Snowflakes on Silver Cove by Holly Martin (White Cliff Bay #2)

****4 stars
This is a follow-up in the Martin series White Cliff Bay. If you have read the first in the series "Christmas at Lilac Cottage" you will see an overlap of time and events happening in the town, but not a full crossover of characters. With that being said, it has the same feel of Christmas magic and warmth of the holidays as the first book. A sweet follow-up. Looking froward to the next ;)

Book Jacket Summary:
Libby Joseph is famous for her romantic Christmas stories. Every December, readers devour her books of falling in love against the magical backdrop of the Christmas season. If only Libby believed in the magic herself…
Struggling to finish her current novel, Libby turns to her best friend and neighbour George Donaldson to cheer her up. But George also needs a bit of support himself. Nervous about getting back into the dating saddle after splitting from his wife, he and Libby strike a deal. She will teach George how to win over the ladies, and Libby will in turn be inspired to inject her novel with a good dose of romance.
As Libby and George explore the beautiful White Cliff Bay on a series of romantic Christmas-themed dates, Libby finds herself having more fun than she’s had in ages and…discovers feelings that she never knew she had for George.
But is it too late? Will George win someone else’s heart or can Libby act like the heroine in one of her stories and reach for her own love under the mistletoe this Christmas?

Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin (White Cliff Bay #1)

*****5 stars
Holly Martin quickly made it into my top favorite authors. I've been holding this book until the holidays approached to read. I was worried that my anticipation of this book would make it a bit of a let down, but I was so wrong. This is the type of book you want to curl up on the couch with in front of a fire. I found myself warmed from the inside out with this book. The characters were all so real and kept you turning the page to see what would happen next.

Book Jacket Summary:
Welcome to the charming seaside town of White Cliff Bay, where Christmas is magical and love is in the air…
Penny Meadows loves her home – a cosy cottage decorated with pretty twinkling fairy lights and stunning views over the town of White Cliff Bay. She also loves her job as an ice-carver, creating breathtaking sculptures. Yet her personal life seems frozen.
When Henry and daughter Daisy arrive at the cottage to rent the annex, Penny is determined to make them feel welcome. But while Daisy is friendly, Henry seems guarded.
As Penny gets to know Henry, she realises there is more to him than meets the eye. And the connection between them is too strong to ignore…
While the spirit of the season sprinkles its magic over the seaside town and preparations for the ice sculpting competition and Christmas eve ball are in full swing, can Penny melt the ice and allow love in her heart? And will this finally be the perfect Christmas she’s been dreaming of?

A Time for Living by Ruth Saberton Polwenna Bay #2

*****5 stars
This is the second book by Saberton in the Polwenna Bay series. "Runaway Summer" is the first, which I loved as well. You don't have to have read the first to keep up in the second but I did find it really laid a lot of the ground work for many of the characters. This is a wonderful series and I look forward to the next.

Book Jacket Summary:
Is there ever a right time for love?
Feisty horsewoman, Morwenna Tremaine, has always known what she wants from life and success as a three day event rider is all she’s ever dreamed of. Mo has neither the time nor the inclination for love. Even if she did it wouldn’t be with a man who stands for everything she despises…
Beneath a tough and determined exterior, businessman Ashley Carstairs harbours a dark secret that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear. Although aware that he is heading for trouble, he finds himself increasingly drawn to the one woman he knows he should stay away from – for both their sakes.
As the autumn nights draw in and the trickling sands of time gather speed, emotions run higher than the tides and Mo finds herself unable to step away. What is Ashley hiding? Is there more to him that meets the eye? And will his secret destroy everything she now holds dear?

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson

***** 5 stars
Loved this book so much, I reached out immediately to my couple of friends that I share books with telling them that they must read this next. I don't want to ruin this book for anyone, so will just say that it is a wonderful book full of twists and surprises.

Book Jacket Summary:
Annie has a secret. But if she's not going to tell, we won't either. It's a heart-breaking secret she wishes she didn't have - yet Annie isn't broken, not quite yet. Especially now there's someone out there who seems determined to fix her.
Kate has run away. But she's not going to tell us why - that would defeat the point of running, wouldn't it? It's proving difficult to reinvent herself, however, with one person always on her mind.

Scratch beneath the surface and nobody is really who they seem. Even Annie and Kate, two old friends, aren't entirely sure who they are any more. Perhaps you can work it out, before their pasts catch up with them for good . . .

A gripping and unpredictable story of two young women running from their pasts. We defy you to guess the twist . . .

Somewhere Only We know by Erin Lawless

*****5 stars
I have always wanted to go England for a long visit. I went once in my early teenage years, and don't remember much of what I saw. This book was like a where to go book for London. I felt as though each place was coming alive as we are watching Alex and Nadia go on adventures together. An Absolute fun read.

Book Jacket Summary:
Boy meets girl…
Alex Bradley can't help but feel that life is rather passing him by. And not just life – promotions, invitations, romance; the girl he loves only has eyes for his flatmate and his 9-5 job as the Immigration department skivvy is slowly numbing his soul. Until he meets Nadia.
Girl meets boy…
Nadia Osipova is running out of time. With no money, no lawyer and a totally fictitious boyfriend, she’s got one last summer and one last appeal before the British government deport her back home.
Girl gets deported?
It's going to be a bumpy ride, one she's dragging her new friend Alex along for. As Nadia races through a list of all her favourite London adventures, for what may be the last time, Alex can’t help but start to see the city, and his life, through Nadia’s eyes.
From hazy summer days on the Common and heady nights in Soho’s basement bars, to twilight walks along the Southbank, will Alex realise what he’s got before it’s too late?

After the Wedding by Roisin Meany

*****5 stars
Wonderful follow-up book to One Summer by Meany. I love that we are able to see how Nell and James are doing, as well as the many characters we loved from the first book. This book also had a bit of a mystery that just made it all the more enjoyable.

Book Jacket Summary:
After a bumpy start, Nell and James have finally said 'I do' and everything seems to be falling into place. Nell is getting comfortable in her new role as stepmother to James' sixteen-year-old son Andy, she's finally mending fences with her father and she's ready to look to the future.
Then Nell's ex-fiancé Tim - her husband James' brother - comes back to Roone, a place he's never liked, and she begins to feel uneasy. As the summer days roll by, and Tim seems in no hurry to return to his wife and daughter, Nell is finding it more and more difficult to enjoy her new beginning.
But when the little island of Roone is rocked by the disappearance of a young child, Nell realises that life can change in a single moment. Will happiness be restored before the autumn comes?

One Night in Italy by Lucy Diamond

***3 stars
I really enjoy Lucy Diamonds books. I liked this one, but wouldn't put it in my top favorites by her. It had some great characters and the story was cute, it just fell a but flat for me. I can't wait for my next Diamond book tho as even her 3 star books are still such a solid read.

Book Jacket Summary:
Is Italian really the language of love? A new class of students hopes to find out.
Anna's recently been told the father she's never met is Italian. Now she's baking focaccia, whipping up tiramisu and swotting up on her vocabulary, determined to make it to Italy so she can find him in person.
Catherine's husband has walked out on her, and she's trying to pick up the pieces of her life. But she'll need courage as well as friends when she discovers his deception runs even deeper than infidelity.
Sophie's the teacher of the class, who'd much rather be back in sunny Sorrento. She can't wait to escape the tensions at home and go travelling again. But sometimes life - and love - can surprise you when you least expect it.
As the evening class gets underway, friendships form and secrets from Italy begin to emerge. With love affairs blossoming in the most unlikely places, and hard decisions to face, it's going to be a year that Anna, Catherine and Sophie will never forget.

Summer at Tiffany's By Karen Swan

****4 stars
Summer at Tiffany's was a great book, full of characters that you want to befriend. I was able to read this in two sittings and was sad when it ended.

Book Jacket Summary:
Cassie loves Henry. Henry loves Cassie. With a Tiffany ring on her finger, all that Cassie has left to do is plan the wedding. It should be so simple but when Henry pushes for a date, Cassie pulls back.

Henry's wild, young cousin, Gem, has no such hesitations and is racing to the aisle at a sprint, determined to marry in the Cornish church where her parents were wed. But the family is set against it, and Cassie resolves to stop the wedding from going ahead.

When Henry lands an expedition sailing the Pacific for the summer, Cassie decamps to Cornwall, hoping to find the peace of mind she needs to move forwards. But in the dunes and coves of the northern Cornish coast, she soon discovers the past isn't finished with her yet . . .

The Summer Without You by Karen Swan

***** 5 stars
Karen Swan is becoming one of my top favorite authors. I sit down with her books and immediately escape, loving the characters as well as the plot. I really enjoyed this books as it had many twists and turns and a bit of a mystery on hand. Be sure to add this to your list of must reads.

Book Jacket Summary:
Rowena Tipton isn't looking for a new life, just a new adventure, something to while away the months as her long-term boyfriend presses pause on their relationship before they become engaged. But when a chance encounter at a New York wedding leads to an audition for a coveted houseshare in The Hamptons - Manhattan's elite beach scene - suddenly a new life is exactly what she's got.

Stretching before her is a summer with three eclectic housemates, long days on white sand ocean beaches and parties on gilded tennis courts. But high rewards bring high stakes and Rowena soon finds herself caught in the crossfire of a vicious intimidation campaign. Alone for the first time in her adult life, she has no-one to turn to but a stranger who is everything she doesn't want - but possibly everything she needs.

The Last Kiss Goodbye by Tasmina Perry

*** 3 stars
I've actually found that I like the dual timeline that I have been seeing in more recent books. With that being said as much as I am fan of Tasmina Perry, I wouldn't count this among my favorites. I just couldn't seem to get into the characters and found the plot a bit unrealistic. Even with that being said it is still a solid read, but not my normal expectation for this author.


Book Jacket Summary:
Everyone remembers their first kiss. But what about the last?

1961. Journalist Rosamund Bailey is ready to change the world. When she meets explorer and man about town Dominic Blake, she realises she has found the love of her life. Just as happiness is in their grasp, the worst happens, and their future is snatched away.

2014. Deep in the vaults of a museum, archivist Abby Gordon stumbles upon a breathtaking find. A faded photograph of a man saying goodbye to the woman he loves. Looking for a way to escape her own heartache, Abby becomes obsessed with the story, little realising that behind the image frozen in time lies a secret altogether more extraordinary.