Alba in bookland

Today's my stop on the Blog Tour for Country Rivals by Zara Stonely. Country Rivals is the third book in the Tippermere Series but can easily be read as a stand-alone and to celebrate its publication, Zara has stopped by to talk about her favourite Rom Com Movies. Zara, all yours:

I love watching romantic comedies, so this could have been a very long list. Here are the ones that came into my head first!

Love Actually – I love Richard Curtiss films, I want him to turn the Tippermere novels into one, or a TV series, I’m not fussy! (So if anybody knows him, can you mention it please?)

I could have picked Four Weddings and a Funeral (sad as well as funny) or Notting Hill here. So why this one? Maybe because of the range of stories and characters, the different types of love. And I have to admit I love Bill Nighy in it.

Bridget Jones’s Diary – there are just so many bad incidents that make me want to hide under the duvet because of that ‘it could be me’ feeling. I have had those flirty ‘skirt’ conversations, talked rubbish with friends after a few drinks, could well have been talked into the fireman’s pole incident, and I just love that man-fight – it is so middle-class British!

When Harry met Sally – that orgasm scene never fails to make me laugh. I love the premise of this film, can men and women ever just be friends? Does sex mess it up? This is one of those films I can relate to, which is why the funny bits are so funny. Including ‘that’ bit – wouldn’t you love to do it? No?? So that’s just me then…

The Holiday – I went to see this at the cinema with a friend, and laughed until I cried, she was a very good friend so didn’t refuse to be seen out in public with me again. It just tickled me, well I think it was mainly Jude Law that I loved in it. I did at times want to yell at certain characters, but I still love it. One of my go-to films when I want a film-hug.

Pretty Woman – is an old favourite. Okay it might be a bit dated now (check out the hair and clothes), but it makes me smile. And I like Mr Gere.

About the Book:

Title: Country Rivals (Tippermere #3)

Author: Zara Stonely

Published: May 26th 2016 by Harper Impulse

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: 'A great treat for readers…jam-packed with sexy men and horses.' Bestselling author Fiona Walker

Dashing eventer Rory is ready to button up his breeches and settle down. His gorgeous wife, Lottie, wants a bank balance in the black so she can protect the beautiful family estate for future generations.

But with the wedding business at Tipping House going up in flames, and rumours that it was arson not accident, Lottie begins to wonder who she can trust with her future.

Tranquil Tippermere is under siege as movies moguls and insurance investigators invade the countryside, and as events gather pace rescue plans start to look too good to be true, and intentions may not be as honourable as they seem.

As a moody, but definitely marvellous, polo player enters the fray and squares up to the eventing hero of Tippermere, does Lottie stand to lose her husband as well as her home?

You can buy ‘Country Rivals’ from Amazon or visit Zara’s website to see all buy links.

And you can grab the other Tippermere books (all the books can be read independently) here –

‘Stable Mates’ - ‘Country Affairs’ - ‘A Very Country Christmas’ FREE

About the Author:

Zara was born in a small village in Staffordshire, educated in Cheshire, and went on to study at Liverpool University. After a successful career as an IT consultant, she decided to follow her heart and ran a dog grooming business for several years before becoming a full-time writer.

Her fun, romantic, romps draw on her experiences of village life, and her various love affairs with dogs, cats and horses. These days if she’s not at her laptop, you can usually find her trudging across fields on foot, or sat on the back of a horse.

Zara divides her time between a country cottage in Cheshire and an apartment in Barcelona. Her most recent novels include the popular Stable Mates, Country Affairs and Country Rivals.

Find out more - Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Pinterest

Today's my stop on the Blog Tour for Dear Fang, With Love by Rufi Thorpe. An ambitious new novel about a young father who takes his teenage daughter to Europe, hoping that an immersion in history might help them forget his past mistakes and her uncertain future. Read my thoughts about it here:

Title: Dear Fang, With Love

Author: Rufi Thorpe

Published: June 2nd 2016 by Corsair

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: A bold, spellbinding novel featuring one of the most fascinating protagonists in recent memory, Dear Fang, With Love tells the story of seventeen-year-old Vera - ravishing, troubled, wildly intelligent - who travels to Europe with her estranged father, hoping that an immersion in history might help them forget his past mistakes and her uncertain future.

Lucas and Katya were boarding school seniors when, blindingly in love, they decided to have a baby. Seventeen years later, after a decade of absence, Lucas is a weekend dad, newly involved in his daughter Vera's life. But after Vera suffers a terrifying psychotic break at a high school party, Lucas takes her to Lithuania, his grandmother's homeland, for the summer. Here, in the city of Vilnius, Lucas hopes to save Vera from the sorrow of her diagnosis. As he uncovers a secret about his grandmother, a Home Army rebel who escaped Stutthof, Vera searches for answers of her own. Why did Lucas abandon her as a baby? What really happened the night of her breakdown? And who can she trust with the truth? Skillfully weaving family mythology and Lithuanian history with a story of mental illness, inheritance, young love, and adventure, Rufi Thorpe has written a breathtakingly intelligent, emotionally enthralling book.

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

Review: Dear Fang, With Love is one of those unique and especial books that take a while to get into but that once you are immersed in the story, you just can't stop reading. Contrary to what you might think, the story is not about Fang but about her girlfriend Vera and her father Lucas. These two characters embark on a historical tour around Vilnius, Lithuania, to try and reconnect with each other and take a break from their life, where everything is quite messy.

The story is told from Lucas' point of view, who has never really been present in Vera's life and is trying to get to know and understand her. Also, each chapter starts with an email from Vera to Fang, so we also get to read how she is feeling and how she sees this new chapter on her life. Life is quite complicated for her, as she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder but is not quite sure she really suffers from it. During the story, we really get to know these two characters and with every new little detail and uncovered secret, we see them in a new light. Vera is a fascinating character, she lives everything intensely and her thoughts always go one step further than what you might expect. She is definitely the star of the book and I ended up really caring for her. I could see how she was struggling with everything and I never knew what to expect next.

The story also touched some other topics like the holocaust and Lithuania's history, as Lucas' family comes from here and he wants to somehow reconnect with his heritage. Lucas' own journey during the book was very interesting to read. I felt that his voice was honest and darkly funny and I could really see he was one of the good guys, even if a little lost.

During the novel, emotions are running high and the multiple subplots make this a touching and quite especial story. Rufi Thorpe's writing is simple and direct but also very rich and detailed. Vera's story will capture you and I'm sure Dear Fang, With Love will leave no one indifferent.

Rating: 4 stars

Book Review: Remember My Name by Abbey Clements

Today's my stop on the Blog Tour for Remember Name, model and TV presenter Abbey Clancy’s debut novel. A romantic comedy about a girl from Liverpool who dreams of hitting the big time, which I enjoyed immensely. Read my thoughts about it here:

Title: Remember My Name

Author: Abbey Clancy

Published: May 19th 2016 by Mira

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: From the moment Liverpool teenager Jess stars in the school musical, she knows that she’s GOT to be a star. Fast forward a few years and the closest the now 22 year old Jessica has got to stardom is as a children’s entertainer – which is where she meets Jack, uncle to the spoiled 5 year old birthday princess, who spots Jessica’s talent and offers her a job with a record label. But that means that she’ll have to leave her family and her home and move to London – where she quickly finds that the streets aren’t quite paved with gold. And as she spends her days making tea for bitchy PR girls and her nights in a mouldy studio flat, Jessica wonders if leaving Liverpool for London has been a terrible mistake.

Attending an industry party – unfortunately only to serve canapes – Jessica’s fortunes suddenly change when Vogue, the singer due to perform at the event drops out. Before she knows it, Jessica volunteers to stand in and takes centre stage. After a dazzling performance, she is surrounded by people wondering who this amazing new talent is. What’s more, her star turn has been captured by the press and she has become an overnight sensation.

Plunged into the crazy world of glitz and glamour, Jessica’s life is transformed but as her star rises, she loses touch with her roots. Jessica’s teenage dreams of stardom may have come true, but at what cost?

*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: As soon as I spotted Abbey Clancy's debut, I knew it was my kind of read, as I love going behind the scenes of the crazy world of glitz and glamour, and I was not wrong. Remember My Name is a really fun and entertaining story about a girl from Liverpool who becomes the new musical sensation overnight and the consequences it has in her life and her family's.

I think that I enjoyed this novel so much because I instantly liked Jessica and I was rooting for her from page one, when she was dressed as Elsa and was attacked by a snow machine mid Let It Go. She was down to earth, quite naive, hard working and above all, believable as a character. And she had the best family, supportive and caring. I think when she finally got her chance at being rich and famous and became Jessika (with a K), I was as excited as her.

As you can imagine, as soon as Jessica became Jessika, she was a bit blinded by the fame and fortune and kind of forgot where she came from. But I guess that it must be difficult to stay true to yourself when everyone starts adoring you and you cannot even go to the loo without it making to the news. There was a moment halfway through that I was sure that I knew how the story was going to go and end but there were enough twists (some quite unexpected) to keep me intrigued and on my toes during the whole book.

Another part I enjoyed about this story was the more romantic part. There are a couple of love interests in Jessica's new life and I think the author handled this part really well. More than one scene had me giggling and I was really happy with the ending.

If your are looking for a highly entertaining story with lots of fun situations, humour, love and great characters, Remember My Name is the one for you.

Rating: 4 stars

About the author:

Liverpool-born Abbey Clancy is one of the UK’s most in demand models. She successfully combines being a wife and mother with her career as a presenter and model. She is a UK brand ambassador for many top brands including Matalan, Reebok and Avon. Abbey is married to Premiership footballer Peter Crouch and has two small daughters.

Remember My Name is her debut novel.

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Holly Martin is one of my favourite authors and luckily for us, she is a writing machine so we always get some books by her every year. After her two Christmas books last year, we are back at White Cliff Bay for a brand new story full of squishiness and cuteness. Read my thoughts about it:

Summer at Rose Island by Holly Martin

Series: White Cliff Bay #3

Also in this series: Christmas at Lilac Cottage, Snowflakes on Silver Cove

Published: May 13th 2016 by Bookouture

Genres: Chicklit, Love & Romance

Pages: 288

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Blurb: Fall in love with the gorgeous seaside town of White Cliff Bay this summer and enjoy long sunny days, beautiful beaches and… a little romance.

Darcy Davenport is ready for a fresh start. Determined to leave a string of disastrous jobs and relationships behind her, she can’t wait to explore White Cliff Bay and meet the locals.

When Darcy swims in the crystal clear waters of the bay, she discovers the charming Rose Island Lighthouse. But it’s not just the beautiful building that she finds so intriguing…

Riley Eddison doesn’t want change. Desperate to escape the memories of his past, he lives a life of solitude in the lighthouse. Yet he can’t help but notice the gorgeous woman who swims out to his island one day.

Darcy is drawn to the mysterious and sexy Riley, but when it seems the town is trying to demolish his home, she soon finds herself having to pick sides.

She’s fallen in love with White Cliff Bay. But is that all Darcy’s fallen for?

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

Review: It feels so good to be back at White Cliff Bay, especially as some of my favourite characters from the previous books pop up again in this story. I always enjoy catching up with characters. But if you haven't read the previous two book on the series, do not worry. Summer at Rose Island is a stand alone with its own story, so you can just start with this one and then read the others (because if you read this one, you'll want to know more about White Cliff Bay and its lovely community).

Something I love about Holly Martin's books is how she always comes up with the most original and fun characters. In Summer at Rose Island we've got Darcy, a marine biologist (she no longer works as one but she always tells the most amazing facts about sealife and sharks) and Riley, a song composer from Dallas who now lives in a lighthouse. How cool is that?

The story focuses on Darcy, who after several job disasters leaves London behind to move to White Cliff Bay and try a new job she doesn't know a lot of because her late aunt used to live and love this place. When she arrives, she is fascinated with the beautiful sea views and the welcoming community and she quickly becomes one more, especially when she decides to help save the beloved lighthouse. That is when she meets its inhabitant, Riley, a solitary cowboy (yes, he even wears a cowboy hat and says ma'am). As you can imagine, sparks fly every time they are close to each other but theirs is not going to be an easy relationship. During the story there's a lot of drama, misunderstandings, noisy neighbours, patronizing relatives and puppies getting in the middle of them, and I enjoyed every bit of it all.

Summer at Rose Island is such a fun read, it had me giggling non-stop during the whole book, but it is also such a deliciously sweet love story too. Holly Martin always makes me swoon and wish her heroes were real and this one is no different. Plus, she makes her stories always one of a kind, adding little details here and there to make them special and shiny. For example, in this one I loved Darcy's passion for the sea and all we learned about it thanks to her. All in all, another winner by Holly Martin, the perfect summer read.

Rating: 5 stars

Check out all the stops on the Blog Tour:

Today I am delighted to welcome Andrea Carter to my blog. Andrea is the author of the Inishowen Mysteries Series, starring solicitor Ben O’Keeffe. The first book on the series has recently been published in paperback and the second one is coming out next month. Read all about it here:

1) Hello Andrea and welcome to Alba in Bookland. First, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Thank you! Delighted to be here. My name is Andrea Carter. I grew up in Co. Laois in the Irish midlands and studied law at Trinity College, Dublin. I qualified as a solicitor and practised for ten years on the Inishowen Peninsula in Co. Donegal before transferring to the Bar and moving to Dublin to practise as a barrister.

2) In Death at Whitewater Church, your debut novel, a skeleton is found in a church and a solicitor finds herself embroiled in the mystery. What inspired you to write this story?

What inspires me is place: landscape and buildings, particularly old buildings. My grandmother believed that a place retained the memory of what had happened there, marking it out as a place of contentment or sadness, or fear, and that you could sense it in the atmosphere. Whenever I visit a place for the first time, particularly an old building, I find myself imagining what might have happened there. I’ve visited a number of ruined churches and I always find them particularly spooky.

3) How would you describe Ben O'Keeffe, the solicitor and main character?

Ben runs the most northerly solicitor’s practise in the country. But she is not from the area - she is an outsider, a blow-in. The reason she has chosen to come to this remote area becomes clear during the course of the book. She is running from her past, from her own guilt. But that doesn’t stop her from becoming involved in matters which don’t concern her. And she is nosy by nature which makes her an excellent amateur sleuth!

4) This is the first installment of a series, what can we expect next?

You’ll have to wait and see! But you won’t have to wait too long. The second book in the series Treacherous Strand will be published on 2nd June. I am already working on book three.

5) The series is set on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, what meaning does this place have for you?

I lived in Inishowen for eleven years. It is beautiful and windswept with towering headlands and sea-stacks, ruined forts and golden beaches. When I left to move to Dublin it became easier to write about somehow, its colours and sounds more vivid because I missed them.

6) You have been working as a lawyer for many years, what made you start writing?

I began writing a crime novel while I was still working as a solicitor in Inishowen, just for fun, to see if I could do it. I wrote in the evenings after work, or at night, when I couldn’t sleep. At first it was a way of keeping work stresses at bay: Ben O’Keeffe began as a braver (or more reckless!) version of myself. She was able to say things I could never have said, do things I could never have done. But as I kept writing she began to separate herself from me, to develop her own characteristics and her own back story. And I began to like her!

7) Has your job influenced your writing?

Certainly! My protagonist is a solicitor just as I was and she runs the most northerly solicitor’s practise in the country as I did. But my practise as a barrister has also influenced how I write I think; it informs my knowledge of human nature, of human motivation and vulnerability. Although I’m on extended leave-of-absence to write at the moment.

8) And finally, what are you working on right now?

I am working on a third Ben O’Keeffe novel, number three in the Inishowen Mysteries Series.

You can find out more about Andrea Carter and her books on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/andysaibhcarter

Web: https://andreacarterbooks.com/

About the Book:

Title: Death at Whitewater Church (Inishowen Mysteries #2)

Author: Andrea Carter

Published: May 5th 2016 by Constable

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: When a skeleton is discovered, wrapped in a blanket, in the hidden crypt of a deconsecrated church, everyone is convinced the bones must be those of Conor Devitt, a local man who went missing on his wedding day six years previously. But the post mortem reveals otherwise.

Solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keeffe is acting for the owners of the church, and although an unwelcome face from her past makes her reluctant to get involved initially, when Conor's brother dies in strange circumstances shortly after coming to see her, she finds herself drawn in to the mystery. Whose is the skeleton in the crypt and how did it get there? Is Conor Devitt still alive, and if so is there a link? What happened on the morning of his wedding to make him disappear?

Negotiating between the official investigation, headed up by the handsome but surly Sergeant Tom Molloy, and obstructive locals with secrets of their own, Ben unravels layers of personal and political history to get to the truth of what happened six years before.

You can now pre-order Treacherous Strand (Inishowen Mysteries #2) here - Out June 2nd!

Today's review is for The Girl From Everywhere, Heidi Heilig's debut teen fantasy. The story is a mixture of fantasy, history, time-travelling and romance (there's even a pirate ship and a dragon!). With a diverse and multicultural cast and plenty of adventures, it makes for a very entertaining read. Read my thoughts about it here:

Title: The Girl From Everywhere

Author: Heidi Heilig

Published: March 3rd 2016 by Hot Key Books

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: It was the kind of August day that hinted at monsoons, and the year was 1774, though not for very much longer.

Sixteen-year-old Nix Song is a time-traveller. She, her father and their crew of time refugees travel the world aboard The Temptation, a glorious pirate ship stuffed with treasures both typical and mythical. Old maps allow Nix and her father to navigate not just to distant lands, but distant times - although a map will only take you somewhere once. And Nix's father is only interested in one time, and one place: Honolulu 1868. A time before Nix was born, and her mother was alive. Something that puts Nix's existence rather dangerously in question...

Nix has grown used to her father's obsession, but only because she's convinced it can't work. But then a map falls into her father's lap that changes everything. And when Nix refuses to help, her father threatens to maroon Kashmir, her only friend (and perhaps, only love) in a time where Nix will never be able to find him. And if Nix has learned one thing, it's that losing the person you love is a torment that no one can withstand. Nix must work out what she wants, who she is, and where she really belongs before time runs out on her forever.

*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: I found the concept for this story really interesting and well executed. Nix is a time-traveller and together with her father and their crew, they travel to any place, in any era, as long as they have an original map of that place, even mythological and magical places. Plus, they travel in a pirate ship, how cool is that? How they do that is explained during the story and I found it really complex and easy at the same time and with every new bit of information I got even more excited.

Slate, Nix's father and captain of The Temptation, has only one goal: finding a map of Honolulu in 1868 so he can navigate there and safe Nix's mother. This might have fatal consequences for Nix herself but Slate doesn't seem really bothered by this and uses all his tricks to accomplish his goal. Maps of Hawaii for that time are scarce, and Nix is convinced he won't manage to find one. But luck turns in his favour when they travel to present day New York for an auction. It seems that they have finally found an original map. So we follow the crew to nineteenth century Hawaii for a lot of adventures, misunderstandings, thefts and some more travelling.

My favourite characters in the story were Nix and Kashmir, one of the members of the multicultural crew and Nix's best friend. I really enjoyed reading about their friendship and could sense there could be a bit more between them. They made the perfect team and supported each other no matter what, even when a boy from Hawaii became interested in Nix and came between them. I think this little love triangle complemented very well the main story and made for a cute and fun sub-plot.

The aspect that I enjoyed the best was how seamless the story flowed. Past, present and future would interlink and events from different times and places would have consequences later in the story. I am sure that this is the kind of story that when read a second time is even more fascinating. Plus, I found it very interesting and cool that magical creatures and places existed too in the "real" world.

Heidi Heilg's writing was really atmospheric and descriptive and made you feel part of the story. As we learned more about Hawaii's history, I became more and more invested in the story. I really hope there's a sequel to this read as I feel Nix and the crew of The Temptation still have quite a few adventures to live. I enjoyed this story immensely and found it really unique and highly entertaining.

Rating: 4 stars

I had not read any books by Fiona Harper but I had always heard great things about them so when I was offered to review her latest one, I jumped at the opportunity. Have a look at what I thought of The Summer We Danced:

Title: The Summer We Danced

Author: Fiona Harper

Published: April 7th 2016 by Mira

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: After a humiliating divorce and watching her former rock star husband leave her for a model live on reality TV, Pippa is determined to disappear. So she returns to the small Kent village where she grew up to make a fresh start. Little did she know that would mean saving her beloved childhood dance school or falling for her old school crush Tom too!

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

Review: The Summer We Danced is a cute story about finding yourself again, love and dancing, lots of dancing. I think the dancing scenes and references were the part that I enjoyed the most, so if you love dancing yourself or watching old Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies, this is your book.

The story focuses on Pippa, who returns home after her "kind of famous" rock star husband dumped her for a younger model. As you can imagine, Pippa's self esteem is at its lowest and she decides to drown her sorrows with food, something that doesn't really help her loving herself again. What does help her is rekindling her love for dancing, especially when she finds out that her beloved old dance teacher Miss Mimi is still bossing around in her dancing academy.

It took me while to get into the story, I guess because I wasn't sure I liked Pippa. But as the story progressed and we learned more about her, her past and how she gave everything to help Miss Mimi and her school, I started to feel more involved in the story too. Then, there was the love story between Tom and Pippa. They were best friends when they were teens and it was actually a comment from him which made Pippa quit dancing. Something I found a bit silly, but anyway, they meet again after 20 years and apparently there's still a sparkle between them. I didn't really get a vibe from them and their story was done and dusted quite quickly with a couple of misunderstandings thrown their way. This was actually OK because the main plot was saving Miss Mimi's school and that part I really enjoyed. They organised a Hollywood inspired dancing show, which sounded amazing.

All in all, I'd say The Summer We Danced is a light-hearted fun story that has its week points but that delivers what it promises. I enjoyed it but it won't leave a mark. As I said, the best part was all the dancing, which made me check Fred and Giger videos and reminded me how cool those old movies are.

Paige Toon is one of my auto-buy authors. Her stories are always so unique and engaging. Plus, I had the pleasure of meeting her in March and hearing her talk about this book and its story, and I can assure you that this one is an amazing read. Have a look at what I thought of it:

Title: The One We Fell In Love With

Author: Paige Toon

Published: May 19th 2016 by Simon & Schuster

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Phoebe is caught between a rock and a hard place. Settle down and get married, or return to the French Alps to pursue her passion?

Eliza is in love with someone who is no longer hers. In fact, he probably never was… And her dream of becoming a successful musician seems to be vanishing before her eyes.

Rose is out of a job and out of a boyfriend. To make matters worse, she’s been forced to move back in with her mother…

But these very different girls have one thing in common. Angus. The one they fell in love with…

*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: Paige Toon has done it again. What a marvelous and unexpected story! As soon as I heard that this story was about identical triplets, I knew we were in for a unique and fun story. But the actual story completely surpassed my expectations. As I started reading The One We Fell In Love With, I rapidly became really invested in the story and its characters and ended up reading into the early hours.

Phoebe, Eliza and Rose might be identical but they are three really different girls. Their voices in the story are strong and unique and it's easy to differentiate them. I'm actually quite sure that if I had them in front of me, I'd be able to tell who is who. When we meet them, Phoebe is about to get married to her high school sweet heart, Angus. And for her bachelorette party, she has decided to go back to the Alps, where she probably spent the best year of her life. As you can imagine, this brings back lots of memories for Phoebe but also sparkles doubts about her future.

As the story progresses, we get lots of snippets to the girls' past. Especially when Angus moved next door when they were teens. Quite surprisingly, the three of them fell in love with him and it seems like some feelings remain in more than one triplet. At first, I really thought that the story was going to be a fun love triangle (quadrilateral?) between the sisters and Angus and I really hoped that the story would focus more on Phoebe as I liked her the most at the beginning. But I couldn't have been more wrong. Paige Toon delivers so much more with this story. It's touching, fierce, tender and above all, up-lifting. A real treat.

The One We Fell In Love With made me laugh, cry, hold my breath more than once and managed to surprise me multiple times. After finishing it, I wouldn't be able to pick a favourite sister. The three of them were some of the most complex, well developed and real characters I have read about in a long while and they all had their own story to tell. They made mistakes, fell, got up again, tried harder, shared, argued and loved unconditionally and I'm sure I'll held them close to my heart from now on.

With this novel, Paige Toon has gone one step further and created one of her best stories yet. I can only applaud her and tell you that you need to read this book. It'll leave no one indifferent and will capture your hearts. Unmissable.

Rating: 5 stars

Hands up if you love a good bookmark! You've put your hands up, right? Well, don't worry, we bookworms love a good bookmark, especially if they gorgeous, match your book and basically make your book shine. So today I bring you my wish list of bookmarks I need in my life. People come up with such amazing ideas for bookmarks! I wish I could get them all right now:

1. MyBookmark

In their page, they say: "It’s not just a bookmark, it’s fun, craziness, motivator for reading and perfect topic-starter! Just imagine cute little legs sticking from your book! And get ready that your book will appear in the center of everyone’s attention!". Do I need to say more? I've been eyeing these bookmarks for some time now and I'm quite sure I'll get one very soon. Question, Harry Potter or Louisa Clark?

Get it here for 25$ (plus shipping)

2. Wooden bookmark from the Nook and Burrow

In their page, they say: "Lillytales is passionate about books + book lovers! Each wooden bookmark is uniquely handmade and designed in Melbourne, Australia." This bookmarks are so cool. They have so many unique and beautiful designs! Plus, you can get also get literary candles in their shop.

Get it here for 8$ (plus shipping)

3. Magnetic bookmarks by HappyHelloArt

Aren't these the cutest reading companions? At HappyHelloArt you can find a wide variety of little guys, from Harry Potter, to the Hunger Games, or the most lovable bookworm. I want them all!

Get them here, price varies for each set. The one on the picture costs 6$ (plus shipping)

4. Foil embossed bookmarks from Aureate + Argent

These will definitely make your book shine. They are out of stock right now, but I'm patiently waiting for Lauren (the owner) to make them available again. Then they'll be mine!

Check out their shop here.

5. Mary Poppins bookmark from Karamboola

How cool is this vintage looking bookmark? They have more designs on the shop but as a Mary Poppins fan, I couldn't resist picking this one.

Get it here for 18$ (plus shipping)

*All images are from the webpages of the products.

A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of attending The Books and the City Blogger Evening. Holly Hepburn was one of the authors on the panel and she read an extract of this book and talked about the series and the writing process, the characters, the main topics... I had already read the first two parts by then so I found all of it very interesting, plus I got my copy signed! Here are my thoughts the third part:

Title: Summer at the Star and Sixpence (Star and Sixpence #3)

Author: Holly Hepburn

Published: April 25th 2016 by Simon & Schuster

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: When sisters Sam and Nessie left the city lights to take over The Star and Sixpence pub in Little Monkham, little did they realise they'd be taking on the villagers too...

Thrown in at the deep end with a wedding to organise at the same time as launching their new hotel rooms, the last thing they need is Sam's past catching up with them.

As the scandal strikes, the only question is will the villagers stick their necks out for two relative newcomers? Or will Franny, the terrifying postmistress, see them gone for good...

*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: And we are back at the Star and Sixpence, in Little Monkham, with sisters Sam and Nessie. This is the third installment in this serialised novel and with every part, I am falling more and more in love with this story. After a rocky start, the sisters are doing a great job running their late father's pub. They have even decided to open the rooms to guests and are planning their first wedding. As you can imagine, not everything is running smoothly for them, but I love reading about their dedication and enthusiasm and how supportive the community is of them.

And not only that, in this part, we finally find out about Sam's secret, what made her leave her beloved job and life in London. I really enjoyed this part and I feel like I understand Sam better now. It certainly gave her character a new dimension and made me care for her. I have everything crossed for her and I hope to learn more about her in the next installments.

In the other hand, Nessie's love life seems to finally be picking up and she seems quite excited. I mean, who wouldn't with a sexy blacksmith? And we enjoy some really cute scenes on this part.

Summer at the Star and Sixpence is packed with drama, secrets, love and friendship. As I said, this series is only getting better and Holly Hepburn has me hooked with all the shenanigans going on in this lively community. I can't believe we have to wait until Autumn for the next installment!

Rating: 4 stars

Summer at Rose Island by Holly Martin

Series: White Cliff Bay #3

Also in this series: Christmas at Lilac Cottage, Snowflakes on Silver Cove

Published: May 13th 2016 by Bookouture

Genres: Chicklit, Love & Romance

Pages: 288

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Blurb: Fall in love with the gorgeous seaside town of White Cliff Bay this summer and enjoy long sunny days, beautiful beaches and… a little romance.

Darcy Davenport is ready for a fresh start. Determined to leave a string of disastrous jobs and relationships behind her, she can’t wait to explore White Cliff Bay and meet the locals.

When Darcy swims in the crystal clear waters of the bay, she discovers the charming Rose Island Lighthouse. But it’s not just the beautiful building that she finds so intriguing…

Darcy is drawn to the mysterious and sexy Riley, but when it seems the town is trying to demolish his home, she soon finds herself having to pick sides.

She’s fallen in love with White Cliff Bay. But is that all Darcy’s fallen for?

Chapter One

An endless world of blue stretched out below Darcy. The sandy seabed lay about ten metres beneath her and she smiled as she saw fish of every colour and size swimming lazily between the rocks and seaweed. Starfish and sunstars littered the seabed, and with the sun’s rays penetrating the water and gently caressing their outstretched arms, it was as if they were sunbathing on a tourist-filled beach. Giant stalks of seaweed moved and swayed gently as if they were trees caught in a breeze rather than the constant roll of the waves and the tide. There was something so tranquil and serene about this underwater vista, she could look at it for hours and never get bored.

The fish didn’t have jobs to worry about or bills to pay and she was pretty sure that the starfish didn’t have parents to try to please – or, as in her case, constantly disappoint. Life continued here as it always did, an almost worry-free existence where the only dark cloud was when something bigger than you was looking for something to eat.

As she bobbed on top of the waves, her head face down in the water, Darcy could pretend, just for a minute or two, that she was part of this world. A tiny fish in a big pond.

She rolled onto her back and took a deep breath of salty, tangy sea air. The sun shone down on her, glinting off the droplets on her goggles. As the waves lapped over her fingers, she felt a sense of contentment fill her almost like a great sigh of relief. Although she had been in the town only a few hours, she knew that moving from London to White Cliff Bay was the best decision she had ever made.

Her love for the sea had been with her as far back as she could remember, but it was here in White Cliff Bay on many childhood holidays staying with her aunt that her love had blossomed. Swimming in the sea every day, she spent her evenings reading every non-fiction book about the water and its wildlife she could get her hands on. Her aunt had taken her scuba diving when she was twelve, opening up a whole other world she had never known before. The sea was in her blood. Coming back here felt like coming home.

A bark nearby disturbed her tranquil reverie and she moved so she was treading water, rather than floating, and looked around.

Her beautiful black Labrador, Ben, had come back for her, clearly wondering why she was just floating there, staring at the sky rather than swimming. He shoved his wet nose in her face and, happy that she was OK, he turned and swam off in the direction of the island. Darcy laughed and swam after him.

As Darcy reached the rocks surrounding Rose Island Lighthouse, Ben swam on ahead. He pulled himself out of the water, turned round and started barking at Darcy to hurry up. The sea birds nestled on the rocks took off in a grey cloud, squawking their annoyance at the evil, black dog. Ben clambered over the rocks, wagging his tail as he chased the last few birds away.

‘Leave them be,’ Darcy laughed as she climbed out onto the rocks beside him; she pulled him towards her and tugged playfully on his silky ears. He sat down on her so she could continue her stroking more thoroughly.

‘Oof! Ben, you are not a lap-sized dog. You do not fit on my lap. Do you think you’re a Chihuahua or something? You’re a Labrador and a fat one at that, get off,’ Darcy moaned, half-heartedly trying to push Ben off her. He continued to sit on her lap, wagging his tail in her face.

Darcy pulled her goggles onto her forehead and looked over the golden-crested waves at the tiny town of White Cliff Bay. The late afternoon sun was just starting to make its descent, painting the sky a candyfloss pink. From her position on Rose Island, about three hundred yards out into the bay, she could see almost the whole town in all its glory. The quieter part of Silver Cove, where she now lived, the main shops and the hodgepodge of cute little houses that cascaded down the steep hills of the main town centre. She smiled. She knew she was going to be happy here. Despite her parents’ misgivings and looks of disapproval when she told them she was packing up all her worldly goods and travelling hundreds of miles from her home to take up a new job, she knew she had made the right decision. It didn’t matter that she didn’t completely know what her new job entailed or that she knew no one down here, this gorgeous little town was going to be a great new chapter in her life.

Everything seemed slower here, more laid-back and relaxed; it felt cleaner, safer, but despite this her parents couldn’t understand why Darcy had wanted to leave London, with its high-powered jobs, multi-billion-pound companies, and the prestige of living and working in the capital. She didn’t want restaurants that stayed open until after midnight or the constant hum of traffic and voices that never seemed to stop, no matter what time of day it was. Since she had lost her perfect job a few years before, and moved back to London with her dreams in tatters, she had felt almost claustrophobic, as if the buildings were too close. She had been a face in the crowd that no one cared about. The city had slowly chipped away at her soul until she was no more than another suited drone heading off to work every day. Here it felt like she could finally breathe again.

Part of the problem with her relocation had been her choice of White Cliff Bay itself. A place that was entirely to blame, at least as far as her parents were concerned, for her aunt’s spectacular drop-out from society. Aunt Ginny had been a highly paid solicitor in the City until she had sold her house, bought an old-fashioned horse-drawn gypsy caravan to live in, and spent the rest of her life living off the sale of the odd painting and homemade jars of jam and apple sauce. She had always been spoken about in hushed tones, if she was spoken about at all, and Darcy strongly suspected she was going to end up that way too. She couldn’t help smiling at the thought.

She leaned back to look at the lighthouse, the sun glinting off the glass at the top. It was a beautiful, old building, painted in traditional red and white colours, with the multi-faceted lantern at the top. She had always enjoyed swimming in the sea, but this had to be the most picturesque swim she had done in a long time. The lighthouse had been deserted for many years; certainly when she had swum round the island as a child no one had ever lived there. New-fangled technology meant the days of the lighthouse keeper were a thing of the past. So her heart leapt from shock when her eyes cast down the tall tower and she saw a man standing at one of the windows watching her and Ben.

He was wearing a faded blue crumpled shirt hanging loose over dark jeans. His black hair was equally messy in an unkempt just-got-out-bed look. The man’s tanned arms were folded angrily over his chest. Easily reaching the top of the leaded windows that were flung open either side, the man’s height seemed to add to the anger he was projecting. She supposed he was quite good looking, if you liked the tall, dark, mean and moody type.

Darcy suddenly became aware of the first impression she was making on him. In her skin-tight, show-every-lump-and-bump wetsuit, with her long red hair matted against her head and today’s make-up smeared across her face like a Picasso painting gone wrong, she was a sight to behold. She stood up, tipping Ben off her lap as she did so, then belatedly realised she was showing her body in its full glory; at least sitting down Ben had been covering her modesty.

‘Great. What a brilliant view of my wobbly bits he’s getting right now,’ Darcy muttered, sucking in her belly and wringing out her hair.

The man started shouting at her. Gesturing with his hands, he pointed at the sea, then her and then Ben. Whatever he was yelling – furiously, it would seem – was lost in the sound of the wind and the waves crashing against the rocks.

‘Hi, nice to meet you, would you like to come in for a cup of hot chocolate and some great sex?’ Darcy mumbled under her breath. ‘I’m sure that’s what he’s saying. That and: Great body, by the way. No one looks good in a wetsuit but somehow you manage to pull it off. How about that great sex?’

Mystery Man continued to shout and then, getting frustrated at not being heard, he left the window, no doubt on his way downstairs to yell at her face to face.

‘Time to go, Ben,’ Darcy said, climbing down the rocks. She turned to make sure Ben got down OK. As Ben drew level with her, she took one last look at the lighthouse to see that Mystery Man had arrived at the door, still shouting. She pulled her goggles over her eyes and dived into the sea. The water closed in over her head and seconds later she felt Ben beside her. Darcy surfaced about ten metres from the rocks and looked back at Mystery Man, who was continuing to yell at her from the shore.

‘Sorry, can’t hear you,’ Darcy shouted and then, confident he couldn’t possibly hear her, she added, ‘But I’ll be back soon for that great sex.’

Mystery Man looked momentarily confused and stopped shouting for a second before continuing his tirade. Darcy turned and swam back to the shore.

As she clambered out onto the beach, she looked back across the bay to the lighthouse. He was still standing there watching her. She grabbed the bag she had left by some rocks, pulled out a towel, patted herself dry. Dragging her T-shirt over her wetsuit, she then pulled another towel out to dry Ben. As she flipped Ben over onto his back to dry his belly, Ben’s favourite bit to have dried, she could still feel Mystery Man’s eyes on her. She stood up and, sure enough, he was still standing there, as the waves crashed theatrically onto the rocks around him.

She turned away and looked down at her wetsuit and sighed. It wasn’t the greatest first impression. She had inadvertently done something to upset him too, and that certainly hadn’t been her intention.

She walked back to Sea View Court, the old house at the end of the beach that had been converted into four flats.

She let herself in and Ben ran on ahead of her, but she stopped suddenly when she heard a noise from the flat opposite hers.

She had briefly seen her new neighbours when she’d been unpacking the last of her belongings from her car earlier that day. A young married couple, they had introduced themselves as Libby and George, but Libby had seemed so tearful that George had quickly ushered her into their flat and closed the door behind them.

She listened now and heard a crash, as if something had been thrown and smashed. It was quickly followed by a loud thud and a cry of pain. She heard George shout something and then another thud, and another moan from Libby that made Darcy’s heart crash into her stomach.

God, he was beating her up. She felt sick. As another wail of pain resounded from the flat, she marched straight up to the door and banged on it with her fist. The door flew open under her weight and she stormed in.

She froze at what she saw. Libby and George were stark naked and she was clinging to him, her arms and legs wrapped around him as he made love to her against the wall of their flat. Her head was thrown back in obvious ecstasy as he kissed her breasts.

Shit. She couldn’t have got it more wrong.

They hadn’t noticed her yet, too wrapped up in each other to be aware of anything else. She could just sneak out and they would be none the wiser. But, as she took a step back towards the door, Ben burst in and before she could grab him he launched himself at George’s bare backside, shoving his wet, cold nose up where the sun didn’t shine.

George let out a scream of shock and looked around to see what it was that had attacked him so inappropriately. If Darcy had thought she could get away without being seen, she’d been sorely mistaken, as first George’s eyes then Libby’s found hers.

For the longest moment, nobody moved or said anything, George still pinning Libby to the wall with his weight. There was only one way to get out of this with any shred of dignity left intact. Darcy was going to have to brazen this out.

‘I just came round to borrow some sugar. I probably have some somewhere in one of the many boxes but I thought you might have some . . . I can see this isn’t the best time.’ This was a terrible excuse and they all knew it. Libby stifled a giggle as she buried her face in her husband’s neck. ‘The door just came open when I knocked on it. I’m not a pervert or anything.’ Her feet frozen to the ground seemed to contradict that statement, as she continued to stare at them in horror. Oh God, what was she doing? She should have just apologised and left, grabbing her perverted dog on the way out.

George didn’t say anything. Probably wondering why she was still standing there. She was wondering that herself.

‘Erm . . . There’s sugar in the kitchen if you want to help yourself. I, erm . . . have my hands full or I’d get it for you myself,’ George said, as Libby’s giggling went up an octave.

‘Right, well. Maybe I’ll pop by later and get it if I don’t find my own before then. Carry on. I mean . . .’ She gestured lamely to the door and George nodded numbly.

She grabbed Ben by the collar and walked out, quickly closing the door on Libby’s laughter a moment later.

Wow. She was really going all out to make a good impression on the residents of White Cliff Bay today.

She scurried back to her own flat, to see she had a text from her best friend Carmel.

How’s it going? You unpacked yet? Have you found the kettle? Are there any hot single men?

Darcy smiled. Carmel had married her childhood sweetheart and though she was blissfully happy she always said she’d missed out on the dating scene and had to live her life vicariously through Darcy.

She considered carefully how to answer. Was Mystery Man hot? Of course he was, anyone could see that, but he certainly wasn’t worth mentioning when he was obviously a grumpy hermit.

She opened up a new text to reply.

Haven’t found the kettle, though I haven’t looked. Just been for a swim. It’s so pretty here. No hot single men. Though I did just see a man naked.

The reply was instant.

WHAT?? Was he fit? Did you see his willy? Why was he naked? Have you moved to a nudist beach? I want pictures!!

Darcy laughed.

Sadly it’s not a nudist beach. I just walked in on my neighbours having sex. Very embarrassing.

The phone beeped back at her almost immediately.

Hahahaha, only you Darcy, only you.

She smiled and put the phone down. She had some unpacking to do.

There was a knock on her door a while later, just as Darcy was hanging a large photo of a beautiful hammerhead shark on her wall.

She went to answer it, only to find Libby standing on her doorstep with a bunch of flowers in one hand and a bag of sugar in the other.

Darcy blushed and laughed, stepping back to let her in. ‘Can I get you a . . . tea?’ She looked around hopelessly at all the boxes, one of which housed the kettle and another that probably held the coffee and teabags. ‘Or a glass of juice?’

Libby smiled. ‘Juice would be great.’

Darcy moved to the kitchen and Libby followed her. Darcy really did owe her an explanation for earlier.

‘I’m so sorry about before. I thought George was beating you up. I heard thuds and groans and, coupled with seeing you so upset earlier, I jumped to the wrong conclusion.’

Libby’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ‘Is that why you came bursting in? Ha. George hasn’t got a mean bone in his body. I was upset before because . . . Well, I’m pregnant and everything is making me cry lately. Yesterday George bought some fresh bread from the shops because I wanted beans on toast and I wailed for over half an hour because he’d brought the wrong type of bread.’

Darcy laughed. ‘Oh no. How does George cope with all the tears?’

‘He’s amazing. I married my best friend and when I cry he just holds me until the tears pass. I’m sure the tears must be so frustrating for him, but he seems to have endless patience for it all. I really am incredibly lucky. Do you have a boyfriend, Darcy?’

Darcy shook her head. ‘No, the last few men I dated were from work, and when the jobs came to an end, the relationships seemed to as well.’

‘Well, there are lots of lovely men who live in White Cliff Bay. Are you staying here long?’

Darcy noticed Libby looking hungrily at a packet of doughnuts she had bought from the shops that morning. She offered her the packet and Libby gratefully took one.

‘I have a new job down here, so I hope I’ll be staying for a long time.’

‘Oh how lovely, what is it you’ll be doing?’ Libby asked, through a mouthful of doughnut.

‘I’ll be working for the local council. The office is in Apple Hill but it covers the areas of White Cliff Bay and Port Cardinal too. You’re looking at the new Community Development Liaison Manager,’ Darcy said, proudly.

‘Ooh, that sounds like a fancy title, what does that involve?’

Darcy hesitated for a moment. ‘Honestly, I have no idea. The job description was very woolly. I somehow bluffed my way through the whole interview and miraculously got offered the job. I know it’s something about working with the community on new local projects. I’m very excited. I love meeting new people, so it sounded right up my street.’

She’d told anyone who would listen how excited she was about her new job. It wasn’t true, but if she kept repeating it then she hoped she would start to believe it.

‘Sounds fab. When do you start?’

‘Ten days. A week on Monday.’ Darcy poured out two glasses of juice.

‘And was it just the job that brought you to White Cliff Bay or do you have friends down here?’

Darcy paused as she thought about how to answer that. She could at least partly tell the truth.

‘It was the sea, mainly. I love it. I used to be a marine biologist and though that chapter of my life is over, I still want to be by the sea. I used to holiday in White Cliff Bay as a child and I always wanted to live down here. Life seems to have held me back from fulfilling my dreams, but I’m here now.’

Libby cocked her head slightly as if she knew Darcy wasn’t telling the whole story.

Darcy sighed. ‘My parents are . . . difficult. When I lost my last job, I ended up living with them while I was searching for a new job. It was hell. The looks of disappointment, the little comments about how I’d let them down. I couldn’t bear it. They’ve been like it all my life but I’ve always put up with it before. My aunt Ginny died recently and I came down here to sort out her stuff.’ She paused, not sure why she was telling Libby all of this when they’d only just met, but the story was half out now. She pulled the locket she was wearing over her head. It was antique silver and the front was decorated with beads of sea glass. ‘This was in a box with my name on it.’

She passed it to Libby and watched as she opened it and read the inscription that she knew off by heart:

Don’t let anyone tell you your dreams aren’t good enough.

Libby smiled and passed it back.

‘I don’t know whether she had it specially made for me or just found it and thought of me, but I knew she was right. I’d been letting my parents dictate my life for far too long. Living down here had always been a dream that I’d convinced myself would never happen. So I made sure it did. I found a job and . . . here I am.’

‘Well, the people of the town are very friendly, I’m sure they will make you very welcome,’ Libby said, finishing off the doughnut and licking her fingers. ‘We’ll take you to the pub tonight, introduce you to some of the locals.’

‘That would be great, thank you. I’ve only met a few people so far and I didn’t exactly make the greatest impression on the lighthouse keeper.’

‘Riley Eddison? You met him?’ Libby took the proffered juice and followed Darcy into the lounge. Darcy threw herself down on the sofa and tiny motes of dust flew up and sparkled in the light of the late evening sun.

‘I swam out to Rose Island. I had no idea anyone lived in the lighthouse. Let’s say the welcome was not a warm one.’

Libby sat next to her, resting her hand protectively over her tiny bump. ‘Riley’s a funny one. He’s been here about six months, moved into the lighthouse just after Christmas. He’s American and the women seem to love his accent. Whenever Riley comes into town he’s like the Pied Piper with the women that follow him around, though none of them get anywhere with him. He’s terribly polite, has gorgeous manners, but keeps himself to himself. He comes to the Bubble and Froth sometimes, sits in the corner with his dog and doesn’t really talk to anyone. He’s never rude but not exactly friendly either. George rescued Riley earlier this year when he slipped on the rocks around the lighthouse, knocked himself unconscious and fell into the sea.’

‘Oh God,’ Darcy gasped.

‘He was fine. Luckily the lifeboat crew were nearby on a training exercise and George saw the whole thing happen and they were able to get to him in record time. He gave a hefty donation to the lifeboat station after that. He is Suzanna’s grandson, the lady from the chemist. She’s fab but she tells it like it is, no beating around the bush, though she keeps her cards very close to her chest about Riley. He was in the local paper a month or so ago after he rescued a stray puppy from the sea, who he then adopted. You could tell from the photo that the last thing he wanted was the attention, whereas Suzanna couldn’t have been prouder.’

‘So he has a soft side?’

Libby pulled a face as she sipped her juice. ‘I wouldn’t say soft, but some of his edges are perhaps not as hard as he would like people to believe. So you two didn’t hit it off?’

‘Well, he came out of his lighthouse and started shouting at me, so . . .’

‘I’ve never seen him lose his temper before. He may be very quiet, but he’s definitely not the angry, nasty type. What on earth did you do?’

That didn’t fill Darcy with a good feeling. Five minutes in the town and she had pissed off a man who never got angry. ‘I don’t know. I just swam out to the lighthouse, climbed up on the rocks for a rest and the next thing he appears, waving his arms in the air like a madman.’

‘Oh, I wonder if he was scared you might hurt yourself on the rocks. After his fall, he had steps built into the rocks round the back where he keeps his boat so it’s safer for him and any visitors to traverse the rocks to the door.’

Had that been it? He was concerned for her safety?

‘I feel really sorry for him, actually. He must have spent thousands doing up the inside of the lighthouse with all the new furniture I’ve seen being delivered over there. There were builders and decorators coming and going for months when he first moved in. Anyway rumour has it, two days after the final lick of paint had dried, he was served with some kind of compulsory eviction notice. Rose Island Lighthouse is to be pulled down – a new, more modern lighthouse has just been built a few hundred yards up the coast on Dagger’s Point. At the moment he is refusing to leave, but he has very little choice.’

‘That’s terrible, they can’t kick him out of his home.’

‘Apparently, they can. I don’t know all the ins and outs of it, but he has been told he has to leave. Oh, maybe he thought you were one of the people trying to evict him.’

‘Unlikely when I turned up in a wetsuit and with a fat dog in tow.’

Libby nodded to concede this, as she glanced over at Ben lying upside down and snoring loudly on the opposite sofa.

‘Well, you’ll just have to go back and ask him,’ Libby smiled, mischievously.

‘Maybe I should just leave him be. If me being there upsets him so much, then maybe I should just find somewhere else to swim.’

‘Maybe you should go back and show him that he can’t boss you around.’

Darcy laughed. ‘Are you trying to set me up with him?’

Libby shrugged as she stood up. ‘I’m a romance writer. I want everyone to find their happy-ever-afters, just like me and George. Anyway, I’ll leave you to unpack. We’ll pick you up at seven and take you to the pub then.’

Darcy nodded.

As the door closed behind Libby, Darcy glanced over Silver Cove to Rose Island Lighthouse.

Maybe she would go back and apologise for any misunderstanding. Then she shook her head. Maybe she really should just leave well alone.

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