Tag Archives: Rachel Gilbey

Review of Lynne Shelby’s Summer in Rome.

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Today, I am delighted to share my review for Lynne Shelby’s latest romance novel, Rome for the Summer …

The blurb:

Kate Harper has always loved the painting that has hung in her parents’ dining room for years, never suspecting that it is worth a fortune. When her art dealer boyfriend cheats her family out of the proceeds of the painting’s sale, she is left devastated and alone.

Kate discovers that two hundred years ago, the girl in the painting, Charlotte Browne, ran off to Rome with the artist who painted her portrait, but her eventual fate is unknown.

Hoping to uncover the mystery of what happened to Charlotte, Kate seizes the chance of a summer job in Rome, where she strikes up a friendship with artist Jamie Taylor. As they explore the city and start to piece together the surprising secrets of Charlotte’s life, Kate finds herself wondering if a summer in Rome can mend a broken heart…

My Review:

What a lovely, uplifting read! I read the novel on holiday; it was the perfect book to relax and unwind with. Kate was a likeable heroine, her family were wonderful, and her newfound life and love interest in Rome was perfect. For a novel filled with artistic fervour, Jamie was the ideal hero; his passion for both the art exhibited in Rome and that created by his hand was evident throughout. The insights into the past worked well, and I enjoyed discovering more about Kate’s Italian girl (depicted in a painting). Overall it is a lovely escapist read that will whisk you off to Rome for the Summer, fill you with warmth and leave you with a big satisfied smile.

Purchase Links:  Amazon UK | Amazon US

Follow the rest of the tour …

About the Author:

Lynne Shelby writes contemporary women’s fiction and romance. Her debut novel, French Kissing (re-released in e-book as Meet Me In Paris) won the Accent Press and Woman magazine Writing Competition, and her fifth novel, Love On Location, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists’ Association Award – the Jane Wenham-Jones Award for Romantic Comedy. When not writing or reading, Lynne can usually be found at the theatre or exploring a foreign city with her writer’s notebook, camera and sketchbook in hand. She lives in London with her husband and has three adult children who live nearby.

Discover more about Lynne Shelby and her work here: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website

Many thanks to Lynne Shelby for the wonderful holiday-read, Headline Accent for the ARC, and Rachel Gilbey, of  Rachel’s Random Resources, for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

My reviews are added to Amazon UK, Goodreads and Cariad’s Choice Reviews in Frost Magazine. xx

 

Blog tour, author interview with Carla Luna.

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Today, I am delighted to interview Carla Luna as she celebrates the release of Blue Hawaiian, the first in the Blackwood Cellars series of books.

The blurb:

The first rule of serving as the maid of honor at your perfect sister’s destination wedding?

No mistakes. The second rule? No drama.

For Jess Chavez, a week in Maui is hardly a dream vacation—not when her sister expects her to be the perfect maid of honor. Not only does Jess have to fake perfection, but she can’t let anyone know she’s unemployed and barely scraping by. Above all, she needs to steer clear of Connor Blackwood, the sexy groomsman who broke her heart five years ago.

A family wedding offers Connor the ideal opportunity to convince everyone he’s no longer an irresponsible playboy. If they see he’s changed, they might support his decision to leave the family winery and strike out on his own. With so much at stake, the last thing he needs is an alluring distraction like Jess.

When Jess and Connor end up together, exploring the island’s lush, tropical beauty, the sparks between them become impossible to ignore. Throwing caution to the wind, they decide to make their ownrules.

Five days of passion. No strings. No tears. No promises.

What could possibly go wrong?

Purchase Links: Amazon.UK | Amazon.com

A story set in Maui sounds like the ideal way to escape right now; what made you choose this setting?

I wanted to write a series of books set at three different destination weddings, and Maui was the first location that came to mind. I spent my honeymoon there, and I still consider it a wonderfully romantic place, plus there’s loads to do.

I like to share feel-good reads. What do you consider to be the top three feel-good things about your novel, Blue Hawaiian?

  1. The joy of reconnecting with an old flame and realising the spark is still there.
  2. Spending time outdoors in a beautiful tropical setting.
  3. Delicious food!

I love the sound of your lead characters; if you were casting for the film of Blue Hawaiian (we can all dream), who would you like to play Jess and Connor, and why?

Jess – Gina Rodriguez (from the TV show “Jane the Virgin”) because she’s Latina and I like the humour she infuses into her character.

Connor – Colin O’Donoghue (best known as Hook from the TV series “Once Upon a Time”), who’s got the looks and the smolder.

OO great choices! Finally, before you go what is your favourite place or way to enjoy a good read and please could you answer my five for fun, quick questions?

I love going outside on a gorgeous sunny day and sitting at my patio table with a good paperback.

Coffee or tea? Coffee, preferably Fresh Roast.
Dog of cat? I’m a cat person.
Theatre or concert? Theatre, I’m a big fan of musicals.
Favourite film? Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Swimming pool or the sea? The sea because I love wave jumping.

About the author:

Carla Luna writes contemporary romance with a dollop of humor and a pinch of spice. A former archaeologist, she still dreams of traveling to far-off places and channels that wanderlust into the settings of her stories. When she’s not writing, she works in a spice emporium where she gets paid to discuss food and share her favorite recipes. Her passions include Broadway musicals, baking, whimsical office supplies, and pop culture podcasts. Though she has roots in Los Angeles and Victoria, B.C., she currently resides in Wisconsin with her family and her spoiled Siberian cat.

 Social Media Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram 

Thank you so much for stopping by, Carla. I wish you every success with Blue Hawaiian and the rest of your blog tour. For those who would like to follow along, check out Rachel’s Random Resources and these great blogs:

Review of Georgina Troy’s Winter Whimsy.

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Today, I am delighted to join the blog tour for Georgina Troy’s Winter Whimsy, the third in the Boardwalk by the Sea series.

About the book

Zip up your puffer coat, winter has arrived!

When Lexi Davies discovers that her father has sold the fishermen’s cottages she runs as holiday lets and where she also lives, she is heartbroken. Then, when Oliver Whimsy arrives at the boardwalk and announces that he is the new owner, Lexi realises that the future she was looking forward to enjoying at her cottages is over.

Oliver might be handsome, wealthy and very sexy, but he’s new to the island and has already made a terrible impression on the locals. When he offers Lexi a job, she’s unsure whether she should accept. Unfortunately, she has little alternative if she wants a roof over her head for the winter.

As Lexi gets to know Oliver better, she discovers there’s far more to Oliver Whimsy than she or anyone else had imagined. Just what is the heartache Oliver’s trying so desperately to hide and why was he so determined to buy the cottages? Lexi wants to find out, but in order to do so she’s going to have to spend time with him…

My review:

This is the first book I have read by this author. While it is the third in the Boardwalk By The Sea series, I read and enjoyed it as a standalone story. I greatly enjoyed getting lost in the lovely descriptions of the Jersey coastline. The characters were likeable, especially the leads Lexi and Oliver. I also liked the community around the Boardwalk and the touch of snow that added that all-important wintery feel. The ending was warm and cosy; overall, the story offered a moment of escapism at this time, when we can all do with a big hug and a smile.

Purchase Links: Amazon UK | Amazon US

About the author:

Georgina Troy is a pseudonym of author Deborah Carr, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Poppy Field, Broken Faces and the Mrs Boots series.

She was a finalist in the Contemporary Romance Category of the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2016 (RoNAs) with A Jersey Kiss, book 1 in her Jersey Scene series.

Georgina lives on the island of Jersey with her husband and three rescue dogs and is 1/3 of The Blonde Plotters.

Social Media Links: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Huge thanks to Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources, and to the author, Georgina Troy for the advanced copy. I look forward to reading  more in the series. xx

Review of Helen J Rolfe’s Christmas at the Little Waffle Shack.

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Today, I am delighted to join the blog tour for Helen J Rolfe’s Christmas at the Little Waffle Shack.

The blurb:

Heritage Cove is in full swing for the festive season and as the temperature dips, who will be lucky in love this Christmas?

It’s December in Heritage Cove and along with the village Christmas tree, frosty mornings and the promise of the most wonderful time of the year, the new waffle shack is about to open. And its owner isn’t a stranger to the Cove, because after all this time, Daniel is back to make amends with his brother Harvey – as well as a few other locals he might have offended along the way.

Fairly new to the village, local blacksmith Lucy has kept up the pretence of being with her ex for the sake of his gran but she’s fed up with all the lies. Determined to come clean and live the life she wants to live, she’s devastated to find that her attraction to Daniel is tainted by the fact he’s hiding a few things of his own. And his secrets are ones she isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to get past.

Heritage Cove is full of friendship and community; it’s a welcoming place people visit and never want to leave. But will it work its magic for Daniel and Lucy?

My review:

This was a sweet (in more ways than one) festive read, with plenty of feel-good family and friendship filled moments. I liked both Lucy and Daniel and was interested in learning more about them as the story progressed. The ending is all the more lovely as a result of the issues they have to overcome.

I loved Heritage Cove and its inhabitants, who were warm and welcoming and a pleasure to spend time with. The community Christmas tree sounded a delight, as did the waffles served in Daniel’s waffle shack. The descriptions frequently made me hungry!

This is the second in the Heritage Cove series but can easily be read as a standalone story (I hadn’t read the first). Overall, it was a sweet festive read, ideal for snuggling up with on a winter evening.

Purchase link.

Follow the tour here: 

About the author:

Helen J Rolfe writes romantic fiction and contemporary women’s fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and community.

Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen’s books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries where she thinks her readers might like to escape to.

Helen loves to hear from readers so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. She can be found via: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

Many thanks to Helen J Rolfe for the great read, and thanks to Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources, for inviting me to take part in the tour and providing an advanced read copy.

My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads. x

Review of Rachael Stewart’s Unwrapping the Best Man.

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Today, I am delighted to share my review of Rachael Stewart’s Unwrapping the Best Man!

The Blurb:

A Hot Holiday Romance

On the first night of Christmas, her sexy crush finally gave to her—an unbelievably hot night! Now she’s ready for nights two, three and four… Unwrap the steamy sequel to Getting Dirty by Rachael Stewart.

I’ve lusted after brawny, gorgeously rough Jackson Black for six lust-fueled, unrequited years. But Jackson has rules, and the big one is “no getting involved with clients” of his elite London sex club. Including me. But our best friends are getting married, and for one deliciously hot night, the maid of honor and best man agree…what happens in the Scottish Highlands, stays in the Scottish Highlands.

It was everything I wanted and more…until the complete jerk disappears during the night.

Now it’s Christmas, and I have a plan to prove to Jackson Black just how much I don’t care, that he doesn’t turn me on like a Christmas tree. Only Operation: Naughty Elf is backfiring big-time. That aching need for his touch is stronger than ever. It’s painfully clear that I want more than just a fling from the untouchable Jackson Black.

I have one chance to unwrap the best man. But is this sexy, guarded grinch about to steal my heart…or break it?

Genre: EroticRomance
Published by: Mills & Boon Dare

My review:

I am a fan of Rachael Stewart’s books, and this one certainly didn’t disappoint. Unwrapping the Best Man is a fab Christmas read – full of chemistry, romance and steamy scenes. The characters were all likeable, and I loved Jackson; he and Caitlin shared a connection that drew me in and kept me turning the pages. I especially liked their visit to Caitlin’s parents’ home, that had me smiling as I read.

It was good to revisit characters from a past novel and to see how their relationship had progressed. However, Unwrapping the Best Man can, undoubtedly, be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone story. It is sexy and romantic – a Christmas treat of a book!

Click to buy the book here.

Giveaway to Win an e-copy of Unwrapping the Best Man by Rachael Stewart (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

ENTER here.

About the author:

Rachael Stewart adores conjuring up stories for the readers of Harlequin Mills & Boon and Deep Desires Press, with tales varying from the heartwarmingly romantic to the wildly erotic.

She’s been writing since she could put pen to paper as the stacks of scrawled on A4 sheets in her loft will attest to, and the lovingly bound short stories that her father would run off at work and proudly share out with his colleagues. Thinking it was a pipe dream to be published one day, she pursued a sensible career in business but she was really play-acting, achieving the appropriate degree and spending many years in the corporate world where she never truly belonged. Always happiest when she was sat at her laptop in the quiet hours tapping out a story or two. And so here she is, a published author, her full-time pleasure, a dream come true.

A Welsh lass at heart, she now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and three children, and if she’s not glued to her laptop, she’s wrapped up in them or enjoying the great outdoors seeking out inspiration.

Discover more about Rachael Stewart via her website | Twitter | Facebook

Many thanks to Rachael Stewart for the great read, and thanks to Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources and Mills & Boon Dare, for the advanced read copy.

My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads. x