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08:30

Today I am delighted to welcome Emma Hamilton to the blog. Emma is the author of new serialised novel Greedily Yours. To celebrate the publication of the first episode of the series, she has stopped by to share with us her Kitchen Disasters! Emma, all yours: 


Cooking has always been a pleasure for me and generally it goes well. I mean, I’m not too gifted at the presentation side of things, or, in fact, at producing anything calling for a “light touch;” soufflés are definitely not my bag. But if you want a dish to pack a punch and fill you up, then I’m your woman! -Having said that though, I’ve been responsible for some notable disasters. I once got together with an Italian guy who also loved food. A match made in heaven you might think. He would sit long in to the night, expounding on the beauty of life after the third bottle of wine and he would plan elaborate meals with expensive ingredients; a rare cheese here, a “top” cut of meat there. I met him at a press conference and a few weeks later, after long email exchanges; he came down to see me in the town where I was working. As I was writing at my desk, he proceeded to wash up the dishes in my kitchen and then popped out for some “delicious ingredients” to cook me a meal. Wow, this could be love, I thought. Report finished, he turned up with fresh seafood, huge langoustines, mussels and a choice cut of meat; excess, or eccessivo, was his middle name. One time he brought home globe artichokes and we proceeded to attempt to stuff them and fry them, alla Romana. Another time we made stuffed Zucchini flowers with anchovies and mozzarella. 

The quest for the new and for recreating dishes I had previously only eaten in restaurants had begun. He liked the finer things in life and we both wanted to cook them. At first I was impressed, he was a gourmet and I was loving trying new things on my tiny studio flat two ringed cooker. The relationship progressed and I visited him in Milan. There I realised that food hygiene was not his strong point. His fridge was full of old and mouldy bits of cheese, rinds and his kitchen table contained not one but two wicker baskets of gradually mouldering breadcrumbs, because, as he explained, “he liked making everything from scratch”. The green tinge on the breadcrumbs didn’t seem to bother him at all. The kitchen sides where he would flamboyantly throw things around to create a dish were covered in crusted food and dirty pans. In short, he lived like a student. Despite this, the relationship continued and when I took over the cooking, and cleaning, of the kitchen; things seemed to be looking up. A few months later though, it all went pear-shaped and my culinary confidence took a nose dive too. It was very strange, suddenly, even things that I could have done with my eyes shut, like bake a Victoria sponge, would turn out wrong. 

 For my birthday that year, I baked a cake and held a picnic. That cake just wouldn’t rise or set in the middle, even after several hours in my tiny oven. In the end, I tried to foist a half liquid chocolate sponge on my Italian guests; they politely declined and snuck off to get slices of pizza. Needless to say, Signor Eccessivo didn’t turn up to the disaster birthday; we were on the first of a couple of breaks before we eventually split. Heartbreak has always turned me off my food and induced a temporary period of Spartan eating. Perhaps that’s why I turned to a delicious Afghan soup made with spinach, rice, lentils and yoghurt to comfort me during that period. The pounds dropped off as I moped around feeling sorry for myself. Then I read that if you added apple cider vinegar, you could lose even more weight. Soon I was supping my soup with a good shot of said vinegar. Hmmm, delicious I thought, and slimming. But when I foisted my meal on a friend who’d come to cheer me up, she took one spoon and declared herself “full.” Recently, as my husband was busy telling that friend, a Tuscan, who we were visiting, how great a cook I was and how his favourites of my repertoire were “Italian”, she eyed me dubiously, “do you still cook that vinegary soup?” she asked.

I coughed as my husband looked confused. “Erm, no, no I don’t,” I said, feeling my confidence draining all over again.

That night, she let me loose in her kitchen. To accompany the grilled Tuscan steaks, I offered to do slices of fennel and tomato covered in breadcrumbs, garlic, olive oil, salt and a squeeze of lemon, as a “contorno”. “OK” she happily agreed as she laid the table. How can I possibly mess this up? I thought, it’s only cooking an Italian inspired dish for Italians after all, but mess it up I did, as people looked surprised that a Brit had been allowed to cross the hallowed portals of an Italian kitchen. Everyone “Mmmmnhed” politely, but I ended up eating the copious leftovers for the rest of our visit. 

That’s why I gave Mia “temporary culinary incompetence”, because I really believe that when you are down or feeling worried, (a bit like in that book ‘Like Water for Chocolate’,) your feelings come out in your food. Luckily, as I finally realised, just like heartbreak, “temporary culinary incompetence” will pass. When you’re in love again, or just happy, your food will once again taste divine (at least to you) and everything in the kitchen will go right.

Greedily Yours

Emma Hamilton

About Greedily Yours: 
Mia Maxwell loves food. She loves it so much that she's made it her career. On the surface Mia seems to have it all. She lives in trendy east London with her best friend, Lizzie, who owns a cupcake cafe. By day she runs her own food PR consultancy, and by night she's a food blogger with a burgeoning audience. Mia has a banker boyfriend, Paul, who enjoys travelling the world, enabling her to taste the globe's culinary delights. But Mia is still hungry and, when she heads down to Cornwall to run a food festival, she doesn't realise that her entire life is about to be cast adrift. 

Episode 1 - Mia Maxwell knows that her love of food is tied to her healthy appetite for romance. She's admitted as much on her food blog, "Culinary Confessions of a Greedy Girl." But could a chance encounter with a fellow foodie in Cornwall really entice her to question her own romantic relationship?

Get the 1st episode on: Amazon | Amazon UK


08:30

July is almost here and it looks like it is going to be another fantastic month for books with releases and debuts. Here are the ones I am most excited about:

The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton - July 2nd

Blurb: On 24th November Yasmin and her deaf daughter Ruby arrived in Alaska.

Within hours they were driving alone across a frozen wilderness

Where nothing grows

Where no one lives

Where tears freeze 

And night will last for another 54 days.

They are looking for Ruby's father.

Travelling deeper into a silent land.

They still cannot find him.

And someone is watching them in the dark.

Why so excited: who hasn't heart of Rosamund Lupton? She is back with her 3rd book and it sounds amazing, evocative and gripping. 


 The Great Village Show by Alexandra Brown - July 2nd (ebook)

Blurb: Tindledale is in a titter. The Village Show competition is coming around again and after last year’s spectacular failure, the villagers are determined to win. Meg, teacher at the local school, is keen to help and to impose some much-needed order.

After a terse encounter with a newcomer to the village, Meg discovers that it is celebrity chef and culinary bad boy, Dan Wright. Meg thinks he is arrogant and rude but rumour has it that Dan is opening a new restaurant in the village which could really put Tindledale on the map!

As things come together, villagers old and new all start to come out of the woodwork, including new arrival Jessie, who seems to have it all. But first impressions can be deceptive and Meg discovers that when it comes to Tindledale – and Dan – nothing is ever quite as it seems…

Why so excited: I completely loved The Great Christmas Knit Off and fell completely in love with the idyllic village of Tindledale. I cannot wait to go back!


Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin - July 10th

Blurb: Hopeless romantic Milly Rose has had her fair share of heartbreak. Obsessed with all things Disney, she refuses to give up on finding her Prince Charming – he’s out there somewhere, isn’t he? 

When Milly is given a job to investigate the origins of a historical building in the village of Clover's Rest, she’s not sure what to expect. What she discovers takes her breath away - a beautiful real life Cinderella castle, complete with turrets, a magnificent drawbridge AND a very handsome owner…Cameron Heartstone.

As Milly and Cameron begin to unearth the secrets of Clover Castle, they can’t ignore the intense chemistry building between them. But they’ve both been hurt badly before. Can they take a big leap of faith and find their own happily-ever-after?

Why so excited: I love Holly's stories. And the reviews for this one have been great. I am sure I'll fall in love again with her new book. 


 The Cherry Tree Café by Heidi Swain - July 16th

Blurb: Cupcakes, crafting and love at The Cherry Tree Cafe...

Lizzie Dixon's life feels as though it's fallen apart. Instead of the marriage proposal she was hoping for from her boyfriend, she is unceremoniously dumped, and her job is about to go the same way. So, there's only one option: to go back home to the village she grew up in and to try to start again.

Her best friend Jemma is delighted Lizzie has come back home. She has just bought a little cafe and needs help in getting it ready for the grand opening. And Lizzie's sewing skills are just what she needs.

With a new venture and a new home, things are looking much brighter for Lizzie. But can she get over her broken heart, and will an old flame reignite a love from long ago...?


Why so excited: Cupcakes, crafting and love, what else can you ask for? And that cover! I love the look and the sound of this debut!

I Knew You Were Trouble by Paige Toon - July 30th

Blurb: Life as the undercover daughter of a rock god isn't going to be easy. How will Jessie adjust to her old boring life again after spending her summer living it up with her dad in LA? With tough decisions ahead (and not just choosing between two hot boys), can she cope juggling her two very different lives? Summer may be over, but Jessie's story is just beginning…


Sunshine, rock gods and Hollywood hearthrobs! Jessie Jefferson is back in the next instalment from bestselling author Paige Toon.


Why so excited: I can't wait to find out what Jessie Jefferson has been up to since the first book of the series. Plus I have just finished Paige Toon's latest book and already looking forward to more of her fab writing. 

What are the books you are excited about this month?

09:15

TMGBanner 


Get your summer off to a steamy start with Mandy Baggot and her sizzling new read, Truly Madly Greekly.
We've got an all inclusive tour chock-a-block with reviews, guest posts and a giveaway, as the book scorches a trail across a variety of blogs!


81HLd9MSlVL._SL1500_What they say:Sun, sea and a sexy stranger - a whole lot of fun just got a lot more complicated. Capable, confident and career-driven, Ellen had her dream job and a marriage proposal from boyfriend Ross. Life was good, her future set. Until it wasn’t and everything fell apart… Whisked off to the beautiful island of Corfu to plan her sister Lacey’s big, fat, Greek wedding, Ellen is hoping some time out will help clear her head and heal her heart. But letting go of her past is not going to be easy. With Lacey in full on Bridezilla mode, Ellen is soon distracted from her own problems. And when the all-inclusive treats on offer at hotel Blue Vue include one gorgeous, brooding Adonis – Yan – Ellen finds him difficult to resist. But Ellen isn’t looking for love or lust, or anything involving too much ouzo…or is she? 

Fans of Lucy Diamond, Miranda Dickinson and Lindsey Kelk will want to escape to Corfu with Mandy Baggot this summer. 

 Review: When you pick a Mandy Baggot book, you know you're in for a lot of drama, delicious men and a good romance and Truly, Madly, Greekly is not an exception. Mandy takes us to the Greek Island of Corfu where the scenery is stunning and the men even more. But Ellen and her sister Lacey are not looking for men. Lacey is checking Hotel Blue Vue as a venue for her wedding, and Ellen has so many personal, economical and work problems back home that has no intention to relax in this dream vacation. But the entertaining team is determined to entertain these two...

The story is told from Ellen's point of view but also from Yan's, the Bulgarian entertainer in the hotel who is hiding big secrets from everyone. As the story unfolds, we get bit and pieces of their past and see how they get closer and closer. I always enjoy books that have both the woman and the man's point of view because I always feel like I get to know them both better and understand them better. In this case, I found it very interesting to read about Yan's feelings and impressions, given that with his broken English and brusque manner it would have been difficult to get him only from Ellen's point of view. And at the end, he was by far my favourite character in the story and not only for his Greek god looks.

But this is not a only a read about a vacation fling. If something can go wrong in the story, it does. And with a sister like Lacey, a lot of things can go wrong. She was really annoying, capricious and childish and I really don't know how Ellen could be so nice to her. But in the story there's so much drama that I got a bit overwhelmed at some point. I certainly didn't see most of the twists coming but Mandy wrapped it up very well at the end. All the story lines were resolved and we got the perfect ending for this crazy and entertaining story.

So if you want to escape to a beautiful Island in the Mediterranean for the holiday of a lifetime, I recommend you pick Truly Madly Greekly, it won't let you even breath! Also, I was certainly impressed with Mandy's descriptions of the island of Corfu and I can't wait now to visit for myself as it sounds like a magical place. 

Rating: 
              
Click Here To Buy This Book - UK
Click Here To Buy This Book - US 

Truly-Madly-Greekly-FB-cover

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Author Bio: Mandy Baggot is a romantic fiction author. In 2012 she won the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK’s Festival of Romance. Her self-published title, Strings Attached was also short-listed for the Best Author Published Read award. Also in 2012 she signed with American publishing house, Sapphire Star Publishing, who produced her novels, Taking Charge and romantic suspense, Security. In June 2013 she signed a two book deal with Harper Collins' digital first romance imprint, Harper Impulse. She is a regular contributor to writing blogs and on-line magazine, Loveahappyending Lifestyle In May 2014 Mandy signed with Kate Nash of the Kate Nash Literary Agency. Mandy loves mashed potato, white wine, country music, World’s Strongest Man, travel and handbags. She has appeared on ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and auditioned for The X-Factor. Mandy is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband, two daughters and cats, Kravitz and Springsteen. She is an advocate for women in business and belongs to the networking group Women on Wednesdays   
Follow Mandy
Twitter |Facebook | Goodreads | Website

GIVEAWAY 1
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WIN a £50 Amazon voucher with Truly Madly Greekly and let Mandy Baggot see where you've escaped to this summer.
To take part just upload your photo of the cover of Truly Madly Greekly (paperback or e-reader) on Twitter or Facebook adding #TrulyMadlyGreekly. Whether you've escaped to a tropical haven with the kids or even your own backyard, Mandy would love to see where you're reading about Ellen and Yan this summer!

GIVEAWAY 2
PLUS leave a comment on this post and you could be in with a chance of winning a Kindle copy of Excess All Areas!
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Follow the Tour!
TMGschedule
 
Giveaway terms and conditions:
Giveaway 1: competition runs from 22 May 2015 until 31 August 2015, UK based entries only. One winner will be chosen at random from all the entries. Mandy Baggot and CandleLit Author Services reserve the right to amend and/or cancel the giveaway at any time, without prior notification.
Giveaway 2: competition runs from 27th June 2015 until 5th July 2015, open Internationally. One winner will be chosen at random from all the entries. Mandy Baggot and CandleLit Author Services reserve the right to amend and/or cancel the giveaway at any time, without prior notification.

08:30



Welcome to Bookish Recipes, a feature on the blog where I cook or bake a recipe from a book I have loved and share the result with you. This week's recipe is inspired by the book Ivy Lane by Cathy Bramley. A real tale of friendship, love and family, Ivy Lane is a heart-warming novel that you cannot miss. Who could have though life in an allotment could be so entertaining?

At the end of the book Cathy has included recipes for each season of the year related to the story. Some of them sound fantastic, like the risotto primavera or the Moroccan chickpea salad. But when I saw the chocolate chip cookies recipe I couldn't resist. I have to admit that I love them but I've had some pretty big baking disasters with cookies so I took this recipe as a challenge and I think I passed with honours!  

1) Gather all the ingredients. First, beat together the butter with the sugar until they are well combined. Then add the vanilla extract and the egg and beat well.
2) Sift together the flour and the bicarbonate and add it to the mixture, stirring until you have a dough.
3) Fold in the chocolate pieces. As you can see I decided to go for both dark and white chocolate for my cookies, but that's up to you. 
4) In theory you have to chill the dough overnight (or even 24h) but if you are like me and can't wait for the cookies, just let it chill for about an hour (I think I left it on the fridge for a couple of hours)
4) Preheat the oven to 180º C (350º F) and divide the dough in 15 golf ball sized pieces. Put them, well spaced, on a greased baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. They should be a bit golden. 
5) Let the cookies cool. First, a couple of minutes on the tray and then in a wire rack. I have to admit though that I ate a couple of them when they were still warm and they were amazing!

The recipe was really easy to follow (no disasters today!) and the result is amazing. Nothing can beat home baked chocolate chip cookies. Enjoy!

About the book: 

Title: Ivy Lane
Author: Cathy Bramley
Published: February 26th 2015 by Transworld Books
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Tilly Parker needs a fresh start, fresh air and a fresh attitude if she is ever to leave the past behind and move on with her life. As she seeks out peace and quiet in a new town, taking on a plot at Ivy Lane allotments seems like the perfect solution.

But the friendly Ivy Lane community has other ideas and gradually draw Tilly in to their cosy, comforting world of planting seedlings, organizing bake sales and planning seasonal parties.

As the seasons pass, will Tilly learn to stop hiding amongst the sweetpeas and let people back into her life – and her heart?

08:30

Title: The Silent Hours
Author: Cesca Major
Published: June 4th 2015 by Corvus
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: An epic, sweeping tale of love and loss inspired by heartrending true events in the Unoccupied Zone of wartime France. 

The Silent Hours follows three people whose lives are bound together, before war tears them apart:

Adeline, a mute who takes refuge in a convent, haunted by memories of her past;

Sebastian, a young Jewish banker whose love for the beautiful Isabelle will change the course of his life dramatically;

Tristin, a nine-year-old boy, whose family moves from Paris to settle in a village that is seemingly untouched by war.

Beautifully wrought, utterly compelling and with a shocking true story at its core, The Silent Hours is an unforgettable portrayal of love and loss.

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


Review: There are books that tell stories and there are some rare ones that actually make you part of the story they tell. The Silent Hours is one of those rare books. Before I started reading it, I had heard great praise for Cesca Major's debut but nothing had prepared me for the greatness of it and all the emotions, laughs, tears and goosebumps it provoked on me. 

The Silent Hours tells the story of three people during the war and after it. Their stories seem quite random at the beginning but as they unfold and more characters appear, they start, almost magically, entwining to end up being a unique beautiful story, told from various points of view. 

All the characters playing a role in this story are so well developed and every one of them has such a unique voice. Sometimes two characters describe the same scene but when you read their versions of the same event it's like you are seeing it in a whole new light. They all add their own personal spark and you end up having a colourful and detailed image of what is happening. I think that Cesca's capacity of making you see and picture what you are reading so easily is a rare ability that makes this novel one in a kind.

With a simple but beautiful writing, Cesca tells us a story and teaches us a wonderful history lesson too. The story in The Silent Hours is tragic but beautiful, unfair but hopeful and especially moving. But it only reflects what could have happened in real life. She based the core of her novel in a real historical event, that shows how cruel and meaningless wars can be. And from there, she created this powerful tale, telling the story of those who couldn't share theirs. 

The Silent Hours will be, without a doubt, one of the books of the year. I hope it touches many lives as it one of those books that changes you a bit and stays with you for a very long time. 

Rating: 


11:16

Title: Among a Thousand Stars
Author: Jo Bartlett
Published: June 17th 2015 by So Vain Books
Amazon | Amazon UK


Blurb: They say you'd do anything for love, but what happens when you don't believe it exists?

When her mother turns up naked and proud during her first term at college, Ashleigh Hayes assumes that life can’t get any more embarrassing. Ten years later, with best friend Stevie at her side, and a successful career as a freelance photographer for monthly magazine Glitz, it looks like she might have finally got the hang of things. Only she seems to have inherited the embarrassment gene from her mother and her every encounter with new boss, Tom Rushworth, looks set to send her career spiralling backwards. Getting past their shaky start, Ashleigh and Tom embark on a relationship that was only ever meant to be a bit of fun. But when life, paparazzi and love-sick Labradors get in the way, they suddenly find themselves caught in a roller coaster ride of emotions.

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

Review: With Among a Thousand Stars, Jo Bartlett takes us to the crazy world of the celebrities. Ashleigh is a freelance photographer for the celeb-obsessed magazine Glitz. With the help of best friend and stylist Stevie, she is the best at what she does but she is starting to question if it really is what she wants to do with her life. And then, in one of her photo shots, she meets powerful Tom Rushworth, agent of most of the stars she works with and her new boss. 

It took me a while to get into the story as I found it a bit too predictable at the beginning. Ashleigh had the tendency of finding herself on compromised situations and guess what? Tom was always magically there catching her and making his own assumptions. But once this phase of yes or no and misunderstandings was over and the two characters started seeing each other, the story got a  lot more interesting and Jo Bartlett came up with a couple of twists I didn't expect and kept the story flowing quite well. 

A strong point in this story were its characters, I think they were well developed and not too cliche. I especially liked Stevie, he was the perfect best friend, always picking up Ashleigh's mood and comforting her when she needed but also a shining star himself. I loved his own story in the book and was really happy for him. Another firm favourite was a certain lab that expressed his feeling way better than his owner. What a cutie. 

I had the feeling that the book could have been a bit shorter and tell the same story, as there was a bit too much back and forth for me. Although I did find it very interesting to learn about the behind the cameras aspect of the celebrities world. Especially what the stylist does or how they work with the photographer. 

Among a Thousand Stars is a light read, with lots of lol scenes and a couple of surprises in store, definitely one for readers curious about all what happens in celebrity-world. 

Rating: 
                                      

08:30

I can’t believe it’s already the end of June, where have these months gone? 2015 is certainly flying by. I have just checked Goodreads and I have read 70 books already. I have to say that 2015 has been amazing year, bookswise. I have read so many amazing books! This is why I wanted the share with you my top ten for the first half of the year. I don’t even know how I managed to narrow it down to 10 only but here they are:

Ivy Lane by Cathy Brambley. Who could have though life in an allotment could be so entertaining? As the seasons pass by, the community of Ivy Lane grow closer and new loves and friendships flourish. I loved how easily Cathy made me feel part of the community too and all the descriptions of gardening.  

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons. This will be the year of D.I. Kim Stone. We met her on Silent Scream and her determination to catch the bad guys and her secrets captivated me. With the second book of the series already out, Evil Games, this is the perfect one of crime lovers.

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson. Lucy’s talent just keeps surprising us. With her latest book, she fooled us all and took our breath away. A clever story with a twist you won’t forget in a long time.

Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey. An epic love story that made me cry a lot (in public places). This will probably be the debut of the year for me, so beautifully written and such a moving story. Also, it would make such a fantastic movie.
The Vintage Guide of Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood. Funniest book I’ve read in a long while. I loved Jessica Beam and her adventures following her grandma’s vintage guides. If you are in need of cheering up, definitely go for this one, genius!

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella. If anyone is worried about Sophie writing her  first YA novel, then you shouldn’t. It totally exceed my expectations. Audrey is a character I won’t forget in a long time and Sophie handles mental health issues with tact and resposability.

Catch Me If You Cannes by Lisa Dickenson. The Summer Read for me! It has all the ingredients: sunshine, stunning setting, romance and Nutella! What else can you ask for? Perfect for an afternoon on the beach with some cocktails to go with!

Mobile Library by David Whitehouse. David takes us on a magic road trip on a mobile library. The story is beautifully written with a unique narrative and a mixture of adventure, fantasy, love and friendship but also with some darker details. A real gem of a book.

Always the Bridesmaid by Lindsey Kelk. This is Lindsey’s first stand-alone novel in a long time and I wish, with all my heart, that is was actually a series, so we could go back to Maddie’s world again. Certainly one of her best books, Always the Bridesmaid will make you giggle non-stop!

The Silent Hours by Cerca Major. Set in France during the Second World War and based on a historical event, it tells a powerful and moving story about life during war. With different points of views, I felt like I was part of the story too.


So this are the best books I've read so far this year. I don't know how I'm going to pick my top ten at the end of the year if the books continue being so amazingly good. Not that I'm complaining! What are the best books you've read so far?

08:48

Title: Always the Bridesmaid
Author: Lindsey Kelk
Published: May 7th 2015 by Harper Collins
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Maddie Fraser has never been anything other than the girl in the background: golden boy Dan’s little sister, crazy Shona’s minion, workaholic Sebastian’s ex and now she’s also the girl in the middle of her warring best friends.

Lauren has announced she’s getting married – just as Sarah’s husband asks her for a divorce. Nothing in Maddie’s career in event organising has prepared her for this particular combo of planning and real pain. The news that her ex is also tying the knot is the final straw. While the magazines say she should be leaning in, all she wants to do is sleep in. But whether she likes it or not, everything is about to change for Maddie. For better or worse, this grown-up bridesmaid is taking centre stage…

Review: I think by now you already know that I love Lindsey Kelk. She hasn't written a single page I haven't loved. So when she announced that she was releasing a stand-alone novel this year, I was over the moon. I was also very curious to discover a brand new heroine by this fantastic author. Would I love her as much as I love Angela from the I Heart Series or Tess from the A Girl Series? The answer is a resounding yes!

Lindsey Kelk is the master of the first person narrative. She always manages to make me love a character within the first two pages. In Always the Bridesmaid, Maddie Fraser is writing a Bridesmaid journal as she has been asked to be one for her best friend's wedding. As she is an events organiser, she is also helping (doing everything) with the planning of the wedding. But this is not the only task at her hands, she is opting for a promotion at work and has to prove herself working extra hard and her other best friend is getting divorced so she needs a shoulder to cry on. Multitasking or what? Oh, and there might be a new love interest in Maddie's life!

The Bridesmaid journal entries are just hilarious. Maddie unloads all her worries and stress in its pages with a hint of irony that had me giggling non-stop through its pages. It's incredible how this girl manages to find herself in the most absurd situations. And her crazy clients at work do not help to the cause. You don't want to miss the lengths she goes to to make them happy.

Maddie's life is a case of if it can go wrong, it'll go wrong. But soon you realise that she is a strong enough woman to handle it all with grace (well... let's leave it at handle it all with more or less grace). But this only makes you love her more and root for her. She really is one of those characters you would like to meet in real life and hug.

Lindsey Kelk at her best, Always the Bridesmaid will not disappoint old fans and I am sure that if you are new to this fantastic author, you'll fall in love with her hilarious and witty style. I hope that this is not the last we hear from Maddie as I am sure she still has more adventures to share with us! 

Rating: 


 


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