible Labrador. She’s nearly at the end of her tether – until Toffee leads her to a handsome doctor...
Meanwhile Natalie and Johnny’s marriage hasn’t been easy since they started trying for a baby. But is a fridge-raiding, sofa-stealing Basset hound like Bertie really the child substitute they’re looking for?
As the new owners’ paths cross on the town’s dog-walking circuits, their lives become interwoven. And they – and their dogs – learn some important lessons about loyalty, companionship and unconditional love . . .
Postcards from the heart by Ella Griffin
***3 stars
This was Griffin's first book and has gotten amazing reviews. I really liked that there were multiple story lines going on and how they all interconnected. I really liked the contemporary edge and storyline going between the different couples and their outlook on love and marriage. It kept a fast pace that kept rolling til the end. Will look forward to seeing her next book.
Book Jacket Summary:
Life is looking up for Saffy. She has a great job, a gorgeous flat in the most desirable part of Dublin and - after six years - it looks like her boyfriend, Greg, is going to propose. Greg (just voted the 9th most eligible man in Ireland) is on a high, too - he's about to swap his part as a heart-throb in an Irish soap for a break in Hollywood. His best mate Conor wakes up every morning with Jess, the most beautiful woman on the planet but, even after seven years and two kids, she won't get married. He spends his days teaching teenagers and his nights writing the book he hopes will change everything, including Jess's mind. But their happy endings are playing hard to get. It seems everyone's keeping secrets - one night stands, heartbreak, grief and loss are all in the mix. It's going to take some tough questions and even tougher answers before anyone's being honest - even with themselves. POSTCARDS FROM THE HEART is a book about four friends in their thirties. It's about love, lust, life, death, balloon rides and missing hamsters. But most of all it's about figuring out how to stop saying 'I don't' and how to start saying 'I do'.
This was Griffin's first book and has gotten amazing reviews. I really liked that there were multiple story lines going on and how they all interconnected. I really liked the contemporary edge and storyline going between the different couples and their outlook on love and marriage. It kept a fast pace that kept rolling til the end. Will look forward to seeing her next book.
Book Jacket Summary:
Life is looking up for Saffy. She has a great job, a gorgeous flat in the most desirable part of Dublin and - after six years - it looks like her boyfriend, Greg, is going to propose. Greg (just voted the 9th most eligible man in Ireland) is on a high, too - he's about to swap his part as a heart-throb in an Irish soap for a break in Hollywood. His best mate Conor wakes up every morning with Jess, the most beautiful woman on the planet but, even after seven years and two kids, she won't get married. He spends his days teaching teenagers and his nights writing the book he hopes will change everything, including Jess's mind. But their happy endings are playing hard to get. It seems everyone's keeping secrets - one night stands, heartbreak, grief and loss are all in the mix. It's going to take some tough questions and even tougher answers before anyone's being honest - even with themselves. POSTCARDS FROM THE HEART is a book about four friends in their thirties. It's about love, lust, life, death, balloon rides and missing hamsters. But most of all it's about figuring out how to stop saying 'I don't' and how to start saying 'I do'.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
A Weekend With Mr Darcy by Victoria Connelly
****4 stars
If you are an Austen fan and love the movie adaptions, the contemporary fiction based loosely on Austen, or just an Austen fan alone, you will love this book. I read this in a day and absolutely loved it. When I finished I had to pop in my copy of Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly and Mathew McFaden. I had to get the complete fix. I really enjoyed the characters in this book and also learned a couple facts about Austen I was unaware of. I look forward to her next book which is also geared toward Austen fans.
Book Jacket Summary:
A romance-filled page-turner for any Austen fanatic who’s ever dreamt of spending a weekend with Mr Darcy…
Katherine Roberts is fed up with men. As a lecturer specialising in the works of Jane Austen, she knows that the ideal man only exists within the pages of Pride & Prejudice and that in real life there is no such thing. Determined to go it alone, she finds all the comfort she needs reading her guilty pleasure - regency romances from the pen of Lorna Warwick - with whom she has now struck up an intimate correspondence.
Austen fanatic, Robyn Love, is blessed with a name full of romance, but her love life is far from perfect. Stuck in a rut with a bonehead boyfriend, Jace, and a job she can do with her eyes shut - her life has hit a dead end. Robyn would love to escape from it all but wouldn't know where to start.
They both decide to attend the annual Jane Austen Conference at sumptuous Purley Hall, overseen by the actress and national treasure, Dame Pamela Harcourt. Robyn is hoping to escape from Jace for the weekend and indulge in her passion for all things Austen. Katherine is hoping that Lorna Warwick will be in attendance and is desperate to meet her new best friend in the flesh.
But nothing goes according to plan and Robyn is aghast when Jace insists on accompanying her, whilst Katherine is disappointed to learn that Lorna won't be coming.
However, an Austen weekend wouldn't be the same without a little intrigue, and Robyn and Katherine are about to get much more than they bargained for. Because where Jane Austen is concerned, romance is never very far away…
If you are an Austen fan and love the movie adaptions, the contemporary fiction based loosely on Austen, or just an Austen fan alone, you will love this book. I read this in a day and absolutely loved it. When I finished I had to pop in my copy of Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly and Mathew McFaden. I had to get the complete fix. I really enjoyed the characters in this book and also learned a couple facts about Austen I was unaware of. I look forward to her next book which is also geared toward Austen fans.
Book Jacket Summary:
A romance-filled page-turner for any Austen fanatic who’s ever dreamt of spending a weekend with Mr Darcy…
Katherine Roberts is fed up with men. As a lecturer specialising in the works of Jane Austen, she knows that the ideal man only exists within the pages of Pride & Prejudice and that in real life there is no such thing. Determined to go it alone, she finds all the comfort she needs reading her guilty pleasure - regency romances from the pen of Lorna Warwick - with whom she has now struck up an intimate correspondence.
Austen fanatic, Robyn Love, is blessed with a name full of romance, but her love life is far from perfect. Stuck in a rut with a bonehead boyfriend, Jace, and a job she can do with her eyes shut - her life has hit a dead end. Robyn would love to escape from it all but wouldn't know where to start.
They both decide to attend the annual Jane Austen Conference at sumptuous Purley Hall, overseen by the actress and national treasure, Dame Pamela Harcourt. Robyn is hoping to escape from Jace for the weekend and indulge in her passion for all things Austen. Katherine is hoping that Lorna Warwick will be in attendance and is desperate to meet her new best friend in the flesh.
But nothing goes according to plan and Robyn is aghast when Jace insists on accompanying her, whilst Katherine is disappointed to learn that Lorna won't be coming.
However, an Austen weekend wouldn't be the same without a little intrigue, and Robyn and Katherine are about to get much more than they bargained for. Because where Jane Austen is concerned, romance is never very far away…
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Girl in a Spin by Clodagh Murphy
****4 stars
This is my second book I have read by Murphy. After reading The Disengagement Ring, I went out and ordered this one. I was by no means disappointed. Her characters are all so likable and real. I truly enjoyed this book and found myself sad it had ended. I look forward to future reads by this author :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Jenny Hannigan might be a good-time party girl but all she secretly craves is a life of domestic bliss and solid respectability – worlds away from her troubled upbringing back home in Ireland.
So when she crashes into the arms of Richard Allam – the young, handsome, recently separated politician hotly tipped to lead his party to victory in the upcoming election – she thinks she’s found exactly what she is looking for.
But Jenny isn’t exactly politician’s-wife material so Richard recruits the intensely private, charismatic publicist Dev Tennant to ‘spin’ Jenny to the Party . . . and the public.
As the election gathers momentum, it turns out that Jenny has more than one skeleton in her closet and Dev is working overtime to try to keep them there.
And suddenly Jenny isn’t sure what she wants anymore ...
Love in the Making by Roisin Meaney
***3 stars
This is a cute book. I really liked the setting and there was a lot going on, which kept me turning the pages. It really started out strong but I found myself by two-thirds the way through, kinda loosing interest. It really caught me off guard and after I finished I still couldn't pin point what had changed for me. Still an enjoyable read, just felt it had more steam at beginning and wish it had kept it throughout.
Book Jacket Summary:
Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he’s leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare.
So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline - seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in early-morning icing, she soon discovers that she’s too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend . . . or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake . . .
But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice’s is falling apart. Her husband Tom’s drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse.
As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she’s figuring out what’s really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
To the moon and back by Jill Mansell
*****5 stars
I am a huge fan of Jill Mansell. She always seems to nail her characters to a T and have such an emotional story. That is true with To The Moon and Back. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Her books pull you immediately in, without giving away too much the plot I had tears running by the second chapter. Her books are so vivid with detail and keep your attention. I find that long after I have finished reading her books, her characters stay with me. I do have to say that this one deals with life and it's many curve balls, about things ending and the strength to begin again, so although you may think it to be a sad story throughout, it's not, it's about finding strength and your own place. :) It is definitely a book to be reread and passed on to a good friend, that you know will return it. This book will stay in my library like many of my *****5 star books for a reread. Do enjoy!
Book Jacket Summary:
The gorgeously indulgent, funny and touching new novel from the bestselling author
When Ellie Kendall tragically loses her husband she feels her life is over. But eventually she's ready for a new start - at work, that is. She doesn't need a new man when she has a certain secret visitor to keep her company...
Zack McLaren seems to have it all, but the girl he can't stop thinking about won't give him a second glance. If only she'd pay him the same attention she lavishes on his dog.
Moving to North London, Ellie meets neighbour Roo who has a secret of her own. Can the girls sort out their lives? Guilt is a powerful emotion, but a lot can happen in a year in Primrose Hill...
I am a huge fan of Jill Mansell. She always seems to nail her characters to a T and have such an emotional story. That is true with To The Moon and Back. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Her books pull you immediately in, without giving away too much the plot I had tears running by the second chapter. Her books are so vivid with detail and keep your attention. I find that long after I have finished reading her books, her characters stay with me. I do have to say that this one deals with life and it's many curve balls, about things ending and the strength to begin again, so although you may think it to be a sad story throughout, it's not, it's about finding strength and your own place. :) It is definitely a book to be reread and passed on to a good friend, that you know will return it. This book will stay in my library like many of my *****5 star books for a reread. Do enjoy!
Book Jacket Summary:
The gorgeously indulgent, funny and touching new novel from the bestselling author
When Ellie Kendall tragically loses her husband she feels her life is over. But eventually she's ready for a new start - at work, that is. She doesn't need a new man when she has a certain secret visitor to keep her company...
Zack McLaren seems to have it all, but the girl he can't stop thinking about won't give him a second glance. If only she'd pay him the same attention she lavishes on his dog.
Moving to North London, Ellie meets neighbour Roo who has a secret of her own. Can the girls sort out their lives? Guilt is a powerful emotion, but a lot can happen in a year in Primrose Hill...
You don't have to say you love me by Sarra Manning
*****5 stars
I loved this books. I got this on my kindle as a recommendation by Amazon and saw the great reviews and synopsis and thought it sounded good. I was more than pleased with this book. It was a great in depth read. I really loved the character Neve and understood her plight. I think the truly sad thought is throughout the whole book she is trying to accomplish being a size 10, which seems to be an American 14, funny how standards are different everywhere. I am happy to have my US sizes, I know they aren't anything but a number, but still an American 12 beats shopping for a UK 16 any day. lol I am definitely going to pass this one on to friends.
Book Jacket summary:
Sweet, bookish Neve Slater always plays by the rules. And the number one rule is that good-natured fat girls like her don't get guys like gorgeous, handsome William, heir to Neve's heart since university. But William's been in LA for three years, and Neve's been slimming down and re-inventing herself so that when he returns, he'll fall head over heels in love with the new, improved her. So she's not that interested in other men. Until her sister Celia points out that if Neve wants William to think she's an experienced love-goddess and not the fumbling, awkward girl he left behind, then she'd better get some, well, experience. What Neve needs is someone to show her the ropes, someone like Celia's colleague Max. Wicked, shallow, sexy Max. And since he's such a man-slut, and so not Neve's type, she certainly won't fall for him. Because William is the man for her...right? Somewhere between losing weight and losing her inhibitions, Neve's lost her heart - but to who?
I loved this books. I got this on my kindle as a recommendation by Amazon and saw the great reviews and synopsis and thought it sounded good. I was more than pleased with this book. It was a great in depth read. I really loved the character Neve and understood her plight. I think the truly sad thought is throughout the whole book she is trying to accomplish being a size 10, which seems to be an American 14, funny how standards are different everywhere. I am happy to have my US sizes, I know they aren't anything but a number, but still an American 12 beats shopping for a UK 16 any day. lol I am definitely going to pass this one on to friends.
Book Jacket summary:
Sweet, bookish Neve Slater always plays by the rules. And the number one rule is that good-natured fat girls like her don't get guys like gorgeous, handsome William, heir to Neve's heart since university. But William's been in LA for three years, and Neve's been slimming down and re-inventing herself so that when he returns, he'll fall head over heels in love with the new, improved her. So she's not that interested in other men. Until her sister Celia points out that if Neve wants William to think she's an experienced love-goddess and not the fumbling, awkward girl he left behind, then she'd better get some, well, experience. What Neve needs is someone to show her the ropes, someone like Celia's colleague Max. Wicked, shallow, sexy Max. And since he's such a man-slut, and so not Neve's type, she certainly won't fall for him. Because William is the man for her...right? Somewhere between losing weight and losing her inhibitions, Neve's lost her heart - but to who?
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Final Hitch by Samantha Scott-Jefferies
***3 stars
Good follow-up to I Do, I Do, I do. This picks up with Izzy walking down the isle and us not knowing who she is marrying. Then it goes back to the night where I do, I do, I do left off and brings us up to date. The description of Majorca is still vivid and if you weren't interested in visiting before you may now. Also, her descriptions of weddings and all that they entail will have you flipping through the pages. I found this another quick and fun read.
Book Jacket Summary:
Here comes the bride...
Izzy Mistry loves her job planning weddings in Majorca but she wasn't expecting any proposals herself. And certainly not from two different men in one night! So now she's chosen the one she wants - old flame Harrison - and fallen madly in love with a rustic house in the mountains, Izzy's life is looking a lot more romantic.
But as the happy couple wrestle with renovations and struggle to settle into village life, suddenly everything seems a little less rosy. Izzy's starting to feel the heat. But is this normal pre-wedding nerves... or is she about to make a massive mistake?
Good follow-up to I Do, I Do, I do. This picks up with Izzy walking down the isle and us not knowing who she is marrying. Then it goes back to the night where I do, I do, I do left off and brings us up to date. The description of Majorca is still vivid and if you weren't interested in visiting before you may now. Also, her descriptions of weddings and all that they entail will have you flipping through the pages. I found this another quick and fun read.
Book Jacket Summary:
Here comes the bride...
Izzy Mistry loves her job planning weddings in Majorca but she wasn't expecting any proposals herself. And certainly not from two different men in one night! So now she's chosen the one she wants - old flame Harrison - and fallen madly in love with a rustic house in the mountains, Izzy's life is looking a lot more romantic.
But as the happy couple wrestle with renovations and struggle to settle into village life, suddenly everything seems a little less rosy. Izzy's starting to feel the heat. But is this normal pre-wedding nerves... or is she about to make a massive mistake?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
I Do, I Do, I Do by Samantha Scott-Jefferies
***3 stars
Let me start off by saying that you should have the follow-up book "The Final Hitch" ready to go for when you finish this book. I Do, I Do, I Do is a cliff hanger book that you are questioning what is going to happen next. Fortunately, I do have this on hand and am gonna start that now. I really liked Izzy, the main character, and thought she was almost two different people in this book, which I found very realistic. The location Majorca, is beautifully described. The book dealt a lot with weddings. The weddings were well thought out and detailed as this was Izzy's day to day routine. I did feel that we never really got to see what Izzy was thinking or feeling or was she home sick? Occasionally there would be a little insight, but I felt as though Izzy was all work and was wondering where the plot was going to go... I would have liked to seen more of her getting to know the area and forging relationships with the locals. I do have to say that the book is fast-paced and you will find yourself enjoying it. :)
Book Jacket Summary:
Romance, revelations and fun in the Mediterranean sun
Isabelle needs to get away from it all. With a boss from hell and a boyfriend so elusive he’s almost non-existent, life’s looking pretty drab. Then a humiliating cock-up costs Izzy her job and things seem so grim not even a shopping spree can lift her spirits. What’s a girl to do? Six months as a wedding planner in Mallorca could be Izzy’s answer. If she can’t make it work with a man, at least she can help make other women happy with theirs. But when love is in the air, things don’t always go the way you plan...
Monday, February 14, 2011
The Disengagement Ring by Clodagh Murphy
*****5 stars
What a great book. I was looking for something to keep my mind off the weekend ahead and have some down time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be a great read. The characters were all very well formed and I found myself hoping that there were spin-off books about the other characters, with more depth, as they only scratched the surface with them. I can't wait for my next read by Clodagh Murphy!
Book Jacket Summary:
After a series of hopeless relationships, Kate O'Neill is ready to settle down, so when her New Age Shaman boyfriend Brian finally asks her to marry him, she accepts. Even though her clannish, close-knit family disapprove of him, Kate knows that deep down Brian loves her.
But Kate’s eccentric actress mother, Grace, is determined to prevent Kate from making the biggest mistake of her life. She hatches a plot to scupper the engagement, enlisting the help of the whole family, even roping in Will Sargent, manager of mega cool rock-band Walking Wounded, and unrequited love of Kate’s life, in the hope that he can provide a change of direction for Kate’s affections.
Reluctantly enlisted, Will offers Kate a job cooking for Walking Wounded, while they are holed up in Tuscany working on their new album.
As temperatures in the kitchen begin to heat up, will Kate realize her feelings for Will are stronger than ever, or does Grace’s plan backfire and send Kate straight back to Brian?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Love Always by Harriet Evans
*****5 stars
I am a HUGE Harriet Evans fan. I really looked forward to this book and found that I wasn't disappointed. This was a great read. There was an intensity in this book that I haven't seen in her previous books. Nat, the main character, is given her deceased Aunt Ceily's diary, which died at a young age, so there is Nat's story as well as Ceily's story going on throughout the book. The two are related and it really adds a depth to the book. Love Always deals with how a families dynamic is suspended from secrets and a traumatic incident, which will also help Natasha figure out with everything around her crumbling, how to dig herself out and figure out who she is. This is a book not to be missed.
Book Jacket Summary:
A compelling and heartbreaking tale of lost love, family secrets and those little moments that can change your life for ever.
Natasha Kapoor's life is at a turning point. Leaving London for the magical Cornish coast to attend the funeral of her beloved grandmother, this trip will reunite her with her large and complicated family. As she and her family sort through her grandmother’s possessions and prepare to sell Summercove, the idyllic coastal home that has been in their family for decades, Natasha is given the long-lost diary of her aunt Cecily, who died in a tragic accident at the age of fifteen.
Returning to her home in London’s trendy Shoreditch, Natasha must get back to normality – to her job as a jewelery designer and to her soon-to-be ex-husband. But how can she forget the tragic tale of love, rivalry and heartbreak that emerged from the pages of Cecily’s diary? And will Cecily’s words, though written forty years ago, inspire Natasha to take a chance on love?
I am a HUGE Harriet Evans fan. I really looked forward to this book and found that I wasn't disappointed. This was a great read. There was an intensity in this book that I haven't seen in her previous books. Nat, the main character, is given her deceased Aunt Ceily's diary, which died at a young age, so there is Nat's story as well as Ceily's story going on throughout the book. The two are related and it really adds a depth to the book. Love Always deals with how a families dynamic is suspended from secrets and a traumatic incident, which will also help Natasha figure out with everything around her crumbling, how to dig herself out and figure out who she is. This is a book not to be missed.
Book Jacket Summary:
A compelling and heartbreaking tale of lost love, family secrets and those little moments that can change your life for ever.
Natasha Kapoor's life is at a turning point. Leaving London for the magical Cornish coast to attend the funeral of her beloved grandmother, this trip will reunite her with her large and complicated family. As she and her family sort through her grandmother’s possessions and prepare to sell Summercove, the idyllic coastal home that has been in their family for decades, Natasha is given the long-lost diary of her aunt Cecily, who died in a tragic accident at the age of fifteen.
Returning to her home in London’s trendy Shoreditch, Natasha must get back to normality – to her job as a jewelery designer and to her soon-to-be ex-husband. But how can she forget the tragic tale of love, rivalry and heartbreak that emerged from the pages of Cecily’s diary? And will Cecily’s words, though written forty years ago, inspire Natasha to take a chance on love?
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