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16:54

One Hundred Christmas Proposals is out now, here’s the blurb:

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to One Hundred Proposals.

If you thought Harry & Suzie’s life couldn't get anymore sweepingly romantic than Harry asking her to marry him at the end of One Hundred Proposals – think again!

It’s Christmas in a snow-kissed London, and the.PerfectProposal.com have vowed to carry out one hundred proposals in December. No easy task at the best of times - made even more complicated by Harry & Suzie trying to plan their first Christmas and a visit from the dreaded in-laws. But one hundred deliciously Christmassy proposals later they find themselves asking if everything is still perfect in their own relationship….

Welcome back to the divinely warm world of One Hundred Proposals – with a sprinkling of pure, joyful, festive magic.

Have yourself a very merry Christmas indeed with Holly Martin’s Christmas novella.

Some words from Holly: 

I love this story and I’m so excited about you guys reading it too. I never thought I would write a sequel for any of my novels, but catching up with Harry and Suzie, two of my favourite characters, in London at Christmas was a story that was begging to be told. What I love about this story is instead of Harry proposing to Suzie, we get to see some of the amazing proposals they organise for their clients and we learn a little about their clients lives too. One of my favourite proposals in this story is the sightseeing flight over London with the proposal written in flowers on a boat on the Thames.


Now you can win a sightseeing flight over London too and experience some incredible views of our capital.


This experience gives you a unique perspective on the sights of London. After a short pre-flight briefing, you'll board a Piper Seneca twin-engine plane for a fantastic half hour sightseeing trip.

After taking off in Essex you'll follow the Thames west into the heart of the city, getting a unique view of the capital. You'll see the O2 arena, Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, the towers at Canary Wharf, The London Eye, The Shard and the Houses of Parliament. Then turn north to fly over Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, before heading back east to land in Essex. You'll get an amazing perspective on the geography of the city and the beauty of its landmarks, so whether you're a tourist or a Londoner, you'll see the capital in a whole new way. And if flying isn’t your thing, this would make the perfect Christmas present for someone in your family.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is copy one of the pre-prepared tweets below, tweet it and you’ll automatically be entered into the draw to win this prize bundle. The more you tweet, the more times you’ll be entered.

The competition will run until midnight (UK time) on Sunday 14th December so plenty of time for tweeting. Every time you tweet, you’ll be entered into the draw.

Good Luck

Tweets

One Hundred Christmas Proposals by @hollymartin00 is out now, a gorgeous, sparkly story to curl up with this winter
http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**
Join Harry & Suzie as they celebrate Christmas in a snowkissed London,100 Christmas Proposals is 59p
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**
Celebrate Christmas in a sparkly,snowkissed London, a beautiful love story to curl up with this winter
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**
Christmas lights,overcooked turkey,plenty of cake,glistening snow. 100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**
What will Harry give Suzie this Christmas? 100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p, a sparkly,snowy sequel
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**
Harry & Suzie are back celebrating their first Christmas in a snowy London,100 Christmas Proposals.59p
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**
Fairy lights, candles, snow, flowers and beautiful music, how to create the perfect Christmas proposal
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**
100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p,a gorgeously romantic snowkissed story to curl up with this winter
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

11:47

Title: The Pleasures of Winter
Author: Evie Hunter
Published: November 1st 2012 by Penguin Ireland
Amazon | Amazon Uk

Blurb: When reporter Abbie Marshall needs to escape Honduras, a private jet carrying a Hollywood A-lister is her only way out. She has a ride home with Irish actor Jack Winter - notorious womanizer and all round bad boy. Abbie is shaken to the core by Winter's blazing beauty and provocative mind.

After the plane's nose-dive into the remote rainforest forces them to fight for survival, Abbie catches tantalizing glimpses of the complicated man behind the image. And the more she sees of him, the more he touches some primal part of her that she is determined to suppress. But after a devastating encounter with Winter's shadow side, Abbie's detachment is shattered.

On returning to normal life, Abbie cannot forget what happened, nor ignore the shocking rumours about the star's private life. Her struggle to make sense of her torment leads straight back to Winter, who is just as obsessed by her. But if they are to have a relationship, Abbie knows she must embrace his hidden desires... and accept her own.

No longer caring about anything but their intoxicating love affair, Abbie is drawn deeper into the dark heart of Winter - and the secret that threatens to destroy everything...

*First of all I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: I was very intrigued by the blurb of this book, being lost in the jungle, fighting for survival with a Hollywood star is not, let's say, a really usual premise. But from page one the action started and I was surprised to find myself totally engrossed in the story. I really liked Abbie, she was a strong woman, ready to fight and not easy to bend except with a really sexy Irishman. The sexual tension and the chemistry between these two was palpable from the begining and even after days fighting for theirs lives in the middle of one of the most dangerous places, exhausted, with the same clothes and no way to shower, you could tell their atraction for each other was driving them crazy.

Even after their return to normal life, their story had me totally hooked. I found the plot very interesting and the scenes between them when they finally succumb to each other are sexy and hot. And I found it a very good idea that the book was written from both Abbie and Jack's perspectives so we got to understand Jack so much better. The were also a couple of unexpected twists that kept the story intriguing and not only focused on their relationship. 

I look forward to reading more about this couple in the short story A Touch of Winter and I am for sure checking more books by this author. 

Rating:

14:20

Title: Coming Home to You
Author: Liesel Schmidt
Published: October 6th 2014 by Carina UK 
Amazon | Amazon UK  
Blurb: When one door closes…


Zoë and her fiancé Paul had everything ahead of them. So when Paul dies suddenly, Zoë doesn’t recognise the life she’s left with. Helping a friend by housesitting for a stranger is the last thing she wants to do – but she can’t deny that she needs time away from the memories which crowd her flat. So, collecting the keys, Zoë lets herself into her temporary home.

…another one opens.

Surrounded by a stranger’s belongings – his toothbrush, his favourite records, the pictures on his walls – Zoë begins to build a picture of the flat’s owner, Neil, who is away in the military. Driven by a need to know more, Zoë begins writing to Neil and finds herself feeling an unlikely connection with him. But while some people are destined to share our lives forever, others are sent simply to help us on the way. And for Zoë, a new life is just beginning…

*First of all I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: When we start the book, Zoë is in a very difficult situation. She lost her fiancé, Paul, and his best friend, who was also one of her best friends, disappeared after Paul's death. Her other best friend is in the other end of the world. And Zoë is just taking one day at a time, living without living, stuck in the past, surrounded by grief. So it was very interesting to read how she started living again, first moving to a different house, then following her dream of opening a shop, and then starting to connect with people again. She realised that she was stronger than she thought and that life is full of possibilities. And this is one of the reasons why I liked this book, because it's an uplifting story full of hope.

Plus, when Zoë moved to Neil's house and started writting to him, I thought that the ending of the story was quite predictable but I was greatly surprised by a couple unexpected twists and then, the ending turned out to be completely different to what I had expected. And it's always good when a book manages to surprise you!

Although I have to admit that for a moment I was a bit confused, or maybe I should say sad, because some lies were revealed and one of my favourite characters on the story who seemed like a really good guy, ended up being not that good in reality. But I guess that life is not always nice and fair so we have to learn to move on and to forgive and especially to follow our dreams, just like Zoë.

Rating:
 And if you want to find out more about the author, Liesel Schmidt, and how her publishing process was, don't miss the interview I posted yesterday with her!

14:18

Today I am very happy to welcome Liesel Schmidt to my blog. Liesel has recently published her debut novel, Coming Home to You, with Carina UK and today she is going to answer some bookish questions for us.

Hi Liesel and welcome! Tell me, did you always want to be a writer?
No, actually. Writing always scared me in school because I was afraid that I was horrible at it, and book reports absolutely paralyzed me! The only thing I actually enjoyed writing were creative pieces that generally were few and far between when it came to school assignments, so I didn’t do much of that until my very late teens and early twenties. Still, I never even really considered that it would become a career path for me, since it was just a hobby, and I never seemed to finish anything I started.

How was the publishing process?
Long, grueling, and emotionally taxing. Really, you learn how to take rejection. Not that I don’t still feel the sting when I get a rejection on something I’ve written, but still. You learn to grow a thicker skin and recognize that sometimes the rejections aren’t even really about you. They’re sometimes not even really about your work. Sometimes they’re simply mailed out willy-nilly by an office assistant who’s been handed a stack of query letters that the editor or agent doesn’t have the time for.

Zoë, the main role in Coming Home to You, wants to pursue her dream: opening a shop. If you had a shop, what would you love to sell?
Much like Zoe, I love lipstick, so I think it would be a blast to own a makeup boutique. I’d also love to have a coffee shop and bookstore that sold various little odds and ends that local craftspeople and artists have made. Not very original, I suppose, but I love books and coffee and quirky, handmade, one-of-a-kind things. And I love to meet and talk to people. I think everyone has a story, and I love to listen to those stories!
Are you working on book 2? What can we expect?
Yes, actually, it’s due to be published in March 2015. What can you expect? The unexpected!

What is the best thing of being an author? And the worst one?
I think the best thing is being able to create my own little worlds, to explore life in a way that I can’t otherwise. I get to imagine so many different paths, to say things that I feel but am too afraid to say without the armor of another identity. The worst thing would have to be...the low pay? And the feeling of vulnerability when you so literally put yourself on the page.

And finally, which authors inspire you?
Too many to count. I love Fannie Flagg, Jennifer Weiner, Kathryn Stockett...And I’ve got such a long list of British authors that I can’t keep track of them all!

Thanks so much Liesel  for stopping by and answering my questions. It was lovely getting to know you a bit more. 

Connect with Liesel on twitter: @laswrites

Haven't you read Coming Home to You yet? What are you waiting for? Here is a bit more about it:

 When one door closes…

Zoë and her fiancé Paul had everything ahead of them. So when Paul dies suddenly, Zoë doesn’t recognise the life she’s left with. Helping a friend by housesitting for a stranger is the last thing she wants to do – but she can’t deny that she needs time away from the memories which crowd her flat. So, collecting the keys, Zoë lets herself into her temporary home.

…another one opens.

Surrounded by a stranger’s belongings – his toothbrush, his favourite records, the pictures on his walls – Zoë begins to build a picture of the flat’s owner, Neil, who is away in the military. Driven by a need to know more, Zoë begins writing to Neil and finds herself feeling an unlikely connection with him. But while some people are destined to share our lives forever, others are sent simply to help us on the way. And for Zoë, a new life is just beginning…

Amazon | Amazon UK 

10:59

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: Januray 1st 2010

Blurb: Can Anna find love in the City of Light?

Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she's less than thrilled when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year.

But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new people, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he's taken —and Anna might be, too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she's waiting for?

Review: I know I am late to the party but I have been meaning to read this book for a while now. It wasn't until the third book of this series was released this summer that I finally bought all three of them and all I can say is why, oh why, did it take me so long to read this book? I had read fantastic reviews about this story so my expectations were quite high. But I was not disappointed at all. I loved this book.

Since page one I was totally engrossed with Anna's story. It was very interesting to read all about her arrival at Paris and how she was coping with the new surroundings and new people around her. I instantly warmed to her because she was very down to earth and funny without realising. And then, there was Étienne St. Clair, the american boy with an English accent and the French name, who all the girls were in love with. I really enjoyed all the banter between the two of them. And I loved some of his gestures, you could tell he was a good guy. But circunstances and very bad timing kept getting between them. 

But what I loved most about this book was that it was not only a love story between two teenagers. It's a story about confronting your fears, learning to accept change and  growing up to be more independent, stronger and more mature because you have no other choice, because life is unfair. This story had a depth I was not expecting when I started it and that made it more special. Anna and Étienne are not perfect, they make mistakes and even if sometimes you forget it during the book, they are teenagers and when you are seventeen or eighteen you are allowed to make bad choices, the key is accepting them and move on. Always fight for what you want and that's what they do and that's why I loved them so much.

I am really looking forward to reading the next two books in this series, Lola and the Boy Next Door and Isla and the Happily Ever After. We actually meet Isla in Anna's story, so I can't wait to find out more about her story. 

Rating:



 

11:09

 Title: Breaking Love
Author: M.J. Summers
Published: November 21st 2014 by Piatkus
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Seductive. Heartwarming. Passionate.

MJ is at it again! She's cooking up another steamy romance for your reading pleasure.

Luc Chevalier is a satisfied man – or so he thinks. His businesses are thriving, he has all the excitement, money and beautiful women any man could want. He dines at the best restaurants and stays at the most luxurious hotels as he makes his way around the globe. So why does he suddenly find himself so restless?

Megan Sullivan is a single mom with a rather ordinary life. She is comfortable with things just the way they are. She has a six-year-old son, Elliott, a cozy house in Boulder, Colorado, and a photography business to put food on the table. Her ex lives hours away in Florida, providing enough space for him to feed his drug addiction without exposing Elliott to his father's illness. Megan is on her own and she intends to keep it that way.

Megan is convinced by her best friend to take a trip to Paris for a few days. Little does she know she is about to be thrust into the arms of Luc Chevalier, the sexiest man to ever set foot on the Eiffel Tower. They agree to one night together and no more. In those few short hours he manages to draw out the passionate woman that Megan has carefully hidden way for years. Once she has a taste of what she's been missing, she finds it almost impossible to go back to her life as it was.

Will two people who don't believe in happily-ever-after manage to put aside their doubts and find their forever? 

Join Luc as he discovers that everything he never wanted is the only thing he will ever need.

 

 *First of all I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and inviting me to take part on the Blog Tour.*

Review: Breaking Love is the second book in the Full Hearts Series but it can be perfectly read as a stand alone, as I did. But after enjoying this one so much, I am going to check the first book, Break In Two, very soon!

Before starting Breaking Love, I had read a couple of books that hadn't really gripped me, so I started this one in a bit of a fool mood. Imagine my surprise when I realised that I had been reading for a couple of hours without even realising it, and I didn't want to stop at all. I was totally hooked since page one.

I found Luc and Megan's story really engrossing. Both characters were complex and interesting to read about, they both had their own lives and were not looking for love but from the moment they set eyes in each other you could actually feel the passion and chemistry running between them. I was so engrossed in the story that I found myself yelling at them more than once, how could they not see that they were made for each other? 

And Luc was the perfect gentleman, plus he was sexy as hell and the most romantic guy ever. I loved some of the things he organised for Megan, especially in Paris. But also when Megan needed him the most, he was there to help any way he could. 

I highly recommend this book for romance lovers. It's sexy, steamy, passionate, full of drama and it has a sexy Frenchman. What else can you ask for?

Rating:


12:30

Title: A Very Coco Christmas
Author: Robert Bryndza 
Published: November 15th 2013

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb: It’s 1985, and eighteen-year-old Coco is home in London for Christmas after her first term at Aberystwyth University. She has started to write, and fallen hopelessly in love with Daniel Pinchard, a devilishly handsome musician from the wrong side of the river.

But Coco’s overbearing mother has other plans and resumes her campaign for Coco to meet and marry the ‘right sort of man’, preferably Kenneth, son of her best friends Adrian and Yvonne Rosebury, who will be joining them for Christmas.
As snow falls softly over the city, and Coco tries to juggle a series of hilarious events, the stage is set for a Christmas lunch like no other. A Very Coco Christmas is a delicious, stand-alone ‘prequella’ to the smash-hit Coco Pinchard series, with a glorious cast of characters including Daniel’s mother Ethel, sister Meryl – and a turkey called Jean Paul Belmondo...

*First of all I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and inviting me to take part on the Blog Tour.*

Review: What a fantastic novella! This 60 pages story is so packed with drama, craziness and laughs! I actually found myself laughing out loud more than once, especially with the fantastic Jean Paul Belmondo, the turkey. This prequella is the perfect introduction for the Coco Pinchard series and I am sure that after reading it, you will be left wanting to know more about this crazy gang.

Robert's style is refreshing and fun and takes you back to the eighties with ease. I highly recommend this short read for this Christmas as it has all the festive ingredients: copious amount of snow and food and a Christmas dinner full of awkward moments.

Rating:

About the author: 
Robert Bryndza was born in the UK and lived in America and Canada before settling in Slovakia with his Slovak husband Ján. His debut novel The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard became an Amazon bestseller and two sequels have followed, Coco Pinchard’s Big Fat Tipsy Wedding and Coco Pinchard, The Consequences of Love and Sex. A Very Coco Christmas, is a delightful introductory novella to the Coco Pinchard series. When he’s not writing Rob is learning Slovak, trying to train two crazy dogs, or watching Grand Designs – all in the hope that he’ll be able to understand his mother-in-law, build his dream house, and get the dogs to listen.

Website www.robertbryndza.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bryndzarobert
Robert Bryndza on Goodreads
Robert Bryndza on Twitter @robertbryndza
Coco Pinchard on Twitter @CocoPinchard

The Very Coco Christmas Giveaway

Enter at the widget below to win a signed copy of A Very Coco Christmas, a limited edition Coco Christmas mug filled with chocolate sprouts, and a £25/$25 Amazon gift voucher.
 
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